Full-Day Beginner Scuba Course with Private Tuition, Racha Yai
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Phuket, Thailand
- 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Learn to scuba dive on a full-day adventure off the coast of Phuket. After pickup from your hotel, sail to Koh Racha Yai where you embark on two, open-water dives without any prior certification. Receive instruction, briefing, and guidance, before and during your dives from certified instructors. While in the water, you can observe tropical fish, colorful corals, sea turtles, and more. Hotel pickup and drop-off and two meals are included.
- Full-day scuba diving introductory course in Koh Racha Yai
- Perfect for beginners - two, open-water dives are included
- Breakfast, a buffet lunch, and snacks included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from select areas of Phuket are included
What's Included
- Full scuba diving equipment set (Wetsuit, buyancy control device, Mask, regulator, fins)
- Breakfast, Lunch, snacks, water, tea & coffee
- Hotel/port pickup and drop-off (free for Kamala, Patong, Karon, Kata, Chalong pier, Rawai)
- Professional and certified dive Instructor
- Scuba Diving Insurance
- Souvenir photos (extra 1000-1500 THB, own camera use is banned by law for non-certified divers)
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase in cash)
- Extra charge for pick up location outside of Kamala, Patong, Karon, Kata, Chalong and Rawai
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.7:00 am
What To Expect
1
Koh Racha Yai
2
SSS Phuket Dive Freedive & Surf Center
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Flying within 18 hours of diving is not recommended. All participants will be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to diving. Some pre-existing medical conditions (ex. asthma, heart conditions, etc) may prevent you from diving, please consult your doctor
- Minimum age is 10 years
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Esther_P
Cannot begin to thank our instructor Pomme for such an amazing experience and a beautiful introduction for my first time scuba diving! She was super friendly and had a great sense of humour which made everything so fun! Very informative and was a wealth of knowledge when explaining how to use all our equipment. Would be so happy to book another trip in with SSS Scuba in Phuket :-D
Reviews
5.0
based on 383 reviews
Jasmine_E, Mar 2026
This was one of the best experiences in Phuket! Our instructor Nat was very patient kind, and made the experience even better for being our first time scubba diving! She took lots of photos and videos for us under water while we focused on our first time scuba diving. We will definitely be back to scuba dive with Nat!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hey Jasmine, thank you very much for your support and your kind review :)
It was great having you onboard and our SSS Phuket team is looking forward to dive with you again!
Jerome_M, Mar 2026
Well worth trip on a well organised and professional experience. Plenty of good food , drinks. The diving were well taught by Sebastian and in safe hands.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Jerome, thank you very much for your kind words and support, this is highly appreciated!
keith_c, Feb 2026
This was the most amazing experience and can highly recommend. My first time diving and I cannot speak highly enough of my instructor Nim. On my first dive I had a little panic attack when having to remove and recover the regulator Nim was so calm and attentive, helping me to slow down the breathing and relax so I could continue with this experience.
The Photo and Video package is a must with quality images and the instructors upload straight to your phone.
The entire crew were fantastic and well organised; food was great and all equipment in top order. If your looking to do your first dive I in Phuket I can definitely reassure if you choose this tour you are in great hands.
Thanks again Nim couldn't have done it without you.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much Keith that's amazing to read :) We also had a great time with you onboard, we hope to see you again for some more dive experiences!
Andrew_B, Feb 2026
Very good experience and learnt a lot from my guide NIM me and my girlfriend loved it so much. Definitely recommend!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you very much Andrew, your support is very much appreciated :)
We hope to see you guys again!
Ava_G, Feb 2026
We have a lovely time, boat was large with other dive groups going to the same spot, but our group itself was small. The journey was between 1.5-2 hours to the first dive spot which hit me with some seasickness. Only thing i didn’t like was that the dive spots were all quite busy, which is obviously common this time of year, however all the boats probably scare away anything interesting to see. We mostly just saw lots of fish and coral with the occasional interesting thing. Special thank you to Olivier, who was a lovely coach for our first ever scuba dive. We would definitely come back for him, he was a great teacher.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you very much for your support 🙏
Mike_B, Jan 2026
As a first time diver, I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Tiger was an excellent guide and instructor. Everything was explained well and I felt comfortable before hitting the water. The dive itself was amazing. Highly recommended for a beginner.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hey Mike thank you for writting us this nice review, it is highly appreciated :)
We hope to see you again soon !
