Getting AOW will allow you to do deeper dive profiles beyond 18m as well as night dives, drift dives etc.
Without AOW some dive centres may still allow you to tag along deeper dives but if anything happens you're considered diving beyond your training limits hence not covered by insurance.

As what others have mentioned the more important thing is for you to have a good buoyancy and confidence underwater regardless of your certificate level. Of course this may be attained by diving more often

Hye all.. anyone of here have dive at pulau kapas before this? I will going there tomorrow.. anyone here have experienced dive there? Kindly share ur experience to me..

I know there is an interesting wreck there that seems like a world war 2 wreck but other than that I dun know much. I only check youtube. Maybe you could share your experience after your trip.

Sure I will

DRIS Shark Skin US pricing. Should be cheaper compared to Malaysia but shipping isn't unless a few people share

Any recommended dive center in Tioman? Planning to do weekend dive sometime in June or July.

This post has been edited by lyekit: May 16 2014, 12:21 PM

I don't mind getting some sharkskins if there's anyone up for it.

B5n111 is in tioman now. Can ask him when he gets back. Which beach you're planning to go to?

i bought my sharkskin from www.jettydive.com.au and shipped it to a friend there who helped me bring it back

i want. but difficult to estimate my size. unless got sample for me to try on first

Global Scuba, 1 Utama.

just came back from Perhentian yesterday. It was packed during Wesak time, I was lucky to get a room when I arrived on Long Beach.

Went there to get my OW certification, but I couldn't resist and got AOW certification as well, both from Turtle Bay Divers
Spent 5 days of non-stop diving for the courses, it was awesome! I was lucky and spotted 5 turtles in total! Swam beside one, saw one eating, saw one sleeping, saw two more swimming/floating around. SO HAPPY!

Got some footage with my GoPro, will upload videos soon.

Plan ahead...   

Nearby islands for Sipadan... Mabul and Kapalai, 20-25min away

Mataking is better option for Bohey Dulang in this case. Remember to inform the resort earlier coz permit is needed and application in advance for stepping ur foot on Bohey Dulang...

Yes, U can snorkel at Sipadan. Please confirm with your chosen operator or resort for Snorkel at Sipadan. there r few resorts / operators  reserve the Sipadan permits for Diving only...

Congratulation and welocme to the Colorful World.

Looking forward to dive together soon...

Yay, itz turtles mating now

Haven't thought of that.. which beach is better?

All beach is lovely... but beach at tioman is complementary with sand flies...

bites from tioman sand flies are extremely itchy! !!

Agree!! I applied vinegar n toothpaste before medicine in room

Mosquito there also like whaleshark comes on land

Pulau Weh diving diary - Day 1

1. West Seulako - 30m
- Descend and vis was 20+ meters. Saw an octopus, went octopus hunting/chasing a little before letting it leave it's life.
- Swam a little more and spotted a peacock mantis shrimp under some rocks.
- slight current picked up but still able to see the ribbon moray eel.
- saw quite a few super tiny nudis.
- saw loads of boxer shrimp and other morays.
Ascended after 50min

2. Batee Tokong - 30+m
- Descended with 15+m vis to a wall as deep as 15m, slope after the wall.
- Nothing much to see this dive with medium current. We only dived the west side due to strong current on the east.
- A single dog tooth tuna swam pass us hunting for food I guess.
- Spotted an octopus below some rocks before DM signaled for mobula.
- The mobula spotted us and jetted upwards like a rocket, I think it jumped out of the water surface.
- Continue swimming and spotted the mobula again gliding horizontal with us at 20m from a distance.
Ascended after 50min

3. East Seulako - 30m
- Alone with DM this trip. Descended to 20m with 20+m vis and strong current.
- Drifted a little and saw a juvi box fish fighting off another fish.
- Saw a dead lobster head but further up was another lobster, seems like there are quite a lot of lobsters here.
- A big honeycomb moray eel was under a rock relaxing.
- saw a turtle under some rocks resting from the current, went to take a closer look and it slowly came towards me before going to the surface to breath.
- drifted the whole dive but don't know why the DM drifted slower than me, had to try hard to not to over cut him.
Ascended after 45min.

Overall I would say the dives are very interesting and different from east peninsula Malaysia. All of the 3 dives had something to offer. From the 1st day of diving, I would say if you are not comfortable with diving in currents, this is not the place. I had the fastest drift dive in my 3rd dive today and we haven't gone to the famous Arus Paleeh. Heard a story the other day in Aceh where a orang kulit putih went there and got into a washing machine current where he got separated. 25min later he was at Sabang town, cars take 30min from a beach near there to town, and he had to ride the bus back with his equipment to the dive center (while the search and rescue was going on). How awesome of a story is that.

Tomorrow's dive is The Canyon and Pante Peunateung in the morning which is one of the best dive sites around but only in the morning. I hope the mola mola comes out. The last time it came out was Feb

bandar aceh earthquake... 6.2 on the scale..... pulau weh got affected?

hey bro,

which tioman dc u going with ya?

my usual dc is damai genting... thinking of trying others as this resort doesnt really favor my oversea friends...