Why you should take the leap and become a PADI Dive Instructor

Everyone that’s been abroad on a holiday, or maybe just watched a movie from a paradise location, can remember that lucky guy/girl who had that place as their office.

As PADI professionals, either Divemaster or diving instructors we all have an office with a view like no others. We wake up in the morning eating our breakfast and think about all the new things we´ll see that day. About the new great people we are about to meet and create memories with, some for life.

Being a dive professional isn´t just about diving, it’s a life style. We constantly try to improve our skills and our knowledge, about everything from the smallest little underwater critter we can find, to the strangest physics questions you can ever think off. We bet you who has ever have done a PADI Course, that you were really inspired from your Dive instructor. How he/she explained everything to you, demonstrated the essential skills, and also guided you through your course.

For you guys that are more experienced and done all courses up to PADI rescue diver or even PADI Divemaster. Try this, think about your first 3 girl-/boyfriends names – hard? Now, do the same with your diving instructors – easier? Even with only a few limited days, they have made such an impact on your life that you remember them easier than your previous loved ones.

Becoming a PADI open water scuba instructor is an intensive course that is conducted over 2 weeks. It will take you through different teaching methods, coaching techniques, and pedagogic skills. We also focus on dive theory as you are supposed to be “all knowing” when it comes to diving and everything related to it.

During the course you´ll make classroom presentation for your PADI course director, skill demonstrations/briefings in the pool and of course the Open water skills. You´ll get to practice skills taught in PADI Open water up to PADI Divemaster courses. Making sure you are proficient in all fields before starting to teach in the real world.

It´s what we call – Serious Fun

Next IDC starts in November on Koh Lanta. Contact us for a change to an alternate lifestyle!

Kon-Tiki Thailand PADI 5 Star IDC receives 2012 Award

Kon-Tiki Thailand receives another award for their commitment to the diving industry. This time the award comes from PADI for Kon-Tiki´s outstanding contribution to the diving industry.

Over many years Kon-Tiki have proudly and actively promoted PADI, and it pleases everyone to see Mr. Stefan CEO of Kon-Tiki being presented and awarded the 2012 Outstanding Contribution to the Diving Industry Award.

Congratulations Kon-Tiki PADI 5 Star IDC

Three Generations of Divers

Recently I realized I might have one of the best jobs in the world! This is when you are sitting onboard Kon-Tiki Krabis Petchmanee 10 on the way back from a beautiful day at the sea, surrounded by smiles on new divers and snorkeler’s faces. You ask yourself? How often does one get the possibility to dive with 3 different generations from the one and same family?

Here is a great example on a family who loves the sea, marine life and everything in between……

One early morning with all of our guest on Petchmanee, we aim for the famous Phi Phi islands. Once PADI Discover Scuba Diving papers are filled out, we can get started with the different briefings. Some are snorkeling, some diving the first time and some old timers with 3 digit numbers in their log books. However all have the same passion for the marine life and it is great to share this. When all PADI briefings are done, questions answered and the equipment is assembled it is time to get in the water.

After skills are practiced and divers fell comfortable in the water it is time to venture a bit deeper to see what we can find and within minutes the inhabitants of the sea bid us welcome. Banded Sea snake is spotted, in the search for food between the corals, the famous clown anemone fish is trying to chase us away from the anemone and schools of snappers are circling around us. Seeing the eyes grow into tea cups on a 10-year old boy, when he realizes he is looking at something rare and unimaginable as a Tiger tail seahorse, is just fantastic.

Feeling the excitement of a man in his 70ties, who have seen most things in his life and still can get amazed by the marine life and how they live in a great eco system, makes you look forward to that time in your life.

Looking at the confident diver in his prime time of his life, gliding through the water like a fish and smiling through his mask, when he spot his son and father in the water. Well that just makes one instructor extremely happy.

It is just priceless!!

The best part is that the whole family shares this together with grandmother on the boat keeping a close eye on her precious family. Mom and daughter learned how to snorkel the first time and were fortunate enough to see a baby Black Tip Reef Shark and lots of interesting marine life.

One the way home time fly, while we fill out the log books and some might have to give in and take a nap, as with so many new impressions it can be hard to keep one eyes open.

I wanted to thank you so much for the visit and I look forward to see you all again.

Malene Jensen
General Manager
Kon-Tiki Krabi

Kon-Tiki launches PADI Sidemount Diver Course

Learn a new and different way to dive with the PADI Sidemount Diver course!

Sidemount is an equipment configuration which has diving cylinders mounted alongside the diver, below the shoulders and along the hips, instead of on the back of the diver. It began as a configuration popular with advanced cave divers, as smaller sections of cave can be penetrated and tanks can be changed with greater ease. The same benefits for operating in confined spaces were also recognized by divers who conducted technical wreck diving penetrations.

Sidemount is now growing in popularity within the technical diving community for general decompression diving and is becoming an increasingly popular specialty training for recreational diving.

PADI Sidemount diving training with proper Side Mount Configuration offers:

• an alternative way to streamline yourself and the equipment in the water
• easier cylinder logistics on the surface
• reduced lower back strain
• provides redundant gas supply
• ability to monitor all regulators, valves and gauges because they are in front
• increased gas supply for longer dives

During the course you will learn:

• Equipment configuration and preparation
•  Body posture and trim
• Propulsion techniques
• Gas management
• Proper Sidemount diver procedures and emergencies

Take a new, fun and challenging course on your next holiday to Thailand!

Kon-Tiki launches a new Tec Program

Are you an advanced qualified diver seeking a new challenge on your holiday?

Kon-Tiki is proud to add an additional PADI Specialty to their list of available dive courses. This course is ideal for divers seeking to prepare themselves for Advanced diver training and those who may want to extend their abilities using technical equipment. Along with buoyancy, trim and control in the water we teach you the essential skills for problem solving, gas switching and valve handling using technical diver equipment.

This course doesn’t qualify divers for deeper dives, but it is strongly recommended for all divers wishing to increase skill competency before heading into decompression, cave and wreck diving. The great thing is that you only need to be an advanced qualified diver with 9 dives to start this course.

The course is conducted over 2 days. The first day includes an introduction to the theory behind decompression diving. The second half is a skill workshop explaining the basic philosophy with the technical diving rig and skill practice. Our second day is spent on the boat conducting gas switching, valve drills and problem solving in a real open water environment.

Skills you will learn during the course includes

• Technical Equipment Set Up
• Neutral Buoyancy Control & Swimming Techniques
• Setting Up & Handling Decompression Cylinders
• Gas Shut Down Drills
• Free Flowing Regulators
• Out of Air Situations
• Bubble Check
• Saftey Drills
• NOTOX Gas Switching
• Calculating Air Consumption
• Simulation Decompression Stops
• Lift Bag Deployment
• Decompression Planning Using Software

Read more here

or e-mail Niclas Andersson our technical diving instructor on Koh Lanta.