Welcome to the paradise island of Koh Chang, Thailand!

Scuba diving in the Koh Chang archipelago offers both new and experienced divers the opportunity to combine a great beach holiday in Thailand with an underwater adventure!

If you're a little bit curious about what the two-thirds of planet earth that lies underwater looks like, there are only two ways you are ever going to satisfy your inquiring mind, either a) evolve at a rather rapid pace and grow gills or b) learn to dive.

So, whether you grew up watching the exploits of Jacques Cousteau or have a newfound desire to see relatives of 'Nemo', the clownfish, up close and personal, you'll find that there are dive courses and dive trips available for both kids & adults that will meet your needs without breaking the bank.

The primary aim of this site is to give those new to Koh Chang and/or new to diving an overview of the island's dive schools & dive sites plus a comparison of course and dive trip prices. You will also find ideas for accommodation, useful dive related articles and general Koh Chang visitor information. I've also added a few of my own photos to provide a glimpse of what you can see on Koh Chang.

Dive Schools

Dive schools are located in the areas indicated on the map, click the dive flags for details. However, all dive schools have booking offices and agents in all the resort areas. Some resorts are exclusive agents for only one dive school, whilst other agents provide information from several schools.

Our advice is to shop around, don't simply sign up to learn to dive with the school whose promotional material you see on the wall of your resort. It may well be the best option, but if you spend a couple of hours looking around you may also find schools whose schedule, prices and instructors better meet your requirements.

Also avoid promising your custom to a dive instructor you meet in a bar and share a few beers with. Sure he might be a great guy and an excellent instructor but it's far wiser to make an informed decision when both you & the instructor are sober.

Courses
All dive operators on this website offer PADI certified courses. PADI is the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, the largest scuba certification organization in the world.

PADI develops scuba programs and diver training products, monitors scuba training conducted by more than 100,000 PADI Professionals worldwide, maintains diver certification records and issues your diver certification credentials.

In addition, PADI maintains various support services for PADI Dive Centers and Resorts. Since its inception in 1966 PADI has grown to have members in more than 175 countries and territories and international service offices in nine countries. Approximately seven out of ten North American divers are certified by PADI, and approximately 55 percent of all divers worldwide are certified by PADI.

PADI Dive Courses

The courses below are all offered by dive schools on Koh Chang. They cover the whole range of skills required to advance from total beginner to employable Assistant Instructor. Anyone deciding to make diving their career will find PADI offers numerous other specialised courses as well as Instructor Development Courses, however this type of professional course is outside the scope of this site.

Dive Sites

All diving on Koh Chang is done off boats. There's no beach diving off Koh Chang. (However, some dive schools prefer to complete any confined water training required on a dive course in shallow seas near the beach, rather than in a pool.

The map on the right pinpoints some of the main dive sites around Koh Chang. The rocky pinnacles and small islands around Koh Rang offer what most consider to be the best diving in the area.

Different dive schools prefer different dive sites, therefore prior to signing up for a dive make sure you check where you'll be going, your dive school will be able to give you details of the types of fish & marine life that have been recently seen at various dive sites.

Non-divers should note that the the snorkelling around Koh Rang is also particularly good with an abundance of fish to be seen. If your budget doesn't stretch to a dive course or diving just isn't your thing then sign up for a snorkelling trip to Koh Rang for a glimpse of the underwater world.

Accommodation

There are dozens of places from 8,000 baht/night 5* hotels to 100 baht/night wooden huts all vying for your business.

Putting ourselves in your shoes we've selected a handful of budget to mid-price resorts which we'd stay in if we were visiting Koh Chang.

The real top-end luxury hotels were ruled out because this site is more for visitors planning their own holiday rather than heading to Koh Chang as a package tourist. Also out were any resorts that offered accommodation in soulless concrete boxes. So, the criteria were quite simple: value for money, friendly staff, style of resort and overall vibe/ambience.

Remember that dive schools always provide free transport to & from the boat, so basing yourself within walking distance of a pier or dive school isn't necessary.

Our 'Six of the best' are . . . .

Backpacking beach party animal.

Nature Beach Resort, Lonely Beach. 200 - 300 baht/night. Backpacker resort at the centre of the white, powder sand, Lonely Beach. The beachfront restaurant serves good, but not great Thai & Western food. The beach bar ensures that it's never too late to get a beer or cocktail in a bucket. (If you need your 8 hours sleep a night get a room away from the bar.)

