Kata Beach / Phuket / PADI 5-Star
Your first breath underwater.
Your lifetime licence.
Both in the Andaman blue.
Phuket Dive Academy is a PADI 5-Star dive school based on Kata Beach, Phuket. From a one-day Discover Scuba to PADI Open Water, Advanced, Rescue and Similan Islands liveaboards — all taught by English-speaking instructors, with a Japanese-speaking team on hand for travellers from Japan.
3 min walk from Kata Beach
On the doorstep of one of Phuket's best beaches. Hotels, restaurants and the night market are all a short stroll away — perfect for combining diving with a real holiday.
PADI 5-Star IDC Centre
From Discover Scuba to Divemaster and IDC, the full PADI career path is available in one school — so you can grow from beginner to pro with the same team.
Airport & hotel transfers
Free pickups from hotels in Kata, Karon and Patong. Paid transfers from Phuket International Airport arranged in advance via email or LINE.
20–30m visibility
Crystal-clear diving in the dry season (Nov–Apr)
The Andaman Sea around Phuket offers exceptional visibility most of the year, especially during the dry season — ideal conditions for first-time divers.
Certified divers
1,200+ divers certified each year
Open Water, Advanced, Rescue and Divemaster certifications run year-round, with students coming from more than 20 countries.
Programs
From a single day of diving
to a licence for life.
Whether you want to try scuba just once during your Phuket trip, earn an internationally recognised PADI Open Water certification, continue with Advanced or Rescue, or cross the ocean on a Similan Islands liveaboard — you can do all of it with the same team.
Discover Scuba Diving
No licence required. Learn the basics in a shallow pool, then head out on the boat for two guided dives with an instructor always at your side. Great for non-swimmers and first-timers.
฿3,800
1 day / 2 dives / lunch included
PADI Open Water (3–4 days)
The internationally recognised entry-level diving licence, valid for life. eLearning + pool sessions + four open-water dives. Dive independently with a buddy to 18m once certified.
฿14,500
Full course / materials, gear & cert fee included
Advanced Open Water
Five adventure dives (Deep, Night, Navigation and two electives) take you to 30m and unlock many of the best dive sites in the region. Ideal before a Similan liveaboard.
฿11,800
2 days / 5 dives / cert fee included
Similan Islands Liveaboard (3D2N)
Live on the boat and dive up to 10 times over three days in one of the world's most famous dive destinations. Certified divers only. The perfect follow-up to Open Water.
฿19,800
3 days / 2 nights / full board
A Day With Us
Out by 7, back by 6.
Sea time without losing your evening.
Most Discover Scuba and Open Water days are built around a single boat trip. Early morning start, two dives, lunch on board, log session, then you're back at your hotel with the whole Kata Beach evening still ahead.
Hotel pickup
Free transfers from hotels in Kata, Karon and Patong. Other areas available on request.
Check-in & briefing
Paperwork, gear fitting and a site/safety briefing at the shop before boarding.
Boat departure & first dive
Heading to Racha Yai or Phi Phi depending on the day. Easy warm-up dive starting in the shallows.
Lunch on board
Thai or Western plate lunch, fruit and drinks. Surface interval with a safety check before dive two.
Second dive & return
A different site for the second dive — often where we see turtles, reef sharks and schooling fish.
Log & hotel drop-off
Log your dives back at the shop, grab your photos, then a shuttle back to your hotel.
What's different
Not just "get in, get wet, go home".
A day that actually teaches you.
Phuket has no shortage of dive shops, but it's easy to end up on a boat where the briefing is rushed and you barely speak to the instructor. At Phuket Dive Academy, every dive day includes a proper briefing, clear safety procedures and a real log session afterwards.
That's why so many of our Discover Scuba guests come back a few days later for Open Water, then Advanced, then a Similan trip — it's a scuba journey, not a one-off tour.
Dive sites
Six signature sites
reachable from Phuket.
Phuket is the launching point for most of the Andaman Sea's best diving. Day trips to Racha Yai, Racha Noi and the Phi Phi Islands, plus multi-day liveaboards to the Similan and Surin Islands — we match the site to your level and goals.
