Thailand is known as having some of the world’s best diving and scuba divers come from all over the world to enjoy it. Others arrive first in Bangkok and while on vacation or living here, take scuba diving lessons so they’ll be ready for their Thailand beach vacation. Bangkok has a number of excellent scuba diving schools, where lessons are offered for everyone from beginners to instructor level, but these are three of the best.
Planet Scuba – One of the largest scuba diving schools in Thailand, Planet Scuba has full service dive centers in Bangkok, Koh Samui and Koh Tao. Planet Scuba has been in existence for more than 20 years and is PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certified. They teach everything from beginner classes to open water diving, adventure diving to PADI Divemaster courses.
The Bangkok dive center has an on-site pool and a fully stocked equipment showroom, where you can learn all about diving equipment and what you’ll need if you’re going to take it seriously. You’ll start off in the pool, to learn the basics, then after enough practice you’ll be taken out for open water dives, to really get some great experience.
Call Planet Scuba at (66) 2 2614412-3 or check out their website.
Innovative Diver – A 5-star PADI dive center Innovative Diver offers courses from beginner to instructor level. They also run 2-5 day diving trips to the Gulf of Thailand, the Andaman Ocean and even international trips.
At Innovative Diver, you can take a basic Discover Scuba Diving, where you’ll learn how to breath underwater and basic diving and safety skills. Or why not try an Advanced Open Water course, if you’re more experienced, to build your scuba skills even more. Innovative Diver even runs a course on Digital Underwater Photography, for those who are camera buffs.
You’ll find Innovative Diver near the Victory Monument sky train station.
For more information, their website has all their courses listed as well as prices. Basic courses begin at only 4,000 baht or $125. Or call them at (66) 2 245 3063.
Bangkok Dive – A smaller dive center in Bangkok, runs a PADI dive course that will give you experience in both pool and open water diving.
The course is 9.900 baht ($300) for several days instruction, and includes classroom time and all materials, pool dives, four open water dives over two days, diving equipment, lunch while you’re on the road for your open water dives and PADI certified card.
Bangkok Dive is small and friendly and you’ll get a lot of individual attention. See their website for details or call at (66) 1 810 7889.
Photo copyright – Ilse Reijs and Jan-Noud Hutten, Creative Commons