Budget 'old skool' Lonely beach vibe.

Thalay Bungalows, Klong Prao Beach. 200 - 250 baht/night) The beach is split in two by a river estuary. At the very northern tip of the southern section you'll find this small (12 bungalows) resort which is run by two friendly Thai guys - Pui & Pom. Definitely nothing fancy, the rooms are small, showing their age and none are ensuite. However, the laid back atmosphere, excellent restaurant, and peace and quiet this resort offers ensures they receive a steady stream of visitors. These comprise mainly of more adventurous backpackers looking for an alternative to the now commercialised Lonely Beach, young bohemian Bangkokians and Thai students..

Comfort , convenience, cold beer & live football.

15 Palms, Whitesands. 700 - 1400 Baht/night. You want a western run establishment, aircon bungalows a stones throw from a busy beach, a large beachfront bar showing live Premier League action then 15 Palms is for you. Everything you need is within 5 minutes walk away: a choice of good restaurants, live music bars, ATMs, a 7-11, there's even a dive shop and tour agency next to the roadside entrance. A place social animals who want some home comforts will enjoy.

Unique location and views.

Bang Bao Sea Huts, Bangbao. 2,000 - 2,500 Baht/night. Bangbao is a small fishing village at the southern tip of Koh Chang. It's also home to several dive schools and some great seafood restaurants. At the southern tip of the pier that runs through the centre of this stilt village are Bang Bao Sea Huts. Don't let the word 'hut' fool you. These are extremely comfortable airconditioned, ensuite bungalows. Inside the furnishings are made entirely from wood. When you step out of your front door you have the sea beneath you and in front of you. The views over the bay and out to the southern islands are pretty spectacular. The lack of nightlife in Bangbao means you're far more likely to be woken up by the sound of a fishing boat returning from a night of squid fishing than you are by your neighbours returning from a night of non-stop partying.

The compact & bijou boutique hotel.

Keereeta, Pearl Beach. 1,500 - 2,000 baht/night. A small Mediterranean styled (with a few Thai twists) hotel which has some of the nicest hotel architecture to be found on Koh Chang. The rooms are all individually furnished so you I can guarantee you won't feel as though you're staying in a Holiday Inn. The rooftop offers great sunset views to the rear of the hotel and of the mountainous inland to the front. Keereeta is located roadside and the nearby shoreline is stony. There are a handful of restaurants and other small resorts nearby but that's it - except a large Thai orientated pub - as far as nightlife goes. Therefore this isn't a place for beach lovers or party animals. But if you want quiet sophistication with a personalised touch when you return from a day out at sea then this is for you.

Got a spouse & kids? Need a family hotel?

Tropicana Resort, Klong Prao Beach. 2,500 - 3500 baht/night. The mid-sized, Balinese influenced Tropicana is at the southern tip of Klong Prao beach and is a great place to stay if you plan on taking a family holiday on Koh Chang. The beach outside isn't the best on the island but it is quiet and safe. Kayaks can be hired and 30 minute paddle over the flat bay will bring to to the first of four small uninhabited islands which offer good snorkelling. The beach itself is more suited to early morning jogging than sunbathing as the sand is compact, rather than powdery. Near the hotel you'll find loads of rockpools at low tide - which are fun to explore with young kids. The rooms are huge and many of them have both indoor and outdoor bathrooms. There are all the expected comforts - satellite TV, aircon, minibar, pool, open air beachfront restaurant etc etc.

None of the resorts listed on this page have paid to be listed . . . although it'd be nice if they did. :-) And we aren't best mates with the owners either. We just like these places, it's as simple as that.

Visitor Information

Getting here

Plane
Bangkok Airways operates regular flights from Bangkok to Trat airport, located a 10 minute minibus drive from the ferry terminals near Laem Ngop. A round-trip ticket costs around 4,000 baht.

Car
It takes around three and a half to four hours to drive the 300 km. from Bangkok-Laem Ngop. There are two alternative routes. Either take the BangNa-Trat highway (Highway 3) out of Bangkok until you reach the Chonburi bypass, turn off here onto Highway 344, follow this road until it rejoins Highway 3 at Klaeng. From Klaeng continue past Chantaburi. Approximately 23km outside Trat, there is a large T-junction signposted to Laem Ngop, Highway 3156,take this road for approximately 25km until you reach the first of the ferry terminals. Alternatively, take the motorway (Highway 7) out of Bangkok and then take the first exit after the second tollbooth. This is Highway 344, follow the road to Klaeng and onwards as described above.

