First-time diver planning to travel — looking for affordable Dive Master internship (Costa Rica or Bali?)

[ChasingAdventure]

Hey everyone — I’m Chase, a first-time diver exploring a lifestyle pivot that includes a deep dive (literally) into the ocean world.

I’m in research stage of looking into Divemaster internships abroad, ideally in Costa Rica or Bali/SE Asia. I’m drawn to both regions for the surf, nature, and slower pace — and I’m hoping to find a shop that offers:

• Open Water through Divemaster certification (ideally bundled)
• An internship model with housing included or subsidized
• A respectful, learning-oriented environment (I’m 34, not a spring break kid)
• Bonus if it’s in a town with solid surf, yoga, or wellness culture

This would be part of a 2–3 month immersion in late 2025 or early 2026. I’ve looked into a few shops so far (Rich Coast, TravellersQuest, Ceningan Divers, Joe’s Gone Diving), but I’d love real insights from folks who’ve done something similar — or shop owners open to chatting.

I’m also curious:

Does anyone regret doing a Dive Master internship vs. paying for each course outright?

• Are there red flags I should look for in choosing a dive shop/program?
• How demanding is the internship path for someone brand new to diving?

Any guidance, experience, or recommendations would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks so much
— Chase

 

[rongoodman]

Don't you think would make more sense to actually learn to dive yourself before planning on taking responsibility for other divers?

 

[ChasingAdventure]

Don't you think would make more sense to actually learn to dive yourself before planning on taking responsibility for other divers?

Hey Ron — totally fair question, and I appreciate you saying it directly.

To clarify: I’m not trying to skip steps or rush into “being responsible” for others. I’m 100% planning to start from Open Water and work my way up with humility and patience. The goal behind looking at Divemaster internships now is more about finding the right learning environment and long-term path, not slapping on a title before I’ve earned it.

I see the Dive Master internship as a structured way to immerse myself — to learn the gear, the safety protocols, the habits, and the deeper mindset that good divers carry. Whether I stay on that track or not depends on how I feel as I gain real experience.

Appreciate the reality check. That’s one reason I’m here — to learn from folks like you who’ve been in it longer.

— Chase

 

[Rob9876]

I did some initial research on Dive Master programs a couple of years ago, which might be helpful. Here's the link (don't let the thread title throw you, these aren't just for teens):

Post in thread 'TEEN OPPORTUNITIES?'

Nov 3, 2023

Actually any sugestions for a summer program (2-3 weeks) for a HS senior during the 2024 summer would be amazing!!! Camps,university programs etc....incuding programs we would have to pay. She has 100+ dives in North East and Florida.

This may be getting a bit away from what the OP was asking about (research opportunities), but I'll share below my **very rough notes** that I put together for my 18 year old son (he ended up getting a scholarship that required starting college in the summer, so he was not able to do these) -- most of these are DiveMaster (DM) class/internship...

• Rob9876

• 

 

[old frogman]

Hey everyone — I’m Chase, a first-time diver exploring a lifestyle pivot that includes a deep dive (literally) into the ocean world.

I’m in research stage of looking into Divemaster internships abroad, ideally in Costa Rica or Bali/SE Asia. I’m drawn to both regions for the surf, nature, and slower pace — and I’m hoping to find a shop that offers:

• Open Water through Divemaster certification (ideally bundled)
• An internship model with housing included or subsidized
• A respectful, learning-oriented environment (I’m 34, not a spring break kid)
• Bonus if it’s in a town with solid surf, yoga, or wellness culture

This would be part of a 2–3 month immersion in late 2025 or early 2026. I’ve looked into a few shops so far (Rich Coast, TravellersQuest, Ceningan Divers, Joe’s Gone Diving), but I’d love real insights from folks who’ve done something similar — or shop owners open to chatting.

I’m also curious:

Does anyone regret doing a Dive Master internship vs. paying for each course outright?

• Are there red flags I should look for in choosing a dive shop/program?
• How demanding is the internship path for someone brand new to diving?

Any guidance, experience, or recommendations would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks so much
— Chase

Late 2025 to early 2026 is the wet season in Bali (southern hemisphere). Not optimum weather for diving. June to September optimum weather for diving.

