Thailand Marine Conservation

I had so much fun doing the Eco Internship in Koh Tao. I’m very grateful for Gapforce’s support before my trip and also very grateful for the support we had on site by the lovely dive instructors and especially Matt. Everyone was really looking out for us which made for a lovely atmosphere.

Earlier this year, I completed an incredible experience with the Thailand Marine Conservation Program. While many in our group participated for a gap year, my goal was to earn my divemaster certification and deepen my understanding of conservation efforts to apply back home. The vibrant marine life and unique ecosystems were incredible and made me fall inlove with the ocean all over again. Overall, this program was a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow both as a diver and a conservationist. The program was expertly led by Marine Biologist Jade Bosco, who managed our education and schedule. She was exceptional at teaching us about local marine and reef ecology. Jade was supported by Ciara, another passionate biologist who oversaw our diving training and participated in most of our projects and eco dives. Their enthusiasm and passion was great to experience. In all honesty I could write a book about these two and how much they love the ocean. While I could go on about how special everything was, Jade and Ciara we're a highlight and I can't imagine better people to learn from and experience this program with. After starting with basic dive training, we moved on to survey dives focused on coral ecology, where we learned to identify various corals and marine life. As we improved our skills, we began working on the artificial reef, learning more about the ecosystem, planting new corals and maintaining the reef. Personally I loved our weekend cleanup dives—they were some of my best experiences. It was calming, peaceful and just gave me a good feeling. In addition to all the educational dives, we also had fun dives that allowed us to simply enjoy the underwater world outside of the program. Overall, the mix of training, conservation work, and fun dives just hit the best balance for me. For my divemaster training, I had the privilege of learning from Frankie Gard-Storry, one of the best instructors I’ve ever had. Frankie struck the perfect balance between professionalism and what I can only call stupid fun, making every moment memorable and helping me manage my time between the ecology program and my divemaster training, even though I got very ill (pretty sure he carried my 130kg body to the clinic with only one arm while I was blacked out) basically a superhero. Throughout the program, I had the pleasure of meeting an amazing group of people from all over the globe. While many weren’t part of the program, they added so much to the experience. From locals to fellow divers and travelers, each person added something unique and special, making my time truly memorable. The island itself was fantastic, and the Thai cuisine was absolutely delightful and mouth watering—something I miss the most! Although I chose to explore on foot and by taxi, I’d recommend renting a scooter to fully experience everything the island has to offer. There’s so much to do beyond diving and classes, ensuring that you’ll never be bored. The locals we're wonderful, warm and friendly. I want to extend a massive thank you to Jade, Ciara, Frankie, and the entire Roctopus team. Your dedication and support made my experience unforgettable. While there were many others who contributed to this amazing journey, naming everyone would make this review quite long. Just know that I truly appreciate everything you all did to make this adventure, experience and education so special. Andries Godlieb Brummer

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I did the 4 week course and couldn’t recommend highly enough. Jade led a driven and passionate eco-team which it was inspiring to be a part of. She delivered interesting and high-quality tuition on multiple aspects of marine ecology and then we got the opportunity to apply some of these principles in specific eco-dives, participating in exciting current projects and even designing and conducting our own project. Dive instructor Ciara gave exemplary diving tuition and it was amazing to explore the many stunning dive sites of Koh Tao, which were teeming with life and beautiful reefs . All of this was combined with fantastic accommodation and food, an extremely friendly and welcoming community, and ample opportunity to explore and enjoy the wonders of the island.

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I spent an amazing two months doing this marine conservation programme. The quality of teaching for both the diving and ecological sides of the programme was incredibly high and done with a lot of care. I would really recommend this to anyone considering it. Particular thanks to instructors Jade and Ciara for making the experience as great as it was.

I did the 8 week program and I had the absolute best time. Koh Tao is a perfect island to be on if you're looking for incredible diving, a fun going out scene, and great beaches. The location of the accommodation above the dive shop is perfect. You're close to so many amazing restaurants, stores and right off the beach. The max this program has is 8 which I thought was a great size. The dive shop you dive with is super social, welcoming and very organized. The marine conservation program itself was very organized. The instructors are extremely knowledgeable and eager to help the students learn. I learned so much about coral, coral restoration, fish, indicator species and more. The dive shop has its own amazing artificial coral reef where you get to help manage every week. I think the program to free time ratio is perfect. You dive 5 times a week, twice a day, and have two days off to explore the island. The diving is amazing and you really get the chance to hone your diving skills. I became a very advanced diver by the end of my two months on Koh Tao. I would also highly recommend the 8 week program. It gives you more time to really learn and understand the content of the program, join the dive shop community, and overall enjoy the island! I also think the price of this program is super worth it.

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Cannot recommend this programme enough! The dive teaching is exemplary, the method of supporting coral reefs is clear and feels gratifying, and the staff are super welcoming and friendly- lots to do in free time and special shout out to Jade and Ciara who lead the programme for their support and joy every step of the way!