Matt Bolton
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 Instructor.

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.

Read a full profile of Matt here >>>

KENJI TAKAHASHI
PADI Course Director

Diving 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 to none.

Kenji first became involved with the PADI Instructor Development Process in early 2005 when he completed his PADI IDC Staff course with Matt.

Since that 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 CD.

Qualifications:
PADI Course Director
EFR Instructor Trainer
12 PADI Specialty Instructor Trainer Ratings

JUSTIN MAYERS
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.

Initially working as an Instructor, Justin quickly progressed in the industry and managed a PADI 5 Star Gold Palm resort on Koh Tao.

Returning to 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 Center.

The following 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 the way.

Initially excepted 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!

Justin adds 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.

Qualifications:
.PADI Course Director
.EFR Instructor Trainer
.DAN O2 Trainer
.IMCA / HSE Dive Medic Technician
.Reef Check Trainer
.Mares Equipment Technician

Nathan Cook
PADI IDC Staff Instructor

Nathan 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.

"H.E" conducts adventures throughout Asia & the Himalaya, specializing in mountaineering expeditions. Nathan still conducts 2-3 trips per year.

Teaching all levels of PADI diver courses from entry level through to the Divemaster course Nathan is also a regular contributor to Matt’s IDC programs.

In 2007 Nathan’s attentions turned away from teaching the mainstream PADI dive courses and towards the environment and marine conservation projects.

Realising that 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.

Regularly teaching 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.

"I 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."

Qualifications
PADI IDC Staff Instructor
EFR Instructor
Reef Check Instructor
Holds 10 PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

Carsten Neuhaus
PADI Master Instructor/ Co-Ordinator Divemaster Training Program

Carsten 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.

Working with 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.

Originally 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!!

Qualifications:
.PADI Master Instructor
.PADI EFR Instructor Trainer
.Holds 13 PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

Suki Oi Ching Hung
PADI Master Instructor
Co-Ordinator Divemaster Training Program
Chinese Instructor Development

Originally 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.

Suki joined 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.

Qualifications
.PADI Master Instructor
.Emergency First Response Instructor Trainer (EFRIT)
.Holds 10 PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings
.Dan O2 Provider