Richelieu Rock

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

Explore a little deeper with Dive Syndicate’s SSI Deep Diving Specialty in Khao Lak. Combining theory with open water training dives, this course builds the knowledge and skills you need to dive confidently at depths between 18 and 40 metres.You’ll learn how to plan deeper dives, manage your gas supply and use your dive computer effectively, with a strong focus on recognising and managing the additional risks of diving at depth. Our experienced instructors will help you put these skills into practice while exploring the dive sites accessible from Khao Lak, with training locations depending on the schedule and conditions.On completion, you’ll earn your SSI Deep Diving Specialty certification, opening up opportunities to explore deeper reefs, walls and wrecks around the world. It’s also a prerequisite for certain advanced training programmes, making it a valuable step in your continuing dive education.

2 dives at Richelieu RockRichelieu Rock is a lone pinnacle in the Andaman Sea, about 18 kilometers east of the Surin Islands, and part of the Mu Koh Surin National Park. It’s widely considered the best dive site in Thailand and one of the top sites in Southeast Asia. Above water there is almost nothing to see: at low tide only a few rocky tips break the surface, and at high tide it disappears completely. Underwater, though, it’s a different story. The rock forms a rough horseshoe shape made up of several pinnacles, with walls, ledges and boulders running from just below the surface down to a sandy bottom at around 35 meters.With two dives here, our guides plan each one around the current and conditions on the day, usually exploring a different side of the rock on each dive. Because the site is fairly compact, you get the chance to cover it properly and slow down to look closely, which is where Richelieu really shines. Almost every surface is covered in life. The most famous features are the purple soft corals, along with sea fans, anemones and sponges in every colour, all glowing when the sun hits the rock.Richelieu is a paradise for macro lovers and big-fish fans alike. In the cracks and crevices, look for seahorses, harlequin shrimp, ghost pipefish, frogfish, cuttlefish, octopus and tiny nudibranchs. Above the rock, huge schools of fusiliers, trevally, barracuda and batfish swirl around in the current, and groupers, lionfish and moray eels are everywhere. Richelieu Rock is also one of the best places in Thailand to see whale sharks, which visit the area during the season, with sightings most common from February to April. Currents can be moderate to strong at times, but the rock offers plenty of shelter, so the dives suit divers with some experience who are comfortable with their buoyancy.

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

2 dives at Similan Island #7Island #7 is a long, narrow island in the northern half of the Similan Islands National Park, just south of Koh Similan (Island #8). Above water it looks like a quiet, jungle-covered strip of granite. Underwater, it’s home to some of the most popular and varied dive sites in the park, and many divers count it among their favourites.Our guides choose the exact dive sites on the day, based on currents, visibility and the group’s experience. The island runs from north to south, so it offers very different diving on each side. The east side is known for its lush, sloping reefs, which drop from around 5 meters down to sand at 30 meters and more. They’re covered in hard corals, soft corals, sea fans and large coral bommies teeming with life. The west side is all about the classic Similan topography: giant granite boulders forming swim-throughs, arches, overhangs and canyons. The northern tip, where boulders tumble down into deeper water, is a favourite with more experienced divers.Marine life here is rich and colourful. Expect big schools of fusiliers, snappers, trevally and batfish, along with angelfish, butterflyfish, triggerfish, groupers and moray eels. Turtles are frequent visitors, and stingrays and blue-spotted rays often rest on the sand. Macro fans can look for nudibranchs, shrimp, octopus, ghost pipefish and lionfish hiding among the corals and rocks. Keep an eye on the blue too, because blacktip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse and, in season, even manta rays sometimes pass by. Thanks to the mix of sheltered reefs and dramatic boulder sites, Island #7 offers something for every diver, from relaxed reef dives to exciting topography.

The Divemaster program is the first step on an exciting journey. Earn the respect of your dive buddies and become an ambassador for diving by taking the Divemaster program. All you need to get started are 40 verified/logged dives and certifications in Deep Diving, Navigation, Night & Limited Visibility or at least 5 logged/verified dives experience in each area plus Diver Stress & Rescue. You will be certified as a Dive Guide after successfully completing the Divemaster program. When your interest is to turn your passion into a profession by guiding certified divers, teaching Ecology programs, assisting instructors or even becoming an instructor yourself, your next step is the Divemaster Upgrade with a minimum of 60 logged/verified. Upgrade to Divemaster right away or any time after by self-studying the Science of Diving materials, passing the Digital Final Exam which makes you an SSI Professional.

