PADI Open Water Diver Course in Krabi — Small Group of Four (The Dive Ao Nang)
฿15,500 (about $430) for the Open Water course in a group capped at four students: pool training plus four dives, with courses starting every Saturday and Wednesday or on request. A shorter Scuba Diver certificate is ฿10,400, and a referral course for people who did the theory at home is the same ฿10,400.
Krabi, Thailand · up to 4 guests · ฿15,500 per session · EN
10/10 experience. From the moment we entered the dive shop you could tell this was a professionally run shop with experience, empathy and kindness. We had a very good time chatting in the shop about how to get our buoyancy control right.
What is this tour like?
The PADI Open Water Diver course at The Dive Ao Nang, ฿15,500 (about $430), taught in a group of no more than four students. The course covers pool training and four open-water dives, and starts every Saturday and Wednesday, or on another day by arrangement.
The centre prices several routes to the same water. PADI Scuba Diver, the twelve-metre certificate that takes less time, is ฿10,400 for pool training plus two dives. Open Water Referral — for people who did the theory and confined-water work at a dive centre at home and only need the four open-water dives — is also ฿10,400. Advanced Open Water, again in a small group of four, is ฿14,900 for five dives, starting every Tuesday and Thursday.
Everything on the centre’s list includes lunch, non-alcoholic drinks through the day, and transport to and from your accommodation in Ao Nang, Klong Haeng, Klong Muang or Tubkeak. There is no pickup service on Railay or in Krabi Town. All course students are covered by diving accident insurance.
Where the dives happen depends on the month: from November to May the centre’s trips go to the Phi Phi sites, from June to October to the Ao Nang islands. Marine national park fees are not in the course price — ฿200 per person per day to dive and ฿400 to enter, valid for three days.
What are the highlights?
- A published cap of four students per course group
- Pool training plus four open-water dives
- Fixed start days — every Saturday and Wednesday, or on request
- Lunch, drinks and hotel transport are included in every course price
- A referral option at ฿10,400 (about $290) if you completed the theory and pool at home
How does the day go, hour by hour?
What's included in the price?
- Pool training and four open-water dives
- A group of no more than four students
- Lunch and non-alcoholic drinks on training days
- Transport from and back to your accommodation in Ao Nang, Klong Haeng, Klong Muang or Tubkeak
- Diving accident insurance for the duration of the course
What's not included?
- Marine park diving fee — ฿200 (about $6) per person per day
- Marine park entrance fee — ฿400 (about $11), valid three days
- Medical clearance, if your PADI health questionnaire calls for one
What should you know before you go?
Who runs this tour?
Where do we meet?
The Dive Ao Nang, 372 Moo 3, Tambon Ao Nang, Muang, Krabi 81180, open 10:00–20:00 daily. Course transport from accommodation in Ao Nang, Klong Haeng, Klong Muang and Tubkeak is included; there is no pickup on Railay or in Krabi Town.
Exact meeting point shared after booking.
FAQ
How many students are in a group?
When do courses start?
Is the course price per student?
I did the theory at home — is there a cheaper route?
Where will the open-water dives be?
What comes next after the course?
Will I be picked up from my hotel?
Can I take photos during the course dives?
Quick questions
What do guests say?
“10/10 experience. From the moment we entered the dive shop you could tell this was a professionally run shop with experience, empathy and kindness. We had a very good time chatting in the shop about how to get our buoyancy control right.”
“Had a great day today, diving on Maya bay and Maya Noi. Thanks to Tom, my dive buddy and the rest of the team. Well organised, safe and informative team.”
“For some years now I have done my dives at the Phi Phi Islands with The Dive. Reliably professional organisation and friendly care of the consistently small dive groups make every dive trip a pleasure.”
How can you pay?
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Discover Scuba Diving in Ao Nang — Two Try Dives (Sawasdee Divers Krabi)
The PADI try-dive programme with no certification needed, from age ten. ฿3,900 (about $108) for two dives at the Ao Nang local islands, ฿5,100 at Phi Phi; ฿2,100 buys the pool session alone. Maximum two people per instructor in the sea, and the maximum depth is twelve metres.
Phi Phi Islands Dive Day from Ao Nang — Two Dives (Sawasdee Divers Krabi)
฿4,300 (about $119) for two dives at Phi Phi, running daily from 1 November to 31 March. Groups are capped at four divers. A non-diving companion travels on the same boat for ฿2,500— that companion line is what shows the price is charged per head. Bring your own kit and the operator takes ฿300 off.
Ao Nang Archipelago Snorkelling Day Trip from Krabi (Kon-Tiki)
Thirteen islands forty-five minutes off Ao Nang beach, three snorkelling stops from the dive boat Ingmarie, back on the beach at 15:00. ฿1,900 (about $53) for an adult and ฿1,500 for a child of 4–12 — the operator publishes both, so the price is per head. No snorkel guide in the water on this particular trip: you must be able to swim on your own.
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