PADI Discover Scuba Diving
A beginner-friendly introduction to scuba diving with an instructor, for people who have never dived before. It is the easiest way to try breathing underwater in Phuket before choosing a full certification course.
Phuket · Experiences & tours
Aussie Divers Phuket
A PADI dive centre in Chalong offering scuba courses for beginners and professionals, day trips on its own boat and Similan liveaboards.
Photo © Aussie Divers Phuket
- WhereKaronChalong, near the pier road
- Experiences & toursPADI dive centreDive courses, day trips, Similan liveaboards
- Contact(+66) 098 6693 361Official website ↗
Why go
About Aussie Divers Phuket
Aussie Divers Phuket is a PADI 5-Star Career Development Centre that has been operating for more than 15 years. Its main training centre and office are in Chalong, close to the pier where the dive boats leave for daily trips, with a number of hotels within 5-10 minutes for people taking courses or diving for several days.
The team teaches everything from a first Discover Scuba Diving experience to Divemaster and Instructor Development Courses. It runs day trips on its own dive boat, MV Kepsub, and arranges Similan Islands liveaboards. The owner, Darren Gaspari, is a PADI Course Director with more than 17 years in the dive industry.
Main services
What Aussie Divers Phuket offers
Services from the official website.
PADI Open Water Diver course
The entry-level certification that lets you dive with a buddy anywhere in the world. Theory and pool work can even be started in Bangkok, with the final training dives completed in Phuket.
Enriched Air (Nitrox) course
A popular specialty for certified divers aged 12 and over that extends no-decompression time. Theory can be done online with eLearning, followed by a practical day or a three-dive day trip.
Scuba diving day trips
Full-day diving trips from Chalong on the centre's own boat, MV Kepsub, to areas such as the Racha Islands, Phi Phi and Shark Point. Equipment, meals and some hotel transfers can be included.
Similan Islands liveaboards
Multi-day diving cruises to the Similan Islands, with The Junk and The Phinisi as the preferred boats, plus other Similan liveaboards on request. Suitable for qualified divers wanting several days of diving.
PADI Divemaster and Instructor courses
Professional training from Divemaster up to the Instructor Development Course, led by PADI Course Directors. The IDC runs over at least 12 days, with extra workshops and practice before the Instructor Examination.
Photo © Aussie Divers Phuket
Services and facilities
Good to know at Aussie Divers Phuket
- Own dive boat, MV Kepsub
- Hotel transfers from selected areas
- Equipment included on day trips
- PADI eLearning available
- English, Mandarin and Thai spoken
- Italian and Spanish spoken
Gallery
Inside Aussie Divers Phuket
Photo © Aussie Divers Phuket
Photo © Aussie Divers Phuket
Photo © Aussie Divers Phuket
Photo © Aussie Divers Phuket
Photo © Aussie Divers Phuket
Photo © Aussie Divers Phuket
Practical information
Aussie Divers Phuket: address, opening hours and contacts
- Contacts
- Contact the business directly by phone, WhatsApp, email or its website. Holiplanet does not take bookings or payments for it.
Getting there
How to get to Aussie Divers Phuket
From Phuket Old Town
About 11 km in a straight line: by taxi, Grab or Bolt.
From Patong
About 5.1 km in a straight line: by taxi, Grab or Bolt.
From Phuket International Airport
About 30 km in a straight line: by taxi, Grab or Bolt.
Straight-line distances from OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors); road distances are longer and walking times are approximate.
Around the area
Near Aussie Divers Phuket: sights, restaurants and hotels
City Guide · Things to do
Sights near Aussie Divers Phuket
Phuket beaches, temples and viewpoints with their own Holiplanet page, nearest first.
1.7 km away
Beach
Karon Beach
Phuket's second-longest beach, calmer than Patong, made for sunset walks
2.7 km away
Landmark
The Big Buddha
A 45-metre white marble Buddha above Chalong Bay
3.1 km away
Beach
Kata and Kata Noi Beaches
Two bays, Koh Pu offshore and a golden sunset
3.9 km away
Beach
Freedom Beach
Hidden white-sand cove south of Patong, by boat or steep trail
4.3 km away
Temple
Wat Chalong
Phuket's best-known temple, home to the Luang Por Chaem hall
5.1 km away
Beach
Patong Beach and Bangla Road
Phuket's busiest resort beach and its after-dark walking street
5.1 km away
Viewpoint
Karon Viewpoint
Three bays in one frame: Kata Noi, Kata and Karon
8.2 km away
Beach
Nai Harn Beach
Sheltered southern bay with a lake, calm from November to April
8.9 km away
Beach
Rawai Beach and Seafood Market
Phuket's working seafront and buy-then-cook seafood market
→
All things to do
On the Phuket map
City Guide · Where to eat
Restaurants near Aussie Divers Phuket
Phuket restaurants with their own Holiplanet page, nearest first.
3.7 km away
Thai and international
The Boathouse Restaurant
A beachfront restaurant on Kata Beach serving southern Thai and international dishes from breakfast to dinner.
