Course overview

Cross the line from guiding dives to teaching them with the PADI Instructor Development Course, run from the Khao Lak gateway to the Similan Islands. Candidates rehearse classroom, confined-water and open-water teaching presentations on the calm local reefs off Khao Lak before sitting the independent Instructor Examination, finishing ready to certify divers of their own across one of Thailand's most celebrated dive regions.

What you’ll learn

• Deliver knowledge-development, confined-water and open-water teaching presentations
• Apply the PADI system of education, standards and dive theory
• Demonstrate, evaluate and correct core scuba skills to instructor standard
• Manage diver risk and run training to dive-centre standards
• Brief, supervise and debrief student divers with confidence
• Prepare fully for the independent PADI Instructor Examination

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 18
• PADI Divemaster or a qualifying leadership rating from another recognised agency
• Certified diver for at least 6 months
• 60 logged dives to begin and 100 to sit the Instructor Examination
• Emergency First Response Instructor rating (can be completed alongside)
• Diver medical clearance signed by a physician

What's included · What's not

Probability of sightings · month-by-month

What you're likely to see each month, based on historic operator logs.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1
   Teaching foundations

   Orientation to the PADI system of education and first classroom knowledge-development presentations.
2. Day2
   Confined-water workshops

   Practise demonstrating and teaching core skills in calm shallow water near Khao Lak.
3. Day3
   Open-water teaching

   Deliver open-water teaching presentations and skill circuits on the local reefs under evaluation.
4. Day4
   Standards & risk management

   Work through dive standards, risk management, marketing and the business of diving.
5. Day5
   Theory & rescue assessment

   Sit dive-theory exams and complete the rescue assessment to IDC standard.
6. Day6
   IE preparation

   Mock exams, presentation polishing and a full briefing for the independent Instructor Examination.

Verified through iDive

Every partner school in the iDive network is vetted on safety, instructor credentials, equipment standards and student feedback. Talk to a iDive dive pro on WhatsApp for current availability and reviews specific to Similan Islands.

Frequently asked questions