Scuba Diving in Chiang Mai

[FolkGuitar]

Put Another Dollar In. Pay And Dive Immediately. Aka PADI. An "Advanced Diver" in just nine dives???? What a joke.

It's just a term, same as "licensed driver." Just because you can steer a car through a driving test, doesn't make one a safe or effective driver. That takes experience. Lots of experience.

Same with diving. You get certified as a diver but it really takes a few hundred dives before you can call yourself a 'skilled diver.' It takes certification for Nitrox use, certification for Wreck diving, certification for search and recovery, etc., etc. The list of skill sets is quite long. All the Open Water and Advance Open Water teach are basic equipment, safety procedures, and rudimentary diving skills for ordinary diving scenarios.

PADI is a business. A 'for profit' business. They want more customers so they made the requirements easier. They removed the 'requirement' for a Night Dive from the 'Advanced Open Water' class because they felt too many people were afraid to sign up because they were afraid to make the night dive. They created more class levels to attract more customers. That's how businesses survive. Marketing. It's easy to call them names. They are laughing all the way to the bank.

You are right PADI FG it is a profit business but not for the instructors. It is impossible to make a decent living as an instructor. You will always be on the bones of your @rse. It is OK for a couple of years when you are young but eventually the reality will hit and it is time to go and get a proper job. I have met many instructors that gave up in the end. Even if you own a dive shop I don't believe there is much money to be made, especially in Thailand.

No money and long hours, with boring, repetitive days. It's not a job that I would take unless I was teaching Technical Diving. That's instruction of a whole different level, but I wouldn't do it through PADI. I'd be happy to work under BSAC or IANTD. I did my Divemaster training in Malaysia, and rather than continue with an IDC, just kept taking more certification classes, eventually getting my Master Scuba Diver certification. No yearly dues for that!

While working as a Divemaster on Palau Tioman in Malaysia and on Koh Tao in Thailand, I discovered that although PADI instructors spent a lot of time in the water, they only made one 'real' dive, the certification dive, for each class, and if there were a lot of students in that class, it wasn't even an enjoyable dive as they were too busy testing. With a class size of 3-4, the tests could be completed quickly and the last 30 minutes or so of the dive could be spent enjoyably, but that's it... for three or four days of class. But with 3-4 students, they earn very little pay. If I wasn't assisting, I could make 12 pleasure dives during the time it took an instructor to make three or four classroom dives, and get paid (plus good tips) to do it.

As I Divemaster, I led 2-3 dives every day, taking newer divers exploring the coral reefs, and unless there was a problem with a diver, these were all 'pleasure' dives. So long as there were 'Divemaster trainees' to assist the classes, I was free to lead dives, which is why I trained for that in the first place. I never planned on going for instructor rating. They just don't get to dive as much, and as you say, make almost no money. I could spend my vacations working as a DM, get in several hundred dives every summer in beautiful locations, and have virtually free vacations. While I was single, this was a very workable schedule. Once I got married, I saw to it that my wife was well trained up to Rescue Diver level, and then we were free to travel all over the world on dive vacations. She's the best dive buddy I've ever had. We dive on Nitrox when it's available, love wreck and cavern diving when we can find nice ones, do live-aboards when we can, and dive in Palau, Micronesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Borneo, and Thailand, and never worry about paying PADI another cent!

[Rimkok]

Put Another Dollar In. Pay And Dive Immediately. Aka PADI. An "Advanced Diver" in just nine dives???? What a joke.

It's just a term, same as "licensed driver." Just because you can steer a car through a driving test, doesn't make one a safe or effective driver. That takes experience. Lots of experience.

Same with diving. You get certified as a diver but it really takes a few hundred dives before you can call yourself a 'skilled diver.' It takes certification for Nitrox use, certification for Wreck diving, certification for search and recovery, etc., etc. The list of skill sets is quite long. All the Open Water and Advance Open Water teach are basic equipment, safety procedures, and rudimentary diving skills for ordinary diving scenarios.

PADI is a business. A 'for profit' business. They want more customers so they made the requirements easier. They removed the 'requirement' for a Night Dive from the 'Advanced Open Water' class because they felt too many people were afraid to sign up because they were afraid to make the night dive. They created more class levels to attract more customers. That's how businesses survive. Marketing. It's easy to call them names. They are laughing all the way to the bank.

You are right PADI FG it is a profit business but not for the instructors. It is impossible to make a decent living as an instructor. You will always be on the bones of your @rse. It is OK for a couple of years when you are young but eventually the reality will hit and it is time to go and get a proper job. I have met many instructors that gave up in the end. Even if you own a dive shop I don't believe there is much money to be made, especially in Thailand.

No money and long hours, with boring, repetitive days. It's not a job that I would take unless I was teaching Technical Diving. That's instruction of a whole different level, but I wouldn't do it through PADI. I'd be happy to work under BSAC or IANTD. I did my Divemaster training in Malaysia, and rather than continue with an IDC, just kept taking more certification classes, eventually getting my Master Scuba Diver certification. No yearly dues for that!

