Palau, located in the Pacific Ocean 500 miles east of the Philippines, is a top spot for divers. Whether you’re very experienced or are a novice looking for new dive resorts and scuba diving experiences, the island offers an absolutely stunning underwater world to explore. With visibility between 50 and 60 meters throughout the year, and sublime water temperatures ranging from 21°C and 32°C at the surface, the region is a joy to discover.

Palau offers the chance to explore marine life like never before, so you’ll need to ensure that you enjoy dive holidays at the correct time of year. Whilst the area offers some of the most uniform temperatures and visibility over the seasons, a summer monsoon period means that depths can become slightly cloudy between the months of July and October. You’ll still be able to get some great dives during this time, but with run-off making conditions slightly turbulent, if you’re looking to capture stunning dive pictures or videos the best time to visit is between November and April.

One of the best ways to enjoy diving in Palau is to ensure that your divers program is a combination of coral reef excursions and wreck explorations. The area has a wide variety of World War II wrecks which make magnificent dives if you want to venture a little further than the open water reef trips. Multiple coral walls, blue holes, and expansive caverns are also available to explore, and with 700 species of coral and identified fish numbers having reached 1,200 you’ll have underwater landscapes and scenery like no other in the world. And, in addition to a variety of rare jellyfish, sharks, anemones and soft corals, turtles and dolphins are also regular visitors to this area.

Dive sites are abundant in Palau, and if you want to get the best from your trip it’s a good idea to speak to local dive center experts to establish how to make the most from each and every dive. You can often incorporate several dive aspects into one outing, using a drift dive to blow you gently towards a wreck before heading over a coral reef to end. One site which shouldn’t be missed is Chandelier cave; an immense network of tunnels and caves located in the Rock Islands which extend under the island itself and offer views of stalactite formations. And having dived in Palau, nowhere else in the world will offer quite the intrigue that this beautiful area has. 

As with all exciting and exhilarating sports, there are a few accidents that can occur in scuba diving. The marine world is not a natural place for human beings to be, and as such divers have to use a variety of methods to allow them to explore. Once beneath the waves, it is water pressure and not lack of air which is the most common cause of diving accidents. And you should be aware of possible situations should they arise.
Decompression Sickness
Perhaps the most common problem for divers is that of decompression sickness. Often known as ‘the bends’, decompression sickness is where nitrogen bubbles form in the blood stream and exit into areas of the body. If you ascend too quickly from the depths, or spend too long underwater, the nitrogen which has been absorbed by your body is not able to escape fast enough, instead forming bubbles of gas within your system.

In the case that decompression sickness occurs you will be taken to a decompression chamber which pushes the nitrogen back into your system before allowing it to escape safely. However, the sickness can have severe consequences such as paralysis or even fatalities, so it is vital that you try and avoid such circumstances.

Nitrogen Narcosis -
As you descend to greater depths and an increasing amount of nitrogen is absorbed into your body you can experience nitrogen narcosis; symptoms similar to being drunk. It occurs at different depths for different people, and at the first sign of feeling giddy you should inform your buddy and ascend a little so that symptoms disperse.

Barotrauma -
Barotrauma is a pressure related injury which can cause significant injuries. Similar to mask squeeze where, if you forget to let air into your mask the air compresses and sucks onto your face, barotrauma sees air spaces within your body compressed. This is the vital reason for equalizing as, in typical cases, barotrauma occurs in your Eustachian tubes and can rupture eardrums if not dealt with.

Arterial Gas Embolism -
Breathing is paramount when scuba diving, and whilst you may want to hold your breath as a beginner, this can actually result in the rupture of your lungs as gas expands. Resulting air bubbles can then enter your blood stream and could cause fatal vessel blockages.

Through good training, respect of the environment and adequate attention to dive tables, divers can avoid accidents when exploring the marine world. There is no need to overly worry yourself with possible accidents as modern equipment and diving practices all safeguard against injuries as much as possible. And, as long as you are safe, there is no reason not to enjoy your dive experience.

