Not sure yet. most likely taking their RM200 for 4 dives add-on package then spend the rest of my time lazing on the beach under the sun. My friend is gonna take his advance course though.

Since Taaras took over Berjaya, I don't think I'll be going there already, my BVC membership useless in Redang now. Can't afford to stay there already.
Luckily stayed at Berjaya few years back. Hehe.

I took early bird package, diving package is separate. 4 dives for RM200. So if divide out is RM50 per dive only.
For the rooms I'm paying RM630 per person for 4D3N Garden View room.

How's Redang Pelangi compared to Laguna? In terms of food choices and quality of room and beach. Like Redang Bay ar?

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Added on March 13, 2012, 11:49 pmIf you've never dived before then you can only take discovery scuba. Usually around rm100-150 per dive, dunno now increased edi or not.

Or you can straight take the open water course.

If got no license then can't go for fun dive.

This post has been edited by munkeyflo: Mar 13 2012, 11:49 PM

Ahh, prefer something like Laguna since I go Redang more for relaxation trip than a fully diving trip.

Your red sea diving trip 11d10n, wooo so long! Fully diving only or got chilling also?
Which airline and where will you be staying? Package? I'm interested to dive in Egypt, have heard it is quite good and pretty reasonable prices too!

Just did some googling. Blue hole looks awesome yet dangerous at the same time, nowonder it's the world most dangerous diving spot. Do share your experience after you come back from this trip.

Do you need any special training for the blue hole dives?

Will check out the LOBs available. This year budget a bit tight so don't think can go Egypt for dives.

Sounds interesting! Will definitely make some plans to go there one of this years.

Just booked Sipadan/Mabul with Borneo Divers today during Matta fair. Going this July.

For Sipadan/Mabul at Matta fair?
I believe it is. The last time I went in 2009, I got 6D5N for ~RM2.3k per person at Borneo Divers.
This time 5D4N around RM2k. RM50 deposit per person. 3 boat dives a day. Guarantee 1 day to Sipadan with 4 dives there. Unlimited house reef dive. 50% off rental equipments. Include all transfers to and from airport.

Some of them are slightly cheaper but then electricity is on generator and some no aircond, some no hot water. No hot water I can't take it. Lol.

Sipadan Water Village diver packages are around RM2.3 for 5D4N.

Awesome! Haha. I just got back from Laguna Redang yesterday. Didn't see much during dive but it was an enjoyable trip.

Seaventures was at RM2040 for 5D4N this time round for Matta Fair. I think the prices are roughly the same la, MIDE and Matta Fair.

You can try ScubaTex in Subang for IST stuff.
I just recently bought a Bare wetsuit from Olympia Air & Scuba in Taipan last month. They had some grand opening sales, 40% off. But I don't think the sales is still on now. Quite a lot of varieties though.

Thanks for the link. I saw some of my friends briefly mentioning the tragedy on Facebook but didn't know the whole story.

So did they find your uncle's friend?

As miuk said, depends on individual.
I wear my full suit most of the time cause I not much fat to protect me from cold and I get sejuk very easily. However, at times, I also do dive with just a rash guard over my bikini.

One more reason I prefer full suit is because I got stung my jellyfishes before and it's not a fun thing to experience. Some corals may also look harmless but do give you a burning sensation andden a rash afterwards.

Most of the guy divers I know go in rashguard with boardshorts cause it's easier to wear I guess.
I know some fat divers just go in their boardshorts also got.

Wow, that triggerfish bite must have been quite an experience! I wouldn't want to experience one!
My sister got bitten by a triggerfish once, and it went thru her booties and her 3mm wetsuit at her heel there. It was when she was almost at the surface somemore. So she took her fin off and whack the fella send it flying back down into the ocean. Lol.
My bf almost had a near encounter with triggerfish during my recent trip to Redang too. It was trying to pick a fight with us but luckily we swam away quickly.

As for peeing, just pee I guess? I don't hold my bladder full. When I started diving few years ago, I tend to do that and it actually gave me quite bad and recurrent UTI. So my doctor advice me not to hold it in when my bladder is full.
Takes some time to not be so self concious and let it go underwater while diving but you'll get used to it. I find it easier when I'm horizontal and not standing.
I heard it's one way some divers keep themselves warm as well.

