Best for meeting people
Beachfront dorm
Simple, social and included with selected course packages, including Open Water + 3 nights.
4.9★
200+ Google reviews
5,000+
Certified divers
20+
Years on Koh Tao
Beachfront
Resort & dive centre
Why Carabao
Everything you need, on one beach.
Beachfront resort
Steps from Chalok Bay
SSI dive centre
Pros & small groups
Boat from our beach
No transfers, just walk
Swimming pool
Relax after your dives
Restaurant & bar
Sea-view, all day
Free pier pickup
We collect you on arrival
A dive resort, not just a dive shop
Most shops send you off to find a bed. We hand you the key.
Carabao is one of the few places on Koh Tao where your accommodation, your SSI dive school, the beach bar, the pool and the boat all share one beachfront in Chalok Bay. Book once, unpack once, and let the whole day happen between your room and the water.
1
Place to stay, dive & eat — all on site
20+
years diving Koh Tao's reefs & pinnacles
4.9
★ rating across 200+ Google reviews
Right on Chalok Bay.
Rooms, pool, beach bar & dive base — steps from the sand.
New to diving
Try Scuba + stay
Breathe underwater for the first time off our beach — no certification needed. Two nights in the dorm included; private room from ฿4,500.
from
฿3,500
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Best value
Open Water + 3 nights dorm
Your worldwide SSI certification over 3–4 days, bed on the beach included.
package
฿9,900
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Upgrade
Open Water + private room
Same course, 3 nights in a private air-conditioned room a few steps from the sea.
package
฿10,900
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Go deeper
Advanced + stay
Five adventure dives to 30m with two nights on the beach. Two nights' dorm ฿9,500, private room ฿10,500.
from
฿9,500
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Certified?
Fun dives + stay
Dive the best sites by day, stay steps from the boat by night. Fun dives from ฿900.
from
฿900 / dive
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Rooms & Hostel
Stay on the beach, steps from the boat.
Choose the stay that fits your trip: a social beachfront dorm, a simple private room, or an air-con upgrade when you want extra comfort. Either way, the pool, restaurant, beach bar and dive centre are all a short barefoot walk away.
Dorm
Included with selected dive packages.
Private
Fan and air-con upgrades available.
Pool
Cool off between training sessions.
Beach
Chalok Bay is your front yard.
SSI Dive Courses
From first breath to pro.
Small groups — max four on Open Water — with instructors who live and dive here, taught in English, Italian, German, Spanish, French or Thai. Every course pairs with a room next door.
Make it a life
enquire
The Dive Sites
Minutes from the bay to some of Thailand's best water.
Granite pinnacles, turtle bays and the Gulf's most famous chimney — most within a 20–45 minute boat ride of Chalok Bay.
Family behind Carabao
A family-run dive resort, not a dive factory.
Carabao grew around one simple idea: guests should feel at home before they ever put on a mask. The same beachfront that hosts your course, your room and your sunset drink is also where our team eats together, teaches together and welcomes divers back year after year.
You will meet instructors, boat crew, reception, restaurant staff and local families who know Chalok Bay by heart. That is why the place feels personal: people remember your name, your first nervous dive, and the celebration after your certification.
20+
years rooted in Chalok Bay
Small
groups and familiar faces
Local
crew, stories and island knowledge
Life at Carabao
You came for the diving. You'll stay for the people.
When the tanks are rinsed the day is just getting going — sunset volleyball, a cold drink at the beach bar, and a crew of divers from all over the world who turn into family by the end of the week.
Meet the people behind Carabao →
What our divers say
4.9 stars across 200+ reviews.
★★★★★
★★★★★
"I highly recommend doing any of your dive certifications here. From start to finish we felt comfortable and confident with Marco. My daughter is 13 and he was so patient — such a calming presence. Rooms are perfect on the beach and everyone very welcoming. Brilliant experience, 10/10."
L
Louise Tether
Google review
★★★★★
"Amazing place, lit vibes, and the best staff you could ask for! I did Open Water and Advanced Open Water and had the best time. The groups are small, everything is intimate without any chance to miss anything. I advise you highly to come to Carabao and see for yourself. Definitely will be back."
O
Ori Okev
Google review
★★★★★
"We did the Try Scuba course here in Koh Tao and we had an amazing day learning how to scuba dive. The instructors are very professional and very friendly. 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking to dive here."
”
Verified diver
Google review · Try Scuba
Good to know
Questions divers ask us most.
Can I stay and dive in the same place on Koh Tao?
Yes — that's the whole idea. Carabao is one of the few places on Koh Tao where your accommodation, the SSI dive centre, the pool, the restaurant and the dive boat all share one beachfront in Chalok Bay. You book once and everything happens between your room and the water.
How much is the Open Water course?
The SSI Open Water Diver course is ฿9,900 over 3–4 days. As a Dive & Stay package it includes three nights' dormitory accommodation for the same ฿9,900, or a private air-conditioned room for ฿10,900.
Is accommodation really included with courses?
Yes. Every SSI course and fun-dive package can be bundled with a room on the beach, so you pay less than booking the diving and the bed separately.
What languages are courses taught in?
English, Italian, German, Spanish, French and Thai — by instructors who live and dive on Koh Tao, always in small groups.
Your dive holiday journey
Three days, one beach, a whole new world.
Day 1
Arrive & settle in
We pick you up at the pier and check you into your beachfront room. Unpack once, then enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace by the pool.
Day 2
Dive & explore
A morning theory session, then your first dives in the clear water off Koh Tao. Surface to the pool and the beach bar, with your instructor close the whole time.
Day 3
Certify & celebrate
Complete your final dives, become a certified diver, and celebrate your achievement at sunset with the new friends you made along the way.
Chalok Bay · Koh Tao
Stay, dive, and never leave the beach.
Message us on WhatsApp and we'll build a dive & stay package around your dates. No deposit needed to start the conversation.