PADI Bangkok: Courses, Dive Centers & Where to Dive

Featured image: Ryan Lackey, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

What PADI Bangkok Really Means

Bangkok is landlocked. PADI dive centers in the city run theory, confined water sessions and refresher programs. Your ocean dives happen on a day trip or a longer coast trip. Operators here advertise day trips to Samaesan, Sattahip, Rayong, Chumphon and Trad, plus liveaboards in the Andaman Sea. If you only want a first taste of the water, jump to the course table below. For wider context on city diving, start with our Bangkok diving overview.

PADI Courses You Can Start From Bangkok

PADI lists its full course ladder on the official PADI courses page. Bangkok centers teach the entry rungs, and some also run technical and pro-level programs. Durations below come from operator listings, so treat them as typical rather than fixed.

How to Choose Your Course

Start with your experience, then count the days you have. A refresher is one day, while Open Water takes about 4 days. Both listings cap groups at 4 students per instructor, so small classes are normal. Language matters too: one Thonburi operator lists English, Japanese and Thai, and a Sukhumvit center lists English and Thai.

• Pick Discover Scuba if you have never dived and want to test the feeling first.
• Pick Open Water if you have several days and want a card valid at any dive center.
• Pick a Refresher if you are certified, have at least 4 logged dives and have been out of the water for a while.
• Pick eLearning first if you want to spend less time in a classroom while in Thailand.
• Skip diving if you have only 1 or 2 days in Bangkok and want a first dive. A snorkel outing is easier, as in our Bangkok Snorkeling Tour: Island Day Trips and Overnight Options guide.

Bangkok Dive Centers and Where They Sit

Bangkok SCUBA Academy is a PADI 5 Star Dive Center on the Thonburi side. Its address is on Petchkasem Road, Bangkokyai. Dive Info, a PADI 5 Star IDC center, sits at 1097 Sukhumvit Road, between Sukhumvit 55 and 57. Its meeting point is on the 2nd floor of a coffee shop, 200 m from BTS Thonglo Station. Sukhumvit suits you if you are staying near the BTS line. Thonburi suits a longer cross-river trip. For a fuller comparison, see our Bangkok dive shop list. Confirm schedules with each operator before traveling.

Getting From Bangkok to the Water

Your open water dives take you to the coast. Dive Info lists its dive sites as decided on the dive day, so ask which site your course uses. Certified divers can look at our Koh Samet diving guide. Non-divers or anyone short on time can try our Koh Samet snorkeling options instead. A single-day Refresher includes 2 dives, so it fits a day trip better than a full course does. A 4-day Open Water course needs you to block out the whole stretch.

Booking, Cancellation and What Is Included

Prices and hours checked November 2026. Listings quote local currency that changes often, so compare live figures with the operator. Cancellation rules differ sharply. The Open Water listing offers full refunds with at least 48 hours' notice. The Refresher listing allows no cancellations, refunds or changes. Read the policy before you pay. The Open Water package includes 4 open water dives, 5 confined water dives, lunch, full equipment rental and PADI eLearning with certification fees. National and marine park fees are not included and are payable on site. Fee rules come from the Department of National Parks. Bring your logbook and certification card if you are a returning diver.

• Gear: full equipment rental is listed in both packages.
• eLearning: included in the Open Water listing.
• Park fees: paid on site, not in the course price.
• Voucher: show a mobile or printed copy.

Safety, Medical and Fitness Requirements

The Open Water listing asks that you float for 10 minutes and swim 200 m (about 650 ft) unaided and without stopping. You must also be in good health and complete a medical check before the start date. Answer the medical questionnaire honestly. A doctor sign-off may be needed if any answer is yes. Certified Open Water divers can dive down to 18 m (about 60 ft). Learn about flying after diving from Divers Alert Network guidance before booking a flight home. The minimum age listed for both courses is 10+.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Most problems come from assumptions about where and how training happens. Avoid these.

• Expecting ocean dives inside Bangkok.
• Booking a Refresher without 4 logged dives.
• Skipping the cancellation terms, which differ between operators.
• Forgetting that park fees are paid separately on site.
• Assuming a PADI label guarantees quality. Check the center's listed status, such as 5 Star, and ask who your instructor is.