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On Koh Lipe, there is scuba diving for every level of diving, thanks to the abundance and variety of dive sites.
To help you choose better, we are enlisting the best five diving schools in Koh Lipe that you can consider for a recreational diving session or to learn the fantastic water sport.
1. Koh Lipe Diving School
It is certainly the most popular and earliest dive school in Koh Lipe. The dive school is fully equipped to accommodate all kinds of divers, including visitors. They have new sets of equipment from SCUBAPRO, MARES, and AQUALUNG.
In addition to having more time to practice and receiving more attention from your instructor, the groups are kept small for safety reasons.
They limit the size of the groups to a maximum of 4 students per instructor. Usually, their groups are smaller, on average, two students per instructor.
The Ko Lipe Diving has three dive boats and can bring you to up to six locations daily.
They have the biggest and most comfortable dive boats on the island, including 25-meter and 18-meter custom-built boats designed with divers in mind.
They also offer e-learning facilities for people who live abroad or cannot join regular classes due to work reasons. The online classes let you work at your own pace, using your computer or mobile device whenever you have the time.
They have a team of highly skilled professionals who have received their training abroad and teach in 12 different languages.
Address: 348/7 Walking Street – T. Koh Sarai A. Muang Koh Lipe, 91110 – Satun Province
Phone: +66 (0) 87.62.262.04
Hours: 8:30 am–10 pm
Website: https://www.kolipediving.com
2. Pura Vida
Pura Vida is another very popular diving school in Koh Lipe that you can definitely check out.
The staff at Pura Vida is enthusiastic about everything scuba diving. They have been teaching diving for more than 14 years.
The diving school was founded in 2002. This full-service PADI IDC dive shop is family owned and operated.
It offers daily scuba charters, private charters, professional-level instruction, air and enriched air (Nitrox) fills, and equipment sales, service, and rentals.
The owner’s love for diving, conservation, education, and community inspires them to offer the best possible experience to their guests.
Pura Vida is a Costa Rican saying which translates into “pure life” in Spanish.
They firmly believe that to give their clients the best possible service; professionals should constantly be growing their knowledge and skill sets through professional development and continuing education courses.
The staff is dedicated to helping customers have fun while learning to dive safely and competently.
Giving you all is the cornerstone of the ideology, which also emphasizes ensuring that clients receive the best training and join the Pura Vida Family.
Since the bulk of the team has received internal training and mentoring, high standards for quality and safety have been consistently upheld.
Here you will also get a comprehensive dive boat orientation and detailed dive site briefings that include illustrations of each dive site.
You can find Pura Vida diving school at 2 locations. The first beach is on the main beach at the end of Pattaya Beach facing the sea, and the other one is on the main street of the island, for more convenience on Walking Street.
Address: 323 moo 7 Koh Lipe, Satun 11120, Thailand
Phone: +66 65 776 7010
Hours: 8 am–6 pm
Website: https://www.puravidadivers.com
3. Adang Sea Divers
Adang Sea Divers is an Eco-Friendly SSI Dive Resort in Koh Lipe, Thailand.
They provide an extensive selection of PADI and SSI courses, ranging from Open Water to Divemaster and Instructor.
Additionally, they offer a wide range of daily dive excursions near Ko Lipe as well as numerous SSI Specialty dives.
As an SSI Dive Resort, they maintain a high standard of teaching practices and safety. They have an accomplished and friendly dive team that comprises motivated professionals with over 20 years of scuba experience in Thailand.
Both PADI and SSI courses can be taught by any of the instructors at Adang Sea Divers.
With the use of eco-friendly diving techniques and extensive instruction, their goal is to deliver outstanding service and client happiness.
Trainers with a high level of skill can impart knowledge with ease and patience. The divers’ security is given careful consideration.
The resort provides a 10% Discount on any PADI or SSI Courses and Daily Dive Trips during the Green Season (June to October). Additionally, they provide FREE lodging for visitors doing dive courses.
This is no less than a blessing since, during the peak season, most accommodations get booked, and prices go up really high.
At Adang, guests have the option to choose their room type and amenities in different packages.
They have very flexible departures to suit all kinds of needs. You can select from 1, 2, or 3 dives each day.
As a result, you will have enough time throughout your trip to Koh Lipe to unwind with loved ones.
There are no more than 14 individuals, including crew, in any dive group.
Address: Ko Tarutao, Koh Lipe, Satun 91110, Thailand
Phone: +66 90 070 0233
Hours: 8 am to 8 pm
Website: https://www.adangseadivers.com
4. DJL Diving Koh Lipe
Davy Jones Locker (DJL) Koh Lipe is the sister wing of the DJL Diving school in Koh Tao. The Koh Tao branch was started in 1996.
DJL is a popular name among locals and enthusiastic divers around Koh Lipe. It offers fun diving as well as PADI dive courses such as the Open Water course and Advanced Open Water course.
The diving school is located on Pattaya Beach. This is near ‘walking street’ where you will find most of the island shops and restaurants.
The Koh Lipe dive center has been operating since 2011 and has only improved with each passing year. They also have hotel rooms as well as dormitories available at Koh Lipe Beach Hostel, where the divers can comfortably stay.
The diving center has multilingual instructors and theory materials in more than 20 different languages so that you can enjoy the sport without any language barrier.
There are at most four divers under one divemaster to ensure that each diver gets personal attention and their risk reduces in terms of safety.
Address: 323 Moo 7 Pattaya Beach Koh Lipe Koh Lipe, Satun 91110, Thailand
Phone: +66 95 483 5371
Hours: 8 am–7 pm
5. Forra Dive Center
Forra Dive Centre in Koh Lipe was established in 1997. Since 2002 the diving center has been under the management of Antoine Pantelic, a French PADI, CMAS, and SDI Instructor.
Antoine has a whopping 12000 dives on his record, 9000 of those in the South Andaman Sea.
Forra Diving is perhaps the oldest dive center on Koh Lipe.
It has, by far, the best knowledge and experience of the different dive sites in the Butang archipelago and, more generally, in the South Andaman Sea.
The center has three dive boats: M/V Charan 5 “Mosquito,” M/V Charan 9 “Green Manta” and M/V Charan 10 “Cargo Lounge” that they use for daily trips around the Butang Archipelago and for liveaboards in the South Andaman Sea.
Every boat is equipped with a sundeck and toilets onboard. You can take advantage of both recreational dives and all PADI and CMAS courses at the center.
The instructors are well-versed in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Chinese, and Russian.
They have a large selection of brand-new equipment (Scubapro, Mares, and Aqualung) that is routinely maintained by their personnel at Koh Lanta.
Your day will be filled with enjoyment as you explore the diving spots of the Butang Archipelago with the assistance of their international and Thai dive staff.
Divers of all skill levels can choose from a wide range of dives with abundant marine life, from beginner-friendly drift and deep dives to more difficult dives near massive barrel sponges and soft corals with brilliant colors.
Experienced PADI or CMAS Divemasters and instructors are directly in charge of all dives and courses.
Address: Forra Diving Koh Lipe, Ko Tarutao, Mueang Satun District, Satun 91000, Thailand
Phone: +66 62 072 5226
Hours: 8 am–10 pm
Website: https://www.forradiving.com
Wrapping Up
Koh Lipe is a fantastic location to learn to dive. The diving center mentioned above provides all PADI course levels as well as specialty courses like deep, drift, and more.
With so many facilities to ease your diving journey, it would be unfair not to try diving when in Koh Lipe.
Koh lipe is home to some decent diving schools. However, the landscape of diving is still evolving in Koh Lipe.
