PADI Dive Instructor Internship
Koh Tao, Thailand

The Dive Instructor Internship is a flexible program, available all year round.

You can join the scuba internship on Koh Tao on whichever date you prefer.
We only require that you give enough notice so that we can schedule the dive crew and prepare everything for your arrival.

Weather & Climate

Based on Koh Tao, we enjoy diving all year round.

Throughout the Gulf of Thailand – essentially a gigantic sheltered bay – wave heights are usually low and sea currents mild, making for excellent diving conditions.

And located in the tropics, the weather in Koh Tao is typically hot and sunny throughout the year, again making for fantastic scuba diving. Koh Tao’s hottest months are April and May; peak daytime temperatures approach 35C.
Ocean breezes rustle the palm trees & cool tropical Koh Tao to comfortable evening temperatures.

Average monthly temperatures (°C) in Koh Tao, Thailand

Monsoon Season in Koh Tao

Koh Tao’s ideal weather & diving conditions become punctuated by one exception. Each November brings monsoon season to Koh Tao; several weeks of strong winds, big waves (which can exceed 2 meters), thunderstorms, and a torrential downpour of rain.

We still dive each day on the sheltered leeward side of the island, but conditions become more demanding during monsoon. Underwater visibility often drops significantly.

If you have flexibility with dates and prefer diving in crystal clear blue water, we recommend avoiding being on Koh Tao during monsoon season.

Average monthly rainfall (millimeters per month) in Koh Tao, Thailand

Peak Tourism Periods in Thailand

Koh Tao receives a steady stream of tourist visitors all year round, many of whom travel to Koh Tao specifically to learn to scuba dive or join diving tours.

Koh Tao’s busiest periods are from mid-December to late April, then again during the summer months of July, August, and September.

If you are here during mid-April, you’ll get to witness the Thai New Year ‘Sonkgran‘ celebration; a unique spectacle where the whole country becomes a water fight!

And a local phenomenon means that Koh Tao gets a surge of visitors during the few days before and after the world-famous Full Moon Party that takes place each month on nearby Koh Phanghan.

Best Months to join the Dive Instructor Internship?

In summary, you can travel to Koh Tao to start the Dive Instructor Internship any month you prefer.
If you have flexibility with dates, avoid being on Koh Tao during November. Any other month is fine.

Get in touch & we can put a plan together for you.

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To join the Dive Instructor Internship on Koh Tao you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be in good, normal health
• Be able to swim
• No previous diving experience is required*

Health & Fitness Requirement

To scuba dive safely, you should be in good normal health, with no preexisting medical conditions that pose an issue for diving. Examples of medical conditions that could be a problem while scuba diving include asthma, diabetes, or heart disease.

Take a moment to review the PADI Medical Questionnaire to check if you are safe to scuba dive.

If you do have any preexisting medical conditions highlighted on the form, you should get a checkup from a doctor to assess whether it’s safe for you to dive.

Swimming

You must be able to swim to join the Dive Instructor Internship. Basic swimming is fine, but you should be comfortable in the water.

Scuba diving is usually easier than swimming or snorkeling. Our objective underwater is to maintain neutral buoyancy & steady, relaxed breathing to conserve our air supply and enjoy long dives. As you increase your number of logged dives and gain experience, you’ll find that scuba diving becomes increasingly effortless.

Previous Scuba Diving Experience*

No previous scuba diving experience is required to join the Dive Instructor Internship.

The program packages together all PADI training & course materials that you need to train from beginner through to PADI Instructor. Training builds in gradual steps; our team of instructors ensure that you are comfortable and competent at each level before proceeding further.

If you are already a certified diver, get in touch. We will customize the package for you, saving both time and money.

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The Dive Instructor Internship follows PADI’s diver education system, proceeding through dive training sequentially.

Starting from beginner, we can visualize the internship in three phases:

Part 1: Entry Level Training [PADI Open Water, PADI Advanced & Rescue Diver]

If arriving in Thailand with little or no previous diving experience, first, you will learn to scuba dive and develop your diving skills and knowledge.

For the first three PADI courses of the dive internship – PADI Open Water, PADI Advanced, and Rescue Diver – you will join a small group of 3-4 students, attending classes run by our team of PADI Instructors.

Each course has a theory component, skill development, and open water dives where we are out on the dive boat exploring the best dive sites around Koh Tao.

