Just in case you didn’t know, scuba diving can be dangerous sport. The equipment used needs to be handled properly and as of today, we humans still can’t breath underwater without this equipment! So, before using scuba equipment or submersing in any water (even a swimming pool) you should seek training from a recognised instructor. This is the first of a five part post that will give non-divers an insight into what they will do when they learn to scuba dive.

Before we begin this I should point out 2 things. One, scuba is an acronym for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus and two, if I was to say I’m going diving many people would have visions of swimming pools and high dive boards. To avoid any confusion I always say scuba diving or scuba when referring to the underwater type.

Why Learn To Dive?

So if it’s a dangerous sport why would you want to learn to dive? It’s only dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing and with proper instruction you will know exactly what to do. How I like to describe it is that anyone can buy scuba equipment and jump in the sea but the dangerous start before you hit the bottom. You need to understand your maximum depth, how long your air supply will last, dangerous creatures you may encounter and the most important thing how to get back to the surface safely.

Beach holidays have always been a popular choice but so many people are now looking for something at little more exciting to do, except sit on the sand all day and scuba diving is the perfect answer.

When you first learn to scuba dive it will feel a little unnatural as your body gets used to the feeling of weightlessness, you will fight every little current that pushes you side ways and feel that your are forever out of balance. As time passes though you will so learn to enjoy this weightlessness and let that soft gentle current wave over you.

After you have completed the course you now know a new skill, woohoo!! This new skill can now be taken home with you and what you will find is that around the world, no matter how far you live from the sea, there will be a thriving scuba community. Just because you learnt to dive on holiday doesn’t mean you should only leave scuba diving to holiday times. Find that community and join it, they will have some fantastic dive spots that are not too far from your home.

So you now understand that you need training before you can scuba dive, that its an exciting sport that allows you to explore a relatively unseen world, and that its not only a holiday sport, now what? In part two of this post series I will talk about different training agencies and is it better to learn to scuba dive at home or on holiday?

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Hi, this is the second part of what is or will be a five part post on how to learn to dive. Part one introduced you to the attractions of diving, namely learning a new skill, meeting new people and travelling to different places. This second part will go on to discuss where should you learn to dive and what is the difference between the training agencies.

Home or Away?

As mentioned in the previous learn to dive post it is only after your first introduction to diving that you would even look at your home town for a dive shop, if you live in-land like I do. You will be surprised however at the number of dive locations that can be a few hundred miles (or km) from the sea. You would also be surprised that regardless of the temperature people still learn to dive. I have found myself in waters as low as 5degreeC teaching people to dive!! So it’s not only holiday makers that learn to dive, many people take up the sport as a hobby while still in their home country.

Obviously whether you should learn to dive at home or away is defiantly a personal choice, diving in 5degreeC isn’t for everyone, but there are a few considerations before you make the decision. The main benefit I see from people who learn to dive while still at home is time. Dive courses are split into 3 segments, pool training, open water training and academic training. This last part I think is best done over a longer period than the 2-3 days you get while on holiday.

My reason for saying this is that when you have more time people will actually read the stuff you have asked them to, but on holiday many people will read only what they need to know to get through the exam. This doesn’t make them bad divers just not fully informed in my opinion.

The main advantage of learning to dive when on holiday is variety. Depending on where you live and how far from the sea you are will depend on the number of dive schools in your area. You may only have the one school who only teaches from one agency and the dive school may not really be that good. On holiday to most beach destinations, however, you will find at least 6 dive schools or as many as 200, teaching all the main agency standards. With these types of place you literally have the dive world to choose from.

What Dive Training Agency Is Best?

Short answer, None!

I have trained under only 2 different agencies but looked at the other agencies training programmes and to be honest now they are all pretty similar in their structure. It wasn’t always like this though and when I learned to dive with BSAC (British Sub-Aqu-Club) training was a lot different then. Academic and pool sessions lasted for about 6 months before we were allowed into ‘real’ water and we ridiculed PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) trained divers, for their short inadequate training. Today however, things have changed and most training agencies now have a 4 day course that you can learn while on holiday.

