Where to begin? I went to Aquanauts after doing a shite load of research and choosing this company over Mermaids (more expensive) and companies in Mexico, Bali and other places. I went on ScubaBoard.com and asked questions. One of the owners who trolls Scubaboard was quick to answer and shamelessly self promote.
That should have been enough warning. But needless to say I decided to come down after all the fancy words, slick website and barrage of emails. Another warning I over looked.
First thing I noticed when I arrived in Pattaya... Is this place is no paradise, grimy, dirty, nasty little place. The shop is like any other, but ok, I just spent a shite load of money to get here and lets make the best of it.
The diving sucks, its not what you think of when traveling to "paradise", but of course they sell the shitty viz as a Great Training Opportunity.
Right from the beginning I felt lost and left out, maybe because I am not one of the English blokes who seem to get preferential treatment here, Americans seem to be very disliked in this part of the world including by the staff, and hey by the way I am Canadian but still suffered.
Anyhow, PADI training is based on an 8th grade reading level as it is. And the instructors took it down a notch.in fact, there was a co-student that could barely read. And guess what you cant fail the I.D. C because they practically give you the answers. I found it amazing the amount of PADI bashing from the owners, who live from this agency.
On the boat your free labor. No wait I paid a ton of money to be here and I get to do your work for you, under the disguise of "training".
Students gave a rats ass about quality training. Its basically I pay you give me my certification. And Aquanauts obliges.in that aspect they are quite good.
On many occasions the other students came in hungover from the constant drinking and prostitute parties they have, and not once were any of them counseled on the issue, much less punished.
If your a woman planning on attending this program be prepared for a shite load of sexual harassment, crude jokes and overall inferior treatment. And it guess worse from the locals.
I lost a lot of respect for the scuba diving profession as a whole, I guess I shouldn't take it out on the industry because I went to a shite school. But I did. If anyone reads this be warned, there are a tone of places in the world to do your training.
If your coming to Thailand to visit, Im sure your experience will be better than mine. But if your coming to Thailand to dive and more importantly train with Aquanauts. You my friend will then be very sorry. Caveat Empto
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