Start your underwater journey with Dive Syndicate’s SSI Scuba Diver course in Khao Lak. Combining online learning, confined water practice and local open water dives, this course gives you the skills and confidence to explore to a maximum depth of 12 metres under the supervision of an SSI Professional.It’s a great option if you have limited time but want to earn a diving certification. You’ll complete a substantial part of the SSI Open Water Diver training, making it easy to continue when you’re ready.To upgrade to Open Water Diver, simply complete the remaining theory and confined water sessions, plus two additional open water training dives. With Dive Syndicate, continuing your course could also give you the chance to complete your training at the beautiful Similan Islands, depending on scheduling and conditions.

Start your underwater journey with Dive Syndicate’s SSI Scuba Diver course in Khao Lak. Combining online learning, confined water practice and local open water dives, this course gives you the skills and confidence to explore to a maximum depth of 12 metres under the supervision of an SSI Professional.It’s a great option if you have limited time but want to earn a diving certification. You’ll complete a substantial part of the SSI Open Water Diver training, making it easy to continue when you’re ready.To upgrade to Open Water Diver, simply complete the remaining theory and confined water sessions, plus two additional open water training dives. With Dive Syndicate, continuing your course could also give you the chance to complete your training at the beautiful Similan Islands, depending on scheduling and conditions.

2 dives at Similan Islands #4 and #5Koh Miang (Island #4) and Koh Ha (Island #5) sit side by side in the sheltered heart of the Similan Islands National Park. Koh Miang is the second-largest island in the archipelago and home to the park headquarters. Koh Ha is a small granite island just to its east, with no beaches above water but some of the prettiest reefs in the park below it. Because these islands are central and protected, conditions are usually calmer than at the outer sites. That makes this a great day for divers of all levels, from newly certified to experienced.Our guides choose the exact dive sites on the day, based on currents, visibility and the group’s experience, so you always get the best of what the area has to offer. The east sides of the islands are known for gentle sandy slopes and fringing reefs. Large coral bommies rise from the sand, surrounded by table and staghorn coral and covered in soft corals, sponges and colourful sea fans. Depths range from around 5 meters in the shallows to 30 meters and more where the reef meets the sand. Around the edges of the islands you’ll find the giant granite boulders the Similans are famous for. They stack on top of each other to form swim-throughs, channels and overhangs, which are fun to explore for more experienced divers.Marine life is abundant throughout the area. Expect big schools of fusiliers, snappers and trevally, along with lionfish, angelfish, triggerfish, moray eels and the occasional Napoleon wrasse. Turtles are regular visitors, and blue-spotted rays and large stingrays are often seen resting on the sand. Keep an eye on the blue as well, because blacktip reef sharks, and in season even manta rays, sometimes pass through. With mostly mild currents and good visibility, these dives tend to be long, relaxed and full of colour, and the shallow reef flats are perfect for safety stops.

2 dives at Koh Bon and 1 dive at Similan Island #9Koh Bon Koh Bon is located about 20 kilometers north of Similan Island #9 and features one of the only vertical walls in Thailand. The main dive site is on the southwestern point and has a step-down ridge that carries on to depths of over 45 meters. The eastern side of this ridge forms the wall and this is where most divers will enter the water and generally where the boat moor. The western side of the ridge is more of a gentle slope with coral bommies forming mushroom-like formations out of the finger corals. On the ridge itself, sea fans of different sizes, shapes and colors grow, and schooling fish swim in the current feeding. This is generally where most divers will sit most of the dive, hoping for a sighting of the manta rays which frequent visit this dive site. These creatures seem to travel from Bon to Tachai and back again during the diving season from October until May. There is a pinnacle in the bay just to the north of the ridge. It's a deep rock but if you are an experienced diver it's worth the short bottom times you'll get as it's a very special site. Not all boats visit it and if conditions are not good (like the current is running strong), it's not worth the effort. But if the water is clear you're good with your air and the current is slack it's a stunning rock. It looks like a monolithic temple built by some ancient culture.

