So, it’s got to be worth learning. If you enjoy swimming and snorkelling, there’s a 75% chance you will be comfortable as a diver: if you want to be sure before committing to a training course, take a “try-dive”, an escorted dip available at centres across the UK. To find one near you, contact either of the two principal training agencies, Padi (0117 300 7234, www.padi. com) and BSAC (0151 350 6200, www.bsac.com).

Both organisations also have a range of full training courses, both here and abroad. Padi is the bigger: its open-water diver course is the one to go for — the scuba-diver course only qualifies you to dive with an instructor. BSAC has arguably the best beginner training of all, on its ocean-diver course.

Naturally, most of us make a holiday of it (and find less bracing waters) by learning overseas. Basic scuba courses typically take four or five days and cost between £100-£600: the international benchmark is about £250. They can be fairly intensive — a mixture of classroom theory, pool practice and open-water dives. Whichever route you choose, spend five minutes chatting with your prospective instructor before signing up. If you enjoy their company and find them reassuring, that’s all you need.

So, where to take the plunge? Here’s our pick of the best beginner sites.

BEST FOR COLOUR

Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt

The water is always warm and the coral is as colourful as anywhere on the planet. Just a five-hour charter flight from London, Sharm is one of the world’s great centres for diver training; hurry up and go in July, when the water is clear and about 27C. Nothing compares to the sight of a Red Sea coral pinnacle, with its resident orange anthias fish billowing out like tiny flags in the current. Once you’ve got your certification, take a day or two to explore the reefs off Tiran Island to the north, or dive into the nightlife around Na’ama Bay.

The school: Tony Backhurst Scuba (01483 271765, www.scuba.co.uk) has seven nights with the respected Camel Dive Club from July 15, with flights from Gatwick or Manchester, transfers, B&B at the adjoining Camel Hotel, and a Padi or BSAC course, for £725.

BEST FOR CULTURE

Aqaba, Jordan

Sharm may be a buyers’ market for dive instruction, but Aqaba is a more satisfying experience for the seasoned traveller. It’s an established port, so you get to soak up everyday Jordanian life between lessons. There are fewer schools here, but standards are high because diving is a royal sport. King Abdullah is an enthusiastic diver, and added variety to the underwater scene by ordering the sinking of a freighter, the Cedar Pride: the wreck is now rated as one of the Red Sea’s best dives. It’s also possible to see octopus, lionfish and the bizarre frogfish.

Just a few hours’ drive from Aqaba is ancient Petra, whose elegant monuments are carved into the rose-red sandstone. Visit from September to the end of May for cheaper flights, and expect water temperatures between 24C-27C.

The school: Aquatours (020 8398 0505, www.aquatours. com) offers a week at the Alcazar hotel from October 10-17 for £499, or upgrade to the five-star InterContinental for £778. Prices include flights from London; a Padi course costs an extra £199.

BEST FOR BACKPACKERS

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