LEARNING TO DIVE IN PHUKET’S PERFECT REEF’S SHOULD START WITH A PERFECT POOL TOO.

When people decide they want to learn scuba diving in phuket they do so to enable them to dive in the warm tropical waters with nice colourful reefs. Here in phuket thailand there are many dive centers phuket and most use shared pools which tend to get dirty and crowded. Here at Thailand Divers we think that the pool training should be in a setting to match the diving in the oceans. When people are looking for things to do in phuket they are expecting the best.

In phuket scuba diving is what many people think about, research and plan for months in advance. Then they turn up to a dirty crowded pool some on busy streets with on lookers staring in. This is not the best conditions to to learn in.  What you need is quiet location in very small groups so you can get personal instruction in a relaxed enviroment.   Open water courses in a nice quiet pool in relaxed surroundings right next to the classroom. are perfect.  When learning to dive the setting makes all the difference between a standard course and a perfect, relaxed enjoyable course.  If you choose to do the PADI open water course phuket or open water course similans, that initial session underwater makes all thi difference.  At Thailand Divers when you choose to learn to dive in phuket thailand you did so you could dive in a warm clear tropical setting. You want a nice warm , clean, uncrowded open air pool well away from the crowds and dirty street side pools. The beauty of scuba  diving in phuket  is the great reefs, warm clear water and that should apply when learning to the pool too.

The Open Water Course phuket will get you out in the beautiful Andaman ocean in the warm clear waters. The diving in phuket thailand is really some of the best in the world when it comes to learning as there is so much to see and the conditions are great for most of the year. So why will you choose to learn to dive in some of the best locations there are and then do the training in a very average pool with a crowd of others and when the water is far worse than you will get in the ocean. If you took the time to pick the perfect location, the correct dive center with the best instructors then why not make sure the pool is of the same standards and in the same settings. After all the pool is where you will get your first experience underwater. The pool is where you will learn all the skills and if the pool is or poor condition then how can the initial training be perfect too?

Here at Thailand Divers we are lucky enough to have the best settings to dive in as we have the amazing Andaman ocean. We have great instructors who are here all year round and have been teaching in phuket thailand for many years so know the waters better than any. We as the top of the padi dive centers phuketl have been here for 14 years so again more experienced than most. So when you decide to come to phuket scuba diving then there really is no better location to begin your scuba diving adventure and as the first step is in the pool than that must be as perfect as the diving you are about to do. So come to paradise and join the best by learning scuba diving in phuket.

Amazing Diving with Thailand Divers in Phuket Thailand All year Round

The best thing about the wonderful island of phuket thailand is the fact the conditions are great all year round. Even when in phuket scuba diving in green or low season the conditions underwater are very good most days as there are dive sites are so varied that what ever the conditions then there are always well protected sites. So when diving in phuket no matter what time of year as long as you have a good experienced guide and are diving with a good dive center then you can be sure to have a good days diving.

The things to look for are a dive center like Thailand Divers that has been around for many years (14 years) and one that has instructors that live on the island all year round and have again been here for many years. Any gap year student that many dive centers use can have a good dive in phuket thailand in high season when conditions are perfect everyday. The things that make a good instructor are people who can still provide a good dive all year round. The only way to do that is to have instructors who have had several years diving in green season.

For many of the better instructors that live on phuket scuba diving in green or low season provides better diving. There are less people and less boats to disturb the more shy marine creatures.  Then their skills becomes evident as they are the ones who are finding the less common creatures. They are the people who have avoided any currents and have had a great days diving.

The dive sites in phuket thailand like Racha Noi and Racha Yai are perfectly alined so no matter from what direction the weather comes from there are dive sites available that offer flat water, minimal currents and lots of varied marine life.

We have racha Noi which is an uninhabited islands to the south of Phuket. Its a long thin island with several bays on both sides. The bays are white sandy bays with hard coral throughout the bay. The vizability is normally 20 - 30 meters as as the bays are nice sloping reef its makes for ideal snorkeling too. This is normally done with racha Yai which again is nice sloping bays and quitte a lot of artificial reef in Bay one. There are also 4 wrecks there too all put there for divers. Three are easy to get to for open water certified divers and the third is for advanced (with deep specialty).  This is also the island where you can see a few unusual things like elephants, or a temple, motorbike too.

Phi Phi is a great location for both photos of the islands and for diving too. Phi Phi Ley is the location for the movie the Beach so always good for a few photos.  The west coast of Phi Phi is really the best as there is something for all. There are black tip reef sharks, leopard sharks and Hawks Bill turtles on may of the west coats dive sites.  The east side is nice and relaxing place to dive during monsoon season as the huge cliffs of Phi phi keep the vizability good and the sites well protected from the weather.

The dive sites of King Cuuiser, Shark Point and Anemone reef can be harder to get to if there are squalls. The reason for this is that the areas to drop on are smaller and if the wind is high then its harder for the boats to stay on the site. The tactic is normally drop a few groups who will go under fairly fast to get out of the waves. The boat will then circle round and drop the next few groups and the same again. This is actually very good as the dive groups are well spread out. Once under the water the colours are amazing. lots of soft corals, big sea fans sea horses and leopard sharks. This is  great place to explore with a camera as there is so much to see. You can dive here several days and still find new things with every dive.

So as you can see scuba diving in phuket is amazing all year round. The other good advantage of the low or green season is the cost of flights and hotels which means you can then justify another days diving or to to a PADI course. Either get yourself certified or progress to an advance diver. May be take the underwater photography course or become a wreck diver. Its all here waiting for you and as mentioned before the conditions are good in phuket thailand all year round.

