Koh Tao Night Dive: Cost, Course & What to Expect

Featured image: Nick Steemans, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Quick answer: can you night dive on Koh Tao?

Yes, if you hold an Open Water certification. Certified divers can usually join a night fun dive without a specialty card. One Koh Tao shop lists night diving as 1 day with 2 dives at ฿1,300. Some agencies recommend Advanced Open Water or a Night Adventure Dive first, so ask your shop what it requires. Uncertified visitors should plan a course before thinking about darkness.

Night fun dive vs specialty course vs UV dive

Three formats cover most bookings. A fun dive is simply a dive after dark. A specialty course adds theory, skill practice and a certification card. A UV dive adds a fluorescence torch to either one. Figures below come from individual Koh Tao shops, not an island-wide rate.

• Choose the fun dive if you are certified, comfortable in the water and want to see the reef once after dark.
• Choose a specialty course if you want structured light handling and proof of training for other destinations.
• Choose a UV dive if fluorescent coral appeals. Only some operators offer it, so ask which sites they use.

What it costs and how long it takes

Prices and hours checked November 2026. A fun night dive at one shop costs ฿1,300 for 2 dives in a single day. PADI's Night Diver specialty ran ฿5,500 for 2 dives or ฿7,000 for 3 dives at another shop, taking 2 to 3 days. At a third shop, the SSI route starts with a 16:30 classroom session on day 1. Its ฿4,000 and ฿6,000 prices include SSI fees and equipment. Compare these against wider rates on our Koh Tao diving prices page. A card costs more than a single dive. It adds logged training and recognized proof for other destinations, but shops do not always require it for a night fun dive.

What you can see on a night dive here

Divers commonly report moray eels and lionfish hunting in torch light. Parrotfish sleep wrapped in mucus cocoons, and crabs and shrimp that hide by day come out of the crevices. Bioluminescent plankton glows when you wave a hand through the water with your light off. UV torches make some corals glow purple and green, according to operators who run them. Sightings depend on the site and the night, so treat each as possible rather than guaranteed. Our Koh Tao Marine Life: What You'll See, Where and When guide covers daytime species as well.

Is night diving scary? Who should wait

Pre-dive nerves are normal, and a good briefing covers light handling and communication before you enter the water. Divers who suit a night dive are comfortable with buoyancy and have logged several recent dives. Wait if your buoyancy is still shaky or if darkness makes you anxious. Wait too if you have an unresolved medical flag. At one Koh Tao shop, any "Yes" answer on the second page of the medical form needs a signed, stamped doctor's letter. Our guide to Koh Tao diving suitability helps you judge your level. Instructors should also explain what to do if a light fails.

• Skip if you answered yes to any medical question and have no doctor's letter.
• Skip if you have not dived for months and feel rusty.
• Rebook if you feel unwell on the day.

Gear and light signals

Standard kit applies, plus lighting and signaling items. PADI lists a primary light, a backup light, a compass with luminescent markings and signaling devices. Shops often supply torches, and one says it provides them on its course. Ask before you arrive, and test any torch you rent before the dive. In the dark, your buddy cannot read hand signals unless a light falls on them. Instructors teach light signals for OK, attention and a problem. They also teach you to light your own hand without blinding your partner.

• Primary dive light and a backup light
• Compass with luminescent markings
• Whistle
• Surface marker buoy (SMB) with a light stick

Conditions, timing and cancellations

Meeting time depends on sunset, and your instructor confirms it. An example evening runs theory at 16:30, a briefing, a dusk entry and a debrief, though operators set their own times. Sites and times change with weather, sea conditions and group preferences. Visibility can be limited, and plankton and surge can reduce it further. Check seasonal patterns in our Best Time to Dive Koh Tao: Month-by-Month Guide guide. See Koh Tao Water Temperature by Month: What to Wear Diving for exposure protection. The Thai Meteorological Department publishes forecasts for the Gulf of Thailand. Ask your shop whether a cancelled dive is rescheduled or refunded.

Safety, insurance and the chamber

Basic insurance is not full dive cover. One Koh Tao shop includes accident cover valid for 30 days. It pays up to ฿1,000,000 for death or permanent disability and up to ฿500,000 per accident in medical costs, including hyperbaric treatment. Evacuation is excluded. Patients pay upfront and are reimbursed in 2 to 3 weeks. That is one operator's policy, so read your own terms. Many divers add dive-specific insurance, and Divers Alert Network publishes guidance on dive safety and cover. Read about the island's treatment facility in our hyperbaric chamber on Koh Tao guide. For medical questions, see a physician rather than relying on a dive shop.

How to choose a dive shop for night dives

Compare operators on practical points rather than price alone. Group size, briefing quality and the entry type all shape how relaxed the dive feels. Browse options in our Koh Tao Dive Resort Guide: Where to Stay and Dive overview.

• Are lights supplied, and are backups included?
• How many divers go with each guide?
• Is entry from a boat or from shore?
• What happens if weather cancels the dive?
• What does the price include: fees, equipment, certification?

Where night diving fits next

Night diving pairs well with a buoyancy course, since steady trim matters most in the dark. One shop links its night course to a deep specialty reaching 40 m, with sites subject to conditions. Wreck diving appears as a later step, not as part of a night dive. Travelers wanting more nights underwater can look at a Koh Tao Liveaboard: Options, Alternatives & When to Go. Return to the main 8 Best Koh Tao Diving Sites, Season, Courses and Costs hub to plan the rest.