Andrew guest reporting on Koh Tao:
After 7 nights on Koh Phangan, Jess and I were both eager and ready to move on to our next destination, Koh Tao, a smaller, much more relaxed island renowned for its scuba diving and about a 1.5 hr ferry ride to the north. The day before leaving, we booked a scuba certification course with Roctopus, a small dive shop that got rave reviews online. Upon arriving at the pier, we were met by an Aussie and a pick-up truck and brought to the Roctopus dive shop. Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places in the world to learn how to scuba dive. For 9,000 baht (~$320), we got a 3.5 day course and 3 nights accommodation.
The ferry from Koh Phangan to Koh Tao... Everyone seemed like they needed a break from the Ko Phangan's parties
With a free afternoon, we checked into our bungalow and explored the main stretch of beach. Compared to the constantly thumping bars and the shops that sell all the same neon clothing on Koh Phangan, Koh Tao was a refreshing change of pace. The main walk way is for pedestrians and motorbikes only and was dotted with hostels, massage parlors, and nice restaurants/bars overlooking the ocean. As we slowly made our way up the beach, we came across a scene that would be more fitting in a 5-star resort: trendy beach chairs and beds on the beach with European lounge music playing from the speakers. While it looked exclusive, we only had to buy a $2 pineapple fruit shake to lay out on the cushioned chairs for the next several hours.
That night we made our way back to Roctopus for our scuba orientation. We met the two other people in our class - a British guy and a Canadian girl that were traveling together - and our instructor, Jack, a chilled out Aussie with short blonde dreads (with a pink bead in one of them).
The next morning we went over basics in the classroom, such as the scuba equipment and proper techniques. In the afternoon we went to a pool to learn how to wear the equipment, get used to breathing under water and some other techniques in case of an emergency. The experience was foreign and a bit nerve-racking. While we started off in the shallow end, both Jess and I had to raise up out of the water within the first 5 minutes of going under. Jess felt like she needed more air, and I felt light headed, probably because I was breathing too fast. While we progressed to the deep end, we left at the end of the day a bit discouraged and nervous to be going in the ocean.
While I skimmed through the textbook the night before, I went back and carefully read through the sections on how to descend, ascend, and become neutrally buoyant in the water (the state of being able to float effortlessly under water without rising or dropping in depth) in hopes of better preparing myself for the next day.
After a good night sleep, we returned to Roctopus the next morning for our last classroom session. Afterwards, we were faced with the multiple choice certification exam. I got a perfect 50/50. Jess only managed to get 49 (Andrew 1, Jess 0).
In the afternoon we packed up our scuba gear and headed out with other groups of divers for our first open water dive. Before we knew it, we were in the water ready to make our first descent. There are ropes at many of the dive sites that go from the surface down to the ocean floor. After equalizing once at the surface (holding our nose through our mask and blowing to pop our ears), we let all of the air out of our BC and started to sink under water while holding onto the rope. Every few feet we made downwards, we equalized?? As we reached the bottom, I tried to control my breathing but I could feel my heart racing, making me want to breath faster and faster. Luckily, our instructor was on top of his game and helped me calm down. We spent a lot of the dive going through safety procedures but also got to enjoy the marine life, seeing a blue spotted stingray, parrot fish, among other things. As we slowly made our way to the surface, I was relieved to take out my regulator and breathe normally. Looking over at Jess, I noticed that her face was bloody. While she has supposedly never had a noose bleed before, she was diving with a bit of a cold, and the pressure coupled with equalizing meant that she got a bloody nose every time she came up to the surface.
While the learning process was challenging, after dives 3 and 4 on the last day Jess and I were both confident under water and greatly enjoyed experiencing the coral and interacting with the fish. We are now certified to dive anywhere in the world and hope to dive a few more times during our travels.
[We did not take any pictures of our Scuba adventures but we did buy a video provided by Roctopus]
Per the recommendation of the two friends in our scuba group, we spent the last two days on Koh Tao in Hin Wong bay, a scenic, relaxing bay on the other side of the island. Picked up by the Clive, the owner and a talkative Brit with gray hair and rotting teeth, we climbed into the back of his truck and had a bumpy ride up and down the island's mountainous interior. Our room had gorgeous views of the bay and had tremendous snorkeling right off the coast. Because of the salt water, we were able to float effortlessly and swim amongst the fish and coral. On our last day on the island, we rented two kayaks, backed a dry bag with water, snacks, and snorkel gear, and kayaked from bay to bay, stopping occasionally at small strips of beach to snack and swim.
