Locations & Costs for Divemaster internship Indonesia/Philippines

[dirtfarmer]

One of the best DM programs I've seen is thru Sucba Junkies Komodo.
Great program and great diving. Their program is really professional and they do a really good job. There is alot of their hires that have gone thru their program but they are instructors, they have mostly local's as DM`s and they have locations in Komodo, Nusa Penida, Mabul and more.

And I see @Centrals mentioned them also.

The question I have is do you really want to do a DM course? If you want to be a better diver you can just dive! A little money is just that, hauling tanks, being a grunt, and the bottom of the food chain. Might you be better off just spending that $$$ on diving to be a better diver. DM`s like I said are the bottom of the food chain and in most parts of the world are unemployable as those jobs are taken by locals. Scuba Junkies does this, they like to hire locals as guides. Most locations in the Caribbean are like that also.

If you can speak 4 languages and want to become a instructor and live the "island life" then DM cert is for you. If you just want to be a better diver than just DIVE! Leave out all the cert's and dive your ass of where you want and when you want instead of holding someones hand.

 

[Centrals]

I have been to SJ Komodo three times and was really impressed with the DMT. I wonder if there is any selection program before the candidate was allowed to enroll for the course.
SJ Komodo is the only place that I would recommend to anyone who is interested to train as DM. The management there has been doing a very fine job.
BTW, all the senior management staffs speak Indonesian!!!

 

[natal_nihilist]

If you can speak 4 languages and want to become a instructor and live the "island life" then DM cert is for you. If you just want to be a better diver than just DIVE! Leave out all the cert's and dive your ass of where you want and when you want instead of holding someones hand.

The problem is the amount of diving you'll be able to do at client rates will very quickly eat up that money. For example I moving back to South Africa soon and want to take a couple months off and go diving before I have swap my wetsuit back to a work suit. Most of the programs I have looked at in SA and Mozambique have promised around 100 dives over a 3 month period and the cost will be in the region of $1000 - $2000 including accommodation (private room) and 3 meals a day. Looking at the rack rates for clients, assuming one dive a day and staying in a tent it would be $3000 without food.

If the DM course + internship costs me $1500 I will get three months of diving, some boring some great and still have $1500 left over to do another month at client rates.

Of course this is excluding the opportunity cost of me not earning a corporate salary but that's a problem for later next year.

 

[Slartib4rtfarst]

Hi everyone! Thank you a lot for your replies. Somehow I did not get any notifications, and thus, didn't reply earlier.
Natal_nihilist has almost perfectly summed up my situation. If money wasn't an issue I would certainly go for the "just dive" option. But since I have limited opportunity to save up much more money with a DM program I'll certainly get more diving per amount of money spent.

I thought a little more on it and due to my limited time (2,5 3 months) I won't go for a very isolated location. The smaller islands around Bali/Lombok seem idea. Does anyone have experience with local dive centers there?
Right now my best bet is to choose an island and try out some dive shops including the rescue diver and then to continue with the divemaster itself possibly.

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[Rob9876]

I thought a little more on it and due to my limited time (2,5 3 months) I won't go for a very isolated location. The smaller islands around Bali/Lombok seem idea. Does anyone have experience with local dive centers there?

No personal experience, but in a prior post I included some links to DM programs in Bali/Lombok:

TEEN OPPORTUNITIES?

Looking for volunteer or research opportunities for PADI-certified Open Water TEEN divers - either in the Pacific Northwest during the academic year OR anywhere during the summers. Suggestions? Thanks!

scubaboard.com

 

[Slartib4rtfarst]

I have done some more research an stumbled upon Lebuan Bajo due to the excellent diving around Komodo. Can anyone recommend any dive centers there?

I have scuba junkies in mind but their nusa penida branch really has questionable reviews.
I also found 3W in gili air which looks promising.

Thank you everyone for the replys!

 

[Saty]

I have done some more research an stumbled upon Lebuan Bajo due to the excellent diving around Komodo. Can anyone recommend any dive centers there?

I have scuba junkies in mind but their nusa penida branch really has questionable reviews.
I also found 3W in gili air which looks promising.

Thank you everyone for the replys!

I've complete my DM at Komodo with Scuba Republic late 2023, my instructor was very good.
I would recommand.
Honestly, i could not vouch for others as i didn't get trainned with them, but what i can tell you is that the boat they own (whatever the shop) is important because you are out from 7am to 5pm.
There is the normal boat more confortable but slower, or the fast boat. It's up to preference.
Blue Marlin got the fast boat, other dives shops have normal one (i personnaly choosed the normal ones )
Doing my DM for 3month ish, i did many joiners and there is very different confort of boats !

On the diving side, it's just a super interesting place to do DM, marin life is beautiful, and the strong currents are something super interesting to get experience with.
If i may, don't go to Gili T/air/meno to do DM, it's just not challenging enough