PADI Course Director / Director
of Training & Education
Matt Bolton is a Platinum PADI Course Director
and Crystal Dive’s Director of Operations, Training &
Education. Matt has been at Crystal Dive Resort since 1999 working
his way through the ranks, initially employed as a Divemaster,
progressing onto Instructor before becoming Crystal’s senior
In 2003 Matt
excepted the position of Operations Manager and under his leadership
Crystal has grown from a small Koh Tao dive shop into one of the
world’s most successful PADI dive operations.
a full profile of Matt here >>>
PADI Course Director
for over 10 years, Kenji joined Crystal Dive Resort in 2003 with
a view increase the Japanese market here in Koh Tao.
With over 1,400
certifications to his name, Kenji teaches all levels of PADI dive
courses in both Japanese and English language.
A keen underwater
photographer and naturalist, Kenji's eye for spotting even the
smallest of marine creatures is legendry with Crystal staff and
his knowledge of the marine life in and around Koh Tao is second
became involved with the PADI Instructor Development Process in
early 2005 when he completed his PADI IDC Staff course with Matt.
day he has been a familiar face on many of the IDCs that Matt
has conducted building his experience & worked towards the
PADI Master Instructor rating.
In 2007 Kenji
attended the PADI IDC Staff Update program, conducted in Bangkok
as part of the process of building towards being in a position
to be accepted on the Course Director Training Course (CDTC).
In March 2008
Kenji successfully completed the CDTC in Kota Kinabali, Malaysia
becoming a PADI Course Director. He is currently the only Japanese
speaking PADI Course Director on Koh Tao, and Crystal’s
second "in house"
PADI Course Director
EFR Instructor Trainer
12 PADI Specialty Instructor Trainer Ratings
PADI Course Director /
IMCA Dive Medic Technician
Diving for over 14 years, Matt conducted Justin’s
Divemaster course over 8 years ago. Justin worked as a DM for
a while and completed the IDC in 2001.
as an Instructor, Justin quickly progressed in the industry and
managed a PADI 5 Star Gold Palm resort on Koh Tao.
his old mentor in 2004 Justin completed the IDC Staff Instructor
course with Matt and finally decided to return to Crystal in 2006,
teaching all levels of PADI courses whilst working towards his
Master Instructor rating.
During this period Justin also become a Dive Medic Technician,
completing the course in Plymouth, UK at the Diving Diseases Research
two years saw Justin work on 15 IDC’s as an assistant to
Matt and was ever present on all Matt’s IDC’s during
2008 gaining his Emergency First Response Instructor Trainer along
on the CDTC to be held in California in July 2008, family commitments
saw Justin defer and complete the course held in Kota Kinabli,
Malaysia in March 2009 making him the only Koh Tao based PADI
Course Director ever to be accepted on the CDTC twice!
an additional dynamic to Matt's IDC team, having both managerial
experience and being a fully qualified IMCA Dive Medic Technician.
He is our third ‘in house’ PADI CD making Crystal
Dive the only Koh Tao based Dive Center with three active full
time PADI Course Directors.
.PADI Course Director
.EFR Instructor Trainer
.DAN O2 Trainer
.IMCA / HSE Dive Medic Technician
.Reef Check Trainer
.Mares Equipment Technician
PADI IDC Staff Instructor
has been living and working on Koh Tao since 2004 when he completed
his IDC with Matt. Prior to this he operated an action adventure
company in India called Himalayan Exposure.
conducts adventures throughout Asia & the Himalaya, specializing
in mountaineering expeditions. Nathan still conducts 2-3 trips
levels of PADI diver courses from entry level through to the Divemaster
course Nathan is also a regular contributor to Matt’s IDC
In 2007 Nathan’s
attentions turned away from teaching the mainstream PADI dive
courses and towards the environment and marine conservation projects.
marine conservation is playing a greater part in our day to day
scuba diving activities Crystal Dive Resort created an ‘Environmental
Awareness & Action’ department within the existing structure
of the operation and Nathan became the Manager.
the Reef Check Eco Diver courses, Nathans role includes organizing
all environmental activities associated with Crystal Dive Resort.
He mixes regularly activities like beach & dive site clean
ups, with fund raisers for the community based conservation organization
Save Koh Tao or Project AWARE.
Nathan is also
spearheading several medium to long term projects such as Reef
monitoring, coral nursery’s and alternative dive site exploration.
Currently Nathan & Crystal Dive Resort are at an advance stage
of developing an alternative dive site, hoping this will take
pressure off Koh Tao’s existing dive sites.
grew up by the ocean in Melbourne Australia and although my formative
years were spent swimming and surfing, it took me almost 30 years
to give scuba diving a go. Being an avid climber and mountaineer
the idea of diving and going underwater seemed a world away. So
it wasn’t until repeated visits to Koh Tao turned a growing
passion into a career.
Having worked as an instructor for the last four years I have
constantly been amazed by the number and diversity of divers and
the opportunities it opens up for people to get in touch with
nature. Having always been considerate of our natural world it
only made sense to focus on the environmental side of diving,
which is where my main focus lies today. While I teach all levels
of divers, the environment and its preservation is definitely
my passion and my priority."
PADI IDC Staff Instructor
Reef Check Instructor
Holds 10 PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings
PADI Master Instructor/ Co-Ordinator Divemaster Training
joined Crystal Dive Resort in 2004 initially employed to teach
all levels of PADI Diver courses in English & German. Carsten
quickly impressed, and as Crystal became more successful Carsten
joined the Divemaster in Training Program as a Co-ordinator.
the Divemasters naturally led Carsten into the Instructor Development
Program and he is often seen assisting Matt with IDC’s,
especially if there are German language requirements. He has recently
completed the EFR Instructor Trainer course, along with Suki increasing
the number of EFR IT’s at Crystal to 5.
One of the
most popular Instructors on staff Carsten is also responsible
for the Instructional Teams logistics on a daily basis. When not
diving Carsten enjoys the relaxed Koh Tao lifestyle, playing his
bass guitar, football and every sunset.
planning to travel around the world for one year Carsten has been
enjoying the waters of Thailand’s East and West Coast for
the last 6 years!!
.PADI Master Instructor
.PADI EFR Instructor Trainer
.Holds 13 PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings
Oi Ching Hung
PADI Master Instructor
Co-Ordinator Divemaster Training Program
Chinese Instructor Development
from Hong Kong, Suki is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
She discovered scuba diving by chance while travelling around
South East Asia more than 10 years ago.
It was love
at first sight (underwater) and eventually, her passion for diving
and the lifelong dream of becoming a professional beach bum has
"forced" her to replace
her high heels with fins and become a dive instructor.
Crystal in 2007 and besides teaching recreational level diving
courses, she plays a key role with Crystal’s Divemaster
Training programme and Instructor Development Courses both in
English and Chinese.
.PADI Master Instructor
.Emergency First Response Instructor Trainer (EFRIT)
.Holds 10 PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings
.Dan O2 Provider