First, you will learn to dive and become a PADI-certified diver, then try specialized diving activities (such as deep diving, wreck diving, night diving, fish identification, or underwater photography). And during the PADI Rescue Diver course, you will become a more aware diver, able to identify, prevent and handle diving issues.

Part 2: PADI Divemaster Internship

Training steps up a gear once you enter the Divemaster phase. DM is the first professional level in the PADI system and develops you into a role-model diver and leader.

Activities undertaken during Divemaster training are significantly more involved and wide-ranging. The end objective is to become confident at planning diving activities, delivering dive briefings, guiding divers on underwater tours, and assisting the training of new PADI divers.
There are two key components to Divemaster training.

The first is developing expert-level diving skills and knowledge. Our team of instructors schedules presentations, workshops, shallow water skills sessions, and seamanship exercises throughout the week which you sign up to attend. This system allows a lot of flexibility. You can quickly proceed through parts you find easy or choose to commit extra effort to any areas that need improvement.

You will also join our team of instructors to assist the dive training of real students. You will gain experience assisting all entry-level PADI courses such as Discover Scuba Diving, Scuba Review, PADI Open Water, Advanced and Rescue Diver. Through assisting, you will learn how to organise dive courses to run in a smooth & timely manner, plus gain an understanding of commonly encountered student learning difficulties and how to resolve them. You will also get to dive together with our entire team of instructors, each with their individual teaching styles and approaches.

We use a mentor system during Divemaster training, giving personalized guidance to keep you steadily progressing through the program.

Part 3: PADI Instructor Development Course & Examination

After qualifying as a Divemaster, the final phase of the Dive Instructor Internship is to attend the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC).

The IDC is an intensive two-week program culminating in the PADI Instructor Exam; A two-day practical examination administered by PADI Examiners. During the IDC, you will learn to teach PADI courses independently. You will learn to deliver scuba diving theory presentations, conduct shallow water skills training, and control students during open water training dives.

Finally, you will attend the PADI Instructor Exam (IE) run by PADI’s external examiners.

On completion of the IE you will qualify as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI), able to teach all PADI courses from beginner through to PADI Divemaster.

Fun Diving

Alongside PADI courses, an important activity is to make non-training Fun Dives.

Between each training activity you can take time out to reinforce everything you have learned. For Fun Dives, you will pair up with another intern to explore Koh Tao’s epic dive sites. These include sprawling coral reefs such as Japanese Gardens, Shark Island or Mango Bay, submerged granite monoliths including the famous Chumphon Pinnacles or Green Rock, wreck diving on the HTMS Sattakut shipwreck, or exploring conservation projects including our ‘Alotmeant’ coral restoration initiative.

Fun Diving is exciting but also critical to becoming a competent PADI Instructor. Fun Dives allow you to build experience & gain confidence underwater, fine-tune your dive planning and navigation skills, and become familiar with the best dive sites and marine life around Koh Tao.

Diving Schedule

From Simple Life Divers’ dive shop at the southern tip of Sairee Beach, we make several dive trips each day.

We have a purpose-built dive boat; Downstairs deck for gearing up with an onboard compressor, scuba cylinders, weights, entry platform, and bathroom. Plus upstairs seating & refreshments area for relaxing and enjoying the sunshine & scenery between dives.

• Morning Dive Trips leave the dive shop around 07:00 am, visiting two dive sites before returning by midday. Usually, morning dive sites cater to advanced divers, visiting Koh Tao’s deeper dive sites such as the Chumphon and Southwest Pinnacles, HTMS Sattakut Shipwreck, or Green Rock.
• Afternoon Dive Trips depart shortly after midday, again visiting two dive sites before returning to Koh Tao in the early evening. This time we visit shallow coral dive sites, perfect for beginners and dive training. Typical dive sites include Twins, Shark Island, Mango Bay, or the Japanese Gardens.
• Night Dives run on demand, usually several times each week. Our favorite spot for night diving is White Rock, where you can spy chevron barracuda hunting in the darkness.

Diving Volume

You could make 4-5 dives every day, spending all your time on the dive boat.
Better is to stick to a more sensible average of 2-3 dives per day for several reasons:

• Making 4-5 dives each day will become exhausting. Better is to stick to a more sensible average of 2-3 dives per day and enjoy those dives.
• Besides diving, we need time to work through the other components of your dive training; Knowledge development, interactive workshops, and shallow water skills sessions.
• Most importantly, making 4-5 dives each day will cause an accumulation of nitrogen in your body. The result will be that you are able to make only short or shallow dives to stay within safe diving limits (which we will teach you about). Sticking to 2-3 dives per day means you can enjoy fantastic dives and long bottom times.

