Simple Life Divers Koh Tao: Courses, Sail Rock & Who It Suits

Featured image: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Simple Life Divers Koh Tao at a glance

Simple Life Divers works from 3/90 Moo 2, Sairee Beach, Koh Tao, Surat Thani 84360. Its own site sells PADI courses, morning fun-dive trips, Sail Rock day trips and instructor internships. Google shows around 4.9 from more than 1,200 reviews at the time of writing. We read that as a good sign for service. Your instructor on the day still matters more than the average. Prices and hours in this guide were checked November 2026.

• Best for: first-timers short on days, certified divers who want Sail Rock, and career-minded divers.
• Think twice if: you get seasick easily, expect guaranteed whale sharks, or have fewer than two days.
• Phone: +66 77 456 329.
• Hours: daily 09:00–18:30, as listed by a visitor directory.

Where it is and how to get there

Sairee Beach is the island's longest stretch of sand, and the operator places its shop at the southern tip. A visitor directory lists Mae Haad Pier as a 6-minute walk away. Koh Tao Divers (KTD) is listed about 210 m from the door. Crystal Dive is listed at 380 m, and Wat Koh Tao at 310 m. The counter opens daily 09:00–18:30, but dive boats leave much earlier. Lomprayah catamarans reach the island from Chumphon in about 1.5–2 hours for ฿600–700. Motorbikes rent for ฿200–300 a day, and some concrete roads are very steep. We'd walk around Sairee and keep the bike for dry, daylight rides.

Courses and trips: what Simple Life Divers offers

Simple Life Divers lists a short menu of core products. PADI Open Water takes 3½ days, and PADI Scuba Diver takes 2 days at ฿8,500. A Sail Rock day costs ฿2,900 and includes 2 dives and lunch. Morning fun-dive trips leave about 07:00 and return by midday. We've grouped the menu by the question each item answers.

• Never dived and short on time: PADI Scuba Diver, 2 days, ฿8,500.
• Want a full license: PADI Open Water, 3½ days.
• Already certified: morning fun dives, two sites, back by midday.
• Want the big-name site: Sail Rock, ฿2,900, 2 dives, lunch included.
• Want to test it first: the site also lists a 1-day intro dive and a refresher session.
• Want to work in diving: internships of 1, 2 and 7 months.

Which option fits you

Match the product to your calendar first and your budget second. If you have four free days, we'd book Open Water over Scuba Diver. If you have two, Scuba Diver is the honest fit.

PADI Scuba Diver vs Open Water: the trade-off

Scuba Diver certifies you to 12 m, and only while diving with a PADI professional. Open Water certifies you to 18 m with a buddy. The operator calls Open Water only marginally more expensive for the extra dives and training. We'd ask for both quotes in writing before choosing the shorter course. Scuba Diver can be upgraded later at any PADI center with extra theory, skills and two more open-water dives. Everyone completes a medical questionnaire first. Asthma, diabetes and heart disease are examples that call for a doctor's check. Read DAN's guidance on fitness to dive before you book. Plan your flight home around the same advice on flying after diving.

Sail Rock day trip: what to expect

Sail Rock is an isolated islet midway between Koh Tao and Koh Phangan. The boat takes about 1.5–2 hours to reach it, depending on sea state. That means roughly 3 hours afloat on transit alone. Open Water is enough to dive it, with a planned limit of 18 m. Advanced extends that to 30 m. The Chimney swim-through starts at about 16 m and exits at 6 m. The secret pinnacle needs Deep certification or equivalent. The operator says 10–20 divers ride the boat and split into groups of 1–4 in the water. Whale sharks are possible, not guaranteed. The operator itself says you need to be lucky, and it names March to June as the best window. Take a seasickness tablet 30–60 minutes before departure. Trips run on listed dates only. The November list showed 20 and 28 November, and dates shift with weather and demand. If conditions are poor, the operator offers local sites or a full refund.

• 06:45: meet at the shop.
• 07:00: board the boat.
• 09:00: first dive.
• 11:00: surface interval and lunch.
• 12:30: second dive.
• Mid-afternoon: back on Koh Tao.

Best time to dive and monsoon risk

The operator describes November as monsoon season. Expect strong wind, swells that can exceed 2 m, thunderstorms and lower visibility. Boats still dive the sheltered side of the island, but conditions get harder. Its busiest periods run from mid-December to late April, then July through September. For Sail Rock visibility, it advises avoiding November and the days around each full moon. We'd target March to June if whale sharks matter to you. If you can only come in November, add two spare days so one cancelled boat does not wreck the plan.

If you want to go pro

The instructor internship lasts 7 months and is listed at ฿280,900. That covers training, materials, gear rental and accommodation. Explorer lasts 1 month and Divemaster 2 months. Early courses run in groups of 3–4 students. The final stage is a two-week instructor course and a two-day exam. Treat this as a major commitment of money and months. Ask for the full inclusions list, and for a discount if you already hold certifications.

How it compares with other Koh Tao dive shops

Compare shops on published figures, not star averages. Our full Koh Tao dive shop comparison is the best starting point. Crystal Dive is the large-operator alternative, and our Crystal Dive profile covers it. Its official site lists current courses. Use the table below as a checklist for every shop.

• Bans Diving Resort: compare its course list and prices.
• Sairee Cottage Diving: another Sairee Beach name to price against.
• Big Blue Diving: check its group sizes and boat times.
• Black Turtle Diving: compare its fun-dive options.
• DPM Diving: look at its course durations.
• Roctopus: weigh its offer against the same checklist.
• Davy Jones' Locker: compare inclusions and policies.

Reviews: what to look for

Counts differ by source, from about 1,257 to 1,307 Google reviews. Skip the headline average and read the recent ones. Common themes are patient instructors, small groups, flexible dive-site choices and easy booking. We'd filter for your own course type. A beginner review tells you more about Open Water than a fun-diver review does. Look for mentions of briefings and group size. Treat any single glowing name with caution, because staff rotate.

Practical booking tips and mistakes to avoid

Message the shop with your certification level and your number of days. The operator says it will recommend a training and diving combination from that. Ask these six questions of any Koh Tao shop. Get the answers in writing.

• How many divers per guide or instructor?
• What time does the boat leave and return?
• What does the price include?
• What is the cancellation and weather policy?
• How old is the rental gear, and who services it?
• Which dates are confirmed for Sail Rock?
• Mistake: booking Sail Rock without checking the date list.
• Mistake: assuming a whale shark will appear.
• Mistake: choosing Scuba Diver when you have time for Open Water.
• Mistake: ignoring November swell.

What the two-day Scuba Diver course looks like

The PADI Scuba Diver course suits visitors who have only 2 days but still want a recognized certification. Simple Life Divers lists it at ฿8,500. It certifies divers to 12 m when accompanied by a PADI professional.

Day 1 combines theory with shallow-water skill practice. Day 2 includes 2 open-water dives, usually taking a half day. Ask whether your dives are scheduled for the morning or afternoon before committing to onward travel.

This route is useful when Open Water’s 3½-day schedule does not fit. It is not the same as a full Open Water qualification. Scuba Divers cannot plan independent buddy dives within their certification limit.

You can upgrade later at any PADI center. The upgrade requires further theory, skills practice and 2 additional open-water dives. Ask the shop for the current upgrade requirements and whether a later course can be arranged around your Koh Tao itinerary.