Divemaster Internship Location

[t1mm]

Hello all,

Thinking of heading to Asia and doing a Divemaster Internship next summer. I have already completed the PADI Courses up to Rescue Diver level here in Ireland. I would like to spend about 2 months completing the Divemaster course and possibly 2 or 3 more months working as one afterwards!

I have looked at Koh Tao (Buddha View Dive Resort) and Gili Trawangan Indonesia (Trawangan Dive) as options so far. I have had various opinions on these areas. Amidst the reports of amazing marine life such as whale sharks on Koh Tao I have also heard stories of dive-boats with 40+ divers packed in like sardines. The place is meant to have a bit of a "buzz" to it though, with good nightlife and restaurants. Gili Trawangan, having no motorized vehicles on the island and less visits to the dive shops from tourists, seems to be the quieter option. However, my brother has told me that the majority of the dives he did there were drift dives. Drift diving doesn't particularly tickle my fancy - freedom is one of the main aspects I enjoy when diving.

I would greatly appreciate if anyone with experience diving and/or working around Asia could give me some further opinions on where to spend my money and my time

Thanks for reading!

Sean

 

[orenbvip]

koh tao has less than desirable diving and way too many divers....

 

[t1mm]

Have you been there? What makes it so undesirable? I was under the impression that lots of divers coming through would be good when taking a professional course based on taking on responsibility for leading and helping other divers on a regular basis.

 

[Deep-Blue]

Greetings, Have you had a look at the following shops in Bali
A. Air Diving Academy >> BaliDiving.com
B. Bali Scuba >> BaliScuba.com
C. Scuba Schools >> Scuba-Schools-Indonesia.com
All 3 have a very good name and excellent Instructors, Sanur Bali has everything u need and you only get what u pay for.
Safe Diving

 

[marinediva]

Think your first option the better one.....Buddha View.
I did my DM, IDC and MSDT there over eight months.
You will have the time of your life.

Don't worry about those sardines on the cattle boats, they are really experience waiting to be had.

There is anyother thread going at the moment where a DMt had to assist and all the divers he was assisting were instructors or other DMt's. When this happen they fake problems,
at least you will get some real experience with real problems.

Yes there are 40+ divers, great isn't it.
Ask yourself, are you there to learn to be a pro, or are you there for the great diving.

If it is the great diving, forget it. Yes it okay. Lots of different things and some good challenges,
but if you want great diving you head to PNG or sth AMerica or the red Sea, not Koh Tao.

Koh Tao I see as a place to train. Backpackers come there to learn to dive before heading to the places they really want to dive, like say GBR or Indonesia.
It is cost effective compared to prices to learn in Cairns.

If I had tried to do the same thing in Australia, live here on no income, dive everyday, still manage to eat well with great freshly cooked food, have a beer and yarn everynight at a bar,
it would have cost double if not triple the $10000AUD it cost me. That price even included my airfares, and Aqualung equipment I purchased.

A lot can be said for those sardines in cattle boats, I see it as it means this.
Lots of different classes happening on the same day.
One boat may take the confined divers to do OW, rescue and DSD courses,
the other doing OW, advamced. Rescue, specialties, DM courses.
Groups doing mapping, groups doing deep dive, groups doing a naturalist specialty all on the one site. Its great. You are there to learn to assist, and help divers have a pleasant experience.

Buddha View has very experienced and respected instructors, most who have worked there for a long time.
There divemaster program is second to none, and yes I am probably bias, but I have worked and seen the operations of other schools, not just in Thailand, and would highly recommend them.
all the best in your choices.

 

[Big fish63]

koh tao is a hole full of hippies, great for a pissup but the diving is terrible compared to what you can experience in asia..
if you want to do it for the social side go there you will have a great time, if you want to do it for the diving mybe try malaysia- seaventures offeres a very nice price on dm internships over 2 months and mabul/sipadan is amazing.

 

[Phuket diver]

Hi,
I could recommend you to take a look at our website, you offer divemaster internship which includes liveaboards experience

Please contact me if you need information

 

[red_barbarian]

If you can afford it, go to 3-4 locations/dive ops and try a dive day with each dive op you think you want to do your course with. Check out their gear, boat, attitude, etc. As a DMt you will be an unpaid employee, make sure it's a group you enjoy being around. If you are going to be out for 4-5 months as you indicated, that's a very long time to be in a crap environment. PM me if you want other ideas about locations other than the two you mentioned. I dive every month somewhere in Asia and have been trying to see a lot of different dive areas over the last 4 years.

 

[Bubble Junky]

Also take a look at Thresher Shark Divers in the Philippines. They offer great internship programmes......

 

[BLUESEASONBALI]

Hi Sean,

Have your considered your DM Training in Bali itself? It has a huge variety of divesites and diving styles, everything from world famous macro diving sites to the fantastic Mola Mola and year round Manta rays at Nusa Penida where you will certainly learn how to be the best divemaster you can be in some challenging conditions.

Please check out our website at PADI Divemaster Internships | Scuba Diving Internships| PADI IDC for more information about the courses that we offer and please don't hesitate to contact us at diving@blueseasonbali.com for more information regarding the course.

BLUE SEASON BALI
PADI Asia Pacific Regional Award Winner 2010; Outstanding Dive Center 2010
Commitment to Instructor Development 2010

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