Sidney_B, Jan 2026
This tour was absolutely amazing. This was my first ever dive, I was in a group with one other newbie and a guide. My guide, Tiger, was so helpful, informative, and took amazing pictures! He also made me feel very safe. I had a slight mask mishap (my fault) and he was right there to help me underwater and keep the dive moving. This was a great first experience to the sport and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone in the area.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hey Sidney, thank you very much for your kind feedback, that is highly appreciated :)
Wish you the best and hope to see you again soon !
Amy_T, Jan 2026
We had a fabulous experience with Pomme! I would definitely recommend this experience, and I would do it again if given the chance. I was a little nervous as a first timer. My 20-year-old and 12-year-old sons are expert swimmers, but this is something that was new to all of us. I will say, if you are considering this activity, you should be aware that training takes place on the boat and your first dive is in the ocean. My friends who are scuba certified were shocked to learn that this experience did not have a training phase in a pool.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you Amy we had a blast with you guys onboard! Next time the open water course :)
Nai_H, Nov 2025
I loved it! We were two with one instructor, Pommé! Amazing human being. We had so much on the boat and under water. We got to see many corals and fishes. Took amazing photos as well. Will definitely be back
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hey Nai, thank you very much for your kind words and review, we are very glad that you had a great time with us at SSS Phuket. Hope to see you again!
Jake_R, Nov 2025
Very good experience, had a very informative instructor and all the boat crew were friendly and welcoming
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you very much Jake, that's amazing to reach :) Hope to see you again!
Gabriela_V, Nov 2025
Great dive experience! Beginner friendly. Got to see so many fish, corals and star fish. Ohm was the best instructor we could have asked for. He got great footage and we were able to negotiate good price for my brother and I. Breakfast and lunch included as well as drinks and snacks. Buffet lunch was so yummy and filling. Plenty of food!! Don’t miss out on this opportunity.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you very much Gabriel! We also had a great time with you guys onboard, next. time your Open Water course!
Esther_P, Oct 2025
Cannot begin to thank our instructor Pomme for such an amazing experience and a beautiful introduction for my first time scuba diving! She was super friendly and had a great sense of humour which made everything so fun! Very informative and was a wealth of knowledge when explaining how to use all our equipment. Would be so happy to book another trip in with SSS Scuba in Phuket :-D
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hey Esther! Thank you very much for your kind words, it is highly appreciated :)
Can't wait also to see you again for some more diving trip if Phuket! All the best!
Michele_P, Jul 2025
This was such an amazing and special day. I did this with my 14-year-old son and it was our very first scuba experience. Our guide, Pomme, could not have been more supportive or kind. We felt very well cared for and safe. Her English is great and she has a wonderful sense of humor. The spots we stopped to dive were incredible with such a plethora of species you feel like you're in a National Geographic documentary. The food was plentiful but definitely Western (Chicken wings, french fries, salad and fruit etc).
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you thank you Michele :) That's great to know your really enjoyed your trip with our SSS Phuket team. We will see you sagin!
Brittany_K, Jun 2025
The boat ride to the spot can make you sea sick so be prepared for that. However once you get to the diving spot it’s amazing. The water is nice and clear and warm. Woody was a great instructor and despite having no experience diving he helped me learn and I was able to dive down to the bottom and have a great time. My friend was able to go right down as well. It was amazing.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you very much Brittany, it was great having you onboard. Yes indeed the day you came was quite windy, it does happen time to time during the green season :)
All the best to you 2!
Kalindu_S, May 2025
I had a fantastic scuba diving experience! The trip was well-organized and everything ran smoothly. My instructor, Ootdy, was especially great, he explained everything clearly and made sure I felt safe and confident before diving. The underwater views were breathtaking. Highly recommended for anyone looking to explore the ocean up close!
