Open Water SCUBA - Ko Tao

With about 15 people squeezed into a minibus (fit for about 11 people), we set off for the east coast. A high-speed catamaran called the "Lomprayah" took us from the port to the island of Ko Tao.

At the pier in Chumpon, east coast

Ko Tao (which means "Turtle Island" in Thai) is the smallest and least developed of the chain of three islands in the gulf of Thailand (Koh Samui and Koh Phangnan are the other two - see the map). It is known for its laid-back atmosphere and its multitude of scuba dive-shops. In fact, Ko Tao is the second-most popular place in the world for getting scuba certifications, apparently.

We enrolled in a 4-day course to get our open-water scuba certs. The course was a ton of fun.

Scuba Junction - Our training spot

The first two days involved watching a few movies, learning about a slew of possible things that can go wrong underwater (gulp), learning to use the scuba gear, and taking our first few breathes underwater. The last two days were where we really got a chance to experience diving with 4 open-water dives with our instructor up to about 60 feet deep!

The team! (with our awesome instructor, Sandra)

At the end of day 4, we took a final exam, and I'm happy to say I am now a certified openwater scuba diver (I can dive anywhere with a buddy up to 18m or ~60 feet). We celebrated last night with a few drinks with our instructor and then passed out, looking forward to sleeping in for once in the last few days.

Aside from diving, Ko Tao is great. Again, it is an island with very few cars, and although the scenery isn't as breathtaking as the Andaman coast, it is still one of the most beautiful islands I've seen.

Sunset over Sairee beach, Ko Tao

Today we rented mopeds and explored some less traveled-to beaches on the island. In a few minutes we will be hopping on the ferry over to the largest island in the Gulf, Koh Samui.

Sairee beach, Ko Tao

Here we will meet up with another Tufts friend, and it will be our jumping off point for tomorrow night's full-moon party.

Open Water SCUBA - Ko Tao

Ko Tao, Thailand