Nitro Dive Center - Koh Tao

Koh Tao has more dive shops than you can count, so the question is never whether you can learn here, it's who you learn with. This one runs the full spread, from a discover scuba session for people who've never breathed underwater to PADI certification courses and guided fun dives at the island's regular sites. It all works for small groups, solo travelers and couples.

What I like about the setup is the hours. Open 08:30 to 21:00 every day, which means you can walk in after dinner, sort out a course for the morning and not lose a day of your trip standing around waiting for someone to answer a phone. That matters more than it sounds when you've only got a week.

Bring swimwear and something for the sun. The kit you actually dive with comes from the center. If you're nervous about the whole idea, say so when you book, because the difference between a good first dive and a bad one is usually how much time the instructor gives you in the shallows.