Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

Nervous beginners are this dive school's specialty. Countless reviews mention the instructor who guided someone safely and without panic attacks through the Open Water Diver course – and that patience is worth every penny when you're breathing underwater for the first time. Certified divers also get their money's worth here, for example with guided dives around the Phi Phi reefs. But the dive school's true strength undoubtedly lies in its beginner training.

The diving alone is worth the trip. One diver reported seeing octopuses, cuttlefish, blacktip reef sharks, moray eels, pufferfish, lionfish, a scorpionfish, lobsters, and a seahorse on just one dive. That's not typical for Thailand. Lunch on board also deserves a mention – it's more than you'd expect after two dives and a surface interval in the sun.

If you're taking the Open Water course, it's best to plan for several days rather than scheduling it right before your ferry crossing. The course includes exercises in confined open water before the actual dives, and this takes time. Diving is possible year-round, although the period from November to April offers the calmest water and best visibility. During this time, you should book well in advance.