Please help a total novice scuba-dive in Thailand and have a great experience.

In My Humble Opinion
1

Hello, I will be in Thailand from May 12th - 22nd and would like to spend most of my time learning how to scuba dive. Since this is my first time and I am using my vacation days to learn this, I want to try to be as prepared as possible.

What I am thinking so far is to go to Koh Tao and take a PADI certificate course with Master Divers. I’m considering taking their PADI Open Water Course and then perhaps their PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course. I am hoping to focus on underwater photography.

Some of my questions:

-Anything I should reconsider in my plan?

-Has anyone had experience with good instructors in Thailand (Master Divers seems to have an online presence, but I’m not too sure about other instructors or other courses offered)?

-Should I consider any alternatives to Koh Tao? (I already have my flight ticket, but I could travel to surrounding countries if it’s worth it)

-Would I get burnt out if I spent my entire time scuba diving? (I’ve been traveling for a little while and am getting sick of temples, so want to focus my trip on learning something)

-After getting my PADI, should I stay on Koh Tao, or try another island? (I do not want to spend too much time traveling between locations, but if something is worth it, I don’t want to miss it)

-Should I take a break from scuba diving to do see or do anything else?

-Are there any websites that I should check out that will give me some pre-course information on scuba diving and underwater photography?

-Anyone have any other advice?

Thank you all very much~

2

I think you’ll get a better response over in our all-purpose advice forum, IMHO, so I’ll float it thither.

twickster, Cafe Society moderator

3

Learning to dive includes several hours of classroom work and pool work before you hit the open ocean. It’s possible to do those at home, and do all the open water dives while on vacation. Costs more, but you don’t spend your vacation time studying dive manuals. Plus, some people - even good swimmers - completely freak out when they actually use scuba gear in a pool. Some get over it, some never do. So I’d highly recommend splitting things up like that. Most dive instructors I know of will give you a referral to do your open water dives elsewhere.

Also, diving takes a lot of energy. I’d definitely plan a few break days in there - 10 days of multiple dives in a row will wear you out.

4

Good advice about doing the theory before you go. I did a PADI in Egypt, which meant spending a day and a half in a very hot class room.

The course might seem to be a bit basic, and covering the same stuff over and over (how to put a mask on underwater, how to get a spare breathing hose from your dive buddy etc), but it is good to be very familiar with this stuff before you go in the water. Breathing underwater is not a natural state to be in, and your body can rebel. I’ve seen several people who just can’t go under, because as soon as they do, they go into a panic attack and start hyperventilating. A good knowledge of all the basic emergency procedures goes a long way to giving you more confidence, and making your swim more relaxed.

Having a good dive master helps. I went with some dodgy australian bloke once, who left us bobbing around in the middle of the sea while he went to look for people he had lost. Not good. On the other hand, I went with an Egyptian guy who knew where to find all the interesting wildlife, and gave me a lot more confidence.

Give yourself a break between dives. Its not the most intense sport in the world, although you might occasionally find yourself swimming against currents etc, but the water pressure does take a toll, even at 10 meters. You will sleep well the following night. Best to have a days break in between.

Diving in the red sea was one of the most exciting experiences in my life, so it is definitely worth it.

5

I got my certificate in Koh Tao. It is quite easy to get your certificate there as the teachers tend to be, ah, somewhat relaxed about the requirements. (Not that they do anything unsafe, but they’re not the strictest people in the world when it comes to all the multiple tests you’re supposed to pass).

Many places offer free or discounted accommodation if you take their course. We went in July and didn’t make any reservations - just shopped around asking about prices and whatnot before deciding on a particular course. I wish I could remember their name - all I remember was that they didn’t have a pool so we did everything in the ocean (some places have a pool where you can practice stuff in the early stages).

Koh Tao is TINY. We spend a handful of days there - there are some gorgeous beaches but without your own car/scooter/etc they might be hard to get to. There are several islands in the area that are easy to get to by boat. If you haven’t been to Koh Samui I’d recommend it - bigger island with more stuff to see.

Also, scuba diving is exhausting. I did my Open Water course and I don’t think I could have manged doing the Advanced right away. But maybe you’re made of sterner stuff. :slight_smile:

6

I also learned to dive in Ko Tao a while back. I wouldnt recommend it now, unless they’ve really cleaned up their act, there were dive sites with over a dozen boats there at once, and it was a disaster waiting to happen, and underwater it was like grand central with over 100 divers on one pinnacle.

Also the sharks at Chumphon pinnacle are bull sharks, but they tell you they’re grey reef sharks.

http://www.bigpinkshark.com/Bull%20Sharks%20of%20Chumphon.htm

Its also extremely over dived and I agree that the training and medicals were very uh relaxed. I have some very fond memories because it was my first diving but Id recommend other options. Ko Phi Phi is probably a better bet all round, or Ko Lanta - Ko Lanta is a quieter place and longer trips, Phi Phi busier town but shorter trips.

Otara

7

I don’t know anything about diving in Thailand, but I have some general tips.

