Not long afterwards families from the neighboring island Koh Phangan settled and began cultivating the land harvesting coconuts and growing vegetables in the virgin soil resulting in a steady growth of the islands population.

It was in the end of the eighties that Koh Tao was first discovered by backpackers and the news of this paradise island soon made it a popular destination though it was not so easy to get there.

A quote from Thomas Cook travelers guide from 1993 says : “Those in search of a greater isolation can also visit Koh Tao. The island where people spend weeks on end living in small bungalows, eating prawn and coconuts and playing at being a modern-day Robinson Crusoe.”

Live aboard trips
Koh Tao is by far not the only place to go diving in Thailand. That’s why Big Bubble was searching a way to make all customers happy. We achieve that with our diving partner in Phuket. With Merlin Divers we found ourselfs a reliable partner to organize your individual Live aboard – Trip in the beautiful Similan Islands. This means for our guests that they don’t have to worry about the traveling, the organization or anything else, you don’t want to do in your holidays. We will organize your trip for you. The only thing you have to o is go dinging and enjoy your holiday…

They can teach you in almost every language. Main courses will be held in English and German. Teaching materials (Video, book and final exams) are available in almost every language.

We provide you with all PADI courses from Discover Scuba Diving up to Dive Master level.

What Big Bubble stands for
We try to keep the spirit of the old days on Koh Tao. Back when you could chill out on quiet beaches and diving was relaxed.

We have bungalows for every taste and budget. Would you like to stay on a quiet small private. Would you like to stay on a quiet small private beach?

- Freedom beach,
- View point resort,
- Sunset resort,
- Moon Dane resort,
Would be your choice

Would you would like to stay closer to the mail beach?

- Sunshine resort,
- JP resort,
- Tropicana resort
Would be your choice

There are several reasons to come diving with Big Bubble:
- Big Bubble is an international PADI 5 Star Dive Resort which has been conducting successful scuba diving courses for almost 13 years in Chaloke Baankao.

- We offer all PADI Courses with European instructors in many different languages.

- We guarantee small groups and customer orientated services. You will get the best individual education.

- In our comfortable classroom you will get the best possible training.

- Our instructors are open for any questions and will help you to understand all aspects of diving,

With Big Bubble it’s fun and safe for everybody.

- Generally you can get all scuba diving lessons from Open Water Diver to Advanced Diver Rescue Diver or even Dive Master, Assistant Instructor or PADI Diving Instructor.

- Our dive boat is big enough for 25 diver and we still have space to gear up easily. The Boat has a 40m2 sundeck to chill out on in the surface time. Coffee, tea, soup, fruit and cookies are included. Our brand new Bauer compressors are installed on the boat.

- For our Fun divers on Koh Tao, we offer also small groups and, longer dive times

- We start one hour later than the other dive schools. This means we arrive at the dive sites when all the other boats are leaving. So we will see fish instead of divers.

- Basically we just have a lot of fun.

- Our bungalows have an uninterrupted view over the Gulf of Siam. They also have fan, mosquito net, shower and toilet. This relaxed place is located directly by the sea, away from stress and noise associated with big resorts and will make your diving holidays unforgettable!

Enjoy your holiday in a friendly relaxed atmosphere.

After a long time waiting we got at last our new dive shop finished.

For all our old customers n friends who have visited us for many yours and our new customers!. We have moved to the main beach in Chaloke Baankao. We still have a small office next to the View Point Resort but our main dive shop is at the main beach now.

Mio, our long tail driver, will pick you up from wherever you stay and make sure that you will get back to your bungalow after diving.

You will get a CD with all your images on AND some professional underwater photos and Koh Tao images on top.

Only 1,000 Baht for half a day.

Big Bubble Intro Dive
Limited in time but would like a dive certification? Begin your diving adventures here! No previous experience required!

Big Bubble Intro Diver course is a half day course designed for people with time limitations and still would like to discover the wonders of the underwater using SCUBA.

PADI Scuba Diver course
Limited in time but would like a dive certification? Begin your diving adventures here! No previous experience required!

PADI SCUBA DIVER course is a two-day certification designed for people with time limitations who wish to receive a life-long certification and discover the wonders of the underwater using SCUBA. During day 1 of this pre-entry level certification, participants are introduced to dive theory an a confined water experience where basic training skills for using SCUBA are mastered. On day 2, divers participate in 2 open water dives, diving to a maximum of 12 meters under the supervision of a PADI instructor.

Once divers complete confined and academic sessions 1, 2 and 3 and open water dives 1 and 2 (subset of Open Water Diver course), they can opt for the Scuba Diver course qualification. This lifetime qualification entitles them to dive under the supervision of a PADI professional, or continue on to complete the Open Water Diver course.

PADI Open Water course
The PADI OPEN WATER course includes : 4 dives, confined water training, equipment rental and a open water book.

Big Bubble has experienced, European diving instructors. They can teach you in almost every language. Main courses will be held in English and German, Teaching materials (video, book and final exams) are available in almost ever language.

Time table for Open Water course :

You start your PADI Open Water Course in our comfortable classroom with a PADI Open Water video. This PADI open water Video will show you the basics of diving and gives you an overview about everything you will learn in your open water course.

After the PADI video you start with academics under the supervision of one of our well experienced PADI Instructors. In this session you will learn all the important rules of diving and how to handle the equipment.