Racha Yai
One hour by boat from Phuket. Gentle bays with white sand, soft corals and friendly reef fish. The classic Discover Scuba and Open Water site.
Racha Noi
Slightly deeper and more advanced than Racha Yai. Regular sightings of manta rays and occasional whale sharks. Best for Advanced-certified divers.
Phi Phi Islands
Limestone walls, swim-throughs and vibrant coral gardens made famous by the film "The Beach". Great for photography and second-day Open Water dives.
Similan Islands
World-class visibility and granite boulder landscapes. Accessible by liveaboard only, open Nov–Apr. The ultimate destination for certified divers.
Surin Islands
Further north than the Similans, with some of the highest chances in Thailand of swimming with whale sharks and mantas. Liveaboard only.
King Cruiser Wreck
An 85m ferry resting at 30m between Phuket and Phi Phi. Huge schools of fusiliers and barracuda. Advanced divers only.
Stay & access
Three minutes from Kata Beach.
Diving without leaving the holiday behind.
Phuket Dive Academy is on Kata Beach Road, a 3-minute walk from the sand. Phuket International Airport is around 45 minutes by taxi. Around the shop you'll find the full mix of beach restaurants, cafés, massage shops, bars and the Kata night market.
Trip support
Stays, transfers and insurance —
handled in English
For most travellers, the hardest part of learning to dive abroad isn't the diving — it's the logistics. We help you choose a hotel within walking distance, arrange airport and hotel transfers, and explain how to add dive cover to your travel insurance (or sign up with DAN).
Message us ahead of your trip with your flight details and we'll come back with a recommended schedule: which course, which days, and which evenings you can keep free for the night market and beach.
Student voices
"The safety briefing and the small group size won us over."
A small selection of feedback from students who have dived or certified with us. In the live site these are replaced with real testimonials and video clips.
I couldn't swim and I was genuinely scared. My instructor stayed next to me the whole time. The first time a turtle passed under us is something I'll never forget.
Sarah, 30s / Discover ScubaI did the eLearning at home and knocked out my Open Water in three days on Kata Beach. Already booked a Similan liveaboard for next year with the same team.
David, 20s / Open WaterWe did the Junior Open Water with our 11-year-old son. The ratios were small, safety was clearly the priority, and he came home more confident than we'd ever seen him.
The Müller family, 40s / Junior OWFAQ
Everything worth knowing
before your first dive with us.
Diving abroad raises its own set of questions around safety, health, insurance and logistics. Here are the ones we hear most often. If yours isn't on the list, just message us.
I can't swim — can I still try diving?
Yes. Discover Scuba Diving starts in shallow water where you can stand. An instructor stays next to you throughout both dives. Many of our happiest Discover Scuba guests were non-swimmers when they arrived.
I have a medical condition / I'm worried about equalising. What should I do?
Every diver fills in the PADI medical questionnaire. Depending on your answers, a doctor's sign-off may be required — please tell us in advance so we can guide you. Equalisation is practised in the pool before we go anywhere near depth.
How long does PADI Open Water really take?
Minimum 3 days if you finish the eLearning theory at home before arriving, otherwise 4 days. We strongly recommend doing eLearning ahead of your trip so you can spend your time in Phuket in the water, not indoors studying.
Do I pay on the day or in advance?
Discover Scuba is typically paid on the day (cash or card). Open Water and liveaboards usually need a deposit at booking, with the balance due on arrival. We accept THB, USD and EUR as well as bank transfer and major cards.
Do I need dive insurance?
We strongly recommend it. Either add dive cover to your regular travel insurance or take a specialised policy such as DAN. For anyone doing Open Water or beyond we'll walk you through the options in English before you commit.
Can I fly the same day I dive?
No. To reduce the risk of decompression illness, plan at least 18–24 hours between your last dive and any flight. When you share your itinerary with us, we'll build your schedule so your final dive is on a non-flying day.
Phuket's clearest blue,
your PADI card for life.
From a single Discover Scuba to Open Water, Advanced and Similan liveaboards — let us help you build the right trip. We answer in English and Japanese, usually within a few hours.