When you arrive in a tropical location for a scuba diving holiday, the pull towards the ocean and the need to get under the waves as quickly as possible can be overwhelming. But you can’t get too excited and just pick any dive centre for your scuba adventures. You need to know how to choose a good dive centre before you randomly pick a beachfront dive shop.
Thousands of holidaymakers and ex-pats travel to Thailand to enjoy their scuba diving holiday. There are plenty of scuba diving courses available and scuba day trips to experience, especially here on Koh Tao. The Land of Smiles is one of the top places in the world to try scuba diving, join a guided dive trip or go snorkelling, all of which are available for professionals and advanced levels as well as amateurs and complete beginners. Here are our tips for choosing the perfect dive centre for your scuba diving holiday.
Don’t be cheap on your scuba diving holiday.
Pick your dive centre based on their experience, quality and professionalism, and not just on the price. Scuba diver facilities cost a lot of money to maintain high standards. If the dive centre you choose opts to be the cheapest in the price they may also opt for the cheapest in equipment and boats. A little more money spent usually mean you can expect a better quality of equipment and service in reward.
Reputations matter.
The longer the dive centre has been in business the more reviews and reputation comments you will find available. Don’t just follow Trip Advisor advice. Check Facebook Reviews, Google Reviews, Youtube and Twitter. Word of mouth is a powerful tool and if a dive centre is taking care of its customers you will see this across all platforms on the internet. Don’t get stuck on the odd bad review. Everyone has off days but if many people report good work from different sources then dive centre is doing something right.
Check credentials.
Make sure the dive school has the relevant registration and safety certificates. They should be a certified SSI or PADI Center or higher, have current SSI or PADI instructors and divemasters. Other aspects may apply as well. For example, in Thailand, upstanding legitimate businesses hold a TAT license and are considered a registered business for tourism.
Scuba diving holidays need to be safe.
Sometimes you don’t get to see how a dive centre approaches safety until you take a day out with them. If you not convinced and assured of a dive centres ability to uphold, follow and reinforce diver safety practices then I would suggest looking elsewhere. Sometimes a single day trip to see a dive centre in action is a good way to gauge if what a dive centre proclaims to offer is true or not.
You can always ask about safety training and equipment available such as CPR first aid trained staff, emergency oxygen and emergency communication available. Check to see if there is a certified CPR/ first aid provider certificate. If you are going out on a scuba diving boat trip, are there plenty of throw rings and life vests on board? Does their safety equipment look like it’s in reasonable condition?
Good dive centres offer insurance.
Does your dive centre offer insurance? It is a divers responsibility to ensure they are covered in the events of an accident. Specialized dive insurance is not a standard thing included with any dive trip, but a good centre will offer the option for specialized scuba diving insurance. Special scuba diving travel insurance is inexpensive and offers way more coverage versus standard travel insurance. It is well worth spending a few extra dollars to be safe and relax knowing you’re totally covered.
Ask questions.
If in doubt, ask. If you have any doubts about choosing a choose a good dive centre, it’s better to be safe than sorry by asking the right kind of questions. Questions like – How long have the instructors been diving? What kind of training do your divemasters receive? How often do you service your regulators? Do you use drop tanks on deep dives? No question is a wrong or stupid question when your safety and experience is the issue.
Make enquiries about specific diving sites when going out on a reef or shipwreck dive. How will the dive be structured? Find out about what’s in store on an open water training course before parting with your hard-earned cash. What about training materials learn to dive facilities? Will you benefit from up-to-date training materials and methods? Is everything safe and clean to provide a good learning environment? Look at the standard of equipment out on display, read the certificates on the walls and check the dates on them – are they up to date? Are the instructor’s certificates available to be inspected? Does the equipment look well maintained on a close inspection? Did you trust the person you spoke with?
Choose that scuba diving holiday!
You generally get what you pay for when it comes to dive centres. If you do intend to go on a scuba diving holiday in Thailand, shop around and remember that the cheapest is not always the best option. If you are considering a Thailand dive trip or scuba diving holiday and you’re looking for quality, consider Big Blue Diving. We’re one of the longest-running dive centres on Koh Tao and we pride ourselves on our professional staff and safe equipment and diving practices. Come in and see us and make your own decision. We know we’ll win you over!
