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Learning to Dive in Thailand

“There’s never been a better time to learn to dive!” You seem to hear it everywhere around Thailand these days in coastal resorts, on boats during passages to coral fringed tropical islands and even in the larger cities!

But when talking about taking that memorable first breath underwater, the sales pitch is not only inaccurate, it can be seen as intimidating − to say the least. A much better approach is: “It’s always a great time to learn to dive in Thailand.” Why? Simple. The water is clear and warm and filled with exciting adventures and creatures to meet and explore. Golden opportunities arise all year round and your dive course will be fun and relaxing without the hustle and bustle of city life.

What with great training facilities and calm and warm waters complemented by a second-to-none diversity of marine life, all readily available in many picture-postcard destinations, this has to be one of the world’s top places to learn, continue learning or even create a career based around the planet’s fastest growing recreational pastime of scuba diving.

Instruction is available in a number of forms, from freelance instructors providing a small and personal service up to five-star training centres with self-contained resort facilities offering career development services allowing those who want to learn to choose the style that best suits them.

Learning to dive is not something that can be self-taught. Instruction is essential and standard safety practices need to be applied and upheld throughout, no matter the size of operation. Thankfully this is the case in Thailand. There are also a number of award-winning facilities around the country proudly displaying their credentials − fine role models for others to follow.

All the top training agencies are omni-present in Thailand and, wherever there’s diving, there will be dive centres affiliated to one of them. Training mainly comes ‘The Professional Association of Diving Instructors’ (PADI) and ‘Scuba Schools International’ (SSI), followed by the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) in third place. CMAS and NAUI are here too, but with a much smaller presence.

Starting slowly

Not everyone feels comfortable or has the time to jump in at the deep end and enrol in a multi-day commitment without first getting a taste of the fun. But not to worry as, in appreciation of this, the major training agencies offer non-certified experience programmes. These are still under the guidance of a qualified dive professional and obviously follow the highest of safety standards.

Experiences range from taking that first breath underwater in a swimming pool or just off the beach, to going on a dive with an instructor in the open ocean. No corners are cut and training covers all the basic skills needed to submerge and ascend safely. The only difference between these experience programmes and a certifying course is that, after completion, you must still be accompanied by a diving professional at all times and you cannot dive anywhere else. The advantage is that the course takes a short time and, even better, your experience may count toward your certification (depending on the training agency) and you’ll be more than ready to sign up for a certifying course when time permits.

For the family

As the interest and participation in scuba is on the increase, images of black rubber-clad men immersing themselves in the abyss, whilst groups of ladies anxiously look on, are thankfully a vision of the past; nowadays the ladies are more likely to be buddies! Diving couples have been coming to enjoy the tropical waters here for some time, some so regularly that they’re now being accompanied by their families.

And the youngsters are not left out at all. PADI’s ‘Bubble Maker’ and ‘Seal Team’, along with SSI’s ‘Scuba Ranger’, programmes give boys and girls aged eight years upwards the opportunity, under professional guidance, to enjoy an exciting scuba experience whilst learning some cool underwater tricks into the bargain. Programmes last around an hour or two in the safe surroundings of a swimming pool or similar water conditions in a protected area, and are a great way to get the youngsters hooked, either with or without their parents in tow! These fabulous introductions to the underwater world are a great way for kids to share valuable learning experiences, whilst meeting new friends along the way, and are widely available in all of Thailand’s diving destinations.

Convenience

Thailand flaunts a comprehensive range of dive centres and services, the majority in the southern provinces, but with several in Pattaya and Koh Chang too. There’s also a small selection in Bangkok (generally branches or booking offices). Having a city base is particularly useful for providing academic and shallow in-water tuition to the local community or to those that have not yet reached their intended diving destination and are taking their time checking out the city sights first. The one factor these dive centres all have in common is the equally impressive selection of courses they offer.

For those working in full-time jobs and therefore tied up during office hours, knowledge development training can be completed on line and practical training can be completed in the evenings or over a weekend, whichever is most convenient. Once the required skills and knowledge have been mastered, students can then be referred to an affiliated branch or dive centre to complete the open water sections of the course, or any other uncompleted part of it for that matter!

Continuation does not need to be done immediately but there is a timescale involved; the instructor will advise how long the completed training is valid for before it would need repeating. On a broader scale, this popular option of splitting the training (known as a referral) over more than one destination is available internationally.

As long as all the training is completed within the designated period and successful completion of the initial training can be proved, students from literally anywhere in the world can complete their courses here, taking advantage of what diving in Thailand has to offer, without committing to a full course during their stay.

However, the majority of visitors opt to do the whole course here – a sensible decision, as prices are extremely competitive alongside those in other popular diving destinations around the world. Very few compare favourably to Thailand.