A lot of people choose to travel to Southeast Asia for the price point. A few weeks in Europe can translate to several months in SEA considering one travels on a strict backpacker’s budget. There are a lot of activities you can do in SEA which are surprisingly cheap considering their local
alternative.
One of the most worthwhile activities you can do while traveling SEA is learning how to dive. Thailand is home to several marine sanctuaries and incredible dive sites. It also offers one of the cheapest PADI license packages in the world. So you should definitely get a PADI when traveling in SEA as it only takes you four days to complete.
If you’re asking yourself if it’s safe or even legit, it certainly is. Thousands of tourists flock to Koh Tao to get their PADIs so they can continue to travel SEA while hitting dive sites in Malaysia, Indone
sia, and the Philippines. It is also worth noting that besides the PADI, diving gear and expeditions are also relatively cheap in SEA.
SEA is also home to unique aquatic species, and over 75% of the world’s coral species. It also houses over 6,000 species of fish and other marine animals. Some locations in SEA are known homes of endemic species like the Thresher Shark in Malapasuca in the Philippines.
Tup Ingram, M.D., is a reconstructive and plastic surgeon based in Nashville, Tennessee. He had worked with various nonprofit organizations such as Operation Smile, Habitat for Humanity, the Viennese Opera Ball of New York City, and Doctors Without Borders. For more reads on scuba diving, visit this blog.
Tup Ingram 