Bus
Minibus and full sized bus services pick guests up from Khao San Road and travel direct to Laem Ngop pier from where a passenger ferry departs hourly to Koh Chang. Expect to pay around 250 - 300 Baht for a one way ticket. Regular buses also leave Bangkok's Morchit and Ekkami bus terminals - the journey usually includes frequent food & rest stops and therefore takes around 6 hours. One way tickets range from 150 baht - 190 baht and you'll be dropped off in Trat town, from where the passenger ferry is a 20 baht songtaew (converted pick-up) ride away.

Once on the island white pick-up trucks offer a taxi service to the west coast beaches. The cost is between 30 - 70 baht/person depending on distance, just tell the driver when you want to get off. If you have booked accommodation in advance your resort may offer a pick up service from the ferry pier.

Climate
Firstly, you are guaranteed hot weather as daily temperatures average 30C, water temperatures are 27-28C year round. From December to April rain is very scarce. For the remainder of the year visitors can expect to encounter thunderstorms and heavy rain, especially during July - September. Although, even in the height of the rainy season rain seldom falls for more than an hour or two and is usually followed by sunshine. The fringes of the high season (April/May + October/November) are a good time to visit the island. The water conditions are good, there are far fewer tourists, hotels are cheaper and the occasional rain showers cool the air.

Health
Koh Chang is still classified as a malarial area, although in reality malarial mosquitoes only pose a danger if you venture deep into the jungle. Sandflies can also be a nuisance on some beaches, mainly during late afternoon when the weather cools, the bites look similar to those from mosquitoes and can itch a great deal. There is an excellent private clinic , Koh Chang International Clinic, on Whitesands Beach which provides international standard health care - it's part of the Bangkok Hospital Group. Koh Chang also has a state-run general hospital and clinics which are located in Klong Son, Klong Prao, Bang Bao and Ban Jek Bae. The clinics are recommended if you simply require treatment for common ailments such as cuts or bites etc

Communications
Phone lines have been installed on the west coast as far south as Kai Bae Beach, however there are phone booths near all west coast beaches and also in Bang Bao at the very southeast of the island. Most communication is done by mobile phone. Internet cafes are located in all of the resort areas, costs range from 1 - 2 baht per minute. Choose an internet cafe which uses a satellite link-up as local dial up connections can be rather slow.

Beaches & Accommodation
The far northern area of Whitesands Beach and Lonely Beach - the backpackers' favourite hangout - offer the best powdery white sand but are also the busiest areas. Klong Prao Beach is a very long, coconut palm fringed bay which is always quiet. Accommodation here is mainly in a few large package tour resorts, although 'KP Huts' and Thale Bungalows are good budget options. Kai Bae beach has a decent stretch of sand and is home to a large number of low and mid-price bungalows. The atmosphere of Kai Bae lies somewhere between the commercialism of Whitesands and the backpacker vibe of Lonely Beach. Bailan Bay, although having only a very stony shoreline, offers those wanting to get away from it all accommodation where they can be guaranteed peace and quiet.

Getting around the island
Koh Chang is the second largest island in Thailand, therefore, the distances involved in travelling from the north of the island to the south mean that walking is not an option. Anyone who is reasonably fit can cycle the stretch of road between Whitesands and Kai Bae, however from Kai Bae to Bang Bao the road includes many extremely steep mountain climbs which can also be tricky for inexperienced motorcyclists to negotiate. Motorbikes can be rented for 200 baht/day from virtually every resort and are the preferred means of transport for most visitors. (Small jeeps are also available to rent for approx 1,200 - 1,500 baht/day.) The alternative to having your own transport is to rely on the white pick-up trucks (songtaews) which travel up and down the west coast road. If you plan to head to the east of the island you need your own wheels.

Activities

Koh Chang is still an island people come to to get away from it all. Other large islands such as Phuket and Samui offer visitors golf courses and cabaret shows whilst Koh Chang offers lazy days by the beach and unspoilt scenery. Activities, other than diving and snorkelling, include:

Kayaking
The four small islands just off the southern tip of Klong Prao Beach and Kai Bae beach are great for spending a day kayaking around. The islands offer a couple of small beaches - don't forget to bring lunch - and some coral reefs which provide a good snorkelling opportunity.

