What’s a Safety Stop?

Scuba diving is regarded by some as an extreme sport and by others as an adventure sport. Those who do it probably just think of it as a hobby. It is completely safe, as long as those taking part follow a few simple scuba diving rules. Holding your breath is a big no-no, as this could cause a lung expansion injury. Touching the reef or any animals is also forbidden, both for the divers’ sake and that of whatever they touch. Diving alone and getting too low on air before deciding to end the dive are also against PADI diving rules. However, one possible danger which many people have difficulty understanding, even after having it explained to them, is the need for a safety stop, in order to avoid the serious diving-related health problem known as decompression sickness (DSC / The Bends).

Scuba Diving at Deep Six, in The Similan Islands

Scuba diving at the Similan Islands in Thailand is something that every serious PADI diver should try to experience. Clear turquoise sub-tropical waters full of colourful and healthy marine life, are surrounded by picturesque islands out in the Andaman Sea. Without a shop or hotel within miles, this archipelago of nine main islands and a few rocky outcrops makes up what surely offers the best scuba diving packages in Thailand and among the best in the world.

Donald Duck Bay @ Similan Island #8

Donald Duck Bay

Unlike many Similan Island PADI scuba diving locations, Donald Duck Bay is an easy dive site, which is neither deep nor has strong currents. In addition, it is just a few hundred metres from a lovely beach on the north-west coast of Similan Island #8, the largest in the archipelago on Thailand’s Andaman west coast. The location above the water’s surface is probably more famous than below, although what lies beneath the waves is really what those visiting the Similan Islands come to see.

Scuba Diving At Boulder city Thailand

Boulder City in the south of The Similan Islands of Thailand is a challenging yet exciting PADI scuba diving site. With crystal clear and nutrient-rich tropical waters, divers can see a wide range of marine life ranging from the small and shy Jawfish (endemic to the archipelago) to the majestic but harmless whale shark. Exactly which of the more than a dozen dive locations in the Similans offer the best scuba diving in Thailand is a matter of opinion, taste, and also depends on the water conditions on the day of diving.