Diving Courses for Beginners and Professionals

Scuba diving while on vacation in Thailand is an experience on many travelers’ “don’t miss” list, which will open up a whole new undersea world to you. The warm and clear waters along Thailand’s two seacoasts are full of amazing rock foundations and exotic creatures below the surface. There are excursions by boat to take divers to the most exciting offshore sites. And you’ll have no need to lug bulky scuba diving equipment from home, since it can easily be rented at numerous locations within Thailand. Before you rent your equipment or leave on a dive tour, you will need to either show your diving certification or take a short course. Diving lessons are designed to help you experience the thrill of diving in the safest, most enjoyable way. Whatever your level, whether you are a beginner or a professional diver, there is always something new to learn and you will find a diving course that’s right for you.

Thai Diving Schools

You will find diving schools in Thailand in the areas most popular with divers, such as Phuket or Pattaya. Staff at your hotel or a local travel agency will most likely be able to recommend a particular school. Look for instructors who are certified by PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or other professional bodies. Diving schools generally have the minimal requirements that students be over ten years of age and in good health. Pregnant women are advised not to dive. The larger schools offer instruction in English and a wide range of other languages. You will start off by renting equipment to fit you – scuba suit, fins, mask and tanks. Frequently the school has a pool on site where an instructor will demonstrate the techniques of Diving 101 to students with no previous experience. Once you have mastered the basics, you will be ready to go on an easy diving excursion to put what you’ve learned into practice.

More Advanced Divers

Divers who have picked up some experience from previous trips to Thailand or elsewhere can choose from a variety of more advanced courses. Skills like diving at night or diving photography will help to make your dive experiences more fun and enjoyable. There are also safety oriented courses such as diving rescue. You may find you enjoy diving so much that you wish to make a career out of it. In that case, you can go for courses to become a dive master (underwater guide who assists the diving instructors) or a PADI certified instructor.

Before your Trip

If reading about the exciting possibilities for learning to scuba dive in Thailand has whetted your enthusiasm, you can start to prepare right now. When you set up your itinerary, plan to spend some time in a popular diving area. You can book accommodation on the beach and often even your diving lessons and tours through your travel agent back home. Some Thai diving schools even offer online preparatory classes that will teach you diving fundamentals from your computer screen. This way, when you finally arrive in Thailand, you will be ready to dive right in, so to speak.