About this tour
When Ben from our team ran the 2-day Advanced Open Water course with Member Diving in Thailand, he found a Swiss-run operation that takes small groups seriously. You're diving from their big catamaran—40-diver capacity but feels intimate with attentive instructors—hitting multiple sites over two days. The boat's got a sun deck to sprawl on between dives, and they feed you proper lunch plus endless water and fruit. Expect to clock clownfish, barracudas, and a range of coral formations across different reef sections. It's pitched at divers comfortable below 18 metres; fitness matters here.
Highlights
- Large catamaran with actual breathing room and sun deck.
- Lunch included between dives; snacks and water on tap all day.
- Instructors visibly present and responsive both in water and topside.
- Clownfish, barracudas, and varied coral formations across multiple sites.
- Air-con vehicle pickup included; no scrambling for transport.
- E-learning materials supplied beforehand to prep properly.
- Two full days means deeper site variety, not a rushed day trip.
- Small-group feel despite bigger boat capacity.
What to expect
You'll start with a pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle and head to the boat. The catamaran's genuinely roomy—40-person capacity doesn't translate to packed chaos. Ben noted the instructors were present and engaged from the moment you board through to your final ascent; they're not just checking boxes. Between dives, you've got the sun deck to lounge on, and lunch is a proper sit-down with fruit and soft drinks flowing. The underwater component varies by site—you'll see classic Thai reef fauna, from clownfish in anemones to the occasional barracuda cruising, plus hard and soft corals.
Dive briefings are clear and unhurried. The pace feels considered rather than industrial. Two days means you're not one-and-done; you hit different reefs and depths, so repeat dives feel genuinely different. Water conditions and visibility shift between sites, which is real—not a complaint, just reef reality. By day two, you're sharper and the guides adjust to your rhythm.
What travellers say
- Spacious catamaran with genuine comfort and sun deck.
- Instructors engaged throughout; not a conveyor-belt operation.
- Lunch and unlimited water/fruit included; no hidden food costs.
- Two days allows real site variety and deeper reef exploration.
- Professional pickup and drop-off with air-conditioned transport.
- Marine life variety—clownfish to barracudas and live coral.
- Advanced-level course; requires strong fitness and prior experience.
- Early starts and full-day boat time suit dedicated divers only.
- Seasickness possible; boat motion depends on swell conditions.
- Pregnancy and cardiovascular concerns automatically ruled out.
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
If you're confident at depth and want to move beyond shallow reefs, this course is the ticket. The boat setup is genuinely comfortable—you're not wedged in with 40 other divers gasping for shade. Instructors are attentive without hovering. Lunch and unlimited water remove the "am I paying extra for snacks" anxiety. Two days gives you real variety and time to build rhythm underwater.
This is advanced-level work—you need solid cardiovascular fitness and a moderate-to-strong fitness baseline. Pregnancy and serious heart conditions are ruled out by the operator. Early starts and full-day boat time suit committed divers, not casual dabblers. Seasickness is a possibility; the catamaran handles swell well but it's not immune. Walking on slippery boat decks and clambering in/out of gear isn't for mobility issues.
All scuba equipment and air are included; bring your own certification card. Bottled water, lunch, and snacks included. Alcoholic drinks aren't served. Public transport is nearby if you're not using their vehicle. Peak season crowds the boat, so book early.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.