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magpie
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I will be spending 10 days on phuket in early april and would love to finally do my PADI open water.
Some questions.
- am I better doing the course in Phuket or Phi Phi?
- can anyone recommend any courses in phuket (especially out of patong) ?
- is it better to do a 3 day or a 4 day course? (3 days seems to make more sense from a time management point of view).
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:47 pm on Mar. 11, 2008
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visitingbkk
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One thing to know is that your are catching the end of the high season....the waters around there can start getting really nasty: strong currents, poor viz, etc.
You never know your luck, as I have been diving there in april with great water...other times, you could not get in due to currents.
Arguably the best place to do your OW is Ko Tao... cheapest in the region, water is really easy to dive, etc. If not, get a shop in Phuket not Pi Pi. I cannot recommend one over the other...they are all pretty much the same to me. It all depends on the instructor....there are some good ones, but most are just trying to get in/out as many as they can. Go to many shops, talk to the teacher and get a feel for them. Then decide who to go for.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 6:58 pm on Mar. 11, 2008
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black cats
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Yes I would just walk into a dive shop in Patong and make inquiries. It would be a good idea to have the PADI (if that's who you are using) book already read and questions completed.
Additionally you may want to rethink the 3-4 days thing. If you can't afford one extra day then you may not be ready. Dive plans do have to be scrapped sometimes, so you need to be able to spare the time for that eventuality. It would be a pity not to complete the training and forfeit the cost because the water was too rough to go out one day.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:06 pm on Mar. 11, 2008
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ColoradoGuy
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Ahh, scuba diving and muff diving, they go hand in hand. 
Lots of dive ops on Koh Tao, some good, some bad. If you go to Koh Tao, I would use Black Tip Diving in Tanote Bay. They are on the "quiet side" (to say the least) of the island. Dew got certified there, and she's still alive (I think) so they must be good.  Seriously, these guys are great! This is where I would go. There are a handful of beer bars on Koh Tao, you can get laid there.
In the Andaman, in my opinion, Phi Phi is the better spot for an open water course. Dive shops galore, cheaper prices, etc. But your room will be more expensive that Phuket (for same quality accommodations) and you won't be f***ing TGs there. From Phuket, you will have a much, much longer boat ride to dive sites, and it will be more expensive, but you have the benefit of getting laid every day after your dive. If this is important to you - and it should be or you wouldn't be asking the question on this forum - then Patong is a better choice.
If you are in Patong, blackcats is right about the number of days being variable because a trip might get canceled. This is highly unlikely on Phi Phi or Koh Tao because dive sites are close. If you are going to Phi Phi or Phuket, I would not make arrangements ahead of time, I would walk into dive ops and inquire. This is because there is tremendous benefit by you being the only student in the class, or having only one other person. Your instruction will then go at your pace, breezing through skills that are easy for you, and spending time on things you don't do right the first time. Being in a class of 4-5 is the very worst way to do this, so by showing up and asking "if I start tomorrow, how many will be in the class?" is the best way to find someone who will give you individual attention. Also, if you have a preference for a "nationality" of the instructor, you will be able to choose. You should learn this sport from someone whose native language is the same as yours.
Finally, all this said, the best option for this is to do the classroom and pool work in your own country (or in Bangkok!) then do the two days of diving in the Andaman or Koh Tao.
Here is a great resource for informed opinions on this matter: http://www.scubaboard.com
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 8:30 pm on Mar. 11, 2008
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magpie
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thanks for some really good advice :)
unfortunately koh tao is not an option this year.
as I will be in phuket for 4 or 5 days before the course that will give me time for some good reconnaissance first so I can select the right dive shop.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 3:21 am on Mar. 12, 2008
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visitingbkk
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Quote: from black cats on 10:21 am on Mar. 12, 2008
you may want to rethink the 3-4 days thing. If you can't afford one extra day then you may not be ready.
Remember what PADI it stands for:
Put Another Dollar In
You can do the course in 2 days IF you do it right and the dive shop is willing. Sometime shops "requests" you buy the materials from them as part of the course. The coursework is easy as is the confirmed water parts.
The main variable is the open water portion. If the water is not too bad, there are some protected areas off Phuket that can serve as "open water" but not be of too much danger to you.
Getting the reading done before is a good idea. I cannot remember if PADI requires the questions to be done in class or not but you could always written them on a separate sheet of paper. It is not rocket science so should not take too long.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:33 am on Mar. 12, 2008
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atl
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Ok,
I am secure enough in my manhood to admit I pussied out of my dive tour in Cancun, Mexico....did the prep course fine but out in the sea got claustrophobic....
It didnt help my buddy and I went with the low-budget dive tour and my tank line was obviously leaking...it was group of about 30 people and me and another guy pretty much sat on the boat and adjusted our tampons while everyone else swam in the beautiful sea...
I will say that and Sky-Diving are two activities you dont want to go the cheap route on 
enjoy your trip mags...and if you stay at Baanlaimai I hope it works out for ya!!!
atl
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:19 am on Mar. 12, 2008
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ColoradoGuy
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I have seen a number of people give up the sport because of incompetent instruction or dive ops. Again, I think that best way is to do it is pool work and classroom work at your home country or in Bangkok.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 3:41 pm on Mar. 12, 2008
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magpie
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thanks for all the advice above... I shopped around and in the end chose Sunrise Divers... quality shop.... english instructors... new equipment.
They are on the beach road just near Sala Thai hotel
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 4:44 am on April 22, 2008
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black cats
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So you have done the course, are doing or will do? Hope it works out.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 5:54 am on April 22, 2008
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