Our Dive & Sun Recovery drip is an IV drip for divers in Khao Lak, brought to your hotel room or villa by a registered nurse. Days on the Similan and Surin Islands mean early starts, strong sun, salt water and several dives, and many divers come back feeling tired and dried out. This drip gives you fluids and electrolytes that may help you feel rehydrated faster, with a full health screening first and the nurse beside you the whole time.
One thing first, because it matters most: an IV drip is not a treatment for decompression illness or any other diving injury. If you have any unusual symptoms after diving, read the safety section below and get medical help straight away.
Who this drip is for
- Divers back from a Similan or Surin day trip or liveaboard who feel tired and thirsty
- Snorkellers and boat guests who have spent long hours in strong sun
- Dive instructors and crew who want a rest day pick-me-up between trips
- Divers who find it hard to drink enough water on a busy boat day
- Anyone who simply prefers a nurse to come to them, rather than travelling to a clinic
Many divers find that drinking plenty of water and resting is all they need, and that is a perfectly good choice. A post-dive IV drip in Khao Lak is an option for those who want to feel rehydrated more quickly, not something you have to do.
What’s in it
The Dive & Sun Recovery drip is based on fluids and electrolytes, with vitamins chosen after your health check. The nurse will tell you exactly what goes into your drip before it starts. As general background, these are ingredients commonly used in drips like this, and what each one generally is:
- IV fluids with electrolytes – a sterile salt-and-water solution, similar to what is used in hospitals, commonly used to replace fluid and salts lost through sweating.
- Magnesium – a mineral the body uses for normal muscle and nerve function. It is lost in sweat in small amounts.
- Antioxidant vitamins – vitamins such as vitamin C are commonly added to vitamin drips as part of a general wellness mix.
We describe what these ingredients are, not what they will do for you. Everyone responds differently, and we do not promise a particular result.
How it works
1. Health screening
When the nurse arrives, they ask about your health, medicines and allergies, and about your recent dives: how many, how deep and how you have felt since. This is to make sure a drip is suitable and that nothing you describe needs a doctor instead. If anything sounds like it could be a diving injury, the nurse will not start a drip and will help you get medical care.
2. Your drip
The nurse places a small cannula in your arm using sterile, single-use equipment and starts the drip. You can lie on the bed or sit by the pool, read or nap. The nurse will tell you how long your drip should take before it starts, and stays with you throughout.
3. Aftercare
The nurse removes the cannula, applies a small dressing and gives you simple advice: keep drinking water, rest, and get in touch if the drip site becomes red, hot or painful.
IV drips and diving: timing
Divers often ask whether it is fine to have a drip just before or straight after diving, or before flying home. We do not give a single timing rule, because the right answer depends on you, your dives and your plans. Ask the nurse during your screening, and check with your dive operator before your next dive.
Our general advice is simple. Follow your dive operator’s rules and your dive computer, follow guidance from your doctor and from Divers Alert Network (DAN), and never use a drip as a reason to dive more, dive deeper or shorten your surface intervals. For more detail, read our nurse’s guide: can you dive after an IV drip?
Price
The Dive & Sun Recovery drip is priced on request. Message us for the current price and we will confirm it, along with the expected duration, before the nurse sets off.
The price includes the nurse visit to your hotel or villa, the health screening and all equipment. Diving with friends? Dive buddies and groups can book together. Tell us how many divers are in your group and we will quote a price for everyone.
Who shouldn’t have this drip
This drip may not be suitable, or may need a doctor’s approval first, if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding
- have a heart condition or kidney disease
- take regular medication, including blood thinners or blood pressure medicines
- have a known allergy to any of the ingredients
- have any symptoms that could be linked to diving
When to get medical help after diving
Do not book a drip, and get medical help straight away, if after diving you notice any of the following:
- joint or muscle pain, especially in the shoulders, elbows or knees
- numbness, tingling or weakness anywhere in the body
- dizziness, confusion, trouble speaking or problems with your vision
- shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing
- a skin rash or itching, or extreme tiredness that feels out of proportion
In an emergency in Thailand, call 1669, tell your dive operator, and contact Divers Alert Network (DAN) or your dive insurer for advice. Possible diving injuries need specialist medical assessment, not an IV drip at your hotel.
FAQs
Is this a dive recovery drip for decompression sickness?
No. It is a hydration drip for divers who feel tired and dried out after a long day on the water. It does nothing for decompression illness, which needs emergency medical care. If you think you might have a diving injury, call 1669 and contact DAN or your dive operator.
Can I have an IV drip after diving the Similan Islands, on the same day?
Please ask the nurse and your dive operator before you plan a drip around your dives, and follow medical advice and guidance from Divers Alert Network (DAN). Whatever the timing, the nurse will ask about your dives during the screening and will not go ahead if anything you describe needs a doctor.
Do I need a drip, or is drinking water enough?
For most divers, drinking water regularly, eating well and resting is enough. A drip is a convenient option if you want to feel rehydrated more quickly or find it hard to drink much. The nurse will give you an honest view.
Can you come to my hotel when I get back from the boat?
Yes, we visit hotels and villas in Bang Niang, Nang Thong, Khuk Khak, Pakarang Cape, Bang Sak, Khao Lak Lamru and Takua Pa. Message us to check today’s availability and arrival time.
Book your drip
Back from the Similans and ready to rest? Tell us where you are staying and how many divers are in your group, and a registered nurse will come to you.