Taking open water course is one of the best decision I ever made. Yup, will be monsoon in east coast.
As far as I'm concern, there is only 1 resort operating in Pulau Gaya which is 5-star resort must be expensive for accommodation, unless your dive center will be based at KK.. why dont you do it in Mabul..? but air ticket to Tawau usually expensive... other options are island in southern Thai or island in Indonesia such as Pulau Weh, Acheh.

sound like you need to go for swim class first

There are tons of dive centers in Klang Valley itself. State your location and we will be able to give you some recommendations.
I've heard of people afraid of water, or even felt like they are drowning when they are under a shower. They still took up diving and are awesome divers now.

Try to get an instructor who is also a swimming instructor, that way he may also be able to give you swimming tips. Anyhow, if you are not comfortable in water and you didn't enjoy the experience of your discovery scuba, then maybe you might wanna think twice about going for scuba. Lots of people find it very interesting and fun but this doesn't mean everyone will enjoy it.

yup.. haha... this 25th July, exactly 1 year with 20 dives. You said that you always wanted to try diving... for me it is strong/good enough.. don't take course if you're just want to follow friends, or boyfriend..

Swimming is a skill, everyone can master the skill.. if you still cant practice swim alone, I suggest to take swimming class.. after that you we slowly get more comfortable with water.

before I take my diving course, I am afraid to do snorkeling without life jacket (even-though I can swim sikit2).. after taking open water course my water confident  build up..

You don't have to be a great swimmer to take up diving, you just have to be comfortable in water. Of course knowing how to swim will be much safer and better.

If you have the interest then go ahead and take up OWC. You'll learn a lot when you go thru the course.

mean if i do the confine dive course here in klang valley , where usually there go for the dive?
so this will shorten the course time at dive location right?

---

Added on July 22, 2012, 8:20 pm
same goes to me men , im looking for friend to go with me this november , but if non of my friend is going , im going to take the course alone , but im sure we can make friends there!

from what you said here.. you are already know how to swim, just no confident swimming in the sea. No big deal then, you will learn naturally..

I think you're ready to take the course.

They will not ask you to swim 200m in the big waves... apply the same techniques, take it easy & don't rush. I am sure you're able to float yourself without life jacket right..?

No need swimming class. Just need more practice to build up your water confident. I am also beginner swimmer, I don't have a lot of stamina..

Don't afraid to go alone, I also took my OWC alone too (bcoz, none of my friends interested in diving)@ Mabul Island... Dont worry you will find friend there..  ask your instructor to combine you with another students.. so you can make new friends too...

haha.. I dont go every month... usually one dive trip in every 3-4 month.. I did minimum 2 dives per trip.. and most I did 6 dives per trip..

planning to do in kk or sipadan ..im a seaman , its compulsory for seaman to know how to swim . marine department requirement

lol.. 3 dives per day already tiring enough for me... haaha... yup the water bungalow house reef is nice too..
if you can swim, you can swim at any depth... it just a matter how you telling your mind. you can try at deeper pool at public pool..

try to float at your 1.4m pool too.. if you can float, you can float at any depth too.. haha..

yup, I went alone to Mabul and yes I did both theory & practical on the island... our 1st dive is already 5m deep at sea.. no pool.. haha.. I got panic few times. haaha
cynnz.. if you did your discovery scuba in Sipadan.. I am sure you stay at Mabul right..? because no resort operated in Sipadan.. unless long2 time ago before the gov ask resort operator to evacuate the island and relocate to Mabul. Yup, its a nice island.

I was comfortable in water since I was a baby, my parents take me to the seaside quite often. I grew up loving the sea, sand and sun and was never really afraid of the sea. I did go for some swimming classes when I was really young but I'm not exactly a good swimmer, enough to survive if I get thrown into the water or sea.

Actually, it's easier to float in the sea than in the pool. It's all a matter of being comfortable in the sea and having confidence in yourself.
I've heard of people who did confine and theory here then went to Mabul/Sipadan for their certification dives. My instructor was the one who did it for them, so I'm pretty sure they are other instructors out there who does the same.
I did maximum 6 dives per day for my recent trip to Mabul! Very tiring. Haha.

u do in sipadan?where do u stay?semporna or mabul? or on sipadan itself? ..lol dont envy us , we learn to swim for survival

---

Added on July 23, 2012, 12:25 pm
thanks for the info , hope u can provide me information of ur instructor ..where's ur instructor centre?

Haha. Nothing to be shy of. We all grew up differently. I know some parents don't let their child go near water at all, so can't blame them if they grow up being afraid of the sea. From what I understand, sea contains salt and so somehow it'll make things float easier compared to in the pool. It's just that some people find the sea so big, open and deep so they are afraid of it. If you ask me, just relax and you'll find it so easy to float in the sea.

Yea 6 dives very tiring. Lol. You don't really have to have lots of stamina to be an OW diver. You need to if you're gonna be a rescue diver or dive master though. I myself quite small size, thin and hardly exercise. In fact, I don't have much stamina at all. I do often need help from others to carry my tank. But other than that, you'll be in the water so weight is not a problem at all. How heavy also doesn't matter already. Usually it's 3-4 dives a day when you go diving next time. Each dive is roughly 40 min bottom time and 20 min setup/briefing/travelling time, this will depend on where you go and where you dive also. But basically it's around that. Then there'll be about an hour or two surface interval andden go for next dive. You'll learn all this when you take your theory classes. I go with my bf, we took up diving together, you'll definitely get more friends on the way. Now we often join our friends or my sister (also long time diver) or go on our own.

If you'd read my earlier post, I've always recommend doing theory and confine water (practical in the pool) on mainland then going to island for certification dives. Reason being I did my OWC and Advance on the island itself and it was very tiring for me. To be honest, I didn't learn much and didn't have any free time to laze around or enjoy the island. It's just theory and lessons everyday (other than eat and sleep). I did my Rescue course on mainland first then went to Redang for certification with a whole bunch of other OW students, and that's when I really notice the difference. It was only a 3D2N trip but it was very much more enjoyable since we didn't have to worry about theory or exams at all, just diving and some practical skills only, still got time for more leisure dives.

monkeyflo explained it all.. 

(base on my experience) When I took my OWC in Mabul both theory & practical on the island I don't really find it stressful and it's not too hard. I just read the important note, understand it, why it happen and answer the quick quiz (self assessment) in every chapter . If I don't understand then I will read in detail.

(Practical) My problem is my instructor bring us down at 3-5m at first dive... not really a confined water, he should bring us at 1.5m first... I was panic but i tried to control it.. mask clearing skill is a nightmare for me... I panic and stupidly breath through nose.. haha.. so I surfaced and relax and go down again. My mask leaking also I scared. Coz I don't know that mask leaking is normal in diving...

so please expect your mask will leak and your will ear hurt (if you don't equalize often).. its normal in diving.

@zizdnyll: I will choose Mabul instead of KK. My advise stay on the island.