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you very much Kalindu, we also had fun with you guys! We see you next time for your Open Water course :)
Heather_R, May 2025
We had a great scuba experience. This wasn't a booking with a dive company, but we went on a large dive boat with a variety of other groups. Still, we had dedicated guides for us that kept us safe and made sure we knew all we needed to know. They also kept us company and visited with us, and they were great company.
Lolo and Nim were wonderful instructors and guides. The discovery dives aren't very deep, so it's a great time to roam around beautiful coral and take in all the smaller, amazing life that exists. They took cameras with them, and we have so many pictures of both our children and us enjoying the dive and a full catalog of the sea life we saw, including scorpion fish, box fish, porcupine fish, sea cucumbers, etc. And we told them how much we love feather stars, and they were sure to find lots of them for us.
While scuba experiences are more expensive than most of the other outings we did (almost 20 total), it is well worth it. To feel weightless in wonder and share the love of scuba from instructors is really a priceless time that will always be on our travel checklist.
The only item I would say is I wish they used the Padi site for dive logs, but that's partially my fault for not being ready to take down notes to log our dive.
I want to add that I also messed up the hotel for pick up with confused dates, and had to change my pick up the night before. They handled that change for me with no problem, which I truly appreciated.
Response from Host, May 2025
Hey Heather, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed review :) We are very glad that you had a great time with SSS Phuket Dive Center. Hope to see you again !
Sayde_S, May 2025
So here’s how this works: you get picked up with groups of other people, meet your guide at the pier, and then get on a massive shared scuba boat! But don’t be alarmed, the boat is SUPER clean, food is amazing, and the staff is diligent to make sure everyone is cared for and no one is left wanting anything. My guide, Pomme, was so great! I was alone so I was partnered with another woman to be 2:1 with the guide, and while I was concerned at first, the whole experience was really amazing! Truly once in a lifetime. Also ask your guide if they do a photo package for you, mine did one super cheap and I got over 500 images and videos that are all so good!
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you very much Sayde, it is highly appreciated :) All the best to you and we will see you again!
Eliud_R, May 2025
Awesome experience, great pictures, everything was perfect
I would definitely get my license to explore ande see deeper 🙌
Response from Host, May 2025
Hey Eliud, thank you so much!! We hope to see you again for your Open Water course :)
Victor_N, Apr 2025
This was my first time scuba diving and I don't think I could've had a better instructor! Pomme is absolutely amazing, patient and passionate about diving. Her love for it is inevitably contagious! Plus she took incredible pictures & videos!
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Hey Victor! Thank you vey much :)
Julia_W, Apr 2025
Absolutely amazing! Lung was the best guide! Boat crew were great and the dives were awesome. The water is really clear and coral and sea life were superb
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you Julia, that is very kind of you :)
Amanda_C, Apr 2025
An experience that should not be missed on any trip through Phuket!! Easy Air conditioned transfer from hotels, a seamless meet up & boat ride out to the island, and best of all, an incredible experience once you’re there!! Oody my guide felt more like a friend than an instructor, but gave clear direct instructions. I was terrified going in, but loved scuba diving because Oody provided such great direction!! The pics & videos of the beautiful dive were worth it. Could not possibly recommend more!!
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Hey Amanda, thank you very much !! We are very glad that you had a great time with our SSS Phuket team. Hope to see you again !
Joseph_R, Apr 2025
From the hotel pickup to Chalong pier, the booking was made very easy. Our instructor Ooty met us at the pier and was very professional guiding us to the boat, serving us refreshments, and giving us instruction before our private open water dives. The all inclusive excursion included all required equipment, breakfast, and lunch. Our guide took high quality underwater photos of our experience for a small fee and were totally worth having to commemorate our experience. Thank you Viator for connecting us to our instructor and Thank you Ooty for the phenomenal diving experience.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Hey Joe! Thank you for taking the time to write us such a nice review, you guys made our day :)
Joseph_H, Mar 2025
Pomme did a great job, was energetic and personable. Cheryl and I both really enjoyed her as a tour guide.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you Joseph, that's amazing 🙏🙏
Stephen_K, Mar 2025
Amazing first dive with Pomme! 100% recommend. 2 full dives in a day. Lots of marine life and beautiful water!
