^ makes sense why a friend of mine back home, gave up engineering to become a commercial diver.
^ makes sense why a friend of mine back home, gave up engineering to become a commercial diver.
I know it's not worthy to answer but mine took only 4 days.Originally Posted by avaadore
Done! I am now a certified Open Water diver. Advance open water diver looks interesting enough. An recommendation or suggestions as to where to do it? Would prefer to be in a place with great visibility.
Maybe in the Gulf of Thailand area, Phuket would be too far for me now.
gulf of thailand - visibility isnt the best, so go andaman side.
Brits right, you've got the Similan Isles, Surin Isles and Burma Banks for the best visibility.
For learning to dive the Gulf Of Thailand is good though, with the cheapest courses for us cheap charlies in Koh Tao.
It gets really busy there though in peak season.
Maldive Islands, that rocks.Originally Posted by Shakatak
^ Yea, yea, looks like it is getting further and further away from the gulf of Thailand. Koh Tao looks like an interesting place, I might just do the AOW over a long weekend. Any help or suggestions on prices and accommodations?
^ I had around 400 dives when I worked at the Maldives, they have it all there, I've done 2 dives in Thailand the last 12 years, I got spoiled in the Maldives, and everythings else is just crap
I am lost - so everywhere is crap compared the Maldives?
not at all.Originally Posted by pangsida
plenty of good diving around Krabi/Koh Phi Phi area, Andaman islands, you can learn in Pattaya/Sattahip. diving is certainly ok then.
some good diving in Indonesia, Phillipines, Australia, New Guinea, Vietnam.
I think Dalts just means Maldives is the best, in his opinion.
I think Pattaya is a great place to learn to dive. Challenging conditions quite often (currents, low viz etc), and if you can dive there, you can dive most places in the region. Learning to dive in 40 meters viz and perfect conditions does not really teach you enough in my opinion. Even some decent marine life - if you look hard enough!
However, i am currently taken with philippines - the marine life there is way above whats left in (most) Thai waters. That being said though Similans etc are pretty good.
^I'll be taking my open water in Koh Tao, but then plan to check the Phillipines out for my next dives. I wouldn't agree about the challenging conditions to start with. I'd like great conditions to learn how to dive.
Where in the Phillipines do you dive? From what I have read, there are many great areas near Cebu, Boracay, and Palawan.
Its a matter of mind set I suppose. I have half jokingly said if you can dive pattaya you can dive anywhere, but there is an element of truth to it. Learning under "ideal" conditions maybe easier, but it may not be better. YMMV.
Ive dived Dumagette (awesome) and Peurto Galera (decent). Both good for macro marine life (the small stuff) which I like. Hoping to go again in the next 2 months or so.
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