 

[NothingClever]

I see the Dive Master internship as a structured way to immerse myself — to learn the gear, the safety protocols, the habits, and the deeper mindset that good divers carry.

What convinced you DM was the best path to achieve the above goals?

Has anybody shown you a different path?

You’re likely to get where you want to be a lot faster and with more certainty by orienting your ambitions on a technical training trajectory.

 

[Zane]

Hey Chase — great to see someone approaching a dive lifestyle shift with real intention. Both Costa Rica and Bali/SE Asia are solid options for a Divemaster internship, especially if you’re after bundled certifications, housing, a slower pace, and a surf/wellness-friendly environment. Shops like Ceningan Divers (Nusa Ceningan) and Rich Coast Diving (Costa Rica) often tick all those boxes, but it’s worth digging into their training style and intern culture — especially to make sure it’s not geared solely toward younger gap-year types. Places like Joe’s Gone Diving, Blue Corner Dive, and some smaller shops around Nusa Lembongan and Komodo can offer a more mature, learning-focused environment.

Internships can be a fantastic way to go deep (literally and figuratively), especially if you want hands-on experience and a more immersive dive lifestyle over 2–3 months. That said, some people do regret going the internship route if the shop lacks structure, leans too heavily on free labor, or doesn’t offer enough mentorship. A hybrid path—doing Open Water through Rescue with dedicated instructors, then choosing whether to continue as an intern—can give you flexibility while still getting you where you want to go.

For someone new to diving, the DM path is demanding but totally doable with curiosity and some basic fitness. The progression (OW → AOW → Rescue → DM) is designed to build confidence steadily. The Rescue Diver course is usually the real turning point—it’s intense but incredibly empowering. The internship portion involves assisting on courses, practicing skills, and logging 60+ dives, often over 1–2 months. Be ready to get wet daily, carry tanks, and sometimes do early starts or long days, but if you love the water, it’ll likely feel more invigorating than exhausting.

Key red flags to watch for: a lack of structure, too many interns at once, and shops that push interns into teaching roles before they're ready. Always ask to speak to past interns, and don’t be afraid to clarify expectations around learning vs. labor. If you'd like, I can help shortlist current programs that fit your vibe or help draft an outreach message to shops — just say the word. You're on a solid path. Let the ocean change you.

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

Dive master is a tour guide and a babysitter, not necessarily a good diver. Doing a DM course to be a better diver is like trying to become a bus driver to drive tourists around just because you enjoy history. There are few threads around on usefulness of a DM course .

 

[kdlv]

Hm... you don't even know if your body and mind are "ok" with diving yet.
I know people that went through OpenWater training only to realize that their body doesn't tolerate it (sinuses, ear drums are just the trivial examples), also people that have a overwhelming fear of sea grass or the sight of the body of water above you at depth of 5+ meters. And these folks are brilliant swimmers and in excellent physical condition.
You may go on a journey where you might realize in the beginning that there are barriers you cannot just overcome, pushing yourself harder and eventually risking your health.

If I were you, I would take the open water course seriously as a student and then use the first 20-30 dives improving your skills with the same instructor who took you through the OpenWater. This will mitigate the risk of having conflicting "wisdom" thrown at you while you still don't have the experience and knowledge. And again, it's very likely that everything you hear will be correct, however without experience, you will tend to consider it true or false, while with experience the nuances start to appear. And you can take the training in some warm water conditions with light and thin wetsuits (or shorties) to naturally learn your body buoyancy, before you start adding complicating factors like thicker wetsuits for some other locations around the globe. I personally prefer warm water diving.

And only then the plan you have might have a good chance of success and you can continue the path with AOWD, Deep, Nitrox, Rescue, DiveMaster.

 

[ChasingAdventure]

Late 2025 to early 2026 is the wet season in Bali (southern hemisphere). Not optimum weather for diving. June to September optimum weather for diving.

Thanks for the heads-up. Good to know Bali’s best weather for diving is actually Jun–Sep. That lines up with Q2‑Q3 in my plan. I’ll note wet-season limitations and consider minor adjustments if early-season dives seem choppy.