Dive Course: Open Water Diver

Posted on February 21, 2025May 15, 2025 by Annabel Thomas

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Open Water Diver Course

Open Water Diver Course is a great way to attain the first required certification to dive internationally.

Through the PADI Open Water Diver Course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of scuba diving, including dive theory, equipment and techniques, over the course of 2 or 3 days. The certification is recognised worldwide and is earned by completing:
– Five Knowledge Development (theory) sessions – these can be done online.
– Five Confined Water (pool) sessions to practise scuba skills, learn to breathe underwater and familiarise yourself with your scuba gear.

Then it’s time for your four Open Water (sea) dives on Bali’s beautiful east and north east coast reefs (including the famous 120m USAT Liberty Shipwreck in Tulamben Bay!).

The Theory

With PADI eLearning, you can complete the dive theory wherever and whenever you want, while going at your own pace. You’ll then be fully-prepared when you meet your AquaMarine PADI instructor and can start diving straight away. Alternatively you can buy an Open Water manual from your local dive shop or we’ll deliver one to you when you arrive in Bali. Complete the theory by the pool, on the beach, or in the shade of a convenient palm or mango tree!

Your Open Water Dives

AquaMarine recommends doing your Open Water dives in Tulamben Bay (we believe this is where you’ll really fall in love with diving) to experience shore diving. And in Blue Lagoon just outside Padangbai on Bali’s east coast for boat diving, rather than at the inferior reefs, with more difficult conditions, in the south of Bali.

Because the course is performance-based, you get as much time as you need to practise your new skills prior to certification. You can choose our 2 or 3 day OWDC schedule. Above all, AquaMarine’s instructors will ensure that not only is your course low-stress and safe, but you will have great fun, too.

The PADI Open Water Diver Course (and PADI Junior Open Water Diver Course) is your ticket to dive anywhere at any time. Once you discover how easy and fun scuba diving is, you’ll want to share it with friends and family. Bring them along to try the PADI Discover Scuba Diving, or the PADI Open Water Diver Courses.

Scuba Diving in Indonesia

Posted on February 14, 2025February 14, 2025 by Annabel Thomas

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Scuba Diving in Indonesia

If you have not yet dived Indonesia, you are missing out!

The Indonesian archipelago consists of thousands of islands, both large and small, but there are two things they all have in common: Their natural, exotic beauty and fascinating cultures. Indonesia is also world-renowned for its incredible marine biodiversity.

Indonesia’s Diving Destination

Some Indonesian dive destinations are already famous: Komodo National Park for drift-diving with pelagics, and muck dives; North Sulawesi with the rich walls of Bunaken Marine Park and the critter haven of Lembeh Strait; the underwater limestone scenery of Raja Ampat, or the Wakatobi Islands with their long, pristine reefs.

However Indonesia also offers other wonderful underwater treasure troves:

With their amazing coral formations, Alor and Pantar Islands (Flores) are favourite dive locations for adventure-loving divers.

Ambon and Halmahera in the Spice Islands (Maluku) offer outstanding muck diving and healthy reefs.

Bangka Island (N Sulawesi) is popular with divers seeking more isolated areas. The dive sites can have currents but offer colourful corals swarming with small, tropical fishes and many hunting pelagics.

In West Papua, Cendrawasih Bay is famous for the resident Whalesharks that feed at fishing platforms and Manokwari Bay for its WWII Japanese shipwrecks.

In the Gulf of Tomini (central Sulawesi), Gorontalo aka “The Sponge Capital of the World” remains relatively unexplored, while the Walea Strait offers an ideal environment for healthy and gorgeous coral life along with very calm seas.

Maratua and Sangalaki (Borneo) have impressive drop-offs with great drift diving to see pelagics.

These areas, and many more, make up the world’s richest marine biogeographic zone: Indonesia.

Indonesia’s Diving with AquaMarine

AquaMarine Diving – Bali is proud to represent reputable dive resorts and liveaboards throughout the archipelago.

Whether you would like a long or short trip, or multi-centre; to well-known or obscure parts of Indonesia, AquaMarine’s ‘Beyond Bali’ Dive Travel Consultants can book the entire package for you: Dive resorts, liveaboards, land-based activities, and domestic air tickets – often with free add-ons, domestic flights, accommodation upgrades, extra dives, private guides, Nitrox.

2025 ‘Best of Bali’ Dive Safaris

Posted on January 10, 2025January 10, 2025 by Annabel Thomas

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2025 Best of Bali Dive Safaris

The 2025 Best of Bali (aka BoB) Dive Safaris Package comprise three itineraries of seven, eight, and 12 nights duration. AquaMarine created these Safaris exactly as we would wish them to be put together if we were divers visiting Bali. All of Bali’s best dive locations have been included in the safari. The itineraries include:
– shore- and boat-diving
– walls, muck, wrecks, reefs, drifts
– macro and wide-angle photography

You’ll see fantastic hard and soft corals, great density and diversity of marinelife: from large pelagics such as Manta rays and Mola-Mola in season, to the tiniest juveniles and pygmy seahorses.

Best of Bali Dive Safaris Package Details

These Best of Bali Dive Safaris commence on fixed dates, with guaranteed departure based on a minimum of 2 divers.

The 13 Day Best of Bali “circles” the island allowing you to experience the widest variety of Bali dive sites. The 8 Day BoB focuses on the north west and north east coasts. The 7 Day Best of Bali itinerary offers diving on the north east and east coasts.

Nothing has been included ‘for the sake of it’.
– Fixed start dates (guaranteed with minimum two divers)
– Bali’s three best custom-built dive boats
– Minibuses customised for maximum space and leg room
– Maximum ratio of 1 PADI Divemaster (or above) for 4 divers
– Emphasis on safety and enjoyment.

Resorts were chosen for location, facilities and value for money.