While working as a Divemaster on Palau Tioman in Malaysia and on Koh Tao in Thailand, I discovered that although PADI instructors spent a lot of time in the water, they only made one 'real' dive, the certification dive, for each class, and if there were a lot of students in that class, it wasn't even an enjoyable dive as they were too busy testing. With a class size of 3-4, the tests could be completed quickly and the last 30 minutes or so of the dive could be spent enjoyably, but that's it... for three or four days of class. But with 3-4 students, they earn very little pay. If I wasn't assisting, I could make 12 pleasure dives during the time it took an instructor to make three or four classroom dives, and get paid (plus good tips) to do it.

As I Divemaster, I led 2-3 dives every day, taking newer divers exploring the coral reefs, and unless there was a problem with a diver, these were all 'pleasure' dives. So long as there were 'Divemaster trainees' to assist the classes, I was free to lead dives, which is why I trained for that in the first place. I never planned on going for instructor rating. They just don't get to dive as much, and as you say, make almost no money. I could spend my vacations working as a DM, get in several hundred dives every summer in beautiful locations, and have virtually free vacations. While I was single, this was a very workable schedule. Once I got married, I saw to it that my wife was well trained up to Rescue Diver level, and then we were free to travel all over the world on dive vacations. She's the best dive buddy I've ever had. We dive on Nitrox when it's available, love wreck and cavern diving when we can find nice ones, do live-aboards when we can, and dive in Palau, Micronesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Borneo, and Thailand, and never worry about paying PADI another cent!

Yes a free extended vacation is about the best you can hope for as an instructor. Good idea staying as a DM and getting more pleasure dives as a result. I think PADI sell a false dream. There are loads of trainee's working for nothing in these BS hero to zero courses.

[FolkGuitar]

It's just a term, same as "licensed driver." Just because you can steer a car through a driving test, doesn't make one a safe or effective driver. That takes experience. Lots of experience.

Same with diving. You get certified as a diver but it really takes a few hundred dives before you can call yourself a 'skilled diver.' It takes certification for Nitrox use, certification for Wreck diving, certification for search and recovery, etc., etc. The list of skill sets is quite long. All the Open Water and Advance Open Water teach are basic equipment, safety procedures, and rudimentary diving skills for ordinary diving scenarios.

PADI is a business. A 'for profit' business. They want more customers so they made the requirements easier. They removed the 'requirement' for a Night Dive from the 'Advanced Open Water' class because they felt too many people were afraid to sign up because they were afraid to make the night dive. They created more class levels to attract more customers. That's how businesses survive. Marketing. It's easy to call them names. They are laughing all the way to the bank.

You are right PADI FG it is a profit business but not for the instructors. It is impossible to make a decent living as an instructor. You will always be on the bones of your @rse. It is OK for a couple of years when you are young but eventually the reality will hit and it is time to go and get a proper job. I have met many instructors that gave up in the end. Even if you own a dive shop I don't believe there is much money to be made, especially in Thailand.

No money and long hours, with boring, repetitive days. It's not a job that I would take unless I was teaching Technical Diving. That's instruction of a whole different level, but I wouldn't do it through PADI. I'd be happy to work under BSAC or IANTD. I did my Divemaster training in Malaysia, and rather than continue with an IDC, just kept taking more certification classes, eventually getting my Master Scuba Diver certification. No yearly dues for that!

While working as a Divemaster on Palau Tioman in Malaysia and on Koh Tao in Thailand, I discovered that although PADI instructors spent a lot of time in the water, they only made one 'real' dive, the certification dive, for each class, and if there were a lot of students in that class, it wasn't even an enjoyable dive as they were too busy testing. With a class size of 3-4, the tests could be completed quickly and the last 30 minutes or so of the dive could be spent enjoyably, but that's it... for three or four days of class. But with 3-4 students, they earn very little pay. If I wasn't assisting, I could make 12 pleasure dives during the time it took an instructor to make three or four classroom dives, and get paid (plus good tips) to do it.

As I Divemaster, I led 2-3 dives every day, taking newer divers exploring the coral reefs, and unless there was a problem with a diver, these were all 'pleasure' dives. So long as there were 'Divemaster trainees' to assist the classes, I was free to lead dives, which is why I trained for that in the first place. I never planned on going for instructor rating. They just don't get to dive as much, and as you say, make almost no money. I could spend my vacations working as a DM, get in several hundred dives every summer in beautiful locations, and have virtually free vacations. While I was single, this was a very workable schedule. Once I got married, I saw to it that my wife was well trained up to Rescue Diver level, and then we were free to travel all over the world on dive vacations. She's the best dive buddy I've ever had. We dive on Nitrox when it's available, love wreck and cavern diving when we can find nice ones, do live-aboards when we can, and dive in Palau, Micronesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Borneo, and Thailand, and never worry about paying PADI another cent!

