Two weeks is all it has taken for me to fall into a rhythm on Koh Tao. It’s an island where thousands come to relax in the sun and enjoy the incredible diving the area has to offer. Life as a PADI Divemaster trainee at Sairee Cottage Diving is not that much harder and definitely no less enjoyable.
If I’m going diving on the morning boat my day usually starts at the crack of dawn, with the longtail boat that carries tourists and employees alike to the dive boat leaving shortly after 7am. I’m not a morning person, waking has always been a struggle, but it’s easy to perk up when you’re surrounded by 20 customers, dive masters and instructors all excited to get under water. And while we are obviously there to dive, the time spent on the boat between dives is almost as enjoyable – lying back on a cushion on the sun deck, eating fresh fruit, and enjoying the beautiful views around the island.
This course is about so much more than just being on the dive boat though. There are classroom sessions (in air conditioning fortunately) where we learn what it takes to be a top dive professional, sessions in the pool practicing helping students, we get to assist instructors with courses; the list goes on and on. The beauty of all this though is you do what you want, when you want. The schedule for the week is already organized, and you just sign up for what you want to do. So if you want to work hard you work hard, and if you want to take a few days off to do other things you can.
So what do we do when we aren’t training to be a PADI Divemaster trainee? Sometimes we just relax in a hammock outside the dorm room (did I mention Sairee Cottage give you your accommodation for free!) with other people doing this course and the Instructor Training Course. Of course we can also hang out at the idyllic beach or beautiful pool (more of this later). But if we are feeling a bit more like being a tourist we get out and explore the island, renting a moped to visit some of the viewpoints or secluded bays. And if we are feeling really energetic there is hiking, rock climbing, and even a Flying Trapeze!
However we choose to fill our day we usually end it at Sairee Cottage’s beautiful pool bar with a few cold beers, while we excitedly discuss the whale shark we saw today or the boulders we jumped off into the ocean, with the backdrop of a beautiful sunset. Here life long friendships are made and you can share your personal experience of the PADI Divemaster trainee program with like-minded people!
Then its time for one of the hardest parts of the day – where to eat?! For such a small island the choice is endless. There are cheap roadside family establishments serving up delicious Thai food (Mama’s and All Seasons are particular favourites of mine. You can choose from burger joints, Italian, Indian, even Mexican. Or you can splash out and go to one of the beautiful hilltop resorts with spectacular views over the island and the ocean. Wherever you go, once the restaurant workers start to recognise your face you can be sure to get a good deal. At All Seasons I now get a customary free banana after every meal.
As the night stretches on people either tend to crash early in preparation for an early start the next day, or gather themselves for a night out. The divers local bar, called Banyans, is a destination for those who fancy an unrestrained drinking session, there is a pub crawl starting at Choppers bar 4 nights a week, or you can head to any one of the many beach bars and enjoy a fire show.
There are sometimes organized social events as well. These range from a simple dinner together, through a trip to the mini golf or local cinema (think cinema room from an episode of MTV Cribs), to getting the chance to try out the Flying Trapeze!
I am thoroughly enjoying the PADI Divemaster trainee course so far, and the lifestyle that comes with it even more, and cant wait to see what the next few weeks bring. When I started the course it was with the intention of increasing my dive skills and knowledge, but having experienced a small part of the life these guys live out here, I’m very tempted to stick around and look for work when I qualify. Or, as I’ve heard nothing but good things about the course, I may even take the next step and become an Instructor!
If you want to see what its all about for yourself, you will find all the information you need at www.divemastercourses.com. And if you want to check out the resort have a look at www.saireecottagediving.com
Maybe I will see you here soon!
Posted by nic on Oct 3, 2016 in Divemaster Course | 0 comments