Trekking
There are no clearly marked paths into the interior of the island and as such independent trekking isn't recommended. However, several locals offer a guide service and for around 400-500 baht/person they will take you into the jungle . . .and bring you out alive. Overnight camping in the interior is also possible. Your resort will be able to put you in touch with a guide.

Elephant Trekking
There are three camps on the island, however the best is Ban Kwan Chang, located 3km from the small hamlet of Klong Son in the north of the island deep in a valley in the jungle.. This camp is run by the Director of the Asian Elephant Foundation and offers the chance to see elephants in their natural surroundings. Short or long treks can be booked at your resort and cost 450-900 baht. Elephant bathing, feeding etc can also be seen . . .just don't expect any shows or cute tricks from the elephants - the emphasis here is on elephant preservation and educating visitors rather than putting on a performance.

Island Hopping
Rent a speedboat and head off to explore uninhabited islands. It isn't cheap at around 7,000 - 8,000 baht/day for a boat to take you as far south as Koh Rang. But if you're travelling in a group or as a family a day in a speedboat will ensure loads of photo opportunities and the chance to see islands which the majority of visitors to Koh Chang won't make it to.

How it all began. A short history of diving.

For centuries people have held their breath and swam underwater. The exploits of a Greek sponge diver called Scyllis over 2,500 years ago are well documented. During a war with Persia, Scyllis sabotaged the Persian boats by cutting them loose from their moorings. He remained undetected by using a hollow reed as a snorkel. Until humans found a way to breathe underwater, however, each dive was necessarily short and frantic.

From that time on the question on all aquanauts minds was "How can I stay under water longer?" Breathing through a hollow reed allows the body to be submerged, but it must have become apparent right away that reeds more than two feet long do not work well; difficulty inhaling against water pressure effectively limits snorkel length.

In the 16th century people began to use diving bells supplied with air from the surface, this was the first effective means of staying under water for any length of time.

In 16th century England and France, full diving suits made of leather were used to depths of 60 feet. The first diving suits allowed the divers to be mobile underwater. Soon helmets were made of metal to withstand even greater water pressure and divers went deeper. By the 1830s the surface-supplied air helmet was perfected well enough to allow extensive salvage work.

A couple of hundred years later scientists became interested in the effects of water pressure on the body. Studies helped define safe limits for compressed air diving. At the same time, improvements in technology - compressed air pumps, carbon dioxide scrubbers, regulators, etc., - made it possible for people to stay under water for long periods.

The breakthrough that finally led to scuba diving as we know it today was the invention of the 'Aqualung' in the early 1940s by two Frenchmen - Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan. By adapting a car regulator to automatically provide air at the slightest intake of breath and attaching it to a mouthpiece, air hose and compressed air tanks they opened up the undersea world to all. Immediately there was a great demand for this new invention - everywhere that is except the USA. In 1950 the American distributor told Cousteau that the market was now saturated. . . they had shipped a total of 10 Aqualungs to the U.S.

All that had changed by the late 50s. The 'Sea Hunt' TV series, with Lloyd Bridges as an underwater adventurer was hugely popular and thousands of people a year were now taking up the sport.

At this time there were no country or worldwide standards for dive training and diving accidents were continuing to rise incrementally. YMCA were the first to begin offering standardised courses in 1959, NAUI followed in 1960 and PADI in 1966.

Safety was now a primary concern but it wasn't until 1980 that the Divers Alert Network (DAN) was founded at Duke University, USA as a non-profit organization to promote safe diving.

By 1993, the 50th anniversary of the invention of modern scuba diving, PADI had become the largest of the worldwide training agencies, certifying over 500,000 new divers worldwide.

The new millennium, by 2000, more people than ever are holidaying abroad and choosing to include diving with their beach holiday. This, coupled with technological advances continue to make diving safer and more affordable truly make diving a sport for all.

Under pressure. The laws of physics applied to diving.

For you to understand the ins and outs of diving you must first understand the concept of pressure, how it varies according to the depth that you dive and what these variations mean to you. You may well be thinking that laws of physics discovered a couple of hundred years ago are pretty irrelevant or at least unimportant or uninteresting when it comes to modern day diving. But please read on and then make your decision.

Were going to look at pressure. Pressure is a force or weight per unit area. Everything weighs something - even air. Therefore everything and everyone on the surface of the earth is exposed to air pressure. This pressure is called 'Atmospheric Pressure'.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that water is heavier than air. Therefore, as pressure is related directly to weight, water pressure must be far greater than air pressure.

