Will Your Next Adventure Include Scuba Diving?
In 2019, while I was traveling around Southeast Asia, I had one very specific goal in mind - learn how to scuba dive. It was something I had always wanted to do, but had never found the right time or place to try it.
In planning my trip to Asia, I learned that Koh Tao, Thailand, the smallest of the three Samui islands (Koh Samui and Koh Phagnan are the other two islands), is one of the most popular and least expensive places to learn how to dive. I made a plan to spend a full week in Koh Tao so I could do the Open Water course and possibly the Advanced Open Water course.
Spoiler alert: I stayed for 4 months and became a PADI Divemaster!
I immediately fell in love with diving and, in my time on the island, I was able to see so many other travelers fall in love with it too. I loved learning about the ocean, swimming among the tropical fish and beautiful coral, and finding my confidence as a diver. I also met many experienced divers who came to Koh Tao for a week or two to dive nearly every day. They talked about all of the incredible places that I had dived in their lives…I was hooked. I knew that once I left Thailand, I wanted to dive all over the world. I was already a passionate traveler, now I had another reason to explore the world!
What's the best thing about working with a travel advisor who is also a Divemaster? I can help you navigate the courses and certifications, guide you with recommendations on where to dive, as well as plan your trip.
If you are not a certified diver, but interested in getting certified, here’s what you need to know.:
You will need to take the Open Water course first. The course includes a mix of classroom and in-water training. Many travelers with limited time prefer to start their course near home, doing coursework online and doing the confined water skills training and assessment (likely in a swimming pool) before departing for their diving destination.
Once at your destination, you can finish the course with your open water dives and finish your certification. This way, you won’t have to spend most of your vacation doing the course and you can enjoy the diving!
Maybe you’re not sure if you want to do the full course or are nervous about diving?
Consider taking the Discover Scuba Diving course. You’ll get the basics for scuba and find out if you like it BEFORE you commit to the Open Water course.
If you’re already certified, there are so many incredible places to dive and ways to experience the underwater world while you are traveling.
You can also take another certification course while traveling OR get certified at home for a specific type of dive experience.
Perhaps you want to do some cold-water diving on an Antarctic cruise or in Iceland - become Dry Suit Certified before you go!
Planning a trip to a dive spot with lots of wrecks to explore - do your Wreck certification first!
Bucket List Destinations for many new and certified divers include:
The Barrier Reef and Blue Hole in Belize - our partner Big5 Tours & Expeditions can build out a trip to explore through Belize and include diving, kayaking and more
Wall diving in the Cayman Islands - stay at the Palm Heights Hotel in Grand Cayman for a luxurious retreat post-dive
Maldives - Stay at the Four Seasons Resort at Landaa Giraavaru for scuba instruction for newbies or experienced divers
Raja Ampat (top of my list!) - Aqua Expeditions' Aqua Blu takes you on a 8-day sail through the world’s most biodiverse marine area in a 30-passenger yacht. Aside from diving, you can hike waterfalls, kayak through the mangroves, and more.
Perhaps you are certified but your travel companion(s) is not. No need to worry - there are many excellent destinations that offer superb scuba diving AND have plenty to enjoy if you are not a diver. Much of the Caribbean is perfect for this: Turks & Caicos, the Cayman Islands, Aruba, the Bahamas, Cozumel, Puerto Rico…
There are definitely some diving locales that offer excellent diving but don't have much else on offer. By working with Brilliant Escapes, we can help you find the right destination for divers and non-divers!