I am now a PADI instructor teaching these 4 day courses and can say that people are trained well enough to become certified divers, and PADI’s wishes to get people in the water as soon as possible is the right way to do it. If you talk about it so much people can get a little apprehensive but if you get in the water the day you book your course or the day after you feel great.

Before I finish I would like to point out that PADI (not sure about other agencies) have a course that does allow you the advantage of learning the academics and pool stuff while you’re at home. You then can go on holiday and finish your Open Water Diver Course in the open sea. These referral courses are a great way to learn to dive as it allows you the time to read and understand the academics and gives you more time to play in the pool. Just don’t do the course so early before your holiday you need a refresher before the next part or so late you fly the day after you complete it.

You should now have an idea why it would be good to learn to dive from post one, now you have something to think about, regarding what agency you should choose and if you can wait till your next holiday to learn to dive. Personally I enjoy diving regardeless of location or weather, so I always advise people to take up the challenge of learning to dive sooner rather than later. In the next part of this post series you will get to know what happens on a typical dive course.

Scuba diving in Thailand offers some of the most spectacular dives in Asia and with the monsoon patterns affecting different parts of the country at different times, the diving here is available all year. There is something to excite all levels of divers, whether they are in the Gulf of Thailand or the Andaman Coast dives range from shallow reef dives to deep wreck dives.

In Thailand however it’s not all about the diving and topside destinations are just as important in selecting your holiday dive destination. If you want to dive in the Gulf of Thailand your best option for topside happiness would be in Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, Chumphon & Pattaya these are all popular Thailand diving destinations.

If diving in the Andaman Sea is you decision then you should base yourself in Phuket, Phi-Phi, Krabi, Koh Lanta or Khao Lak from which are great starting points for scuba diving in the Similan Islands.

All Thailand diving destinations offer a different tropical feel, you are sure to find a destination that suits your taste for a perfect holiday, scuba diving Thailand or otherwise.

NORTHERN GULF OF THAILAND

Pattaya is the main destination for divers interested in technical and wreck diving as the waters off this coast is deeper with a large number of wrecks compared to the other destinations in Thailand.

The island Koh Chang is fast becoming a popular Thailand diving destination offering shallower waters as well as a huge amount of marine life, providing a great environment for diving instruction & guided diving tours.

Chumphon, further past south past Hua Hin, similarly to Koh Chang, is relatively new in the scuba diving destination market. Chumphon offers over 30 islands that belong to the marine national park. Lying just off the coast in the Gulf of Thailand the scuba diving around the islands offers sheltered reefs that are virtually untouched.

SAMUI ARCHIPELAGO

Further south in the Gulf of Thailand is the Samui Archipelago that incorporates the Angthong Marine National Park. The majority of scuba diving in this area is from the shores around the island of Koh Tao which offers beautiful fringing coral reefs and the

Other popular diving destinations here are Koh Samui & Koh Phangan but with the dive sites further away expect a boat ride to the dive sites in the marine national park and some really good ones north of these islands.

THE ANDAMAN COAST

What makes Thailand scuba extremely popular is the liveaboard scuba diving cruises offered to the Similans and Surin Islands, and further north into Myanmar (Burma). Situated on the west side of Thailand the Andaman coast is the perfect jump off point to these dive locations with departure points in both Phuket and Khao Lak.

The dive sites closer to shore also attract a large numbers of divers looking for daytrips only. Krabi is only about 1.5 hours from Phuket by road and shares all the same dive sites but if its island life you like, then Phi Phi & Koh Lanta are destinations to consider for your daily diving.

In summery scuba diving in Thailand offers a huge range of dives to suit all tastes from the novice up to the seasoned professional. This is only a short Introduction to the dive locations and in further posts I will outline the holiday destinations and dive sites available from each one.