2 dives at Koh TachaiKoh Tachai is the northernmost island of the Similan Islands National Park, about 25 kilometers north of Koh Bon. It’s a remote, beautiful island with a long white sandy beach and lush jungle. It sits far from the main Similan group, out in open water where the currents bring in plenty of nutrients, which makes it one of the best places in the park to see big marine life.Our guides choose the exact dive sites on the day, based on currents, visibility and the group’s experience. The best-known site is Tachai Pinnacle, a large submerged rock southeast of the island. It rises from a sandy bottom at around 40 meters to about 12 meters below the surface. The pinnacle is made up of huge granite boulders covered in hard corals, sea fans and soft corals, with swim-throughs and overhangs to explore. Closer to the island, the reef slopes down to sand at around 20 to 30 meters, with coral gardens and scattered boulders. These areas offer a more relaxed dive when the current at the pinnacle is too strong.Koh Tachai is famous for its big encounters. Manta rays are regular visitors during the season, and the area is also known for whale shark sightings. Leopard sharks often rest on the sand around the pinnacle, and you may spot blacktip reef sharks, turtles and Napoleon wrasse. Huge schools of trevally, barracuda, fusiliers, snappers and batfish hang in the current above the rock, while groupers, moray eels and lionfish hide among the boulders. Currents here can be strong, so these dives are best suited to divers with some experience who are comfortable with negative entries and staying close to the group.

2 dives at Similan Islands #8 and #9Koh Similan (Island #8) is the largest island in the archipelago and gives the whole park its name. It’s famous for its white sandy beaches, turquoise bays and the iconic Sail Rock, a huge granite boulder perched on the hillside. Just to the north lies Koh Bangu (Island #9), the northernmost island of the main Similan group, known for its striking rock formations both above and below the water. Together, these two islands offer some of the most varied diving in the park.Our guides choose the exact dive sites on the day, based on currents, visibility and the group’s experience. The west sides of the islands are known for dramatic underwater landscapes. Giant granite boulders stack on top of each other, forming swim-throughs, arches, canyons and overhangs, with depths reaching 30 meters and more. These sites are where the Similans’ famous topography really comes to life and are great fun for more experienced divers. The east sides are more sheltered, with gentle sandy slopes and fringing reefs full of hard corals, coral bommies and colourful sea fans. They make relaxed, easy dives that suit divers of all levels.Marine life is abundant around both islands. Expect large schools of fusiliers, snappers, trevally and batfish, along with angelfish, triggerfish, lionfish, moray eels and the occasional Napoleon wrasse. Turtles are common, and blue-spotted rays and stingrays often rest on the sand. Look closer and you may find octopus, nudibranchs, shrimp and ghost pipefish hiding among the corals. Keep an eye on the blue as well, because blacktip reef sharks, leopard sharks and, in season, even manta rays sometimes pass through. With clear water and plenty to explore, these islands offer a perfect mix of big scenery and colourful reef lif

To join the SSI Instructor Training Course (ITC), you must be a certified Divemaster or hold an equivalent qualification. This comprehensive program is part of SSI’s 2-Step Instructor Training Approach. It begins with the Instructor Training Course combination, supported by immersive digital learning. After successfully completing the ITC, you will attend the Instructor Evaluation (IE) to become an SSI Open Water Instructor. As a certified instructor, you’ll be able to independently teach key SSI programs such as Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue, and Dive Guide. Need more time or want to gain hands-on experience before becoming a full instructor? You can take the Assistant Instructor portion as a standalone step. This allows you to assist with real student courses, build valuable teaching experience, and then complete the Instructor Evaluation at your own pace. The possibilities are endless – start your scuba diving instructor career now!

Assistant Instructor Trainers prepare Assistant Instructors to teach academics and conduct in-water training. As an Assistant Instructor Trainer, you are also qualified to assist Instructor Trainers, giving you valuable experience along your scuba diving instructor pathway. When ready, you can finish the Instructor Training Seminar, allowing you to become an SSI Instructor Trainer. Start your journey to create scuba diving instructors today.