So there are 3 options for diving beginners:

1. Discover Scuba Diving
2. PADI Scuba Diver Course
3. PADI Open Water Course.

How should you decide which option is best for you?

First, consider the amount of time you have available. For example, if you only have one free day, then the choice is easy – Discover Scuba Diving is for you. With Discover Scuba Diving, you will get to experience diving at the beautiful sites we have accessible in Krabi, with less intense classroom work than would be required for a dive course. However, keep in mind that Discover Scuba Diving will not earn you a scuba diving certification.

If you have more than just one day available, then consider if you want to get certified. If you are already comfortable in the water, enjoy activities like snorkeling, and are intrigued by the beauty that you can see underwater – then probably it makes sense to jump straight into a certification course. We would recommend the PADI Open Water Course (more on why, below).

The advantage of having a scuba diving certification is that you will be able to go on “fun diving” trips in the future without having to learn any additional theory with an instructor. Without a certification, you will be paying more money and devoting more time if you want to dive again. So, you can consider a certification course to be a good investment for your future diving adventures.

If you are a little nervous in the water, you can still opt for a certification course. We strive to teach with a high level of patience to slowly build your confidence. However, keep in mind that you must pass some basic swim and float tests in order to get a scuba diving certification. If you are concerned about your basic swimming ability, it would be better to improve your swimming skills before attempting a scuba diving course.

Lastly, here is one final note about the 2-day PADI Scuba Diver Course versus the 3-day PADI Open Water Course. As mentioned earlier, we would always recommend going for the 3-day PADI Open Water Course as a beginner diving certification. That is because it is a more useful certification than PADI Scuba Diver. As a PADI Open Water Diver, you can at any time continue your dive education by taking the next-level PADI Advanced Course. As a PADI Scuba Diver, you would have to upgrade to Open Water Diver before doing so. Also, as an Open Water Diver you will have more freedom underwater. You can dive to 18 meters depth, as opposed to 12 meters for Scuba Diver, and you can dive as a buddy team without necessarily needing a dive professional to accompany you. However, if limited time is a consideration and/or you are building up your confidence in-water, then the PADI Scuba Diver certification could be a perfectly acceptable choice.

This is a common question from diving beginners. The short answer is “not necessarily” if you are doing the one-day Discover Scuba Diving experience, but “Yes” if you are taking a PADI certification course. However, in each of these cases some more details are helpful.

Let’s start with Discover Scuba Diving, the one day program that will let you experience diving without any certification. According to PADI standards, it is not a requirement to be able to swim to participate in Discover Scuba Diving. Also per PADI standards, your instructor will maintain the highest level of care and supervision, always within arm’s reach and certainly never leaving you alone.

However, despite the high level of care, the reality is that most of the time it will be a challenge for a non-swimmer to try diving straight into the ocean. We all know that ocean conditions can be unpredictable. More often than not, it is initially overwhelming for anyone who is not generally comfortable in water. Therefore, we require all Discover Scuba Diving participants who cannot swim to complete a pool training session before going diving in the ocean. Practicing skills in a controlled environment will allow your instructor to evaluate if it will be safe to take you diving in the ocean.

Now that we know about Discover Scuba Diving, what about the PADI certification courses? With each certification course, PADI standards specify stricter requirements with regard to swimming ability. For the PADI Open Water Course, you must either complete a 200 meter swim test with no swimming aids, or 300 meter swim test using mask, snorkel, and fins. You also must be able to float or tread water for 10 minutes continuously. For the PADI Scuba Diver Course, there is no formal swim test, however you must be able to float or tread water for 10 minutes.

In conclusion, swimming ability and general comfort in the water will make diving a lot easier for you. If you have your sights set on completing a PADI certification course, but you are not confident about your swimming ability, it would be best to improve before starting your dive training. However, if you just want to try diving without getting certified, then you can do the Discover Scuba Diving program with a pool training session prior to trying in the ocean.

Not necessarily. For the Discover Scuba Diving program, we can take you diving straight into the ocean. First, you must complete the theory session and a few basic skills in shallow water. Since during the skills session we maintain complete control in shallow water using a buoy line, pool practice beforehand is not necessary. However, as mentioned previously, if you cannot swim then we would ask you to complete a pool training session prior to ocean diving. That would also be a great option if you are feeling overly nervous. In the pool, you will get the chance to practice the basic skills in a controlled environment, so you will be more comfortable in the ocean later on.

However, for the other PADI courses – Open Water Course and Scuba Diver Course – there is a confined water training requirement that we complete in a pool. It would technically also be possible in a shallow, protected natural body of water like a bay. A more thorough confined water training is necessary because you will train to a much higher level than in Discover Scuba Diving. If we do not thoroughly practice all skills in confined water, then we may put ourselves in danger when trying those skills in deeper ocean water.