View from our balcony in Hin Wong bay (see andrewandjess.tumblr.com for more pics)
All in all, we had a fantastic time on Koh Tao - it's the island to beat as we continue our travels.
After 7 nights on Koh Phangan, Jess and I were both eager and ready to move on to our next destination, Koh Tao, a smaller, much more relaxed island renowned for its scuba diving and about a 1.5 hr ferry ride to the north. The day before leaving, we booked a scuba certification course with Roctopus, a small dive shop that got rave reviews online. Upon arriving at the pier, we were met by an Aussie and a pick-up truck and brought to the Roctopus dive shop. Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places in the world to learn how to scuba dive. For 9,000 baht (~$320), we got a 3.5 day course and 3 nights accommodation.
With a free afternoon, we checked into our bungalow and explored the main stretch of beach. Compared to the constantly thumping bars and the shops that sell all the same neon clothing on Koh Phangan, Koh Tao was a refreshing change of pace. The main walk way is for pedestrians and motorbikes only and was dotted with hostels, massage parlors, and nice restaurants/bars overlooking the ocean. As we slowly made our way up the beach, we came across a scene that would be more fitting in a 5-star resort: trendy beach chairs and beds on the beach with European lounge music playing from the speakers. While it looked exclusive, we only had to buy a $2 pineapple fruit shake to lay out on the cushioned chairs for the next several hours.
That night we made our way back to Roctopus for our scuba orientation. We met the two other people in our class - a British guy and a Canadian girl that were traveling together - and our instructor, Jack, a chilled out Aussie with short blonde dreads (with a pink bead in one of them).
The next morning we went over basics in the classroom, such as the scuba equipment and proper techniques. In the afternoon we went to a pool to learn how to wear the equipment, get used to breathing under water and some other techniques in case of an emergency. The experience was foreign and a bit nerve-racking. While we started off in the shallow end, both Jess and I had to raise up out of the water within the first 5 minutes of going under. Jess felt like she needed more air, and I felt light headed, probably because I was breathing too fast. While we progressed to the deep end, we left at the end of the day a bit discouraged and nervous to be going in the ocean.
While I skimmed through the textbook the night before, I went back and carefully read through the sections on how to descend, ascend, and become neutrally buoyant in the water (the state of being able to float effortlessly under water without rising or dropping in depth) in hopes of better preparing myself for the next day.
After a good night sleep, we returned to Roctopus the next morning for our last classroom session. Afterwards, we were faced with the multiple choice certification exam. I got a perfect 50/50. Jess only managed to get 49 (Andrew 1, Jess 0).
In the afternoon we packed up our scuba gear and headed out with other groups of divers for our first open water dive. Before we knew it, we were in the water ready to make our first descent. There are ropes at many of the dive sites that go from the surface down to the ocean floor. After equalizing once at the surface (holding our nose through our mask and blowing to pop our ears), we let all of the air out of our BC and started to sink under water while holding onto the rope. Every few feet we made downwards, we equalized?? As we reached the bottom, I tried to control my breathing but I could feel my heart racing, making me want to breath faster and faster. Luckily, our instructor was on top of his game and helped me calm down. We spent a lot of the dive going through safety procedures but also got to enjoy the marine life, seeing a blue spotted stingray, parrot fish, among other things. As we slowly made our way to the surface, I was relieved to take out my regulator and breathe normally. Looking over at Jess, I noticed that her face was bloody. While she has supposedly never had a noose bleed before, she was diving with a bit of a cold, and the pressure coupled with equalizing meant that she got a bloody nose every time she came up to the surface.
While the learning process was challenging, after dives 3 and 4 on the last day Jess and I were both confident under water and greatly enjoyed experiencing the coral and interacting with the fish. We are now certified to dive anywhere in the world and hope to dive a few more times during our travels.
[We did not take any pictures of our Scuba adventures but we did buy a video provided by Roctopus]
Per the recommendation of the two friends in our scuba group, we spent the last two days on Koh Tao in Hin Wong bay, a scenic, relaxing bay on the other side of the island. Picked up by the Clive, the owner and a talkative Brit with gray hair and rotting teeth, we climbed into the back of his truck and had a bumpy ride up and down the island's mountainous interior. Our room had gorgeous views of the bay and had tremendous snorkeling right off the coast. Because of the salt water, we were able to float effortlessly and swim amongst the fish and coral. On our last day on the island, we rented two kayaks, backed a dry bag with water, snacks, and snorkel gear, and kayaked from bay to bay, stopping occasionally at small strips of beach to snack and swim.
All in all, we had a fantastic time on Koh Tao - it's the island to beat as we continue our travels.
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