What is Songkran and How its Changed Over The Years

Every year many tourists literally flood to phuket thailand as well as many other locations for Songkran.  All they know is its a big water fight. But why??  Yes in April its hot and almost the end of the "high" season and the rains are due back soon. its fun to have a water fight. But why??  There are plenty of other ways to cool off when in phuket scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing to name but a few. So why a country wide water fight. Even that not quite true as now the water fights have spread across the boarders to Laos, Vietnam too and spreading further each year. Well for those of you who come to phuket thailand each year for a good soaking here is a bit more information on the worlds biggest water fight.

Deriving from the Sanskrit language, the word Songkran means to pass or to move into. In this context, the meaning implies to the passing and the moving of the sun, the moon and the other planets into one of the zodiacal orbits. And the Grand Songkran Festival which falls in Aries indicates the new era of the Thai New Year. Owing to the ancient Indian belief, the Grand Songkran Festival is most appropriate to be the Thai New Year due to the timing of the best season which is known as the spring of India which comes right after the cold season of winter. Also, there are other aspects supporting this belief such as blooming flowers, the fresh atmosphere of nature and the livelihood of all living creatures.

With the great influence from the Indians, the Songkran Festival portrays the typical ways of life of the Thais which involve the agricultural aspects. Free from their regular routine work, the Thai citizens will find time to perform their annual rites of showing respect to their ancestors. The highlight of the festival will include the younger Thais paying respect to their elders by sprinkling their hands with scented water. And in order to welcome the New Year, the celebration will include the delightful colourful local entertainment, which in fact, suitably unites the mutual relationship between members of the family, society, nature and the surroundings. Therefore, this Songkran Festival has proved to be the most important and grandest festival of the year. Moreover, our neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Lao PDR. have also organised this type of festival.

During the Sukhothai period, the Songkran Festival was practised both in the royal court palace and among the ordinary citizens. However, the size of the celebration was not as elaborate as of today. Back in those days, civil servants and other government officials would pay homage to the king, and would drink the oath of allegiance to the king or the government, while the king would provide an annual salary to all officials. Later on in the Ayutthaya period, the festival was expanded by including the bathing of the Buddha image.
Also, the festivities would include the forming of sand pagodas and entertaining celebrations.

Nowadays Thai's will walk the streets having 'water fights' using containers of water or water guns, or stand at the side of roads with a hose and soak any one who passes by.

You may also get covered in chalk, a custom originating from the chalk used by monks to mark blessings. This combination of water and powder is almost identical to the celebrations of Holi, and indeed, it maybe that the customs originated in India as certainly Songkran is celebrated more widely and longer in the Northern part of Thailand.

Even more interesting is that the custom of water fights pops up in a distant place at the same time of year. Dyngus Day is celebrated on Easter Monday in Poland, and on the Monday the custom is that boys get to soak girls with water, but on the Tuesday, the girls get to throw crockery at the boys - again the water and powder combination.

                            As mentioned, Songkran is a Spring Cleaning Day, both physically and spiritually. On the physical side, in addition to cleaning other customs are that anything old and useless must be thrown away or else it will bring bad luck to the owner. On the spiritual side, some people make New Year resolutions.

So as you can see that this festival that draws such a large number of people to phuket thailand each year is not a new thing at all. It still has its original meaning of out with the old and wash away all mistakes of the past year. its a time for blessings and new starts.

 But like all things over the years it changes. We still have the days for the  temples and family  but the water side has become a bit more popular. Now its a time for a street party lasting 2 or more days and the blessings can be done en-mass with the aid of water guns and hoses to all within range or the water gun.  You will find every shop, bar hotel will have water bins to refill your water gun. The water delivery trucks are on 48 hour shifts to keep everyone fully armed for as long as possible.

The best way these days to have fun is to walk everywhere as the roads can be a bit  of a hazard with people blessing anyone who passes. On a motorbike for the less experienced can be a bit risky. Decide on where you ant to be  for the festival and stay close by.  Do not expect to stay dry. If you step outside you will get wet and just saying no will make you a bigger target. Even scuba diving in phuket takes a day or two off with most if not all dive centers and boat crews have a day off. If you are planning a trip to phuket scuba diving then please remember that during Songkran you will not even need to go as far as the sea to get soaked. So to all that will be in phuket thailand happy Songkran and to those of you that have never been. Well people say Songkran in Patong make the carnival in Rio look like a village fete so hope to see you all in phuket thailand for Songkran next year.

What is it That Makes Night Dives so Mysterious??

What is it That Makes Night Dives so Mysterious??

I dont know about you but for me I always dreaded night dives. I dont know why but since I started diving in phuket all that changed.  I dont know if it the stunning sunsets that we get here in phuket thailand. The fact that the sea during the day is so crystal clear you can see the bottom 30 meters below but as soon as the sun gets low and the shadows lengthen. The sea becomes looks black like oil. Its the mystery of not knowing what you are plunging into.  What are you going to see. In the day time you can see whats below and have a good idea what you are going to see. But at night, in your mind you could be anywhere exploring strange new waters for the first time.

phuket scuba diving trips are mostly day trips so the chances are small to find a boat running night dives. However when on a live aboard not only do you get 4 dives per day but you get the chance to be the first in the water at sun rise and be the last to surface long after the sun has gone down.
The sense that you have no idea just what you may come across or what may be behind you just feet away and you cant see it. That is what is so great about spending a few nights on a live aboard. You get the chance to be the first in the water at sunrise and the last out on the night dive and you get to see all in between.

Phuket thailand has so much more to see underwater at night that so many divers miss. There is just as much at night as there is in the day. So when planing a few days in phuket scuba diving then it really is worth checking out the liveaboard option. No hotel transfers before and after diving, relax in your cabin between dives and most of all see all the night creatures that all the other divers miss. scuba diving in phuket is so much more than the popular day trips that all divers do at some point. Now its time to see all the things that everyone else does not see.