Hidden Depths Diving — Local services in Ko Lanta Yai

We went diving with Hidden Depths for a week at the end of 2022. I had never done any diving before and went for my Open Water certification. I was a bit nervous in the pool session and the idea of breathing underwater while taking off my mask really freaked me out. Clare (my amazing instructor) was super patient and broke it down into several steps, which made it much more manageable.

By the time I hit the water for the first open diving session I felt calm and confident. I ended up loving it so much that I decided to go straight to Advanced certification.

I can’t say enough positive things about the whole experience. The entire Hidden Depths team is fantastic. Juan has built an incredible operation and clearly cares about his team — as evidenced by the fact that one of the instructors told us it was by far the best place they had ever worked. Nan made us feel so welcome and part of the family from day one.

Harish took my partner for his refresher dive (after 21 years of not diving!) and helped blow out the cobwebs while making it fun.

Ooy (the driver) is so kind and friendly, and manages seamless pick-ups and drop-offs to your hotel.

The fact that Hidden Depths has a speed boat is also a big plus. You can get to the dive sites in half the time (or less) than the bigger boats, which means that for your first dive you’re often the only boat there, and after the surface interval you’re going down for your second dive while other people are just coming up from their first. After you get back to the pier for lunch you then have the whole afternoon ahead of you to explore the island.

All around a fantastic experience that I would recommend to anyone considering diving in Koh Lanta. They are thorough, incredibly professional, and clearly prioritise the safety of everyone diving with them. They deserve 7 stars...

My sister and I got advance open water certified with Hidden Depths Diving in early March and it was an awesome experience. It’d been about a year since we got our open water scuba certs and haven’t dived since so we were very rusty and apprehensive about getting back into the water. We had the privilege of having the amazing Juan go through our refresher course with us as well as be our instructor for our advance open water course. He put us at ease and made us feel very comfortable and safe under water. Safety was paramount but everything was kept at a chilled, relaxed pace, nothing was rushed. We had so much fun doing the courses with Juan (fun dives with a teeny bit of homework 😁) that we stayed on to do 2 days of fun dives. We also wanted to maximise our chances of seeing manta rays/whale sharks/leopard sharks, which unfortunately for us, we didn’t see any of them in the end, but we saw many other beautiful creatures and the water was super clear, warm and beautiful the whole time we were there. All their instructors, dive masters and other staff were really friendly with constant smiles on their faces. The boat captain was a funny character too. They offer pick ups from and drop off to accommodations (up to a certain distance as it’s still quite a big island) but we didn’t need it as we stayed just across the road from the dive centre at La Chambre Boutique (a nice basic, affordable, clean, convenient place to stay if you’re diving with Hidden Depths). They provided drinks on the boat and at the dive centre, breakfast, snacks on the boat between dives, and lunch with chicken/vegan options. They don’t do large groups. We were in small groups of 2 or 3 customers to an instructor/dive master, which we really appreciated. Would definitely dive with Hidden Depths Diving if we’re ever down this neck of the...

I just completed my Dive Master training here, spending nearly two months diving every single day with Juan and the entire team. What an incredible experience—I had an absolute blast!

For Fun Divers:

Fast Boat: You’ll be the first at the dive sites, with fewer people in the water when you arrive. It’s such a great advantage!

Experienced Guides: The team knows the dive sites like the back of their hand, loves what they do, and is fully committed to respecting the environment.

Top-Notch Equipment: Their gear is practically new and meticulously maintained. I’ve seen the care they put into it firsthand.

Location & Logistics: The centre is located in Saladan (where the main pier is), their boat leaves right from there, through their private pier (no useless back and forth). And they will pick you up pretty much everywhere in the island.

For First-Time Divers/Training:

Safety First: Juan's obsession with safety is unmatched, giving you total confidence that your dive will be safe and unforgettable.

Personalized Attention: Most courses are capped at two students per instructor, ensuring you’ll get the care and focus you deserve. And often you're gonna have an instructor that speaks your language.

For Aspiring Pros (DMT, IDC):

Unmatched Support: This is the place to be. The team is always available to share advice, tips, and tricks. You’ll have access to an entire group of mentors, not just a single instructor.

Family Atmosphere: From day one, you’ll feel like part of the family. Was soo hard to say goodbye 🥲

Extra Dives: You’ll get significantly more dives included in your training than most other centers offer.

If you’re considering diving in Thailand, whether it’s for fun, to learn, or to pursue a professional career, Hidden Depths in Koh Lanta is the place!

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