The quality of dive instruction varies hugely. Try to get a recommendation, or read some reviews on Tripadvisor or Scubaboard. Watch out for zero-to-hero instructors who may have only been diving for less than a year, and don’t have a lot of real experience.

Ditto for dive guides/ divemasters.

Open Water certification basically just teaches you how not to die. There’s still a lot more to learn, and it will take quite a few more dives to to start feeling comfortable in the water, with all the equipment, so don’t plan anything too ambitious as a new diver.

Open Water is exhausting, especially if you do it in three days. 10 days is a lot of time to spend diving, especially if you do more than one dive per day

Once you go below 100’, you are getting very close to the edge of the safety margins on not getting the bends, or running out of air. The best place for a new diver is somewhere with a lot of life and interesting things to see at 20’-60’. Your air will last longer for a start. Plus, there is a lot to see at that depth, because there is plenty of light. Generally, the deeper you go, the less life there is, though there are some things that you only see at depth. There will be plenty of people encouraging you to go deeper, but it is better to wait until you know and understand the risks and can make an informed decision for yourself. You can do your Advanced course straight after Open Water, but you won’t have much context for the information. Better to do 10-20 dives before hand. The same for taking a camera. You have enough to think about just controlling your buoyancy and stability, without adding a camera in as well.

8

The OP should PM Board member Uzi, who is here in Thailand and I believe has an instructor license.

9

:smack: Crap! It’s going to be one of those days. I meant Board member Ale. He’s the local dive instructor. Uzi won’t know what you’re talking about.

10

Actually I’ve done only up to Rescue Diver with PADI, one step under Dive Master and quite a way bellow instructor.

Anyway, Koh Tao is a good place to learn, it’s a well oiled machine in that respect. You can find at least a dozen dive shops along Sairee Beach. Personally I’ve only dived twice at Koh Tao (about 20 dives all in all I think), and both times with Scuba Junction. Since is the only shop I used I can’t give you a comparative review, also I didn’t learn with them… but they seemed to run a nice, fun operation; I recommend them.
At Koh Tao you have a couple dive sites close to the island that are excellent to get a taste of the sport, specially one called Japanese Garden, just off the smaller island of Koh Ngan Yuan. A shallow dive that gives you plenty of time to practice your skills, plus some nice coral and rock formations. By now I should point out that last year there was a sever coral bleaching event in Koh Tao (and most of Thailand) I’m not sure how well they have recovered by now.

Having said that, Koh Tao is a bit overcrowded with divers, I’ve joked that they should install a conveyor belt from Sairee Beach to Japanese Garden to plop in new divers with greater ease. :slight_smile:
If you want to try other areas as others mentioned Phi Phi is nice. I haven’t tried them yet but I’ve heard great things about Hin Daeng and Hin Muang dive sites close to Phi Phi. Further South on the Andaman Sea side Koh Lipe is quite nice, I had a good experience with the Ocean Pro Divers shop there. On the other side of the Malay Peninsula, and a few kilometers South of the Thai border there’s the Perhentian islands, haven’t been there neither but I’ve also heard is great, and I know an excellent instructor working there that I couldn’t recommend enough.

So… I’d say either learn at Koh Tao or give a try with Nick (the instructor I mentioned) in the Perhentians. If you go to Koh Tao to learn, you can do your course, do a few dives in the Chumporn Pinnacle and Sail rock then pack up and move overland to Phi Phi with at least a day or two stopping by Khao Sok National park (you will never, ever regret staying overnight on a raft house in the lakes there). From Phi Phi you could move South, to Lanta and/or Koh Lipe and then further South East to the Perhentians if you feel like going to Malaysia.

Hey, if you want we can meet up here in Bangkok and I’d give you some advice mano a mano. :slight_smile:

11

Ko Lipe is a bit of work to get to and Ive had mixed reports about it diving wise. Ko Mook etc is where you can see dugongs, but the visibility when we went there was terrible, as in 3m or less, not great for inexperienced divers. Overall I found going south from Ko Lanta not great for the work it took - if you’re there for a month like we were maybe, but not for 10 days travel, because if you dont like it, you’ve already lost a fair bit of time.

The two pinnacles mentioned are where I got my best experience of mantas but there were none when I went there last, and I also got to see 3 whale sharks, but thats real winning the lottery material.

Imgur

You cant really lose in the end, its still tropical water diving in a lovely part of the world.

Otara

12

Personally, I wouldn’t bother with the Advanced Course at this point. For one, you’ll have just gone through one set of instruction so why intrude on more of your vacation time with more instruction; just dive. Secondly, you don’t know if you’ll like it. You may find that you’re claustrophobic underwater, or that you have trouble with your ears. No sense in lining up another course, and then finding out you don’t want to take it. Thirdly, you won’t learn too much useful about photography in the Advanced Open Water course. If you: a. find that you like diving and b. really are interested in underwater photography, take the money you would have spent on the AOW course and hire a divemaster or other experienced person to walk you through some basics of underwater photography.

