Learning to scuba dive is often one of the highlights during a backpacker’s trip abroad. Discovering a new country from above the surface of the sea is fantastic, but discovering the world that lies beneathus is a whole different experience.
SE Asia continues to be one of the most popular places for budget travellers to learn to dive. You can take your pick from a multitude of white, sandy beaches with clear, warm water. There is a fantastic array of accommodation to suit all budgets and a bustling night life that can be as action packed as you please. And if that isn’t enough, the underwater world in SE Asia has some of the richest reefs on earth and is home to 76% of the worlds coral species and 6,000 species of fish. Most people learn to dive with a 4-day Open Water course from a PADI certified dive school. PADI are world renowned due to their high standards and safety is their first priority.
You will begin in the classroom, learning the necessary theory before you’re taught about your equipment. Your first experiences in the water will be in ‘confined water’ which is usually a swimming pool but can also be done in shallow, calm sea. Breathing underwater for the first time is a fantastic feeling and while you adjust to the strange sensation you will also practice basic skills such as clearing water from your mask without re-surfacing, sharing air with a buddy diver and controlling your buoyancy under the water.After 5 confined water dives you will be feeling confident and ready to move into ‘open water’. You will finally have the chance to explore what the sea has to offer and also practice the skills that you learnt in the pool. Within 4 dives in the ocean you will be a qualified Open Water Scuba Diver!
