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Pataya offers grand diving
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Song Yingwen
PATAYA can be bold, beautiful and bucolic. The beaches and sea, which are world famous for their white sands and blue yet limpid waters, offer travellers one of the most amazing getaways on the planet.
The tranquil waters of the Thai Gulf, together with warm tropical weather, make this place not only a fabulous swimming spot, but also an ideal dive site overflowing with coral. Visitors to Pataya can get a closer look at the coral either up close by diving, or from the comfort of a glass-bottom boat.
Surprisingly little equipment is needed for this undersea activity if you choose to view coral by diving: a diving mask, fins and gloves to protect you from sharp stones, shells and coral.
The venture begins from a boat bobbing in gentle waves a few kilometres offshore. Dressed in swimming suits, visitors climb into the sea and receive a short briefing on safety tips.
A few seconds later, you find yourself in a completely different world: surrounded by the cool sea water, you hear nothing but the low hiss of the oxygen regulator; all the noisy crowds and bustling world are left behind together with the blazing sunshine, though it's only 10 metres below sea level.
If you try to hurry your pace to reach the corals, you will soon find movement difficult. The water and equipment force you to act in slow motion.
But frustration will soon be replaced by joy as you find yourself surrounded by curious visitors. You look into the corals and find sea anemones staring at you with their round and colourful eyes. As you try to move closer, you find yourself almost stepping on a sea cucumber hiding in the sand. You reach out to pick up the lazy creature creeping in sand, but then are distracted by swarms of tropical fishes in riot of colours flashing by. You wave your hand and jump to your feet, trying to express your excitement and catch up with the dazzling fishes, but would be surprisingly to find your hand grasped: it is your guide informing you that your time is already up and it's time to return to real life. All divers return the surface only reluctantly, but alas the air tanks can only last so long.
But then again, there is always next time.
But then again, there is always next time.
But then again, there is always next time.
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