Divemaster
- Who it's for
- You're a Rescue Diver and you want to work in diving.
- Length
- 4-8 weeks
- The first professional rating
- Guide certified divers
- Free internship with us
Go Pro · IDC + DM
Become a PADI Instructor
Koh Tao certifies more dive professionals than anywhere else in the world. We are one of its 5 Star Instructor Development Centers.
Two courses, one route
Divemaster and the IDC are separate certifications with separate prerequisites. Take one, or book them back to back and become the complete professional in one visit.
IDC - Instructor Development Course
- Who it's for
- You already hold Divemaster and you want to teach.
- Length
- 2 weeks + exam
- Timed to finish right before the monthly IE
- 2 days of theory refresher before we start
- Taught at a PADI 5 Star IDC centre
Divemaster → Instructor, back to back
- Who it's for
- You want the whole route in one trip, without going home in between.
- Length
- 3-4 months
- Two separate courses, one continuous plan
- We schedule your Divemaster to land on an IDC start
- One conversation, one timeline
Course fees depend on the route and your certifications - ask and we'll price it for you.
Meet your Course Director
Bob Murphy
PADI Course Director
Bob Murphy is Siam Scuba's resident Course Director - and a lifelong petrol-head who loves taking motorbikes apart (breaking them, then fixing them better). That same curiosity grew into a deep passion for dive equipment: how it works, where it came from, and how to keep it running perfectly.
With more than a quarter of a century underwater and thousands of PADI courses taught, his stand-out favourite is the Instructor Development Course. Bob's IDC goes beyond the evaluation-style presentations you need to pass: he trains you for the moment that actually matters - standing in front of a genuine class of your own divers, and teaching them well.
And it doesn't end at the exam. Bob teaches most PADI specialties at instructor level, so once you're certified he'll help you expand your teaching toolbox, add specialty ratings, and start climbing the PADI career ladder early - keeping your diving life fun, varied, and thriving.
Instructor Examination dates
The IE is run by PADI, not by us, on fixed dates each month. Our IDC is timed to finish right before it.
| Month | IDC starts | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| April | 7 | 21 |
| May | 5 | 19 |
| June | 9 | 23 |
| July | 7 | 21 |
| August | 4 | 18 |
| September | 8 | 22 |
| October | 6 | 20 |
| November | 10 | 24 |
| December | 1 (Nov) | 15 |
Not sure which one you need?
Tell us what you're certified as and how long you have. We'll tell you honestly which route fits - and if the timing doesn't work this season, we'll say so.
Talk to an instructor