Learning to dive in Malaysia

[Liz83]

My partner and I will be spending a month in Malaysia this year and we are keen to do the Open Water course while we are there. Ideally we would love to do our classroom and pool sessions in KL (or even classroom work online) and then go to one of the islands like Redang or Tioman to do the open water dives. We will be spending a fair amount of time in KL as we have family there, and don't really want to waste our "holiday" time on the islands sitting in a classroom and diving in a hotel pool. Does anyone know of a diving school that could help us do it that way?

Also, later in our trip, after we are certified, we are thinking of going to Mabul/Sipadan to dive. Would the dive operators there allow us to dive Sipadan having only just completed the course?

 

[Zippsy]

Also, later in our trip, after we are certified, we are thinking of going to Mabul/Sipadan to dive. Would the dive operators there allow us to dive Sipadan having only just completed the course?

Would they allow you? Yes. Should you? No, IMHO. You won't appreciate it. You'll be taking the space of someone that will. And, I'm making a educated guess here, you'll probably not have enough skills to avoid damaging to a pretty delicate and famous mecca of diving.

B&J Diving from Tioman is a good place with a good reputation that should be able to help you.

 

[honeybanny]

I am agree with Zippsy,

yes maybe they let you dive but I am also not sure if you are experience enough to enjoy this amazing divesites. But you wrote you will be a month in Malaysia if you spend all this time with diving around Tioman (Yes B&J Diving is a very good adress) maybe it would be okay. With PADI you are able to do all the theory online, just go on there webpage and start. If wish you a great trip and some amazing dives.

 

[randytay]

Or contact the instructor from www.rainbowreefdivers.com and see if he can come to KL and teach you. I guarantee if you train with him, you won't have any issues destroying any delicate reefs anywhere, provided you pass and get your certification.

 

[iDreamOfBubbles]

My son and I were certified in Tioman in August. We dove with Tioman Dive Centre, who I can fully recommend (Sammy was great).

 

[MALAYSIANNARCO]

Hello Liz83.. i hope it is still not to late to reply to your posting here.

Scuba lesson in KL: Worry not as there are many centers and scuba instructors in KL that you can engage with. Even better, among the best place for you to shop for your scuba gears are in KL as well (you might want to at least buy your personal gear like mask and fins. The rest you may rent from the places you are diving with). Take you time to scheck em out and do your lesson with an instructor that you are comfortable with. You would want to have the lesson to be conducted as comfortable as it should be. After all, diving is all about fun and i believe it should start as early as from the first class that you are attending.

Diving in Sipadan: Yep, they would allow you to do so. My wife was certified in Mabul (the island most Sipadan goers would stay) and did her sipadan dive a day after certification. Some dive resort will assign a divemaster just to especially take care of the new divers. Don't be shy, just tell them that you might need some assistance and reputable resorts operators will be happy to assist you on that.

Diving in Redang or Tioman: Just a note, the weather is quite unpredictable as for now. This is considered early season for us in Malaysia. The high season should be starting in mid april till october. My suggestion, plan to visit Redang/Tioman from mid april onwards to avoid disappointment. You don't want to be there with all your gears but unable to proceed for your dives due to heavy rain and storm. If you are looking for beautiful white sandy beaches, then Redang is the place. I've never been to Tioman, so i cant give any comment.

All the best and i hope you will have a beautiful holiday.