Is Phuket a Good Place to Learn to Scuba Dive?
Five Good Reasons to Get Your Dive Certification in Phuket
If you’ve ever considered getting your dive certification, you might be weighing the options between learning in your home country or seeking a more exotic location. Phuket, with its stunning marine biodiversity and world-class diving spots, offers distinct advantages for those looking to become certified divers. From its warm waters and diverse marine life to the abundance of experienced instructors and dive centres, Phuket provides an ideal environment for both beginners and seasoned divers alike. In this blog, we’ll explore five compelling reasons why Phuket is an excellent choice for obtaining your dive certification.
1. The Water is Warm
Let’s face it who likes to be cold? The water temperature in Phuket is generally around 29 degrees Celsius. Not only is it more fun to be in but it is easier to stay focused. When you are cold a considerable amount to your body’s energy is used to keep you warm. Less energy is available for concentration and focus. Further warm environments also make us happier.
Warm water is easier to dive in. Most divers in and around Phuket can comfortably dive in a 3mm short wetsuit. A lot of divers can dive in just shorts and a rash guard. The lack of a heavy long thick wetsuit or dry suit makes it easier to perform the required training skills for the PADI Open Water Course. There are some 30+ skills and the pool and 20+ skills in the sea
2. There is a very good level of instruction in Phuket
Phuket is blessed with a lot of very good scuba diving instructors. These instructors are mostly full-time instructors and their focus is on teaching people how to dive. Being full-time allows these instructors to keep up with trends, rule changes and teaching techniques. They make sure that you are taught with the most up-to-date methods. There is a distinct advantage to being taught by a full-time scuba instructor over one who may do it as a part-time or weekend hobby.
A lot of very good scuba divers make their way to Phuket as it is an appealing place to live and work. Scuba diving here can be done all year round. It is generally a very easy place to live and the island contains some of the world’s best scuba diving instructors.
3. PADI has a very good representation in Phuket and surrounding areas.
PADI Regional Manager for western Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, lives on the island. The PADI Regional Manager for India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and a very experienced PADI Instructor Examiner is local. A couple of other PADI Instructor Examiners live on the island along with quite a lot of PADI Course Directors. Further to that the PADI Asia Territory Manager lives on the close by island of Kho Tao. Between them all, they keep a very good eye on the level of instruction in Phuket and make sure that it is at a level equal to anywhere in the world.
4. The Diving is Great
Not only is the water warmer but the marine life is awesome as well. Phuket is blessed with a diverse and wonderful range of marine creatures ranging from the massive manta rays and whale sharks to an abundance of marine life. It is not unusual to see reef sharks, turtles, octopus, cuttlefish, eels and a wonderful range of marine fish on your PADI Open Water Course. Let’s face it if you are going to learn to scuba dive it is more fun to see some cool creatures than it is in a local lake or quarry at home.
5. It is a Great Excuse for a Holiday.
What better reason to book a nice holiday to a tropical island with great food and a relaxed lifestyle than to learn how to scuba dive?
Phuket is a relatively cheap place to learn scuba diving and the lower cost along with the discount accommodation and budget airfares could make it cheaper to holiday and do your course than do it at home in some countries.
