RAID: A Modern Approach to Dive Training – Now on Board MV DiveRACE Class X

At DiveRACE, we’ve always believed that scuba diving should be exhilarating, safe, and taught properly – not rushed, not box-ticked. And in 2025, “properly” also means modern, flexible, and digital.

That’s why we’re proud to offer scuba training through RAID (Rebreather Association of International Divers), one of the world’s fastest-growing and most forward-thinking certification agencies.

Whether you want to sharpen your skills, dive deeper with confidence, or get more bottom time using Nitrox, RAID brings a fresh approach to dive education – and you can complete your training right on board MV DiveRACE Class X in the Similan Islands.

---

Who (and What) Is RAID?

If you’re familiar with names like PADI or SSI, think of RAID as part of that same family of internationally recognised scuba agencies.

A RAID certification allows you to:

• Dive around the world
• Join trips and fun dives at dive centres globally
• Progress to more advanced or technical training later on

The big difference is in how RAID delivers its training.

RAID was built with the idea that scuba education needs to evolve with technology. Instead of thick printed manuals and piles of paperwork, RAID has gone fully digital and paperless. That shift isn’t just for convenience – it allows them to keep course content updated, accessible, and consistent, wherever in the world you are logging in from.

The agency is particularly well known for its high safety standards, especially in technical and rebreather diving, and its strong emphasis on quality over quantity when it comes to training.

If you’re already certified with PADI, SSI, or another recognised agency, you can absolutely still take RAID courses with us. Your existing certification is your entry ticket; the RAID course simply becomes your next step.

---

RAID vs PADI vs SSI – What’s the Actual Difference?

On a practical level, all three agencies – RAID, PADI, and SSI – train divers to internationally recognised ISO standards. That means:

• Your RAID card is accepted at dive centres worldwide
• You can cross over between systems in the future if you like
• The diving skills you learn are compatible with what other agencies teach

So what sets RAID apart?

First, the learning experience. RAID has gone all-in on e-learning from day one. Their platform is not an afterthought – it’s the backbone of the system. You create an account, choose your course, and immediately unlock access to the digital content.

Second, their training philosophy leans strongly toward higher safety margins and strong fundamentals, especially as divers progress into more advanced, technical, or rebreather courses.

The result is a system that feels modern, structured, and focused on producing divers who genuinely understand what they’re doing – not just divers who passed a quiz once and forgot it.

---

Digital Learning, Done Properly (and Free of Hidden Fees)

One of the biggest advantages of RAID – and a major reason we like working with them – is their approach to digital learning and course materials.

When you sign up for a RAID course, you get free access to the online learning materials. There’s no extra charge for a digital manual or “theory package”. You simply register, log in, and start learning.

From your RAID account, you’ll find:

• Well-structured digital manuals that explain the concepts clearly
• Built-in quizzes to help you check your understanding as you go
• Full compatibility with both mobile and desktop devices

You can sit at home with your laptop, or go through a few sections on your phone during your commute. The system remembers your progress, so you can chip away at the theory at your own pace before your trip.

By the time you step onto MV DiveRACE Class X, the idea is that your classroom work is largely done. That allows you to focus on what you came for: clear blue water, the Similan Islands, and real in-water skills practice.

RAID’s website and student portal were recently redesigned, so the whole process – creating a profile, choosing a course, accessing materials – is smoother and more intuitive than ever.

---

Train Onboard: RAID Courses with DiveRACE in the Similan Islands

On our Similan Islands liveaboard, we offer two key RAID programs that are perfect for divers looking to level up their skills during a trip:

RAID Explorer 30 – Go Deeper, Dive Better

Already an Open Water diver (from any recognised agency)? The RAID Explorer 30 course is your next logical move.

During this course, you’ll:

• Extend your depth limit to 30 metres
• Refine your buoyancy, trim, and control
• Gain experience with navigation and dive planning
• Build confidence handling different dive conditions

Instead of treating it like a box you need to tick, we use the stunning sites of the Similan Islands as your classroom. You’re not just doing skills for the sake of skills – you’re applying them on real dives, with real marine life, over granite boulders and colourful reefs.

By the end, you’re not just “certified to 30m”; you feel like a more controlled, more aware, and more capable diver.

RAID Nitrox Diver – Longer, Safer Bottom Time

On a liveaboard, you’re typically doing multiple dives per day. That’s exactly where Nitrox (enriched air) becomes a game-changer.

The RAID Nitrox Diver course teaches you how to:

• Understand what Nitrox is and how it affects your body
• Plan dives with longer no-decompression limits
• Analyse Nitrox cylinders and set your dive computer correctly
• Use Nitrox safely to manage nitrogen loading over multiple dives

The theory can be completed online in advance through RAID’s e-learning platform. Onboard, we focus on the practical side: using real Nitrox fills, analysing gas, and applying what you’ve learned on actual dives in the Similan Islands.

For many divers, Nitrox is one of the most useful certifications they ever get – especially if they love liveaboards and repeat trips.

---

Why Choose RAID Training with DiveRACE?

You might be wondering: Why not just do this at a random dive shop somewhere else?

A few reasons:

1. You get a globally recognised certification.
A RAID card is accepted at dive centres around the world. You can show it in Thailand, Indonesia, the Red Sea, the Caribbean – it works.

2. High training standards, small groups.
Onboard MV DiveRACE Class X, we keep student numbers tight. That means more attention from your instructor, more feedback, and more time to work on the things that actually matter for your diving.

3. Flexible, genuinely free online learning.
You complete your theory before your trip at no extra charge. No surprise manual fees, no last-minute cramming in the saloon when you’d rather be relaxing.

4. Environmentally conscious approach.
RAID is fully digital and 100% paperless. Your materials, exams, and certification card are all online. Less waste, less plastic, fewer printed booklets that end up on a shelf.

5. You learn in paradise.
Instead of doing your training in a crowded house reef or a murky bay, you complete your dives in the crystal-clear waters of the Similan Islands, with some of Thailand’s best dive sites as your backdrop.

Most importantly, combining RAID training with a DiveRACE liveaboard means your holiday time works harder for you. You’re not only diving some of the most beautiful sites in the country – you’re also coming home with new skills, better confidence, and an upgraded certification.

---

How to Start Your RAID Journey with DiveRACE

Getting started is simple: Sign Up Process

1. Visit RAID online.
Head over to RAID’s updated website, learn more about their training philosophy, and create your free diver profile. You can also browse course descriptions and see exactly what’s covered.

2. Look up the sign-up guide and course options.
From your RAID account, you can view how the registration process works in detail and see the specific courses you’re interested in – such as RAID Explorer 30 or RAID Nitrox Diver.

3. Contact DiveRACE to book your trip and course.
Once your profile is ready, get in touch with us to reserve your spot on MV DiveRACE Class X and add your chosen RAID course to your liveaboard booking. We’ll coordinate the training schedule, e-learning, and in-water sessions with you.

---

If you’re already planning a Similan Islands liveaboard, or you’ve been thinking about levelling up your diving for a while, this is one of the most efficient and rewarding ways to do it.

Dive smarter. Learn in comfort. Train with an agency that’s built for the digital age – and do it all from the deck of MV DiveRACE Class X.

Start your RAID journey with DiveRACE today – and turn your next dive trip into something much more than just another holiday.