Imagine crystal clear waters, vibrant colored sea life and warm breezes as you begin your adventure diving in Thailand. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI for short) operate many tropical diving adventures throughout the world. One of the most popular and world renown is the dive adventures in Thailand.
One of the reasons that Thailand is the dive spot of choice is that the weather is accommodating, the beaches soothing, and the diving outfits professionally and efficiently run. The most popular areas to dive are in PhuKet (Patong Beach, Racha Yai and Racha Noi ), the PhiPhi Islands and nearby Krabi.
Who is PADI?
PADI stands for The Professional Association of Diving Instructors and is one of the largest certification training organization for scuba divers. There are degrees of training that start with the very basic courses all the way to the advanced courses for those aspiring to become dive masters. The courses, themselves, are comprised of learning modules that the learner progresses through.
They even have an online course to take the place of class time. Of course, to become certified you have to get into the water and learn firsthand. Practical skills are mastered, then evaluated. If a student passes these tests, then he/she is certified via PADI to go scuba diving anywhere in the world.
Thailand diving offers some of the most agreeable conditions for learning to dive, or gain advanced certification. The waters tend to be gentle and the visibility ideal. Certification can take as little time as a day for beginners, to as much as a week or more for advanced degrees.
Open water dives in Thailand generally descend to about 12 meters, which is where most of the ‘action’ is around various reef colonies. Children can also become PADI certified, so families can take the dive adventure of a lifetime in Thailand while on vacation or holiday.
What to Expect When Diving in Thailand
Phuket diving training generally covers the basics, as well as including the use of the equipment, study manuals, and usually all the meals during the day. Boat fees and other fees, as well as transportation to and from the area hotels are usually all inclusive. Additionally, most Thailand dive centers are fully prepared to speak the language you are most comfortable with. Most offer instruction in English, French and Spanish, as well as others. Because the weather is nice year round, no matter when you decide to plan your vacation, dive training is always available.
Other diving in Thailand includes PhiPhi Don and PhiPhi Leh, which are two islands jutting up from the ocean a short distance from Phuket. These are among some of the most picturesque islands and are often photographed for postcards and artwork. Multiple dive spots along the islands insure that there will be plenty of room and there will be none of the crowding that sometimes is seen at various tourist dive spots. Divers, once PADI certified, can swim through underwater entrances, cruise along with schools of fish, and even do some limited cave diving. Krabi province offers sea life like nowhere else in the area. Many report swimming with sea turtles, manta rays, and even sharks.