Seafari PADI Dive Centre

Overview

Seafari is the oldest scuba diving operation in Pattaya and one of the first dive centers ever to open in Thailand — founded by Bill Burbridge in 1970. The center is British-owned, PADI 5-Star IDC certified, and located 2 minutes from Pattaya Beach Road behind Mike's Mall. With over 55 years of continuous diving heritage in Pattaya waters, Seafari represents the foundational layer of Thai recreational diving — the operation that essentially introduced PADI scuba diving to the Eastern Seaboard.

Course pricing starts at ฿7,500 for entry-level certifications and ranges up to ฿20,200 for advanced and professional-level training. A current promotion bundles PADI Open Water + 50% off Advanced Course — meaningful savings for divers planning to certify through both levels.

For travelers wanting the longest pedigree, deepest institutional knowledge, and PADI 5-Star IDC service standards in Pattaya, Seafari is one of two top choices (alongside Pattaya Dive Centre on Beach Road). Different visitors prefer different operators — Seafari for its historical legacy and IDC tier; Pattaya Dive Centre for its CDC tier and Beach Road frontage.

History — Bill Burbridge & The Birth of Pattaya Diving

In 1970, when Pattaya was still primarily a small fishing town beginning its tourism evolution, Bill Burbridge opened Seafari Diving — the first scuba diving operation in Pattaya and one of the very first PADI dive centers in all of Thailand.

This puts Seafari's founding date in the early generation of Asian recreational diving. PADI itself was only founded in 1966, four years before Seafari. To open a PADI-certified scuba operation in Thailand in 1970 required:

• Importing scuba equipment when none was locally available
• Establishing local boat infrastructure for dive trips
• Training Thai dive masters from scratch
• Developing dive site knowledge of the Pattaya near-islands and wreck sites

Burbridge's operation effectively introduced recreational scuba diving to the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand. Many of the dive center operators across Thailand today trace some lineage back through Seafari's training program or its trained alumni.

Current Status — PADI 5-Star IDC

Today, Seafari operates as a PADI 5-Star IDC (Instructor Development Centre) — meaning the second-highest tier of PADI affiliation. The IDC tier authorizes the center to:

• Run PADI Instructor Development Courses (training new PADI instructors)
• Offer the full professional-track progression: Divemaster → Assistant Instructor → Instructor → MSDT
• Maintain higher service-quality and equipment standards than basic PADI affiliates
• Handle Tec Diving programs

(Note: PADI's tier above 5-Star IDC is 5-Star CDC (Career Development Centre) — Pattaya Dive Centre on Beach Road holds CDC status. Both IDC and CDC are top-tier PADI affiliations; CDC is specifically for centers running long-form career-development internships.)

Location

• Behind Mike's Mall — a major Pattaya tourist landmark on Beach Road
• 2 minutes from Pattaya Beach Road (walkable)
• Central Pattaya tourist hub — convenient from most central hotels
• The Mike's Mall location makes the center easy to find: ask any taxi driver or songthaew

Courses Offered

Seafari runs the full PADI course progression:

Beginner Courses

• PADI Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) — first-time underwater experience, no certification, single-day program
• PADI Scuba Diver — 2-day starter certification (limited depth)
• PADI Open Water Diver — full beginner certification (4 dives, theory + pool + open water)
• Bubblemaker (kids) — children's intro program for ages 8+

Intermediate Courses

• PADI Advanced Open Water Diver — 5 dives across specialties (Deep, Navigation + 3 electives like Wreck, Night, Buoyancy)
• Specialty courses — Nitrox, Wreck, Deep, Buoyancy Control, Night, Drift, etc.
• EFR (Emergency First Response) — required prerequisite for Rescue
• PADI Rescue Diver — safety-focused certification

Professional Track

• PADI Divemaster — first professional level; mentorship + real-world dive guide experience
• Assistant Instructor (AI) — bridge to instructor
• Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) — full instructor certification (via IDC)
• MSDT (Master Scuba Diver Trainer) — instructor specialty rating

Tec Diving

Available courses for technical divers seeking decompression certification or extended-range training.

Pricing

Course range from the Seafari shop page:

• Entry-level courses: from ฿7,500
• Mid-tier and advanced: range to ฿20,200
• Day-trip diving (certified divers): typical Pattaya dive trip rate ~฿2,200-3,200
• Promotion: Book PADI Open Water + get 50% off Advanced Course (recommended bundle for committed beginners)

Specific 2026 prices: seafari.co.th/shop

Pattaya Dive Site Access

Seafari runs daily boat departures to all the standard Pattaya dive sites:

Near Islands

• Koh Larn (Coral Island) — primary site, hawksbill turtles, vibrant reefs
• Koh Sak — beginner-friendly, muck diving
• Koh Khrok — coral reef diving

Wreck Sites (Pattaya = Thailand's Wreck Capital)

• HTMS Khram — purposefully sunk Royal Thai Navy vessel, artificial reef
• HTMS Kut — artificial reef wreck
• HTMS Mataphon — artificial reef wreck
• Hardeep Wreck — historic wreck
• HTMS Sattakut — popular wreck dive

The wrecks are covered in soft corals, sponges, sea fans and host batfish, barracuda, lionfish, giant groupers.

Pros

• Oldest scuba diving operation in Pattaya (1970) — founded by Bill Burbridge
• First-generation PADI center in Thailand
• PADI 5-Star IDC certified — top-tier instructor training
• British-owned — English-language service
• Walkable from Beach Road (2 min behind Mike's Mall)
• Full PADI course progression — beginner through instructor
• Tec Diving programs available
• Open Water + 50% off Advanced promotional bundle
• Access to all Pattaya near-islands and wreck sites
• 55+ years of continuous Pattaya operations
• Daily dive trips for certified divers

Cons

• Pricing slightly above regional average — premium tier dive center
• Pattaya water visibility generally 5-15m vs. Andaman Coast 20-30m+
• Tourist-area location can be busy peak season
• Boat-based diving only — no shore diving from this center

Best For

• First-time divers wanting Discover Scuba in central Pattaya
• Open Water through Divemaster students committed to PADI progression
• Instructor-track candidates needing IDC training
• Certified divers wanting daily boat trip access
• Heritage-conscious divers wanting to dive with Pattaya's first operator
• English-speaking visitors prioritizing British-owned operation

Not Best For

• Andaman-coast quality visibility seekers (Phuket, Krabi, Similan offer better viz)
• Pure budget divers — cheaper Jomtien operators exist
• Travelers staying outside central Pattaya without convenient transport

Quick Reference Card

| Field | Value | |---|---| | Address | Behind Mike's Mall, 2 min from Pattaya Beach Road | | Founded | 1970 by Bill Burbridge | | Status | First scuba diving operation in Pattaya | | Ownership | British-owned | | PADI tier | 5-Star IDC (Instructor Development Centre) | | Course range | ฿7,500 entry → ฿20,200 advanced | | Promotion | Open Water + 50% off Advanced Course | | Languages | English, Thai | | Verified | 2026-04-27 |