Best place for Dive Masters?

[Ricky&Ricky_Scuba]

Hey everyone, brand spanking new to the forum. Thanks for having me! Sorry if I’m doing this wrong but I got a question for the DMs out there.

My wife (Ricky) and I are are traveling for a few months (currently in south east Asia) and are PADI Advanced OPW with 90 dives under our belts.

Anddddd….we want to go full in for our dive masters to; increase our skills, preparedness and…of course…rack up a bunch of dives while gaining the option to perhaps guide someday.

Our question: where is the BEST place to get your DM? Of course any place underwater is great, but where did you do it? Did you love it? Hate it? What would you do differently?

Considerations/Interests
1) COST: Southeast Asia prices are looking pretty good right now!
2) CORAL RESTORATION OPPTY: we both completed a coral restoration course, are passionate about it and we’d love to partner with a dive shop or location where we could contribute with some of our dives.
3) LOCATION: remote (lots of sweet dives but perhaps nothing else) vs. a bit more civilization (yoga, burger, etc)…Sabah vs. Bali
4) SURFING…and other stuff to do: hiking, biking, music…assuming that there is anytime for this aside from work and study.

We aim to complete the program in a month (a shame I know) and from our research so far the top contenders are the following…I realize these are quite broad…
-Indonesia: Bali, Menjangan, Komodo, nusa Lembongan, Gilis…
-Philippines: Malapascua, Palawan
-Belize: Caye Caulker
-Costa Rica: Idk
-Ecuador & Galapagos: no idea


Thanks for your help. Hope I didn’t open up a can of worms! Locations would be great, dive shops even better.

Appreciate it!
-The Rickys

 

[TMHeimer]

Regarding taking the DM course you will get many replies saying DM course isn't worth it if your goal is just to improve skills- better to take other courses (tech., etc. whatever). The DM course will require you to get your skills (reg retrieval, unit & wt. belt on & off, etc.) to demonstration quality, but you can practice these on your own, and demonstration quality is only for if you assist with courses. Other than that, the course is all about the teaching aspects of diving. I got mine at home and worked as a PAID DM assisting on OW courses, but at least here in N. America getting paid (other than "perks") as a DM is a rarity. So I would only advise doing DM if you want to get into teaching and if so I would do it where you intend to teach and ask about pay. A first step of course is taking the Rescue Course, which all will advise. Good luck!

 

[Ricky&Ricky_Scuba]

Regarding taking the DM course you will get many replies saying DM course isn't worth it if your goal is just to improve skills- better to take other courses (tech., etc. whatever). The DM course will require you to get your skills (reg retrieval, unit & wt. belt on & off, etc.) to demonstration quality, but you can practice these on your own, and demonstration quality is only for if you assist with courses. Other than that, the course is all about the teaching aspects of diving. I got mine at home and worked as a PAID DM assisting on OW courses, but at least here in N. America getting paid (other than "perks") as a DM is a rarity. So I would only advise doing DM if you want to get into teaching and if so I would do it where you intend to teach and ask about pay. A first step of course is taking the Rescue Course, which all will advise. Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback TM. The other main motivation is overall price…I’ve gathered that getting your DM is one of the more economical options to get A LOT of dives in. Yes you will be assisting in the shop, assisting on dives so they aren’t exactly fun dives but the price of fun diving, or course diving, I believe will be much more expensive than going for the DM which we are also interested in having on our resume for potential future use as well. Example, in Sipidan Malaysia ~$1500 for DM 1month. That could be the equivalent of 15x fun dives or 3 courses in N. America I feel.

Thanks again for the feedback!

 

[TMHeimer]

Thanks for the feedback TM. The other main motivation is overall price…I’ve gathered that getting your DM is one of the more economical options to get A LOT of dives in. Yes you will be assisting in the shop, assisting on dives so they aren’t exactly fun dives but the price of fun diving, or course diving, I believe will be much more expensive than going for the DM which we are also interested in having on our resume for potential future use as well. Example, in Sipidan Malaysia ~$1500 for DM 1month. That could be the equivalent of 15x fun dives or 3 courses in N. America I feel.

Thanks again for the feedback!

I hear these DM internships can vary a lot regarding what kind and what amount of work you do. Good luck finding a good fit.

 

[Dive Concepts]

Choosing the best place for Dive Masters depends on various factors, including personal preferences, career goals, and the type of diving experience you seek. Here are some renowned destinations popular among Dive Masters:

1. Bali, Indonesia: Known for its rich marine biodiversity, adventure scuba diving bali offers diverse diving opportunities, including vibrant coral reefs, wreck dives, and encounters with marine megafauna like manta rays and sunfish.
2. Great Barrier Reef, Australia: As the world's largest coral reef system, the Great Barrier Reef boasts stunning underwater landscapes and a vast array of marine life. Dive Masters can explore numerous dive sites teeming with colorful corals and aquatic creatures.
3. Red Sea, Egypt: Renowned for its clear waters, abundant marine life, and fascinating wrecks, the Red Sea is a top destination for Dive Masters seeking adventurous diving experiences, including drift dives and encounters with pelagic species.
4. Komodo National Park, Indonesia: Famous for its Komodo dragons and diverse underwater ecosystems, Komodo offers thrilling drift dives, healthy coral reefs, and encounters with sharks, turtles, and manta rays.
5. Maldives: With its crystal-clear waters and thriving coral reefs, the Maldives is a paradise for Dive Masters. Explore underwater pinnacles, channels, and vibrant coral gardens while encountering a diverse array of marine life.
6. Palau: Known for its stunning dive sites, including the famous Blue Corner and Jellyfish Lake, Palau offers Dive Masters the chance to explore pristine reefs, WWII wrecks, and encounters with large pelagics like sharks and mantas.
7. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador: Offering some of the most exhilarating diving experiences in the world, the Galapagos Islands are home to unique marine species, including hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, and marine iguanas.
8. Thailand: From the Andaman Sea to the Gulf of Thailand, Thailand offers Dive Masters diverse diving opportunities, including vibrant coral reefs, underwater caves, and encounters with whale sharks and other pelagic species.

