PADI Wreck Instructor Specialty course

Wreck Diver Instructor Course in Koh Tao

Expand your teaching portfolio and offer one of the most exciting and adventurous specialty courses in diving with the PADI Wreck Diver Instructor Specialty course at IDC Koh Tao.

Wreck diving opens the door to a completely different side of the underwater world. From sunken ships and artificial reefs to aircraft and historical structures, wrecks provide unique dive experiences that attract divers from around the globe.

As a PADI Wreck Diver Specialty Instructor, you will be qualified to teach your students how to safely explore wrecks, understand their structure, and navigate around and through them using proper techniques such as penetration lines and controlled movement.

Wreck Diving Around Koh Tao

Koh Tao is now home to multiple purpose-sunk wrecks, making it one of the best locations in Thailand for wreck diving training. In addition to the iconic HTMS Sattakut, the island now features two newer wrecks—HTMS Suphairin and HTMS Hanhak Sattru—greatly expanding the range of training environments available.

Sunk in 2011, the HTMS Sattakut lies upright at approximately 30 metres and remains the primary training wreck for courses. With its clear structure, multiple entry points, and thriving marine life, it provides an ideal environment for both novice and advanced wreck diving training.

More recently, the HTMS Suphairin and HTMS Hanhak Sattru were deliberately sunk in 2023 as part of a marine conservation and artificial reef project. These former Royal Thai Navy vessels now sit at shallower depths (approximately 11–28 metres), offering excellent conditions for training, skill development, and extended bottom time.

Together, these wrecks provide a unique progression of dive sites—from shallower training environments to deeper, more advanced wreck exploration. This variety allows you to teach everything from basic wreck orientation to more advanced techniques such as navigation, penetration awareness, and buoyancy control in overhead environments.

As an instructor, you will conduct training dives across these sites, giving your students real-world experience in a controlled and safe environment while exposing them to some of Koh Tao’s most exciting underwater attractions.

Who Can Enrol on the PADI Wreck Instructor Course?

To enrol in this course, you must be:

• A renewed PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)

Note: IDC/OWSI candidates may complete the Wreck Instructor training during their IDC but can only apply for certification after successfully passing the PADI Instructor Examination (IE).

To qualify for certification, you must have a minimum of 10 logged wreck dives. This is a course exit requirement and may be completed either before or after the training course.

What Will You Learn?

This course is designed to give you the knowledge, skills, and confidence to teach wreck diving safely and professionally.

During the program, you will:

• Deliver and be evaluated on a knowledge development presentation based on the Wreck Diver Specialty curriculum
• Review PADI Wreck Diver standards, procedures, and course structure
• Learn how to organise, conduct, and promote the Wreck Diver Specialty course
• Complete open water training sessions where you will demonstrate, execute, and evaluate wreck diving skills at a student level

You will also develop expertise in:

• Safe wreck exploration techniques
• Use of penetration lines and reels
• Hazard identification and risk management
• Buoyancy control and finning techniques in overhead environments
• Responsible interaction with wrecks and marine life

Upon completion, you will be certified to independently teach the PADI Wreck Diver Specialty course.

PADI Materials

Please bring the following materials:

• PADI Specialty Instructor Manual (from your IDC Crew Pack)
• PADI Instructor Manual (available as a free download for renewed PADI Members via PADI Pro / MyPADI)

PADI Fees

• PADI Wreck Instructor Application Fee: AUD $145

Why Add the Wreck Instructor Specialty?

Wreck diving is one of the most popular and exciting specialty courses in diving. It attracts adventurous divers and offers a unique experience that stands out from standard reef diving.

Adding this specialty increases your teaching opportunities, enhances your employability, and contributes toward your PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) certification.