I've heard more disgusting stuff la. It seems there are ppl who feeling like pooping underwater then they just go behind a coral, remove their wetsuit and do their business there.

Dive torch, try waiting for MIDE and see if they have any good dive torch on sale. That day I saw in the other diving forum about some China-made dive torch bought at Petalling Street, around RM80 or so only it seems. Might wanna give it a try.

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Added on April 9, 2012, 6:08 pmBooking flight last minute can be cheap sometimes. They may need ppl to fill up their seats. But to popular routes like KL-KT then maybe a bit hard to get cause tickets sell quite fast for these routes sometime.

It would be best if you could get a few more friends, around 3 or 4 of you andden drive there, share out the cost. Much cheaper than flying.

This post has been edited by munkeyflo: Apr 9 2012, 06:08 PM

http://malaysianunderwater.com/smff/access...9416/#msg119416

Here's the link on the China made dive torch. Seems quite durable from the reviews there but I don't know how good it is.

I personally have a LED torch as well. Cost me about RM200 or so during promotion of one of the dive centers. It's good enough for me and very bright, compared to those you can rent at dive centers.

Yea if can use contacts and use it with rented mask gear better, moreover you don't use it often. Just get a pack of daily lens, around RM30-40 for 5 pairs. Good for one trip use.

TUSA is branded and the masks are going to cost you a lot of money. I also use IST mask only.

Don't really like using prescription masks as after dive, I'll need to put on my glasses. Sometimes scare glasses break la, lost la, drop into sea la. If like that completely blind for the rest of my trip, headache lol.

Yes it does work. But you may have some problems if the sea water goes into your eyes.

But I'd prefer contact lens to powered mask anyday.

If you look back few posts on this thread, you'll see quite a few prefer to wear contacts than power mask.
Most divemasters and instructors I know wear contacts as well. They can even open their eyes with contacts on in water/sea.

My power is 600-700 for both eyes and I have my old power mask which is around 300-400 only and it works well for me.
The dive shop you go to will help you out on it. You'll need to choose something lesser than your current power (maybe around 100 lesser like that) since things are magnified in water.

Depending on how high your power is. If it's just 100 or 200 then don't bother getting first cause things will be magnified underwater and you'll be able to make out what it is without a prescription mask.

If like me, my power is 600, I'm practically blind under and above water so I did get my prescription mask before I went for my Open Water course. But I seldom use it now and prefer to wear contacts with non-prescription mask.

You can get non-branded prescription mask for below RM200. If they have the power lens ready stock then they can do it there and then for you.

If you're not comfortable with contacts then just go for the mask, or else you'll be totally blind underwater and most likely won't enjoy/understand anything at all.

But you might want to learn how to put on contacts cause it can be quite a hassle to carry your specs around when going for boat dives. Also, you'll want to bring extra pair of specs, just in case you lost yours in the sea.

What's her size? I have one Bare size 6 if not mistaken. Not using anymore, in good condition though. Max used for around 30-40 dives, bought in 2008, stop using last year. Reason for stop using was because I bought a new one and this wetsuit's color doesn't match my other gears color. Hehe.

Yes there is mandarin version for the book and there are dive instructors who are comfortable with teaching the course in mandarin/cantonese. Which is why you have to choose your dive instructor.

Based on my personal experience, get a dive center here and do confine water (swimming pool lessons) here on mainland first then go for the certification dives on the island. Most of the islands/dive sites are on the east coast, you can usually request where to go depending on which dive center you go to.

PADI works like this, you take Open Water, then Advance then Rescue andden Divemaster, everyone has to go thru all this stages to get to be an instructor. And it's not exactly easy to be an instructor and stay an instructor. But yes, they are part timers and also full timer. Also, not all instructors are experienced or good instructors. There are instructors that will teach you lots of things and even extra information but there are some that quickly go thru the course just to pass your license. If you do a crash course on the island, instructors usually quickly go thru it.
http://www.padi.com/scuba/padi-courses/default.aspx

East coast then I don't know any.
But if you're in Klang Valley then got a lot of instructors here. My instructor also mandarin educated but he's located in Klang. Sorry can't help you there.

Might wanna search online or drop by any dive center you have in your area. Usually Chinese instructors will be able to teach in cantonese.