When choosing a destination as a Dive Master, consider factors such as job opportunities, cost of living, living conditions, local regulations, and environmental conservation efforts. Additionally, research the diving conditions, marine biodiversity, and seasonal variations of each destination to ensure it aligns with your interests and career aspirations.

 

[OTF]

Choosing the best place for Dive Masters depends on various factors, including personal preferences, career goals, and the type of diving experience you seek. Here are some renowned destinations popular among Dive Masters:

1. Bali, Indonesia: Known for its rich marine biodiversity, adventure scuba diving bali offers diverse diving opportunities, including vibrant coral reefs, wreck dives, and encounters with marine megafauna like manta rays and sunfish.
2. Great Barrier Reef, Australia: As the world's largest coral reef system, the Great Barrier Reef boasts stunning underwater landscapes and a vast array of marine life. Dive Masters can explore numerous dive sites teeming with colorful corals and aquatic creatures.
3. Red Sea, Egypt: Renowned for its clear waters, abundant marine life, and fascinating wrecks, the Red Sea is a top destination for Dive Masters seeking adventurous diving experiences, including drift dives and encounters with pelagic species.
4. Komodo National Park, Indonesia: Famous for its Komodo dragons and diverse underwater ecosystems, Komodo offers thrilling drift dives, healthy coral reefs, and encounters with sharks, turtles, and manta rays.
5. Maldives: With its crystal-clear waters and thriving coral reefs, the Maldives is a paradise for Dive Masters. Explore underwater pinnacles, channels, and vibrant coral gardens while encountering a diverse array of marine life.
6. Palau: Known for its stunning dive sites, including the famous Blue Corner and Jellyfish Lake, Palau offers Dive Masters the chance to explore pristine reefs, WWII wrecks, and encounters with large pelagics like sharks and mantas.
7. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador: Offering some of the most exhilarating diving experiences in the world, the Galapagos Islands are home to unique marine species, including hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, and marine iguanas.
8. Thailand: From the Andaman Sea to the Gulf of Thailand, Thailand offers Dive Masters diverse diving opportunities, including vibrant coral reefs, underwater caves, and encounters with whale sharks and other pelagic species.

When choosing a destination as a Dive Master, consider factors such as job opportunities, cost of living, living conditions, local regulations, and environmental conservation efforts. Additionally, research the diving conditions, marine biodiversity, and seasonal variations of each destination to ensure it aligns with your interests and career aspirations.

AI post detected

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

Thanks for the feedback TM. The other main motivation is overall price…I’ve gathered that getting your DM is one of the more economical options to get A LOT of dives in....~$1500 for DM 1month. That could be the equivalent of 15x fun dives or 3 courses in N. America I feel.

Thanks again for the feedback!

What is the overall learning outcome that you are trying to achieve?

DM is a short-term lifestyle choice - I wish I did it in my early twenties when I had plenty of time, no money and no career . The main skill that you learn is always being on the edge - that's something I noticed in all decent DMs and instructors. You expect bad things to happen because bad things happened to you, repeatedly. You will be responsible for herding clueless divers and will need to make sure nobody gets hurt, at the expense of yourself. So hopefully your ears are good to yo-yo dive 6-7 days a week and chase divers who happen to bolt to the surface or who need babysitting on the surface because they haven't dived for years while the rest of the group is dragged away by the current. You will not be learning much about diving itself...

If you want to be a better diver, look into something like intro to tech + AD/DP. You will learn a lot and more importantly, you will get the tools to become a better diver, even if you never do any bigger diving.

Here's what you learn on a typical DM course: Divemaster

Compare that with some basic intro courses:
- Intro to tech (or Fundies)
- Advanced Nitrox , usually combined with Decompression procedures

Guess which one is focused on being a tour guide responsible for other people and which one gives you the tools to become a better diver.

There are so many cool dive sites in South East Asia - just Philippines have Malapascua, Coron/Busuanga, Subic Bay wrecks - that would keep you busy for few weeks, rather than stay somewhere for a month and pay to guide other people...

 

[TMHeimer]

Just another thought about DM internship vs. just diving a lot. For years we drove to the Florida panhandle and stayed in a condo 3 months. I did tons of shore diving and the odd charter boat. Now, you won't find a condo there for $1,500 per month Dec.-March (off season) anymore, and down South in FL they are more costly. But per dive, not so much. And you can take the odd course as well. I'm no authority on internships at all but for some reason I tend to agree with DiveLikeAMupp. Sounds like a lot of work. I can say that assisting on OW checkout dives was challenging and rewarding at times, but not at all diving for fun. That was next weekend all by myself...