Gravity keeps the air that keeps us alive, the atmosphere, held next to the earth. (No gravity would basically mean that the air would be weightless and would float away into space. ) The force of gravity is strongest the nearer you get to the centre of the earth. Therefore, at sea level the force is greater than on the top of Mount Everest. This is why mountaineers must also carry air to breathe. 9,000 metres above sea level the air is about one third as dense as it is at sea level, and therefore weighs less. In fact everything weighs less the further you get from a centre of gravity, humans don't notice the difference at the top of a mountain, but if you keep heading away from earth you soon become weightless as any astronaut will tell you.

Air pressure can be specified in several ways - the most popular term used in scuba diving is "Pounds per Square Inch" or "PSI." At sea level the pressure exerted by the atmosphere is 14.7 PSI.

Another way to get your head around the idea of almost 15 pounds of air per inch is to remember that we're talking about a column of air one inch square and about 50 miles high! So that's not really a lot of pounds for something that high.

Can you lift 300 pounds with one hand? It might come as a shock to you but this is something that everyone from Arnold Schwarzenegger to your Grandma can do. Here's how . . . open your hand palm upward, now lift your hand quickly upward with the palm flat out. Phew! Take a rest, shake it out! Hit the showers!

What was all that about? The average open adult hand with fingers closed has an area of about 25 square inches. Assuming you are at sea level, and your hand is average-sized, you are lifting 25 x 14.7 or 368 pounds of air!

So why is it so effortless? It feels effortless because air pressure is evenly distributed around your hand, and the molecules of air are easily movable. At sea level, air pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch on top of your hand, underneath your hand, and on all sides. Therefore, you don't really 'lift' 368 pounds, though that is the weight of air on top of your hand. As you move your hand you move some air molecules out of the way and other molecules immediately come under and around your hand. The pressure surrounding your hand stays the same: 14.7 PSI and because the pressure is evenly distributed, you don't feel any weight in lifting your hand.

Pressure goes by many different names. 'Ambient Pressure' is the pressure of your immediate surroundings. When surrounded by air, ambient pressure = atmospheric pressure = barometric pressure. When you're surrounded by water, ambient pressure = water pressure.

The most commonly used units of pressure are 'bars' and 'atmospheres' (atms). The main difference is that the term 'bar' is more common in Europe. One atmosphere / One bar of pressure = air pressure at sea level = 14.7 PSI.

Remember that this is just a measurement. If you were inside a submarine you'd find that you are surrounded by one atm. of pressure, however the hull of the vessel may well be under a pressure of 10 atm.

If you know how much sea water weighs then it's easy to calculate how much pressure you are under at a certain depth. As it happens, sea water weighs about 64 pounds per cubic foot. Using this value, 33 cu. feet of water weighs 33 x 64 = 2112 pounds. So if you dive 33 feet deep and lie horizontally you will have 2112 pounds of water over every square foot of your body. 2112 pounds of water per square foot = 14.7 pounds per square inch, which is the atmospheric pressure at sea level.

So at 33 feet (10metres) under the water, you are under two atmospheres of pressure. One from water directly above you and one from the air directly above that. The deeper you dive the more the pressure increases, an increase of one atm. for every 33 feet (10 metres) depth.

Air is a mixture of gases, mainly oxygen (21% by volume) and nitrogen (78% by volume). The other 1% of air is made up of several other gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), argon, krypton and neon.

In any mixture of gases (e.g., air), the individual gases don't chemically combine with each other. The percentages don't alter inside a tank of compressed air regardless of depth. This fact takes on critical importance as water pressure increases with increasing depth because, although the percentages are unchanged, the total pressure exerted by each gas component increases proportionately. The increases in component gas pressures account for some of the major problems inherent in compressed air diving: nitrogen narcosis, decompression sickness and oxygen toxicity (see Sections G and I).

Scuba divers are interested in what happens to air under water. Air under water obeys the same laws as air in the atmosphere. The four gas laws, Boyles's, Charles', Dalton's and Henry's, are useful because they predict changes in air pressure, volume and temperature as compressed air divers descend and ascend.

Boyle's law states:

At constant temperature, the volume of a gas varies inversely with the pressure, while the density of a gas varies directly with pressure.

