Big Blue Diving Koh Tao

Don't be a Dick in Thailand!

There's been plenty in the news about badly behaved tourists recently, so perhaps it's time for a quick Refresher on a few simple DO'S & DON'TS:

❌ DON'T touch people on the head. It's considered disrespectful.

🙏 DO learn to Wai and greet people respectfully. A smile and Sawasdee Krub/Ka goes a long way.

🇹🇭 DON'T disrespect Thailand, Thai culture or especially the Royal Family. Some forms of disrespect can also have serious legal consequences.

🛕 DO dress appropriately. Beachwear is for the beach. DON'T wander around shops and restaurants in bikinis or budgie smugglers. You look ridiculous!😂

🍜 DON'T touch any Marine life or coral.

🦶 DON'T point your feet at people, Buddha images or sacred objects.

😡 DON'T lose your s**t because something works differently from back home. Shouting louder rarely improves your Thai.

😊 DO smile, be patient and treat people with respect.

⚖️ DO know the law — Thailand can surprise you! Cannabis rules have tightened considerably, and that innocent-looking v**e from home? Illegal. 💨

🌴 DO enjoy yourself! Eat everything. Explore. Dive. Snorkel. Meet people. Learn some Thai. Have a Singha. Have another Singha. 🍺

And DO remember the golden rule:

DON'T be a Dick!

👇What did I miss — what DO or DON'T would you add?

Bruce! Sheila! Kevin & Kylie! Fellow Antipodeans .... Check this:

https://aussiesin.com/guides/thailand-country-guide -blue

The Aussies In Thailand Guide has done a cracking job of putting all the useful stuff in one place — where to go, getting around, accommodation, costs, islands, Koh Tao, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and all the other bits and pieces that'll save you learning everything the hard way.

💰 There are also discounts, deals and a few cheeky freebies available through their links including us at Big Blue Diving Koh Tao!

💬 Jump into their Thailand WhatsApp group — handy for getting the mixing with other Aussies & Kiwis already travelling around the country.

And when you eventually wash up on Koh Tao, come and say 'Hey' at Big Blue. 🤙🤿

Too easy. See ya on the island! 🍻🌴

Hypothetically… if you were in a relationship with a dive site… 🤿❤️

Would you agree?

🌊 Chumphon Pinnacle — the moody, good-looking one. 😎🌪️ You never quite know what mood you're going to find them in… but bloody hell, they're attractive.

🚤❤️ Sail Rock — the long-distance relationship that's absolutely worth the commute. Takes a little more effort, but every time you get there you remember exactly why you keep going back. 🔥

🎁🐠 Southwest Pinnacle — the one you look forward to seeing most because they're always full of surprises. You never quite know what you're going to get… and that's half the attraction. 👀🦈

😈🌊 And Red Rock to Japanese Gardens?
Lures you in at Red Rock, shows you their secret passage, takes you somewhere you weren't expecting… then casually drops you off at Japanese Gardens like nothing ever happened. 😏🌸🤿

Saucy little minx. 💋

So… if Koh Tao's dive sites were relationships, which is YOUR type? 😂👇

🤿

🤿 Last day of the Open Water Course with 2 final ocean dives to a maximum depth of 18 meters.

🐟 Swam straight into a wall of meter-long barracuda on the 1st dive
🌊 Then on the 2nd went gliding through the canyon at Laem Thien Caves with the Star Wars theme blasting in surround sound inside my head. 🎶😂

Just another day at work really… 😎

WICKED DAY! 🤙

I bloody love being a Diving Instructor. ❤️🤿

Want to be one too? 👀
👇 Find out how to turn diving into your day job:

https://www.bigbluediving.com/diving-courses/pro-instructor/

🤿🌴

🦈⭐ WHALE SHARK REVIEWS CHUMPHON PINNACLE

⭐⭐☆☆☆ 2/5 — Nice place. Awful privacy.

“Popped into Chumphon Pinnacle for a quiet breakfast this morning.

Big mistake.

Within approximately 30 seconds, EVERYONE was staring at me. 👀

Then came the pointing. 👉
Then the screaming through regulators. 🤿
Then 40 people with GoPros appeared. 📸
Had to take a tail swipe at one bloke who was invading my personal space!

Honestly, you'd think they'd never seen a fish before.

🐟 Food: Excellent
🌊 Location: Lovely
🐠 Other marine life: Plenty
📸 Privacy: FU***NG APPALLING
🤿 Humans: Excitable

I eventually left because some Divemaster was following me around ringing a metal stick like dinner was ready. 🔔😂

⭐⭐☆☆☆

**Lovely pinnacle. Would probably visit again…**

…but next time I'm wearing a hat and sunglasses. 🕶️

🪼⚠️ PLEASE BEWARE! ⚠️🪼

🚨 DANGER AT SATTAKUT WRECK! 🚢

🤧 Someone sneezed! 🪼

🚫👉 PLEASE DON'T TOUCH. 🪼⚡

Anyone know what name they call this?