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Becoming a certified scuba diver is the first step in unlocking the door to an amazing world that only a small percentage of the earth's population will ever see. The ocean is the planet's last frontier, and while some people are more fortunate to live near great dive locations, the rest of us must research and plan out our diving vacations. Before you call your travel agent, you will want to ask yourself some questions about what you want from your dive trip, such as:

-What type of dives do you want to engage in? Whether it's wreck diving, drift diving, spear fishing or photography, remember to choose dives that are not beyond your skill or comfort level.
-Will you be doing any dive training? You should check on the agency affiliations and availability with the operator you are going to use.
-What do you want out of your dive vacation? Some people just want to dive and nothing else, while others want time to explore the tourist sites and learn the local culture, on top of their diving experience.
-What time of year will you be going on your dive vacation? Obviously you don't want to plan your diving trip to Florida during hurricane season.
-Do you want a land based dive trip or a live aboard dive trip? A live aboard trip can be a little overwhelming for a novice diver as the dive schedule can be exhausting with 4-5 dives a day including night dives.
-What kind of accommodations are you looking for? Camping can always be a fun alternative to a hotel, but you can't beat the comfort of a hot shower and a cozy bed after a long day of diving.
-What is your budget?

Next you will want to choose a location that will accommodate your needs. There are plenty of ways to find, identify, and research these locations, but the best way is to ask around. There are plenty of divers who have traveled extensively in search for that one "trophy dive spot" and since you can't beat firsthand knowledge, these are the ones you should ask. Once you have chosen your destination, call ahead and get more details such as:

-What types of boats, how many divers can they accommodate, and do the boats carry oxygen?
-What type of air systems do they have and how often they are checked?
Do they have Nitrox?
-What type of equipment would you need and what equipment do they have available?
-Are the dives guided or not?
-What are the diving depths, currents, and water temperature?
How far is the closest medical facility?

The last and most important thing to consider is the need for Diving/Travel insurance. While diving is, with the proper training, a very safe activity, it does have its risks. Having dive/travel insurance will help protect you from those rare accidents and injuries that can occur. Dive insurance can cover things such as injury, disability, death, dive vacation interruption/cancellation, and some agencies such as DAN (Divers Alert Network) will even insure your dive equipment.

Now that you have all the details for your dive vacation worked out, it's time to pack. Make sure you have checked all of your dive equipment, because replacing and repairing dive equipment can often be next to impossible in some locations. It's always a good idea to bring extra O rings, mask and fin straps, and plenty of Zip ties to secure any loose gear.

As a former Naui instructor, I would like to pass on the same advice I have given all my students: Never fall into peer pressure and always dive your skill level. Anxiety and stress can ruin a dive, as well as your perception of diving. Should you ever feel uncomfortable with a dive, just say no!

Written by: Lyndsey Morgan

The experience of scuba diving and the variety of dive sites which are spread across the world mean that it is only natural that you’ll probably be flying before and after your trip. Whilst you may not have factored this into your diving plans initially, high altitude travel can have severe implications upon dive times and depths. And to avoid health implications you need to make sure that you don’t fly too soon after your last dive.

Considering air travel is a vital component of diving due to the body’s ability at storing residual nitrogen. All divers have to take extreme care to avoid decompression sickness; a case which occurs when individuals ascend too quickly and nitrogen cannot escape the body fast enough, instead forming bubbles of gas in the blood stream and other body tissues. This can lead to severe medical implications such as extremely painful joints and muscles and, in the worst cases, can even result in death. In the same way that divers ascend through the water, flying too quickly after diving can have the same effect, with the average height of airplane cruising consistent with approximately 14 – 16 feet of water ascension.

The time which individuals must wait before flying is dependent on the diver’s health and dive history. If you’re using a dive computer then the gadget will almost certainly be tracking nitrogen levels, and often provides a ‘time to fly’ reference so that you know when you can safely fly without risking your health. If you don’t have such a gadget then it is best to be very conservative on your time guides to ensure that there isn’t any nitrogen residing in your system at all. Using NAUI dive tables you should be located in group A or less before flying, with times after dive often being over nine hours. Meanwhile, PADI guidelines state that no flying should be undertaken within 12 hours of a single dive or 18 hours of multiple dives.

