phuket - thailand

New Divers Need To Know

Scuba diving in Phuket is an experience like no other! Since humans can’t breathe underwater naturally without scuba diving, we would have no clue what resides in Earth’s massive bodies of water. But with the right training and equipment, we can explore the great blue sea and discover what lies beneath.

Anyone can scuba dive as long as they take the appropriate training beforehand and meet basic requirements. But as a beginner scuba diver, some aspects and techniques required in scuba diving Thailand may be slightly challenging.

Today, we’ll discuss ten things that all beginner divers need to know before jumping into their diving at Phuket excursion to make the experience significantly more straightforward and more enjoyable.


1. Education is Key

Education is a crucial factor in many things we do in life, from school, work, or pleasure. Whether you decide to become a certified scuba diver or complete some basic training for a discover scuba diving day trip, you must pay attention to your instructor whilst diving at Phuket. Many people are so excited to dive that they aren’t focused on what the teacher is saying and are clueless when it is time to get in the water.

Your instructor isn’t going over the material for no reason. Many techniques and safety protocols need to be addressed before diving to ensure all parties’ safe and successful dive.

Listening carefully to what the PADI scuba diving instructor is saying will dramatically help you in the long run and make for a better diving experience. With the PADI scuba diving educational system it does not end when you become a PADI Open Water Diver you can continue to Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver and Divemaster – with speciality courses like Nitrox Diver, Deep Diver and more.


2. Look But Don’t Touch

There are so many beautiful sea creatures and plants that lie underwater in Phuket’s tropical coral reefs. It may seem tempting to get close and touch it, but this is a big no-no in scuba diving. Some species and plants are incredibly fragile and can be damaged easily due to negligence whilst diving at Phuket.


3. Don’t Push Yourself

Scuba diving at Phuket can take some time to get used to, especially if you have never done it before. You need to learn and practice lots of little things before confidently scuba diving with ease, and that’s okay! It is entirely normal to feel nervous on your first few dives.

At the same time, you mustn’t push yourself past your limit to keep up with others or compare yourself to your diving buddies or instructors. Safety and enjoyment are two essential factors for Phuket scuba diving.

You will have a much more enjoyable experience if you focus on yourself and practice until you feel more comfortable. For the most success, ensure that you follow all safety protocols and directions, ensure your equipment is on correctly, and have fun!


4. Stick With Your Diving Buddy

When diving, it’s vital that you dive with a partner or a small group of people, especially for your first time. The main reason for this is safety. You will have a sense of security and safety knowing that if something goes wrong, you have someone beside you to help you out and vice versa.

 You want to stay close to your diving buddy and establish good communication signals to communicate effectively. It is also lovely to share the same or similar experience with the person you are diving at Phuket with. It is a fantastic excursion for couples, families, or a group of friends to do! Phuket dive tours.


5. Plan Ahead

For the most optimal diving at Phuket experience, it is best to plan your dive trip ahead of time. You want to make sure of a few different factors such as weather, location, and requirements. To scuba dive in specific areas, you need a permit or a vaccine to ensure you won’t get sick.

Additionally, many people choose to get particular travel insurance covering scuba diving accidents, which you need to purchase beforehand. So when you are planning your vacation, and are considering going scuba diving, think about all of these factors, and plan everything out accordingly and in advance.


6. Don’t Drink and Dive

You may have heard the phrase, “don’t drink and drive” well, the same goes for scuba diving at Phuket. As many know, drinking can significantly affect your judgment, focus, reaction times, and motor skills, all essential aspects of diving. Fifty percent of all diving accidents occur when the divers have been drinking before their excursion.

There have been studies where professional divers were given different amounts of alcohol and then put into a dive pool. The divers with a high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) were at a significantly higher risk of injury.

Even though it was apparent to other sober divers that they were being unsafe and performance was impaired, the drunk divers were unaware. Even those with a low BAC still were diving worst than usual and potentially at risk of injury.

We understand that vacation is time to let loose and have fun and that many people partake in drinking. But when you are planning on diving at Phuket, lay off the liquor a night or two before.