What Actually Happens on a Night Dive?

While most people like to get a beer at sunset, some crazies out there like night diving. They grab a boat, a mate, a torch, and off they pop with guides who've done this more times than they've had hot dinners.

Is it terrifying? Actually the opposite. Somewhere around minute five, the nerves flip into something closer to wonder, because a reef at night is basically a completely different place with the day shift gone home and the night shift clocking in.

Parrotfish tuck themselves into little mucus sleeping bags (yes, really — they blow a bubble around themselves like a onesie, presumably to confuse predators, or possibly just because it's cosy). Octopus and cuttlefish, shy and camera-averse by day, wander about in full view. Shine your torch just right and you'll catch the eyeshine of shrimp and crabs scattered across the reef like tiny stars that decided to live on the seabed instead. And if conditions are right, waving your hand through the water can set off bioluminescent plankton — glowing green sparks, like you've been quietly enrolled in a very small, very wet fireworks display.

It's calm, it's a bit surreal, and it tends to convert even the least "outdoorsy" people into the sort who now bring up night diving unprompted at dinner parties.

Ask us about adding a night dive during your Advanced Course certification or fun dive schedule by phone +6677456415 by whatsapp +66819205698 email [email protected] or book here book.bigbluediving.com

https://www.bigbluediving.com/diving-courses/advanced/advanced-diving-course/

I Can't Really Swim... Can I Still Learn to Dive?

This is, without exaggeration, one of the most common questions we get — right up there with "can I p*e in my wetsuit" and "are triggerfish dangerous."

Short answer: yes. To do an Open Water course, you need is to swim 200 meters in any stroke you like — doggy-paddle and enthusiastic flailing both count — and float or tread water for 10 minutes. No timing, no judging panel.

Solution for those who can't swim but still want to try Diving, do your Basic Diver Course. A quick session in the pool to gain your confidence and understanding and then 2 afternoon dives in the sea looking at fish and coral!

So if you were more "brick" than "dolphin" growing up — don't let that stop you. Come see us, we'll ease you in, literally.

Call +6677456415 Message +66819205698 email [email protected] if you want to know more about what your first day diving would actually look like as Basic Scuba Diver
https://www.bigbluediving.com/diving-courses/beginner/basic-scuba-diver/

Savage Hostel — Sairee's Design Hostel Worth Knowing About

Right in the thick of Sairee, on the beach itself, sits Savage Hostel — the kind of place that's quietly raised the bar for what a hostel on Koh Tao can look like. Designer pods, private rooms, and the rather aptly named Savage Suites, all considerably comfier than backpacker instinct expects.

Then there's the rooftop — pool, bar-lounge, views straight out over the island and ocean, which is a fairly serious upgrade from the usual hostel common room. Add a proper restaurant, a pool table, and WiFi that actually reaches every corner of the building, and it's easy to see why it's become a stand-out on the island.

Handy to know if you're diving with us and need somewhere good to crash between dives.

📍 Savage Hostel, Sairee Beach, Koh Tao

"Best dive leader we’ve ever had, incredible experience with Big Blue Diving!"

We did a 10-dive package (+1 extra dive) with Big Blue Diving, and the whole experience was outstanding, especially thanks to our dive leader Mauro.

Even on our first day, when visibility was low and the current was strong, we still had a great time. Mauro is incredibly thorough in his briefings, patient, and never compromises on safety; qualities we really value and haven’t always found in other dive shops.

Underwater, he’s calm, clear, and an excellent communicator. He gives you space to explore while staying close enough to offer support when needed. We really appreciated that he never pressured anyone in our group to do something they weren’t comfortable with (like going through a cave or managing a strong current). He always prioritized everyone’s safety, wellbeing and consent.

We loved diving with Mauro so much that after the first day, we immediately requested to do all our remaining dives with him - and we were lucky enough to make that happen!

As for Big Blue Diving itself:
• The equipment is in great condition and well maintained
• The boats are spacious and comfortable
• The food on the day trip was delicious
• The entire team (dive masters, instructors, shop staff, boat crew) were friendly, professional, and super helpful
• And last but not least, the dive shop dogs are adorable 🐶

I was recommended to dive with Big Blue, and I can’t imagine our experience being any better than it was. A huge thank you to Mauro and the whole Big Blue team for making this such a safe, fun, and unforgettable experience. Highly recommend! 💙