As a general rule to be completely safe it is best to leave 24 hours after diving before you fly. For many, this period is a lost chance to utilize dive centers and participate in extra dives, but your health should be of the utmost importance. Instead of trying to dive on your last day, take the opportunity to explore above water, sightseeing, snacking and even using the time to upload your dive pictures to the internet for friends to see. And by considering post dive flights, you can stay safe and healthy until your next diving holiday.

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If you’ve been looking at taking up scuba diving then you’ll have realized that there are a number of certification varieties than you can take out in order to be able to travel the world’s top dive sites. Both PADI and NAUI are internationally recognized, and you may have friends and family who swear by one or the other. But, what really is the difference between these top diving groups?

Both PADI and NAUI are recognized across the world, with the main difference between the two being that one is a profit making firm whilst the other is a non profit association. NAUI, or the National Association of Underwater Instructors, is run as a non profit organization allowing you to be convinced that the trainers, instructors and executives of this firm are so passionate about diving that they simply want to share their expertise and get more people. PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, meanwhile is a profit company. However, this in no way means that officials are not passionate about diving and the certification is very popular with many.
                    
It is widely regarded that training with NAUI results in divers being better equipped for underwater exploration due to longer courses and more intensive training. This is not to say that PADI doesn’t also equip divers adequately, but the courses provided by the profit making firm are often shorter and considered more easily passed. However, a variety of courses and prices means that PADI is more accessible to many, and with it being the planet’s largest diving certification program, it is often more easily accepted at dive resorts and centers.

Ultimately, the choice of diving certification association should be up to you. Both PADI and NAUI are reputable companies, and personal preference should guide you in your decision. For a good outline you can look at each of the course books whereupon you may discover that you find one easier to follow than the other. Acceptance at dive centers should not be a concern as both certificates are widely taken at most places, even if a refresher dive has to be undertaken first, but this can be an enjoyable experience in itself. Choice of course is largely down to instructor rather than certificate, and you should ensure that any teacher is well regarded in the profession and has a proven track record. And by choosing a centers best instructor, you’ll be able to make an informed decision whether to train with PADI or NAUI for the start of your diving adventures.

Check out our global Dive Centers and Resorts to find the perfect place to get your certification, or chat in our Divers Forum with any questions and to meet other people with the same questions.

You may already be fairly convinced that scuba diving is thrilling, with you able to enter a mysterious marine world where life is very different from that of on land. However, if you’re looking for the latest thrill and want to combine two adventure activities into one, then helicopter diving, or heli-diving as it’s becoming known, is definitely for you.

There are a number of reasons why heli-diving is becoming very popular, probably the most important of which is that you see your travel times to dive sites slashed from 90 minute boat excursions to just 10 to 15 minute flights. Of course, you may enjoy the boat ride out to less accessible spots, but for the multitude of people who want to get into their underwater environment as quickly as possible, using a helicopter is a fantastic option. Meanwhile, traveling by air also provides an unparalleled view of the coral reef as you fly over it, providing a great chance to take alternative dive pictures so that you can see exactly where you’re about to explore.

There are a few considerations to make if you want to heli-dive, one being the concern of flying after diving. Flights are often low altitude, allowing safe passage to and from sites, but you must consult dive tables and factor low altitude travel into calculations. Meanwhile, there is often limited space on helicopters and so divers need to take only what is completely necessary for their trip.

Entry to the dive site is possibly the most exhilarating experience you’ll have, with the helicopter hovering over the entry point whilst divers literally plunge out of the aircraft into the water. It makes for a thrilling dive site entry, and if you love jumping off a boat you’ll find this the next ultimate adventure. After dives you’ll normally be picked up by speed boat or Jet Ski, adding yet another thrilling ingredient to this extraordinary activity. There are a great range of dive centers around the world who are now offering this popular diving method, and you can explore the Great Barrier Reef, Phuket’s Anemone Reef and Phi Phi Islands, and the ‘Superior Producer’ wreck in Curacao to name but a few. Due to its nature, heli-diving should not be considered for beginners, and you will need to be experienced in boat dive entry before participating in diving from a helicopter. But, if you want to take your diving to the next level, a heli-diving experience is one you’ll never forget. Browse our Dive Centers and Resorts Listings, view our Dive Special Offers section  and remember to tell them you found them on TheScubaDivingDirectory.com and receive up to 10% off your diving.