Remember, diving can be unpredictable at times, and it isn’t worth putting yourself at risk while diving at Phuket diver to have a few drinks the night before.


7. Be Prepared

Your PADI Scuba instructors will have almost everything you need when diving, but you must also be prepared to have the most optimal experience possible. Here are eight things that you should do to prepare for a dive trip:

  1. Avoid consuming alcohol or drugs a day or two before Phuket diving.
  2. Drink water and drinks that have electrolytes the morning before your dive.
  3. Don’t eat a big meal before diving, and wait for at least two hours before getting in the water.
  4. Educate yourself and listen closely to your instructors.
  5. Whether you have purchased personal equipment for your dive or are using equipment provided to you by the company you are diving with, test it before you get in the water, and ensure that everything is on correctly.
  6. If possible, practice in a dive pool beforehand to get familiar with proper breathing techniques and other critical factors to scuba diving at phuket.
  7. Consider purchasing a few things ahead of diving at Phuket, such as a dry bag, an underwater camera, a dive log, and medication if you get seasick.
  8. Mentally prepare yourself before your diving at Phuket trip to ensure you don’t start to panic when you get on the boat or in the water.


8. Keep Calm and Swim On

Three of the most significant rules in scuba diving are staying calm, continuing to swim, and breathing! Scuba diving can be intimidating for some beginners. The ocean is an unknown element; it is enormous and filled with lots of mysterious sea creatures; this can be scary for some.

Suppose you feel yourself starting to panic while diving; breathe and keep swimming. You never want to hyperventilate or stop swimming because this can put you at risk for injury. Attempt to stay as calm as you can, stay close to your diving buddy, and communicate your anxiety.

It is also a good idea to try and distract yourself when you feel nervous by admiring your astonishing surroundings. But if the worst comes to worst and it is too much to handle, come back up to the surface safely and take a break. Make sure that whichever option you choose to do, you execute it safely for you and your diving partner.


9. Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute

Planning is a big part of diving Thailand, and you want to make sure you schedule your dive at the right time. You should not plan your diving trip for the last few days of your vacation. When you fly right after diving, you run the risk of getting decompression sickness.

Decompression sickness is where nitrogen bubbles develop in bodily tissue and can make individuals experience symptoms such as muscle and joint pain, nausea, cramps, tingling or numbness, neurological problems, or in extreme cases, paralysis. This condition occurs mainly in divers because while they are diving, they are breathing in compressed air, which also has nitrogen in it to match the pressure of the water.

When a diver ascends (comes out of the water) too quickly, the nitrogen doesn’t have time to leave the body, and they turn into bubbles that get trapped inside the body. When flying in an airplane, taking off is similar to ascending rapidly, so if you have just finished diving, you are at high risk for decompression sickness.

There is a 12-hour minimum waiting period before flying for divers that have done a single dive. For those who have done multiple dives, it is recommended to wait at least 18 hours before flying.

Many people choose to wait 24 hours or more to lower their risk of decompression sickness even further. This hazardous condition can be avoided by planning your diving trip for the beginning or middle of your vacation. It’s better to be safe and schedule it early than be sorry and deal with decompression sickness.

10. Practice Makes Perfect

You should note that you will not be perfect on your first dive, no matter how hard you try. Diving at Phuket is a sport with many factors and techniques that you need to get the hang of to successfully scuba dive.

Like any sport, activity, or craft, it takes time to learn and get better. So if you are struggling the first few times diving at Phuket, it’s okay! Keep practicing, and you will get better and get the hang of things. Don’t give up, because once you master the proper techniques, you’ll be able to enjoy this incredible excursion fully.

There you have it! Those are the ten main things that every beginner diver needs to know before their first diving trip diving at Phuket. Scuba diving is genuinely extraordinary and something everyone should attempt at least once in their life. Being free in a vast body of water and exploring the secrets beneath is an incredible experience that you cannot feel from any other activity.


Final Thoughts

Although it can be scary or intimidating for some who have never tried it before, don’t let it deter you from trying it out. You may gain a new favorite activity that you never imagined whilst on holiday in Phuket – come diving at Phuket or the Similan Islands! Here is an artilce about diving with kids.

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