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you Stephen!! It is very much appreciated :)
Michailo_L, Feb 2025
Very coool and intresting !!! I recomended my friends)
Sea, fish wonderful! My eyes were delighted. Nice
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Hey Michail :) Thank you for your feedback, we had a great time with you guys too !
Amy_R, Feb 2025
Booked a private tour in February with my husband - Both of us had been scuba diving before, so knew what it was about. We got up bright and early and got a minibus to the pier to meet our instructor, Ned. The day started off with a hilarious miscommunication, which turned into the running joke of the day.
We boarded a big boat and Ned took such good care of us, ensuring we filled out the insurance forms correctly, had travel sickness tablets, knew all the information about the boat and had everything we needed - including coke for travel sickness. He talked us through all the equipment in detail, allowed us to ask all the questions we wanted so that we felt safe.
As I mentioned, we have both been scuba diving before and I'm not sure if its because I'm older now, but the second I got in the water and he let the air out of our life jackets to go down, I started panicking. Ned was SOOOO good with me, calming me down and making sure I was okay. He told me to hold his arms, look him in the eyes and focus on my breathing whilst he let the air out and next thing I knew, I was under the water and totally fine. I think it's because your brain is telling you that you're drowning but you can still breathe, so it is a battle between your head and body.
Ned was so good with both of us, but particularly me as he knew I was nervous, under the water. Constantly asking if I was okay and making jokes. He was also pointing at different wildlife under the sea and showing us different things, including sting rays which was AMAZING. Weirdly, I was totally fine under the water it was just the moment of entry which I found so terrifying.
We went back on the boat after around an hour and, again, Ned was so good checking in on us, making sure we had food and drinks and were okay. He also started telling us stories of his various dives, which we loved listening to.
The next dive, the exact same thing happened and I panicked again as we started to go down, saying I wanted to go back up. Ned just looked at me, shook his head as if to say "no" because he knew I could do it and was pointing to his head saying "it's all in your head" you are fine type of thing. Once I got over it, I was living my best life! Swimming around on my own, looking at different corals and nature and having the time of my life. I am so, so, so glad he pushed me - because he knew I was capable. Again, we were under for another hour or so and it was incredible.
Highly recommend it and very grateful to Ned for pushing me, because otherwise I would have pulled the panic chord and bailed and would have been disappointed in the end.
Thanks Ned, a truly incredible experience and a truly incredible man.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Hey Amy, thank you so much for your review, it made our day :) We hope to see you guys again for a new dive experience or even the Open Water course!
Chris_F, Feb 2025
Hadn't been scuba diving for years so decided to give this trip a go. Pick up was easy and on time. We were taken to the meeting point and met by our instructor Oodty and I was paired with Ivy from Taiwan. After our refreshments we were briefed on all aspects of our dive with full instructions on what to do and what not to do whilst diving. Every part of this was made clear to us by our instructor. This put both of us at ease.
We made two dives of 45 minutes in Racha Yai and Oodty guided us with calmness and was very patient. Especially with me. He showed us some amazing sea life and took many photos and videos of our dives.
Afterwards we had a lovely lunch before setting back to land. Oodty was very informative about everything one the day and shared some great knowledge and experiences with us. The staff on the boat were amazing and very helpful too.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you Chris, that's really nice to read your review :) I'm sure we will see you again!
Lee_D, Jan 2025
Amazing so much to see and the instructors make you feel safe at all times. I would highly recommend this to anyone in phuket.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
That's great to read, thank you Lee for your kind review :)
Trinh_T, Jan 2025
First time scuba diving and our diving instructors were very knowledgeable and super welcoming. It was an amazing experience and we will definitely be coming back for more.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Thank you very much Thrinh, it was great having you guys onboard!
Jigar_T, Jan 2025
Awesome!! Trip was really awesome and especially trainer was too good and so supportive. Kudos to Pommie!! Thanks from Jigar (Pablo)
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Thank you Jigar for your kind words :) We hope to see you again!
From $159.64
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