 Firstly we should address the one aspect of diving that puts off any number of people from signing up for a course.
"I'm terrified of sharks!" is the norm. Well, there are few areas in the world where sharks big enough and aggressive enough are willing to seek out humans, and Phuket is definitely not one of them. However, if you were really lucky you might just come across one of the gentle leopard sharks that roam these waters, though they are more likely to make a fast exit when they see you coming. Your dive instructor will teach you what to look out for before you even enter the water, so trust him or her and you will soon expel all your negative illusions of deep sea monsters.
 In terms of safety, you may be interested to learn that the worldwide body PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) has recently released figures which show that diving is statistically safer now than football, baseball, basketball, badminton and, paradoxically, swimming, believe it or not.
"It's very expensive, isn't it?" is another echoed lament. Prices for dive courses are pretty much the same the world over. Dive Boats in Phuket cost as much those plying the Caribbean or Red Sea. Similarly, registration or dive masters and company fees do not fluctuate from country to country. So yes, it is not the very cheapest of recreations, but when was the last time you experienced weightlessness or found yourself in a "real" fantasyland as far removed from the world's problems as is humanly possible?
 Most professional dive operators offer an introductory course which usually involves a free swimming pool dive. To explain a little further, the experience is called "Discover Scuba Diving" and includes an introduction to the pleasures of diving in one of the hotel's swimming pools. From here you will, if you have not already lost interest and few people do, experience another dive going straight into the sea from your nearest beach. The Price of this introduction is around 2.500 Baht but the fee is usually wavered if you stop after the swimming pool phase. However, few people, having had a taste of what diving is all about, will stop at this stage. The majority instead will be keen to carry on book further dives during their stay here.
 "But I am not a good swimmer!" many will say. Fear not. The fact is that you need to be a particularly good swimmer if you wish to dive. While breast-stroking on the surface of the water might compare with jogging on land, scuba diving is more akin to taking a leisurely stroll and stopping occasionally to study something on the way.
Now, if you don't need any more convincing that this is a safe and exhilarating way to spend part of your holiday, go along to one of the many Diving Shops and have a talk with the instructors. Make sure here you visit a professional operation with highly qualified instructors. Ask to see the qualification certificates of those who are going to teach you. Learn to dive properly with the professionals and you will have no need to worry about anything.
 Another important thing to remember is to leave the coral alone. It has been growing for millions of years to reach the stage where you can appreciate its present beauty. So if you are in a position to enjoy swimming amid the coral gardens today, surely you would wish your children and their children the opportunity to feel the same sense of awe, should they decide to emulate you in the future.
You should also remember that coral is alive; thus, breaking pieces off and taking them away as souvenirs is a wasted effort because as it dies it emits an unpleasant odor, and then you would only want to throw it away. Learning to dive will give you pleasure you never imagined possible, and as you drift through this aquatic heaven you will quite easily forget the troubled world above. Try it and see for yourself. |