Après Dive | Koh Tao Nightlife

Returning to land after a fantastic day exploring the ocean, the adventure doesn’t stop there.
Joined to Simple Life Divers is our bar-restaurant with epic views across the bay to Koh Nangyuan. There’s a friendly social scene around the dive shop, and it’s the perfect spot to enjoy the sunset with a cold beer.

Each evening a crowd from Simple Life Divers heads out for dinner along Sairee Beach. Nearby are countless tantalizing options, including authentic Thai restaurants, Japanese, Italian/Pizza places, Mexican, Noodles stands, BBQs, and more.

As evening rolls into night, nightlife venues spring up along the beach. These range from laid-back beach bars to lounge in a bean bag. Or lively late-night spots where you can party until dawn. (Just don’t head out for a mad one if you plan on diving the next day!).

Days Off & General Life on Koh Tao

Koh Tao is a spectacular tropical island with lots to see and do besides scuba diving.

Coconut palm-fringed beaches and hidden bays meet the azure ocean around Koh Tao. Trekking trails crisscross up jungle-covered mountains to epic viewpoints. Yoga, rock climbing, kayaking, Muay Thai boxing, cooking classes, and exploring the island by scooter are popular activities.

Consider taking a day off from time to time to relax and enjoy more of what Koh Tao offers.

Similarly, Thailand is an incredible country. Domestic travel is cheap and easy, so you may wish to take a few days to go exploring. Popular nearby attractions include the limestone cliffs and beaches of Railay, Ao Nang, and Krabi, or visiting the amazing Khao Sok National Park. Another big draw is the world-famous Full Moon Party taking place each month on neighboring Koh Phangan.

You can take days off whenever you want. We only ask that you give us a little notice so we can schedule your training activities.

Summary

The Dive Instructor Internship is flexible with a schedule adapted to you. Each day brings a new & exciting adventure.

Throughout the internship, you will steadily progress through core PADI training, combined with frequent Fun Dives exploring Koh Tao’s epic dive sites, gaining confidence, and apply everything you have learned.

You can choose to take days off to relax, explore or travel. We only ask that you let us know so we can schedule accordingly.

Upon completion of the Dive Instructor Internship, you will qualify as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) & Emergency First Response Instructor (EFRi); the most in-demand professional rating in the scuba diving industry.

PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors are certified to teach all PADI courses up to (& including) PADI Divemaster, competent at delivering theory presentations, conducting shallow water skills training, and controlling open water dives with student divers. OWSIs can independently train new PADI divers.

Specifically, PADI Open Water Scuba Divers can teach:

• PADI Discover Scuba Diving
• PADI Scuba Diver Course
• PADI Open Water Diver Course
• PADI Adventure Diver Course
• PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course
• Emergency First Responder Course
• PADI Rescue Diver Course
• PADI Divemaster Course
• PADI Discover Local Diving
• PADI ReActivate (refresher)
• PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty
• Project Aware Course

To enter the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) – the final phase of the Dive Instructor Internship – you need a minimum of 100 logged dives.

The Dive Instructor Internship program includes all prerequisite dives. You’ll likely make many more dives than PADI’s 100 minimum requirement.

How long does it take to become a PADI Dive Instructor?

Arriving as a beginner with no prior diving experience, the PADI Dive Instructor Internship takes seven months.

PADI has a minimum requirement of at least six months between qualifying as a PADI Open Water Diver and entering the PADI Instructor Development Course (the final step of your Dive Instructor Internship).

If you are already a certified diver, we can put together a customized package saving you time and money. Get in touch to let us know your current certification level & diving experience & we will make a plan for you.

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On graduation from the Dive Instructor Internship, you’ll become a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI), certified to teach all PADI courses from beginner through to PADI Divemaster.

OWSI is the most in-demand rating in the dive industry, opening up endless opportunities worldwide.

As a new PADI Instructor, how to find your first job?

In Koh Tao

Koh Tao is a popular dive destination. Many tourists travel to Koh Tao specifically to learn to scuba dive, so there is high demand for PADI Instructors here. Employment opportunities arise daily, making Koh Tao an ideal location for qualifying as a PADI Instructor and seeking your first job in diving.