The first exercises in the shallow water will bring you closer to the underwater world. You will learn to breath under water, to clear your mask and many other skills you need for diving. All exercises will be conducted in small groups and you’ll soon find out that diving is pure fun!. If you pass your confined water training you will be ready for your first 2 Open Water Diver (mix 12m). And after that 2 more dives to max 18.

After these 2 final dives and your final exam you will get your certification and you are a PADI Open Water Diver!!!

From this moment on you have a whole new world to discover You will never forget your first breath underwater…

If you liked your Open Water Diver course, why not continue with the PADI Advanced Open Water course?

PADI Advanced Open Water course
The PADI ADVANCED OPEN WATER course includes : 5 dives, equipment rental, and an Advanced Open Water manual.

The Advanced Open Water course includes 5 independent dives, each one is covering different skills. Two of the dives are mandatory :
- Deep dive (30m/100 feet) and
- Navigation dive, which teaches you how to use a compass and navigate under water.

Both lessons will be of great help in future diving. After these first two dives you can choose another three dives which interest you. All the other advanced open water dives are described in your book. You’ll soon find out what you like most. There’s Underwater Photography with a digital camera, Underwater Naturalist, Multilevel Diving, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Night diving and so on…

Talk about it with your PADI Diving Instructor.

PADI EFR & Rescue Diver course
The PADI RESCUE DIVER and EFR courses include : equipment rental and Rescue and EFR manual.

RESCUE COURSE
As an experienced diver you may want to continue your diving education. Learn how to prevent problems before they occur, how to manage an emergency and how to help divers at the surface and underwater. During this course you start sharpening your senses to spot potential problems and learn how to take care of the divers around you.

This course is also a prerequisite if you want to go on to become a PADI Professional like a Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or even a PADI Diving Instructor.

EFR
In the Emergency First Responder Course (EFR) you’ll learn the basics of primary and secondary care, CPR and defibrillation. What you learn in this course helps you not just in diving but also in emergencies that could happen in your daily life. The EFR (or another First Aid course with CPR) not older than 24 months is a prerequisite for the PADI Rescue Diver course.

PADI Divemaster course
The PADI DIVEMASTER course is your first professional level in the PADI System of diver education. This course will teach you :
1. To become a better diver who can take care of other divers.
2. All the knowledge of diving theory.
3. How to assist an instructor during training activities.

As a PADI Divemaster, you’ll be qualified to :

1. Organize, conduct recreational diving activities, both land and boat based.
2. Have logged a minimum of 20 open water dives prior to entry into PADI Divemaster training.
3. Be at least 18 years old.
4. Be in good physical condition for diving and submit a medical exam form signed by a physician.

You’ll complete three phases in the PADI Divemaster program :

1. Watermanship and skills assessment, watermanship and stamina and general diving skills.
2. Knowledge development
- Diving physics
- Diving physiology
- Diving skills and environment
- Supervising students in training
- Dive management and control
- Dive planning
- Emergency assistance plan for diving emergencies in the local area
- Mapping a local open water site
3. Practical Application : This involves training activities using various structured training sessions, simulated scenarios and internship sessions with actual PADI programs. These training sessions enable you to gain practical experience as an instructional assistant and a supervisor of open water diving activities, both as a coordinator and as an underwater guide.

As a PADI Divemaster you’ll be able to :
1. Act as certified instructional assistant to PADI Instructors.
2. Supervise participants in PADI experience programs for uncertified divers.
3. Generally supervise both training and non training related diving activities by planning, organizing and directing dives.
4. Teach and certify PADI Skin Divers.
5. Conduct the PADI Scuba Review program for certified divers.
6. Enroll in PADI Instructor level training

Upon successfully completing the PADI Divemaster program, you’ll receive a certification card and wall certificate denoting this rating. You’ll also become a member of PADI and receive benefits, including the ability to purchase professional liability insurance (which may be required to conduct some activities).

Lately we spotted many grey reef sharks, whalesharks, big school of bat fish, jacks and king mackerels on Barracuda Rock, guess what, many yellow-tail barracudas, giant barracudas, real big potato groupers, sweet lips.

Southwest Pinnacle
Southwest Pinnacle is next to Chumphon Pinnacle and Sailrock one of our top dive sites.

A granite pinnacle with many valleys starting up at depth from 26 meters. It’s nice diving around the rocks and ascend slowly along the main pinnacle for your safety stop above the seven meter top.

Big schools of fish, barracudas, tuna, Mackerels, sometimes leopard sharks and big potato groupers.

Green Rock
Another nice dive site on Koh Tao. Two main pinnacles will make your diving a pleasure, the deeper one you can dive down to 35 meters, heading south you will get at 18 meters to the big pinnacle. A lot of swim-through make diving here interesting. Sometimes the current will just carry you around an you can just enjoy diving without moving at all.

Soft and hard corals, harlequin sweetlips, yellow margin trigger fish, barracuda schools, jack fish and if you’re lucky also whalesharks.

Twins
Basically three pinnacles, the deepest one at 19 meters, the second on 17 meters and the shallow one at 12 meters. A nice little swim-through at the middle one. You should go and visit Mork and Molly, our clown fishes at about 13 meters.

Assorted soft and hard corals, banded sea snakes, sometimes turtles, brasses, groupers of all kind, and Mork and Molly.

Sail Rock
With the chimney, starting 7 meters and exits at 18 meters, this is a unique dive site. Diving in head over and coming out into big schools of mackerels is fantastic. The depth around the pinnacle is 27 meters and goes up right to the surface.

A good chance of whalesharks, grey reef sharks, leopard sharks, barracudas, jack fish and bat fish, groupers.