Therefore, if you increase the pressure on a fixed volume of gas, the density increases. This part of the law becomes important on deep dives. In reality it means that the inhaled air will become denser the deeper one goes. Therefore, the deeper you go, the more difficult you will find it to breathe.

Charles's law states:

'At a constant volume, the pressure of gas varies directly with absolute temperature.'

Given a constant volume of gas, such as that trapped in an air tank, the higher the temperature the higher the gas pressure, and vice versa. Charles's law is more important for dive operators and those involved in filling air tanks - especially when there is a large difference between air and water temperatures. A tank filled in the icy cool surroundings of an air-conditioned room, will show a different pressure reading as soon as it is put in warm sea water.

Dalton's law states:

'The total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the pressures that would be exerted by each of the gases if it alone were present and occupied the total volume.'

In layman's terms, the pressure of any gas mixture (e.g., air) is equal to the sum of pressures exerted by the individual gases (e.g., oxygen, nitrogen, and each of the minor gases).

With increasing altitude, for example, the partial pressure exerted by each gas in the air will decrease. With increasing depth, the partial pressure exerted by each gas in the air we breathe will increase. As you are breathing this air into your body the effects of the increase of pressure are felt inside you.

Henry's law states:

'The amount of any gas that will dissolve in a liquid at a given temperature is a function of the partial pressure of the gas in contact with the liquid and the solubility coefficient of the gas in that particular liquid.'

To keeps things simple, this law implies that as the pressure of any gas increases, more of that gas will dissolve into any solution with which it is in free contact.

Taken together, Henry's and Dalton's laws predict two very important consequences, one applicable to mountaineers, the other to divers:

1)When ambient pressure is lowered (as at altitude), the partial pressure of oxygen and nitrogen in the body must fall, and there will be less molecules of each gas dissolved in the blood and tissues.

2)When ambient pressure is raised (as when diving), the partial pressure of oxygen and nitrogen in the body must rise, and there will be more molecules of each gas dissolved in the blood and tissues.

The second statement is the physiologic basis for three important problems associated with compressed air diving: decompression sickness, nitrogen narcosis, and oxygen toxicity.

And that's why the laws discovered by geeks hundreds of years ago are important to you as you hop off your dive boat and into the clear blue sea in some exotic destination.

Is diving safe?

Safe compared to what? To never diving? To sitting on a couch? To playing golf? To mountain climbing? To jumping out of an airplane? To riding a motorbike along mountain road on Koh Chang?

There's no simple 'Yes' or No' answer to this question but it is one that is asked all the time. Like the debate on many other difficult to answer questions, this one seems to be 90% semantics and personal philosophy (e.g., What do you mean by "safe"?), and only 10% about hard facts (e.g., data of accident rates in diving vs. other activities).

Let's start with the statement "Scuba diving is safe. Why tell beginners otherwise?" and start an debate . . . But, if you check your dictionary you'll find that 'safe = without risk'. So can you say "Scuba diving is without risk."? Of course not. However, for most people, safe and entirely risk free don't have exactly the same meaning. So you could say also that "Diving is safe, but it isn't risk free."? If it isn't risk free then some may argue it is unsafe. Now, should we start telling would-be learners that diving is unsafe? Hang on, being unsafe also has a different meaning for most people than simply having risks involved. But there are risks in everything we do in life, including washing the dishes or crossing the road. Take driving, for example, that's safe but not risk free and very few people would classify driving a car as unsafe. Diving is certainly safer than driving a car. Or is it? Can you prove that? And so the argument goes on well in to the night . . . .

Whether or not semantics are a factor, its important that everyone acknowledge important differences of opinion, and realize that the opinions and attitudes of the most experienced i.e. the instructors will affect newbie divers.

The debate about safety has been going on since the sport of scuba diving began and will likely continue as long as people dive, perhaps because the sport attracts such a diverse group of people. Anyone attempting to answer the "Is scuba diving dangerous?" question will almost certainly be looking at the question from one particularly biased point of view.

For example, a manufacturer of scuba gear would respond "Yes" but add a caveat "proper training and high quality equipment are required for safe diving."

A dive school, seeking to gain new customers would also answer "Yes" but go on to emphasize that anyone undertaking a course must be in good health and must follow the instructor's direction at all times.

A doctor experienced in treating dive accident victims, might respond "No", scuba is not safe and that "you dive at your own risk." An accident victim or their family may respond likewise.