Simple Life Divers has been operating on Koh Tao for over 20 years. We have a close working relationship with dive shop managers and owners across the island, so whenever job vacancies arise, we can point you in the right direction. Over the years, past graduates from Simple Life Divers have worked with almost all dive schools across Koh Tao.

Plus, we like to keep our best internship graduates employed here at Simple Life Divers.

Thailand & Worldwide

The PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor rating is recognized globally.
You can seek employment with PADI operations throughout Thailand and beyond (for example, the Red Sea, Australia, Philippines, Indonesia, the Caribbean, etc.).

On qualifying as a PADI Dive Professional, you’ll gain access to the pro section of the PADI website.

The PADI Pros site includes a job listings board where PADI Dive Centers from across the world post employment opportunities for PADI Instructors and Divemasters. The Job Listings Board is a fantastic resource for seeking employment elsewhere in Thailand or overseas.

Diving CV

When applying for a job as a PADI Instructor you should put together a curriculum vitae (CV) focused on gaining employment in the diving industry. This resume should include relevant qualifications, skills, and experience.

PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) is the primary qualification to feature on your resume. However, qualifications, skills, and experience gained elsewhere can further strengthen your diving CV.

What skills can I leverage from my ‘old life’ when I become an instructor?

Dive instructors wear many hats. Skills and experiences gained outside of diving can strengthen your resume to help you land your first PADI Instructor job. Relevant skills, experiences, and qualifications include:

1. Languages. The ability to teach in two or more languages instantly shoots your resume up the pile when hiring. German, French, Spanish, Chinese, & Russian are particularly sought-after languages within the industry.
2. Customer Service. Learning to scuba dive is the highlight of any vacation. As a PADI Instructor, our job is to provide that experience.
3. Digital marketing. Content creation skills and knowledge of leveraging social media platforms have become essential to a dive center’s success over the last decade.
4. Graphic design. Dive centers require constantly updating promotional material to stick out; these skills can be invaluable to prospective hirers.
5. Web design & SEO optimization are essential skills that dive shops need.
6. Engineering/Mechanical. Dive shops use boats, compressors, cylinders, regulators, BCDs, all of which require maintenance. Whilst you’ll need additional training to learn intricacies of scuba gear, a background in engineering can be an advantage.
7. Anything else! Dive shops are a business much like others (though much more fun to work in). If presented properly, your existing skill set can elevate your diving resume.

Further your Training to PADI MSDT

A popular route to distinguish yourself from other new PADI Instructors is to join the 1-Month PADI MSDT Internship add-on.

PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) is the next level above OWSI.

During the 1-month PADI MSDT add-on, you will get certified to teach 5 PADI Specialty courses (for example, PADI Deep Diver Specialty, Wreck Diver Specialty, Enriched Air (nitrox), Night Diver Specialty, or Digital Underwater Photography Specialty).

Under the mentorship of Simple Life’s team of instructors, you’ll teach your first 25 PADI certifications to real students, encompassing PADI’s most popular courses; Discover Scuba Diving, PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Advanced, and PADI Rescue Diver. The MSDT Internship provides the opportunity to develop your teaching style and garner real-world tips from seasoned PADI Instructors to help your courses run in a smooth and timely manner.

Get in touch if you are interested in adding the 1-month MSDT Internship.

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Browsing online, a site such as Salary.com tells us that the average salary range for scuba diving instructors is $44,665 – $53,803USD. The real answer, however, is not so simple.

Teaching scuba diving as a PADI Instructor is no different from working in any other industry. Dive instructor salaries range widely depending on factors such as location, experience level, responsibilities, and workload.

Dive instructor earnings are usually determined using one of two approaches:

• Commission Based: Dive instructors earn a commission for each student they teach. The more students an instructor teaches each month, the more they will earn.
• Fixed Salary: Irrespective of how busy a dive instructor is, they earn the same flat rate each month.

Likely, an experienced instructor working in a busy dive center teaching groups of divers each day will earn more than an instructor working in a quieter role.

Working as a PADI Instructor isn’t a career path to becoming rich. It’s a fantastic lifestyle choice.
Working full-time at a busy dive school, a PADI instructor should be able to afford a comfortable lifestyle and build savings.

As a rough guide for Thailand, PADI Instructors earn a monthly salary of around 25,000 THB to 100,000 THB per month.

At the bottom end of the scale would be new instructors teaching small groups. The top end of the range applies to experienced PADI Instructors in busy positions.

This might not sound like a huge amount, but consider that the cost of living is very inexpensive in Thailand. A salary of 25,000 to 100,000 THB affords a comfortable lifestyle.

