ABOUT US
Echo Divers Koh Tao is a small SSI dive centre in Mae Haad, just a short walk from the pier.
run by a team who genuinely love the ocean and teaching people to enjoy it safely.
We work closely with Echo Hostel just across the road, so your diving, accommodation and island life all flow together in one relaxed place.
Our Story
Echo Divers started with a simple idea: create a small, friendly dive centre where people feel genuinely looked after, not rushed through a course.
We’re an SSI training centre with a compact team of experienced instructors who have spent years teaching on Koh Tao and around the world. We keep groups small, use modern equipment, and focus on calm, step-by-step training so you feel safe and confident in the water,
whether it’s your very first dive or your next certification.
Echo Hostel already had a reputation as a clean, comfortable, social place near the pier – the kind of spot where people book “one night” and stay much longer. Partnering the hostel with a dive centre felt natural: you can sleep, relax and dive all within a few metres, surrounded by a familiar team who know you by name, not room number.
Today, Echo Divers and Echo Hostel work side by side. Many of our divers stay in the hostel, wander across the road in the morning to meet their instructor, and end the day back on the rooftop or in the common area swapping stories about their dives.
Why We Teach SSI
SSI training is built to be flexible and modern — it lets instructors teach to the diver, not force every person through the exact same tempo. That matters on a small island where conditions change, and people arrive with different comfort levels.
You’ll still follow a clear structure, but the experience feels more natural: time to practise properly, space to ask questions, and a pace that helps confidence stick. For us, SSI fits the way we like to teach — calm, practical, and focused on divers who actually understand what they’re doing underwater.
Curious why we’ve chosen SSI? Have a read of our blog post here.
How We Teach
We want you to finish your course not just with a certification card, but feeling like a more confident diver
who actually understands what you’re doing underwater.
⭐ Calm, step-by-step training, starting in confined water, so you can relax, practise skills and build confidence.
⭐ Modern, well-maintained equipment, including brand-new Scubapro gear, regularly serviced tanks and comfortable wetsuits.
⭐ Clear, honest briefings about conditions, dive sites and what to expect,
with safety always coming first.
Echo Hostel & Our Community
Staying at Echo Hostel while you dive with us keeps everything simple: you’re close to the pier, close to the dive boat, and surrounded by other travellers and divers. The hostel is known for its relaxed common area, helpful staff and good food – a place people often extend their stay because they feel comfortable and at home.
On many of our dive packages, you’ll get free or discounted accommodation at the hostel on the days you dive, making it easier to spend more time underwater without blowing your budget.
MEET THE OWNERS
Eddy Sprinks –
Instructor, Manager & Co-Owner
Eddy grew up around lakes and mountains, but fell properly in love with the ocean once he started travelling. He’s calm, patient and practical in the water, and his favourite part of the job is seeing nervous beginners finish their course feeling relaxed and genuinely proud of themselves.
Giancarlo “Fazzi” –
Instructor, Manager & Co-Owner
Fazzi has an Italian heart and a Scottish voice, and has done all his dive training here on Koh Tao. He loves turning curiosity into confidence – taking people from their first wobbly breaths underwater to easy, enjoyable dives where they can finally look around and enjoy the view.
Joelle Helleu –
Hostel Manager and Co-owner
Joelle runs Echo Hostel with a simple goal: to make it feel like a safe, welcoming base for anyone arriving on Koh Tao. She’s the one making sure rooms are comfy, questions are answered and guests quickly feel less like strangers and more like part of the Echo family.
Join the Echo Family
Whether you’re planning your very first course or your next step as a diver, we’d love to dive with you.
Send us a quick message, tell us your dates and experience level, and we’ll help you plan dives, courses and a place to stay – all in one easy, relaxed package.
