The Problem with Scuba Diving in Southeast Asia

'There is no more neutrality in the world. You either have to be part of the solution, or you're going to be part of the problem.' - origin unknown

Scuba diving in Southeast Asia is arguably the best place to learn and to keep discovering the tiny and enormous creatures and unbelievable colours of our underwater world.

Let’s go through the four reasons why Asia is the best place to dive and also the problems caused by each. 

1. It’s cheap
   Scuba diving can be very expensive. There are places like Monterey Bay that can cost up to US$300 for a day of diving, but in Asia some places can be as cheap as $5 per dive not including accommodation. Because of its costs, people see a dive business as a way to get rich quick. But the hard reality of things is that it is expensive and dive centres exploit DMs and Instructors, shortcutting operations at the expense of safety and sustainability to maintain their bottom line. Do you know the phrase “too good to be true”? If something is very cheap, know that you will get what you pay for, which more often than not means that it won’t be safe or you are diving a site with a lot of human traffic,

2. Coral Triangle - diversity
   South East Asia's underwater flora and fauna diversity is the richest in the world. The Coral Triangle sits in the middle and covers the Philippines, Borneo, Indonesia, and PNG, and there are more marine species in this area than all over the world. 76% of all known coral species, 6/7 marine turtle species, 37% of the world's coral fish species, and more than 130 million people are directly impacted by its resources. Whatever you want to see (except for the species found only in cool waters), can be found somewhere in Southeast Asia.
   
   The problem that this leads to is an influx of divers, and unfortunately divers who also do not respect the oceans as the sanctuaries they are. In my “extreme” opinion, as a diver, you can’t be a fish eater because what you see underwater is directly affected by the fishing industry. 

3. Unlimited choice
   Because of the diversity and the fact that so much of Southeast Asia is surrounded by oceans and seas, dive destinations are almost unlimited. Just one flight from Singapore gets you to more than a dozen dive destinations, and if you add a domestic flight, you are exposed to better dive destinations with more pristine reefs and better conditions (i.e. less people)
   
   There is an unlimited choice to destinations, but 90% of divers only go to most accessible destinations. It might take longer to get somewhere, but it is much more of a rewarding and fully immersive experience (so punny) to make the push out to the harder to get to places. If you’re already making it out to this region, wouldn’t you want to make the extra 2 hour flight for a dive experience that is 100x better

4. Warm waters - no wetsuits needed

Many people choose to dive without a wetsuit in Southeast Asia because temperatures are comfortably above 27°C in most dive destinations. Personally I prefer a wetsuit, but I am generally a cold sensitive person. Those divers who dive without a wetsuit say there is a sense of freedom that comes just diving with a rashie and it is nice to enjoy the tropical waters without being covered in an underwater sweater-onesie. 

Because its the tropics, we have the very hot sun to compete with. In the last few years, the idea of sun cream being toxic has come to light and can impact marine life. However, most protective creams are still toxic, and the word hasn’t spread yet. It seems counterintuitive that covering up is better for the extreme sun exposure, but follow the locals who always cover up with long sleeves and pants, they always know best. 

Here are your solutions:

1. Travel further, and when you can’t, choose reputable dive operations

2. BYO UV shirt, hat sunnies, and suncream

3. Plan and book early.

All dive destinations and booking through Chickenfeet Travels ensures that you are diving in a destination not ruined by overtourism. You are diving with a very reputable dive operator with a long history of positive impact with the local communities. We have done the hard work, when you book through us, you will be fully supported before, during, and after and it does not cost you any extra as most dive resorts we work with work on commission. It is a win-win.