Koh Tao is a popular dive destination. Many tourists travel to Koh Tao specifically to learn to scuba dive, so it’s an ideal location for starting as a PADI Instructor. Dive instructors working full-time in Koh Tao can expect to earn more than the regional average.

Supplementing a Dive Instructor Salary

Alongside teaching scuba diving, many PADI Instructors supplement their earnings by taking on extra roles at their dive shop. Examples include:

• Taking on management or customer service responsibilities
• Sales commissions on scuba diving equipment, dive tours, or PADI courses
• Servicing dive equipment
• Helping grow social media platforms or driving wider marketing initiatives
• Underwater photography or videography

Adding extra responsibilities alongside the core of teaching diving can make you an invaluable team member and boost your income.

During the PADI Instructor Internship, you can use our shop rental dive gear (BCD, regulator set, tanks, weights, mask, fins, etc.). Simple Life Divers’ rental sets are quality equipment from leading manufacturers (Scubapro, Aqualung), properly maintained by our scuba technician.

However, if you plan to pursue a career as a PADI Instructor, you should purchase your own scuba gear set before seeking employment.

As a minimum for training, we strongly recommend investing in several small items. Owning your own makes scuba diving more comfortable, simpler & safer:

• Mask, Snorkel & Fins
• CPR Pocket Mask
• Cutting tool
• Surface signaling devices audible and visual (whistle/SMB)
• Dive computer or timing device

(All are available here on Koh Tao).

If you prefer not to purchase the large items – for example, BCD & regulator – or travel logistics make it impractical to bring them, you are welcome to use Simple Life Divers’ BCDs, regulators, and wetsuits.

For advice on choosing equipment to work as a dive professional, check out our Dive Equipment Guide for PADI Instructors.

Dive Gear Guide [PDF]

Feel free to send us any follow-up questions, and we are happy to help you purchase equipment here on the island and can offer discounts on most major brands through our partner suppliers.

Digital Materials – Laptop or Tablet

As PADI Instructors, we make an effort to minimize our environmental impact.
PADI course materials are available in digital format. If you have a laptop or tablet, do bring it with you to Thailand.

Accessing PADI course materials in digital format is more convenient for learning and teaching. Plus, using digital materials avoids printing, transporting, and carrying heavy manuals.

Working as a PADI Dive Instructor can be one of the most enjoyable jobs in the world.

Consider the situation for PADI Instructors living and working in Koh Tao, Thailand. Dive instructors live on a spectacular island in the tropics, teaching people how to scuba dive for a living. Working as a dive instructor means you’ll meet and dive with people from across the globe, exploring coral reefs, pinnacles, and shipwrecks together.

With proper training, teaching scuba diving is usually straightforward. PADI Instructors can manage all aspects of running PADI courses and are prepared to handle any student learning difficulties which may arise. You get a great sense of achievement from taking a complete beginner and teaching them to become a PADI certified diver, or furthering a trainees education through to PADI professional.

And becoming a PADI Instructor opens up endless employment opportunities. As a PADI Instructor, you can find work in spectacular destinations worldwide; Thailand, Maldives, Indonesia, Australia, Phillippines, the Caribbean, Mexico, the Red Sea, etc. Work opportunities may be based in a dive shop, hotel, or resort, or even aboard a liveaboard vessel visiting remote dive destinations.

Working as a PADI Instructor is not a get-rich-quick scheme, but certainly, you should afford a comfortable lifestyle. Instructors usually earn significantly more than PADI Divemasters. If you are serious about pursuing a long-term career in the dive industry, PADI Instructor is the best position to choose.

What are the downsides of being a scuba instructor?

While we here at Simple Life all love working in the industry, it would be disingenuous to say there are no negatives at all.

While the diving itself is incredible, it is a lifestyle where some aspects can take their toll.
You can likely go weeks without a day off, working 12+ hour days through the high season. You’ve got to love it enough that you are happy to do that and live modestly. It is important to have self-awareness and ensure you avoid burnout.

Some people underestimate the mental toll of being so far removed (especially initially) from your friends and family. You’re in an intense environment without your support network.

Another factor to consider is the lack of income security. Storms happen. Low seasons happen. Covid happens. The beautiful tropical country you’re living in becomes politically unstable. Instructors should be aware of this and have a rainy day fund.

For us at Simple Life, the positives far outweigh the few negatives. But it’s important to be aware.