| Before you start searching for your perfect SCUBA | | | | leader, dive instructors and/or dive guides. Depending |
| diving holiday it is important to realise what it is that you | | | | on the location, you will either dive alone with your |
| are looking for. If you are an experienced diver then | | | | buddy or in a group with or without a dive guide. Diving |
| you probably know already what kind of diving you like | | | | with a dive guide has several advantages and has |
| the best. But if you have never dived before or you | | | | proven to be more than useful.Often you will dive |
| only dive once in a while than this is just the article for | | | | twice or three times a day with surface intervals of 2 |
| you.There are many types of diving, varying from | | | | hours or less. Sometimes it is possible to do night dives, |
| easy to extremely difficult. Some examples are: | | | | certainly worth the experience.Shore diving |
| | | | Shore diving is usually done by loading the equipment |
| live-aboard | | | | in a Jeep or truck and driving over land to the dive |
| day trip boat diving | | | | sites. Although there are so called 'house reefs' that |
| shore diving | | | | allow divers to walk in straight from the dive |
| cave diving | | | | center.The dive site is only a little walk or swim away |
| wreck diving | | | | from where you are dropped off and usually offers |
| technical diving | | | | the same conditions as diving from a boat. It is a good |
| | | | idea to ask for instruction on how to enter the water, |
| This article will only focus on 3 of those: live-aboard, | | | | considering possible waves and currents. Expect to |
| day trip boat diving and shore diving.Live-aboard diving | | | | have diner during your surface interval in a restaurant |
| holidays | | | | close by the dive site.Shore diving can be more |
| SCUBA diving on a live-aboard usually means lots and | | | | intensive then boat diving because of walking on land |
| lots of diving. Typical days contain of 4 or 5 dives per | | | | with equipment or because of surface swims to the |
| day however this totally depends upon the trip. | | | | dive site. However, shore diving takes up less time and |
| Depending on how many days you go, you can | | | | gives you more freedom since you are not 'stuck' on a |
| except to end up with 30 or 40 dives extra in your | | | | boat. No worries for sea sickness either! It is also the |
| logbook.When you dive on a liveaboard you are | | | | cheapest option.So how do you make your choose? |
| expected to be an 'experienced' diver, meaning that | | | | You will have to think about what it is that you are |
| you should feel confident underwater. There are of | | | | looking for. If you are looking for a holiday just for |
| course liveaboards where even inexperienced divers | | | | diving and not much else than live-aboard diving is a |
| are welcome. It is important to realise that, if you are | | | | great chose. Liveaboard holidays usually offer great |
| making 3 or more dives a day, you should keep track | | | | dive sites and lots of dives. There is a price tag |
| of all your dives and preferably dive with a diving | | | | however.If you still want the freedom to do other |
| computer. Nitrox is another good solution to keep the | | | | things that just diving but still want the luxury of boat |
| nitrogen level in your body relatively low, making it | | | | diving, then day trip boat diving is probably the best |
| safer for you to dive.Live-aboard diving usually means | | | | choice for you. Day trip boat diving gives you the easy |
| the best diving with the biggest fish and the better | | | | entry's (most of the times) and there is no need to |
| coral reefs. Because you have the possibility to go | | | | walk with equipment (except to the dive platform). Do |
| further from shore, you will experience the dive sites | | | | realise that even day trip boat diving usually takes up a |
| that are the most spectacular.Expect a lot of dives, | | | | day, although it is possible to day half a day. Most of |
| lots of sun bathing, and lots of sleep. Be careful with | | | | the times you will return to shore somewhere in the |
| the alcohol in the evening, don't drink and dive!Day trip | | | | afternoon.Shore diving offers you the ultimate freedom |
| boat diving | | | | and gives you the opportunity to enjoy the |
| Difference from the live-aboard diving is that you start | | | | environment and culture of the country you are staying |
| and return to shore every day or every few days, | | | | in. Drives to dive sites can be very exciting and highly |
| meaning that you normally don't sleep on the boat. Day | | | | enjoyable. Enjoy your surface intervals by arranging |
| trip boat diving usually starts at the dive center where | | | | different activities such as a game of volleyball on the |
| you will meet the staff and/or maybe drop off your | | | | beach or something.---I hope this will help you a bit in |
| gear. The dive sites are usually not for away, dive | | | | choosing your perfect diving holiday. Keep in mind that |
| centers try to be within the dive site with 1,5 hours. | | | | most diving destinations can offer all these types of |
| Briefings are usually done before you reach the dive | | | | diving and often you can do boat and shore diving with |
| site, as well as setting up the equipment. It is probably a | | | | the same dive center.If you need any help with making |
| good idea to set up your diving equipment before you | | | | your choice then do not hesitate to contact me.Youri |
| reach open sea, this will prevent possible motion | | | | VlagYouri Vlag (from the Netherlands and living in the |
| sickness; this also gives you the chance to fix anything | | | | United Kingdom) is an experienced PADI instructor and |
| in time if necessary.The crew on a day trip boat | | | | EFR instructor and has worked as a dive guide and |
| usually consists of a captain and boat boys/girls, a tour | | | | dive instructor in Thailand and Egypt. |