OK, now the buzzkill part - I would strongly recommend that you not do anything but practice your basic skills after certification. Your Basic Open Water certification is somewhere between a learner’s permit and a driving license. You’ll be able to rent tanks, and most operations will take you on most dives. You will likely not, however, be proficient at some skills, particularly buoyancy control. These skills are essential to being a safe diver and to actually enjoying your dives. INMNSHO, you would be better served by getting your Basic cert, and then spending the rest of your time honing those skills. Watch the more experienced divers around you, try to emulate them (and the dive masters), and get really comfortable in the water.

After a while, when these skills are more developed and almost second-nature, then you can add something as complex and skill-intensive as photography (trust me - it’s not point-and-shoot underwater). You’ll enjoy photography more, and take better pictures, if you can hover 6 inches off the bottom rather than sitting in the sand, stirring up silt, or bouncing off the reef and breaking it apart.

Do enjoy your trip, and I really hope you enjoy your diving. It’s a pastime I’m very passionate about, and it can be incredibly rewarding. But do take it seriously, and be safe.

13

I learned to suba dive in Nha Trang Vietnam, it took me a total of 3 days and 5 dives. Worth every penny. Keep in mind during those days you won’t be doing much else, but as has been said before, isn’t going to be a problem…the island is tiny.

My wife and I stayed on Koh Tau for almost a week but didn’t dive there, we really liked the island and the place we stayed…now if only I can remember what it’s called.

14

Oh, I missed the bit about underwater photography, I concur with carlb, skip that for the moment. It really does take a considerable amount of skill to not make potentially dangerous mistakes while focusing on taking photos, not controlling your buoyancy is probably the most dire, but you can also get bit or stung by sea life, separated from your buddy and group, lose track of your air, piss off your buddy spending 10 minutes in a spot trying to shoot a shrimp, etc, etc… Just enjoy the experience and keep your eyes open as big as dinner plates (as if I’d need to tell you)
If you still want to take photos keep it casual, lomography style; truly point and shoot, don’t spend time framing or changing settings on your camera, just click and go. Review your photos in between dives but really try not to pay attention to the camera underwater.

I asked my instructor friend in the Perehntians, Nick, he’s working at Universal Divers in Besar. I know it’s way out of your itinerary, but if you ask me for a good instructor he’s the one I’ll tell you about. :slight_smile:

15

The Perhentians are some darned nice islands, too. We’ve spent some relaxing days on Long Beach on Perhentian Kecil.

16

The Queen, with a whopping 65 dives under her BCD :cool:, agrees with all the above advice.

Do your theory here at home, along with your labs in a swimming pool under proper supervision by a certified PADI instructor. The first thing you’re going to find out in a right-quick hurry is if you can tolerate being underwater with a mask on, a regulator in your mouth, a heavy tank on your back, and fins on your feet and then coordinate all that without panicking.

In my first lab in open-water class we lost three people right off the bat. They couldn’t tolerate all the equipment and being a foot and a half underwater at the same time. A swimming pool is the place to find all that out. Not in a foreign country in the middle of the ocean.

I also highly highly recommend you focus just on the open water course and don’t bother with the advanced. And oh, yeah, you will be tired. A four-tank dive for me even today renders me hardly able to lift a beer at the end of the day. I still plan to go for my nitrox cert, which will alleviate a lot of that.

And add me to the ‘please do not do photography,’ list. You will have enough to deal with just looking after yourself under water – trust me. You can die just as easily at 10 as you can at 200. Plus, a lot of dive ops offer photography as part of your package. You do all the play and they do all the shootwork for you.

Another thing about the open water cert is that you’re limited to 60 feet, which I personally think is too deep for novice divers, but they didn’t consult with me on that. :stuck_out_tongue:

I second **Weedy **in that all the good stuff is pretty much between 20 / 60 for sightseeing all the flora and fauna. The deeper you go, the less light there is and the less to see.

I’ve dived 110 feet to a couple of wrecks. Meh. They weren’t all that, I learned pretty quickly. Plus you hoover up your air and can’t stay down as long at 110 as you can at 20 or 30 or even 60.

I’ve even wandered around the bottom underneath the dive boat alone in about 30 feet of water – with the dive master’s express permission, a 20-minute time limit, and the fact that there was a forest of hookahs (long air lines that hang down from the diveboat for any diver running short on air during safety stops) available in the water for me. That was the time I came face to face with a black-tipped reef shark. Freaking awesome!:smiley:

Quiz your divemaster for tips and watch *them *dive. They got all kinds of neat tricks you can learn. I’ve learned a lot just by doing that, and on more than one occasion when I’ve dived solo (none of my girlfriends are divers. They go shopping, I go diving), I’ve had the DMs for a dive buddy. Worth every second underwater.

Diving is all about relaxing and enjoying yourself – no stress allowed – so get certed here and do your diving there. And enjoy!

17

The main reason I would say forget photography is you will take crap, you’ll miss things because it gives you tunnel vision, you’ll go through your air a lot faster, you’ll get told off because you will run into things, and you have a fair chance of losing the camera, Ive seen 4 found so far.

It takes a bit of time to learn to take good pictures and it detracts from just enjoying your first dives. Theres that safety stuff too, but people tend to think it wont happen to them.

Otara