Best place to get DM cert?

[cdninkorea]

Hello all!

I have recently got my AOW and I will get my Rescue cert soon. I am interested in getting my DiveMaster cert and would like some independant and intelligent opinions on a good place to get it somewhere in SE Asia, preferably Thailand but I plan to travel the area for a few months this fall so feel free to suggest anywhere you know of. Web sites or contact emails would be appreciated as well.

Thanks

Dave=-)

 

[drbill]

I have heard some say that DM certs from Thailand are not considered good by some. I must admit some of the diving ops I observed in Thailand were substandard, but with a good instructor you can get a good certification anywhere and with any agency (yes, even PADI).

It would be interesting to hear what some of the pros say about this.

Dr. Bill

 

[Corregidor]

I like two outfits in the Philippines: Sea Explorers and Seaquest Divers. This year I'm going for Divemaster with Sea Explorers at Alona Beach on Panglao Island, Bohol.

Sea Explorers is owned by a Swiss guy. Chris Heim. They have six locations - Dumaguete (Negros), Siquijor, Alona Beach, Malapascua (Cebu), Moalboal (Cebu), and Cabilao (Bohol). I've been to five of those spots and I like Alona Beach the best.

Seaquest Divers is owned by a Dutch guy, B. J. Shaap. He's got two locations - Moalboal and Alona. I dove with him twice and enjoyed it very much.

www.sea-explorers.com/e/index.html
www.seaquestdivecenter.com

Jim

 

[cdninkorea]

Thanks for the tips on the Philippines and I'm considering them. What I want to know more about is Thailand though, especially places that can offer some good out of water activities as well as good diving. Any suggestions for the Philippines or elsewhere in SE Asia will be taken into consideration. Thanks

Dave

 

[crazed_dolphin]

I've been told that training in Pattaya is ok but the diving isn't. As for thing to do in Pattaya......... :censor:

 

[Blue Kangaroo]

Hi Guys,

You are right about trainning in some parts of SE Asia - in fact training anywhere the instructors and shops are under pressure to make the bucks can sometimes be very poor ! Beware - look at the shop / boats / instructors - do they look happy, in good order / well maintained etc etc (a well maintained instructor is vital !!)-

I use to live on Phi Phi ( an Island in the anderman sea off Thailand - where the film "Beach" was made). I'm biased but I felt that we offered great Dm training and a very relaxed life style.

The outfit I worked with is Moskito Diving - they were the first shop on the island.

The diving is superb - so much to see.

I'm going back there to do another season in October.

If you fancy Phi Phi send me a message and I'll give you more information - be great to meet you and have you as a DM trainee.

all the best

Blue Kangaroo

 

[traceycaryline]

hi. ive just joined this site so my reply might come a little late but ive just spent the past couple of months on ko tao doing my dmt. i chose a small diveshop and my friend who came at the same time chose to do his dmt at bans and i would have to say if i chose again id probly choose bans. for the courses previous i would say a smaller diveshop is better but for the dmt the opportunities offered by a larger diveshop are really good. they expect alot from you and you do get pushed. if you want to slack off you can but if you are prepared to work hard you can get alot out of it. there are loads of instructors to get advice from and i think its good to assist with as many as you can to get an idea of how different people teach. you are also expected to be leading within the first couple of weeks which is scarey if you dont know the sites but also really good cos it pushes you into it.
there arent really many non diving related activities to do on ko tao and to be honest when i was out of the water with ear problems i was pretty ****ing bored.
anyway, hope this has been helpful
t

 

[Jamied6]

I did my rescue course in Koh Samui, Thailand and met a couple of fellas who were doing their DM courses at the time.

I had a Canadian instructor, and a French trainee DM who worked as my 'victim' throughout my course - the training he seemed to be getting was pretty good quality I think. He had taken 3 months out there to do it properly, and to amass well above the 60 dives you need to qualify.

Thailand is the sort of place you can live for 3 months without it costing you much, and I did my research and went with what is considered to be the best dive outfit on the island.

They were Easy Divers, based on Lamai Beach, but with other branches all over the island. Equipment and classrooms were first rate, as were the dive boats etc.

I'm doing my DM next month in Australia as part of my commercial diving training, but if I wasn't I'd definitely go back to Easy Divers to do it.

The only other place I can recommend is Sharm el Sheik on the Red Sea. I dived with the Ocean College there and their DM interns were excellent. Also Egypt is another cheap place to live while you train.

Hope this has been of some help.

James