Yes a free extended vacation is about the best you can hope for as an instructor. Good idea staying as a DM and getting more pleasure dives as a result. I think PADI sell a false dream. There are loads of trainee's working for nothing in these BS hero to zero courses.

I would NOT recommend ANYONE doing their divemaster training in a popular tourist dive spot such as Koh Tao. They work like dogs, carrying tanks, cleaning equipment, and basically do it for 8-10 weeks, rather than the 10-14 day Divemaster certification class as suggested by PADI. They are paying money for the class, and are worked like slaves.

On the other hand, I WOULD recommend anyone who is interested in getting their Open Water certification to go to a place like Koh Tao for it. At the 'better' shops, the tanks are all kept on board the boats,the rental equipment is top notch, there are plenty of DM trainees running around to do all the heavy lifting, and very good instructor (at the better shops.) Although Koh Tao today is a busy vacation spot of backpack tourists, there are plenty of out-of-the-way bungalow resorts that are quiet. The island itself is beautiful, and not nearly as developed as Koh Phangan or Koh Samui. Back when I worked on it, there was no electricity, no cars, no phones, no loud bars on the beach, and great diving. There were no 'cement' buildings, no roads, and quiet evenings. Today things are very different. There are three villages rather than just one small one. Plenty of beach bars to satisfy the party people, and the dive shops are doing a land-office business. It's a good place for a 4-5 day dive vacation for the 'new' diver. I wouldn't recommend it for the experienced diver.

[Paul944]

West of the canal road there is the "grand canyon". However, I do not know how deep the water is there.

[cmth]

Just to put my 25 satang in, I am a PADI certified Rescue Diver. I was instructed by some of the best divers in my area at the time. All I can say is that no matter who you certify through your cert card means almost nothing. Like anything else in life it is experience that makes the diver. No matter your certification or agency, you need 50-100 dives to be proficient.(My opinion only) Does having a drivers licence make you an expert driver? Does it matter where you received your drivers license? I also have a PPL for single engine, fixed wing aircraft in the US. You can get this with 40 hours of flight time. 40 hours is just enough to prove that you have enough basic skill to fly the aircraft. It does not make you a good pilot. When you have logged a few hundred hours in the air, you should be an accomplished and competent pilot.(Again, my opinion)

[montrealsix]

I would NOT recommend ANYONE doing their divemaster training in a popular tourist dive spot such as Koh Tao. They work like dogs, carrying tanks, cleaning equipment, and basically do it for 8-10 weeks, rather than the 10-14 day Divemaster certification class as suggested by PADI. They are paying money for the class, and are worked like slaves.

On the other hand, I WOULD recommend anyone who is interested in getting their Open Water certification to go to a place like Koh Tao for it. At the 'better' shops, the tanks are all kept on board the boats,the rental equipment is top notch, there are plenty of DM trainees running around to do all the heavy lifting, and very good instructor (at the better shops.) Although Koh Tao today is a busy vacation spot of backpack tourists, there are plenty of out-of-the-way bungalow resorts that are quiet. The island itself is beautiful, and not nearly as developed as Koh Phangan or Koh Samui. Back when I worked on it, there was no electricity, no cars, no phones, no loud bars on the beach, and great diving. There were no 'cement' buildings, no roads, and quiet evenings. Today things are very different. There are three villages rather than just one small one. Plenty of beach bars to satisfy the party people, and the dive shops are doing a land-office business. It's a good place for a 4-5 day dive vacation for the 'new' diver. I wouldn't recommend it for the experienced diver.

I'm padi Open Water and was looking for internship in Thailand/Koh Tao (Advance, rescue & DM) next year... where would you suggest to do it?

[FolkGuitar]

I'd suggest that you 'visit' dive venues before you commit to going through your courses. The Koh Phi Phi side of Thailand provides MUCH better diving in some spectacular locations while the Koh Tao side offers more choice of dive shops and perhaps better social life while doing the course. In any event, you DO want to be sure that which ever shop you use (if your are looking for PADI certification) is a "5-Star PADI" rated company. On Koh Tao, my favorite 5-Star operation is 'Ban's Dive Resort,' but as I said previously, for your Divemaster training, you will work like a slave. However, Ban's has a very large dive boat, and refills its tanks on board, so there is no carrying of tanks for the DM trainees. You WILL carry everything else. If you are young and energetic, you'll have a ball doing your course work at Ban's. They will also provide free (or at least, they used to be free) accommodations while doing your classes, which can save you a lot of money, especially as you plan to go through the entire program.

[arithai12]

Hijacked: Anyone here into free diving? Looking for people to practice dynamic and static apnea in a pool.

Rgs

SM

Same same. I sent you a personal message. Any others?