Hello from Thailand

[Mina]

Hi there everyone,

I found this Forum by chance looking for Freediving info.

My Name is Mina, I'm German but I live in Bangkok, Thailand. I've just been on a trip to the south of Thailand to go scuba diving. I have always loved water and I was looking forward to do this scuba trip (first time fun diving after doing my open water) but it wasn't as great as I expected. It was nice overall but very crowded, many people etc.

On the Island I was staying I walked by a Freediving school and they had some video clips playing. It looked so fascinating... the divers just slowly sinking in the water until they hit the bottom, they seemed so calm, like they are one with the surrounding water.
I have no idea about freediving, so maybe I got the totally wrong impression, but I really want to try it now. I'm planning to do a course next time I go to that Island, but it'll be a while until I get south again so it would be cool if I could start before that (there's a pool at my place).

But as I said, no idea how to start... that's why I'm here I guess. Any advice is apprecriated (books for beginners, websites that work etc.). Otherwise I'll just look through the forum anyway.

Cheers,
Mina

 

[Sharkatorium]

Are you from RIS Swiss Section by any chance? Welcome to the forum!

 

[Mina]

Hi Shark & thanks for the welcome.
No I'm brandnew in the forum no idea where the swiss section is, but shall find it eventually

 

[Salehthefish]

Hello and welcome on DB...

All best on your venture

 

[Diving Gecko]

Hi Mina,
Were you on Koh Tao? If you were and you are talking about Apnea Total I can highly recommend them. I took two course there a few years ago and went fun diving with them again last year. They are a bunch of super nice people and great instructors as well.

All best,
David

 

[silkyshark]

Hi Mina,

The best way to get started in Freediving is to do a freediving course. Though in freediving you do not need a licence to freedive, it is always good to have some basic knowledge to keep yourself safe going on a course will enable you to become a relaxed and good freediver.

In Bangkok you have a group called the BKLoma who freedive in pools in BKK and go on weekend freedive meets down the coast http://www.facebook.com/groups/129656290465966/

You have many options for taking freediving courses in Thailand. Koh Tao -Apneal Total, Blue Immersion. Koh Lanta -Blue Planet Divers or with us in Phuket -We freedive (Richard is German).

Look forward to meeting you in the Blue soon.

 

[Diving Gecko]

Now, I really wanna move back to Bangkok...;-)

 

[silkyshark]

Now, I really wanna move back to Bangkok...;-)

Ha ha just seen that you are in Shanghai, check out http://www.facebook.com/aidafreediving

They are based in HK but may have trained up some freedivers near you.

All the best and still might see you in the Blue soon

 

[Mina]

Oh my... there's a freediving club in Bangkok??? Woah, thanks for the info, that sounds awesome. I will definitely check it out.

Finally doing my Freediving course in October (no chance to go down to Ko Tao any time earlier than that) and thinking of doing it either with Apnea Total or Blue Immersion. I'm a bit hesitating to go with Apnea Total (Yes, that was the shop I was talking about in my first post), because they don't offer the AIDA or SSI certificate... and who doesn't want a shiny international certificate... Well either schools have pretty great reviews on tripadvisor... I might just decide when I get there.

 

[bura]

Wellcome!!