Which is better, Aquanauts or Mermaids?

[lord khram]

LK... Over to you

I am not getting into any protracted arguments , my opinions and some of my experiences of Pattaya diving and the Dive industry here are well documented already. I have simply stated my observations and opinions based on living in the Pattaya area for a number of years, and over them years at some point having dived with most of the shops in the area. I hope the information I posted is of use. Also I would like to say contrerary to what has been stated I have dived with Mermaids on a number of occasions. Also most other things stated about me in post number 9 are also completely unfounded and are based on someones assumptions.

To avoid any arguments I have sent a PM to Globaltrailblazer with my recommendations regarding specific shops should he decide to do an internship in Pattaya.

Isnt it nice to see Aquanauts playing an active part in the forums after such a long absence.

 

[Thai_Diver]

If you come to Pattaya, hang out with Lord Khram at the cheapest beer bars you can find and commiserate about how unfair the world is, then you're not going to do well.

I thought the cheapest beer bar on Beach Road was the one just around the corner from Soi 6 where most of the Aquanauts staff and owners can usually be found!

 

[lord khram]

I thought the cheapest beer bar on Beach Road was the one just around the corner from Soi 6 where most of the Aquanauts staff and owners can usually be found!

I am not too familliar with the bars in that area, I dont actually live in Pattaya and seldom drink in the city, I stay at Banamphur about 10km south beyond Jomtien. But I am aware that there are a lot of bars around Soi 6, and there is one right opposite Aquanauts shop that I certainly wouldnt want to be associated with, the staff that are always hanging around in the soi are really the strangest looking 'ladies' you have ever seen.
Maybe Bob could enlighten us on the bar situation? I dare say potential customers of Aquanauts would love to know

 

[watboy]

Its not like the andaman sea is crystal clear and still every hour of every day. There's plenty of challenging dives to be had there. I think the biggest hazard in pattaya is the endless fields of sea urchins. The only dive site around pattaya that warrants repeated diving in my opinion is the Harddeep. The other two wrecks get boring quickly.

I would suggest Kao Tao over Pattaya. There's a greater selection of good wreck dives (though Harddeep remains my fav), there's a variety of dive sites, it is most definitely not crystal clear and no current every day.

To be really blunt, I see absolutely no reason to spend extended time diving in Pattaya other than the unique offerings of the city that may appeal to some.

The reason I thought Pattaya looked good from an internship perspective is because of the variable visibility and strong currents. If you learn to manage yourself and dive and and navigate and learn all your rescue skills in a tougher environment then won't it make you a better diver? Learning how to navigate in lovely clear beautiful water would be lovely but its the times that it is less clear that navigation will be dificult and its the times that there are strong currents that there is more likley to be an emergency situation that you need to deal with.

Also with wreck diving, none of the dive schools down south that I have found even offer it as a specitality.

I know most people would not go there for a specific diving holiday. I'm not looking at going there for one. I want to learn.

I know that that most interns won't get a job in Pattaya, there are too many. Its ok I would not want to stay there long term. My aim is to use scuba diving as a way to cover basic costs while I stay and look around a country during my travels. Meremaids seemed to have a good job placement service on their website that had contacts in many countries.

Hope this clears up what I am thinking.
Thank you for all the responses so far.

Does that clear up my thinking any? I tried to make myself clear when I asked the question but I don't think I did a very good job

 

[Ex-Aquanaut]

Sorry LK, that bar has been closed for some time. But the ladyboys left a note here for you asking you to come back to them soon

I am not too familliar with the bars in that area, I dont actually live in Pattaya and seldom drink in the city, I stay at Banamphur about 10km south beyond Jomtien. But I am aware that there are a lot of bars around Soi 6, and there is one right opposite Aquanauts shop that I certainly wouldnt want to be associated with, the staff that are always hanging around in the soi are really the strangest looking 'ladies' you have ever seen.
Maybe Bob could enlighten us on the bar situation? I dare say potential customers of Aquanauts would love to know

 

[lord khram]

But the ladyboys left a note here for you asking you to come back to them soon

Oh, is that what they are?
like I said, I seldom drink in pattaya now, and haven't done for a number of years, but last time I drove down Soi 6 it looked like the bar you talk about was still open, and all the staff were in the street harrasing people right outside your shop. Maybe profits were down for them which forced them to close, if as thai Diver suggests you now all drink at a bar in the beach road?

 

[Thai_Diver]

If I were looking for a DC at which to take a diving internship I would probably avoid the ones that launch personal attacks against past customers on internet forums . If this is company policy I would suggest that you re-assess your marketing strategy asap.
Globaltrailblazer, if you are really set on continuing your diver education in Pattaya then maybe the alternative company that you have already mentioned would be the better option. Just my opinion.

 

[Griffo]

I've sometimes thought about "checking out" for six months, going to Thailand, and doing one of these internships to
a) better my ability diving
b) get certified up the wazoo
c) to dive the beautifull waters of Thailand for a couple of months

I have no intention of every "going pro" so have wondered if this an appropriate day dream or not.

 

[Buadhai]

I've sometimes thought about "checking out" for six months, going to Thailand, and doing one of these internships to
a) better my ability diving
b) get certified up the wazoo
c) to dive the beautifull waters of Thailand for a couple of months

I have no intention of every "going pro" so have wondered if this an appropriate day dream or not.

I think you should get a bunch more dive experience before you commit to an internship; especially one that locks you in to a single location for several months.

By all means, come to Thailand, enjoy the diving, take a few courses and try a live aboard or two. Decide on an internship after you have a few more dives in.

 

[watboy]

There's absolutely no need to commit to a single location or dive shop for 6 months. The desire to have everything planned out before you leave is truely unnecessary, and actually, against what "checking out" and relaxing in Thailand is all about. Its easy to move about the different parts of thailand to see what the local scene and diving is like, take a few fun dives or courses, then choose where to park your bum. I did that a few years back and ended up spending 6 months in Koh Lanta. I had no intention of going Pro, but took a DM course and internship to a) provide some structure to an otherwise bohemian lifestyle and b) Cheaper way to get a lot of dives. I did enjoy my DM course, and felt that it did make me become a better diver. But I think one could also done the same by taking say... a photography internship, or by taking lots of other courses interspersed with fun dives. Or tec diving / rebreather diving. There's plenty of dive sites, dive towns and dive shops to fill up 6 months without having to commit to a single DM internship.

I've sometimes thought about "checking out" for six months, going to Thailand, and doing one of these internships to
a) better my ability diving
b) get certified up the wazoo
c) to dive the beautifull waters of Thailand for a couple of months

I have no intention of every "going pro" so have wondered if this an appropriate day dream or not.