4.6 km away
Southern Thai seafood
Ta Khai
Southern Thai and seafood dishes shared family-style in a rustic fishing-village setting at Rosewood Phuket.
10.3 km away
Since 2010
Blue Elephant Phuket
Southern Thai and Phuketian cooking served in a restored Sino-Portuguese governor’s house in the old town.
20.6 km away
Farm-to-table, live fire
JAMPA
A lakeside restaurant in Phuket cooking farm-grown ingredients over live fire, with sustainability at the centre.
21 km away
Community-to-fork cooking
PRU
A chef-led dining room inside Trisara where cooks and guests talk openly and local ingredients take centre stage.
26.4 km away
Southern Thai cooking
Black Ginger
A Thai restaurant in a traditional mansion above a lagoon, cooking old local recipes in an inventive way.
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All restaurants
On the Phuket map
City Guide · Where to stay
Hotels near Aussie Divers Phuket
Hotels, resorts and villas with their own Holiplanet page, nearest first.
4.1 km away
Kata Noi
Mom Tri's Villa Royale
Former seaside home of the architect Mom Tri on the headland above Kata Noi Beach: 42 suites
4.1 km away
Chalong hills
Villa Zolitude Resort & Spa
Thirty safari-style private pool villas on a forested hillside above Chalong
4.2 km away
Patong
Baan Yin Dee Boutique Resort
Twenty-one teak-framed rooms and suites on the hillside above Patong Bay
4.2 km away
Ao Chalong
Shanti Lodge Phuket
Family-run guest house in a tropical garden south of Wat Chalong
4.4 km away
Kata Noi
Katathani Phuket Beach Resort
Beachfront resort along an 850-metre stretch of Kata Noi Bay
7.7 km away
Nai Harn · Rawai
The Nai Harn
Hillside resort above Nai Harn Beach looking towards Promthep Cape
8.2 km away
Rawai
Roost Glamping
Canvas bell tents in a tropical garden in Rawai
8.8 km away
Rawai · Ya Nui
Ya-Nui Resort
Serviced apartments in two-storey bungalows around a salt-water pool near Ya Nui Beach
10.4 km away
Kamala
Keemala
Rainforest wellness retreat in the hills above Kamala
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All hotels
On the Phuket map
City Guide · Experiences
Tours and experiences
Diving, sea canoeing, cooking classes and nature trips with their own Holiplanet page.
10.3 km away
Experiences & tours
Blue Elephant Cooking School Phuket
Hands-on Thai cooking classes in a Sino-Portuguese mansion in Phuket Town, led by Blue Elephant's chefs.
10.9 km away
Experiences & tours
John Gray's Sea Canoe
Guided sea canoe trips into the caves and hidden lagoons of Phang Nga Bay, from Phuket, with meals and hotel transfers included.
10.9 km away
Experiences & tours · Since 2004
Thailand Divers
A Rawai dive centre running beginner courses, certified-diver day trips, Similan liveaboards and snorkelling tours from Phuket.
23.4 km away
Experiences & tours · Since 2016
Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
A retirement home for rescued elephants in northeast Phuket, where guests observe the herd from a canopy walkway and forest trails.
→
All experiences
On the Phuket map
City Guide · Beyond Phuket
Day trips from Phuket
Islands and Krabi within a boat ride.
Krabi · City Guide
Ao Nang and Koh Lanta
Railay’s cliffs, the Tiger Cave Temple and the long beaches of Koh Lanta
By ferry or speedboat
Phi Phi Islands
Limestone cliffs and turquoise bays, two hours by boat
Boat or sea canoe
Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island
Limestone towers, hidden lagoons and James Bond Island
Phang Nga Bay
Koh Panyee (Ko Panyi)
A stilt village at the foot of a limestone cliff
→
All day trips
Phuket City Guide
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Latest from the Phuket Journal
Stories and practical guides about life in Phuket.
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All stories
Holiplanet Journal
Straight-line distances from OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Questions
Aussie Divers Phuket: frequently asked questions
Where is the dive centre?
The main training centre and office are on Chalong Pier Road (Sunrise Road), close to the pier where the dive boats leave. Look for a big blue building with the Aussie Divers name.
Do I need diving experience?
No. Beginner courses are offered to get you certified, and the Discover Scuba Diving programme is made for first-timers.
Can I do the theory online?
Yes. For example, the Nitrox course theory can be finished online with PADI eLearning, then the practical part is completed in Phuket with the instructors.
What is included on the Enriched Air day trip?
PADI eLearning and certification fee, full equipment rental for the day, breakfast, lunch and snacks, three boat dives and hotel transfers from selected areas.
Can I start a course in Bangkok?
Yes, for group bookings the theory and pool training can be done in Bangkok, and the open water training dives are finished in Phuket.
How long is the Instructor Development Course?
The IDC in Phuket runs for a minimum of 12 days, with extra workshops and practice time.