Matt Bolton - PADI Course Director #463559

General Manager and Resident PADI Course Director Matt is one of the few Asian based Course Directors to have been selected to attend the prestigious Course Director Training Course at PADI HQ in California.

Matt originally joined Crystal Dive in 1999 and quickly became Head Instructor at the resort. Teaching all levels of PADI courses and building up an extensive knowledge of the local dive scene, Matt became Operations Manager in 2003, quickly developing the Resort into a 5 Star Instructor Development Center.

During this period he worked alongside some of the region’s leading Course Directors giving him a unique insight into various teaching styles within PADI IDC's.

Boasting a wealth of teaching experience through out the PADI System, Matt has now been involved with over 35 PADI IDC's certifying over 700 PADI Professionals, plus over 1,500 PADI diver certifications.

As well as 5 years management experience with one of Thailand's premier scuba diving operations, Matt has 18 Instructor Trainer Specialty ratings as well as being an EFR Primary, Secondry and Care for Children Instructor Trainer.

Matt is also the only Koh Tao Course Director to attend the 3 Day 2005 PADI Business of Diving Seminars, an exclusive PADI Developmental program aimed at the industry's business leaders and marketing strategies.

At the beginning of 2007, PADI awarded Matt the prestigious 'Platinum' Course Director rating and he is now one of only a handful of PADI Course Directors in Thailand to have received this award and in a group of less than 10% of all Course Directors worldwide.

Always willing to learn something new and keep ahead of new developments, Matt has recently taken time out from his teaching activities to continue his own education, attending courses in Marine Conservation & Reef Ecology as well as completing the latest 'Dive Medical' courses sponsored by DAN.

Matt's Qualifications:
PADI Course Director
EFR Primary, Secondary and Care for Children Instructor Trainer
Reef Check Trainer
Marine Resource Management (MRM)

Business of Diving Conference 2005 - Phuket
Course Director Update 2006 - Singapore
Platinum Course Director 2006-7
PADI CD Update 2007, Bangkok

click HERE to read an open letter from Matt >>>