what do you mean by dont keep snorkel ? get a new one every time you go diving ?

What I mean is we detach it from our mask and keep it in our dive bag and let it grow dust.

We pretty much don't use the snorkel at all. So just rent all the necessary equipments for the course from the dive center. Only buy what you will use and need in the future.

Most of us usually get our mask first, some before (generally due to short sightedness hence needing power mask) and some after our course (different face/nose shape requires better fitting mask for easier equalization). Then move on to booties & fins, wetsuit, then either the camera first or reg and BCD.

snorkel is not really a necessity while diving thus many just leave it at home. Less item to handle

alright thanks more money to spend for CNY

How much a mask cost normally?

During the OW, can I bring camera too? Hope to take some photo for record.

it depends on what brand n model u r looking.. rm100 seapro brand can do well.. no need to waste money for a expensive mask..for camera it depends on ur instructor..some instructor didnt let u bring a camera for u open water course..if u have a gopro,sjcam or yicam u can mount it to ur mask for record n take photo

Oh.. i can't afford gopro.... xiaomi yi can la.

Prices for masks range from rm100 to rm500 or so. What's important is that it fits your face. Last time can get rm50 mask (before currency went down the drain) and it was one of my favourite mask. If you're looking for a mask, check out Scubatex shop, they have some of the cheapest mask around. If you have a very Asian face, check out Tusa brand. Details of shops and brands all on first page of thread.

As for camera, not advisable during your course. Your buoyancy will most of the time be terrible in the beginning. However, if you have it, then just bring along. If you're good and your instructor allows you to bring it for diving, then you can bring it for like the last few leisure dives before the end of your trip.

as the others have mentioned, we dont use snorkel. there's already so many things around the face area, and i used to get confused which is which. e.g. snorkel vs inflator hose. mine is always in the bag. yellowed from under-use!

snorkel good to use for snorkeling diving really kacau

Hmmm... how long you guys take to get your AOW after getting your OW cerfication?
Less than a month? 1/2 year? a year? or more than a year?
Is that good to have more dive before get your AOW?

Doubt that Time frame eg days months... is a good tool here


Certainly.. YES... Absolutely

Personally suggest having min 30-50 dives b4 AOW

30-50 dives.....


it would be so long


difficult to get AOW?

The snorkel is a bit of a controversial piece of gear. In the past where purge valves were not the 'standard', snorkels could double as a rescue device where you can perform mouth to mouth breathing to the victim, besides being a gear that saves you air on the surface.

On the downside, it's a potential hazard too. Strong currents might tug on the snorkel and unseal your mask, causing undue stress. Rarely but possibly, it might snag onto stuff and unmask you.

I therefore advocate the use of foldable snorkels. When I need it I take it out of my bcd pocket and attach it. And vice versa.

They're also useful for, well, snorkeling and a bit of freediving. Lol

It is precisely the opposite. AOW is too easy to get, and the upgrade in title is usually disproportionate to the skill upgrade. I'd say you need 20-30 adequately spaced dives to be comfortable enough for the title 'advanced'

I did AOW two weeks after OW. For what the AOW covers, I actually think that there is more to gain from it if you take it earlier rather than later... because when you go on trips, chances are that you will be led to do those kinds of dives anyway. So why not do it with an instructor and get some supervised experience and textbook knowledge first.

But everyone's different, so consider it only after you complete OW. If you find that you're not comfortable diving then it's probably not time to pursue additional certification... additional training/mentoring would be better?

yup, certified in AOW didn't means skill upgrade. For me, need to think about time. haha, since I don't have enuf morning to go dive frequently in a year.

so aggressive. I just think about to get it after few months if I got my OW this round.

Take your time la. No need to rush these kind of things.
Enjoy the water more.

How's the diving in redang? I gotten my OW license last July and plan to go April for fun dives as friends going there for OW and AOW one shot.

I only plan go for fun dives and get more dives under my belt before going AOW. Any reasonable priced accommodations there and how's the diving experience there?

Hope sifu here can advise