A non-profit agency like the Divers Alert Network (DAN) might not respond directly but instead emphasize the importance of continuing research to understand the nature and causes of diving accidents, and on how to make the sport safer.

The comprehensive data collecting methods of the Divers Alert Network assure that most, if not all, scuba diving deaths and serious accidents are reported to it. According to DAN, about 100 North Americans die while scuba diving each year. A large percentage of these deaths occurred when divers exceeded recreational guidelines, such as: diving deeper or longer than called for by dive tables; entering wrecks or caves without proper training or equipment; diving with medical illnesses which should have prohibited the dive.

In addition, DAN receives notice of approximately a thousand non-fatal diving injuries each year. Based on this information, scuba diving must be considered to present a finite, albeit small, danger to those who participate.

Therefore, in the context of millions of recreational dives a year, the incidence of diving accidents and deaths is considered very small.

Comparing the amount of risk with other adventure sports (e.g., mountain climbing, snow skiing, bicycle riding) is difficult, if not impossible, for two reasons: 1) the true number of people actually participating in any popular sport is unknown, as is the frequency of their activity; and, 2) the nature of accidents varies from sport to sport, and any given injury can affect the victim to a varying (and unpredictable) degree. For example, breaking a leg on the ski slopes or suffering a concussion while bike riding cannot be meaningfully compared with a non-fatal case of the bends.

Similarly, comparing risks of scuba diving with essential but risky activities like driving a car is also difficult, since the number of miles driven, the type of driving, etc., are all unknown variables.

Anyone engaging in scuba diving must accept that the sport presents certain risks that aren't present if you simply, stayed at home watching TV. Accepting this fact, the diver should understand that risks can be significantly minimized by such common sense steps as obtaining proper training, diving in good health, staying physically fit, adhering to established dive tables, and not participating in dives that exceed the limits of the individual's training.

At the end of the day it is up to the individual, through proper training and diving common sense, to minimize the risks to themselves.

Buying Dive Gear.

It isn't worth buying diving gear prior to taking your first course for a couple of reasons, firstly - there's the (small) chance that you may not feel that diving is a sport for you after all, and secondly, you won't have had any practical experience using different types of equipment and therefore won't really know what suits you best. Trying on a mask in a shop is very different to wearing a mask for 30 minutes underwater.

Diving is an equipment intensive sport. Unlike jogging or soccer - where all that are needed are shorts, t-shirt, socks and the appropriate footwear, diving requires a variety of specialised equipment. It's important that although a lot of equipment is required, it is all necessary in order to dive safely. Each item was developed to perform a specific function.

Owning your own equipment will enhance your enjoyment of the sport. Of course you will always be able to rent equipment no matter where you choose to dive, but do you really want to rely on much-used rental equipment for your personal safety and enjoyment of diving?

The best way to ensure that gear fits and is comfortable is to use your own. You will know how to operate it properly and will have looked after it responsibly. You will know the condition of your gear, where it has been, and who has been using it. That familiarity contributes to the highest level of safety, which in turn gives you peace of mind when underwater.

A basic set of equipment would include a mask, snorkel and fins. All enthusiastic snorkellers probably own this gear already. Divers who have completed their Open Water course will probably be looking to add a Regulator and Buoyancy Compensator to the basic equipment. A wrist worn Dive Computer is a very handy piece of equipment to have when diving in unfamiliar waters. Wetsuits come in all styles - some suitable for cold water diving others for warm water such as those found off Koh Chang. . Unless you know where you will be doing most of your diving a wetsuit probably isn't a necessary purchase as dive shops will rent suits to fit the local waters. Fit and comfort , and not fashion, are the main criteria you should use when selecting gear.

You will find the process of buying dive gear is fun, adds to your knowledge of diving and also ensures that the gear you dive with does what you want it to do the way you want it to. Owning dive gear also marks you out as a serious diver and motivates you to dive more often . . . . . which can only be a good thing!

Now let's look at each piece of kit in more detail.

- Mask
- Snorkel
- Fins
- Regulator
- Buoyancy Compensation Device (BCD)
- Wetsuit
- Dive Computer

Recognising a good instructor when you meet one.

In the good old days training was conducted in a military manner. Barked orders and stern reprimands were the methodology of the day. Thankfully a more laid back approach to training is now pervasive. However, an instructor who is the life and soul of the party and the student's best friend may not be doing their job either. How do you identify a good instructor? Your real focus should be on teaching ability and style. Here's some pointers on what to look for:-

People skills.
The first thing that you should find is that your instructor is easy to speak to. You should feel comfortable asking questions. A good teacher won't spend classroom time standing still, reading notes. They will interact with the trainees and make eye contact. They should be patient with "dumb" questions and clumsy performance.

