Looking to dive longer and feel fresher after every dive? The PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver course is hands down the most popular specialty — and for good reason. You can easily combine it with your Open Water, Advanced Open Water, or any other PADI specialty courses along your scuba journey.
Mastering Nitrox on Koh Tao means more bottom time, shorter surface breaks, and extra energy to explore iconic Koh Tao dive sites like Chumphon Pinnacle, HTMS Sattakut Wreck, Sail Rock, and Southwest Pinnacle. Get ready to level up your diving and make every minute underwater count!
What is Nitrox?
(Also called Enriched air Nitrox, enriched air, EAN or EANX)
The air you breathe has around 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen. Nitrox (also known as enriched air, EAN, or EANx) has more oxygen, usually 32% or 36%, with a max of 40%.
More oxygen means less nitrogen, which lets you stay down longer and reduce surface intervals, especially on repetitive dives.
If longer bottom times and shorter surface breaks sound good to you, it’s time to stop diving on plain old 21% air and start enjoying all the benefits of enriched air!
Top Benefits of Diving with Nitrox
1. Longer Bottom Time
With Nitrox, you breathe air that has more oxygen and less nitrogen than normal. Less nitrogen means your body absorbs it slower, so you can stay underwater longer, especially useful on dives around Koh Tao’s coral reefs or the HTMS Sattakut wreck.
2. Shorter Surface Intervals
Since you absorb less nitrogen, your body needs less time to off-gas between dives. This means shorter surface intervals and more time underwater, ideal for dive trips with multiple dives in a day.
3. Feel Less Tired
Many divers report feeling less tired after Nitrox dives. While not fully proven by science, it’s a popular perk, especially if you’ve got more dives planned or just want energy left for Koh Tao’s beach vibes and nightlife.
4. Safer Repetitive Diving
Nitrox is great for diving day after day. It reduces nitrogen buildup in your system, lowering the risk of decompression sickness and helping you dive more confidently on back-to-back days.
5. Perfect for 18–30m Dives
Most of the marine life action happens between 18 and 30 meters, and that’s where Nitrox shines. It’s not for super deep dives, but it’s perfect for the depths where you’ll find turtles, schools of fish, and ... Whale sharks!
Get Nitrox Certified on Koh Tao
Getting your Nitrox certification is super easy and doesn’t take much time at all. The course is mostly theory-based, you'll get access to the PADI Enriched Air Nitrox eLearning and go over the key stuff in a classroom session. You can be certified in just a few hours!
We offer two options:
• PADI Nitrox Dry course (classroom only) perfect if you just want the cert without getting wet.
• PADI Nitrox Classroom + 2 Nitrox dives great if you want to put your new knowledge into practice straight away.
Once certified, you’ll be ready to dive with enriched air anywhere in the world,giving you longer dives, shorter surface intervals, and less nitrogen in your system!
Who Should Take This Course?
• Anyone diving Koh Tao who wants a safer, more comfortable underwater experience.
• Divers doing multiple dives a day, Nitrox helps you stay down longer and feel better after.
• Underwater photographers who want more time to get the perfect shot.
• Wreck lovers looking to explore Koh Tao’s sunken treasures with less nitrogen in their system.
• Time-crunched travelers who want to make the most of their diving days.
If you're diving in Koh Tao and want to maximize your time underwater, Nitrox is a must! It’s a quick, affordable upgrade that makes a big difference.
Dive longer. Recover faster. Feel better. Learn Nitrox Diving with us on Koh Tao.