Individual attention.
Ask how the instructor will handle it if you have problems learning a task. They should understand that people learn at different rates and should offer to spend extra time if it's required to master a skill. If they reply to by saying "Don't worry, you won't have any problems." Then they're letting their ego get in the way.

Empathy.
The good instructor understands that it's reasonable for new students to have some fears - whether they are justified or not and will reassure them rather than heightens fears by telling 'war stories' about terrors of the deep. Anyone instructor who peppers his conversations with anecdotes of this nature is again more interested in his ego than in you.

Experience.
Good teachers are not made in a day. For how many years has he been an instructor? An assistant instructor? A divemaster? A diver? Does your instructor seem to teach from his own experiences or does he regurgitate the course manual?

Organization.
The class should keep moving without irrelevant digression. The instructor should be following a lesson plan which is fun but structured. The aims and objectives of which should be clear to you at the start and finish of each classroom session.

Punctuality.
The instructor should show up on time and prepared to start the class. He should end on time too, and not early. Avoid any instructor who appears to over enjoy partying. Nothing should be more important to them than teaching you skills on which your life will depend and for which you are paying them to teach.

The following are also worth enquiring about when considering which dive school you should choose:-

Class size.
How many students per instructor will there be on your course. A maximum of 6-8 is plenty. Any more, you may spend too much time hanging around, waiting and receive too little individual attention.

An assistant instructor.
If the class is large will there be an assistant instructor on hand to help out without holding up the class?

Lots of water time.
You learn by doing, not by reading about it. Make sure you check that an Open Water Diver course contains the PADI required four open-water dives. It's also well worth finding out where you will be diving, are the four dives in the same location? Or are they in different dive sites?

A fair price.
How much does it cost, and are there any extras such as purchasing PADI manuals etc.? Price shouldn't be your primary concern (you'll find most dive schools offer similar prices), but one course may be cheaper than another. However, if you have any doubts about the instructor or the school then taking a cheaper course to save a few hundred baht is definitely a false economy. An excellent instructor and enjoyable diving experience are always worth the price.

Topics covered in the PADI Open Water Diver course.

This article lists the topics that you will cover during the classroom portion of your course. During your course you'll be given access to the course manual. As the cost of manuals is quite high, over 1,500 Baht - they aren't included in the cost of dive courses by the dive schools on Koh Chang. The same applies to accompanying videos and VCDs/DVDs which you'll have access to at the dive school but will have to pay extra for if you require your own.
You'll notice that the manual is divided into five chapters. Each chapter contains it's own exercises and 'Knowledge Review' questions, pay attention to these questions as there is a final exam and the format and questions are very similar to that of the Knowledge Reviews in the manual.

Chapter 1
- The Underwater World
- Diving Equipment
- Scuba Systems
- The Buddy System
- Confined Water Training Preview

Chapter 2
- Adapting to the Underwater World
- Respiration
- Diving Equipment
- Diving Communications
- Buddy System Procedures
- Confined Water Training Preview

Chapter 3
- The Diving Environment
- Dive Planning
- Boat Diving Procedures
- Problem Management
- Confined Water Training Preview
- General Open Water Skills
- Open Water Training Preview

Chapter 4
- Accessory Diving Equipment
- Health for Diving
- Breathing Air at Depth
- Dive Tables Introduction
- Using the Recreational Dive Planner - Wheel booklet
- Complete Sample Problems and Exercise Questions using the Wheel
- Confined Water Training Preview

Chapter 5
- Recreational Dive Planner Special
- Circumstances
- Finding Minimum Surface Interval - Complete Sample Problems and Exercise Questions
- Dive Tables Definitions Review
- Basic Compass Navigation
- Confined Water Training Preview
- Open Water Training Preview
- Continuing Education
- Epilogue
- Summary of Diving Safety Practices

Now you’re ready for your final review session. You'll find that classroom sessions are often alternated with practical confined and open water training to allow for more variation during the course.

Some dive schools hold part of the classroom training on the dive boat itself. This can serve two purposes, it fills the time spent getting to the dive sites and also cuts down on the time taken to complete the course.

Contact Us : info@divekohchang.com