PADI Divemaster Course on Bali: choosing the right Dive Center

13 Sep PADI Divemaster Course on Bali: choosing the right Dive Center

It is always important to select a dive center carefully, but for more than any other diving course for the Divemaster course. The Divemaster course is the first professional diving course in the PADI spectrum and will be the basis for anything you would do in the future. And as you will most likely be spending a significant amount of time at the dive center, it pays off to select the dive center that is right for you.

Intensive Divemaster course or longer Divemaster Internship?

You should start off by asking yourself what you would like to achieve. Do you take the divemaster course as a stepping stone to get your PADI Instructor certification? Do you have a long holiday and are you looking to spend that learning something new while having the ocean as your office for a while? Are you doing the course for fun and personal development or do you intend to make it your profession? If the divemaster course is a stepping stone to get your PADI Instructor certification as quickly as possible, opt for an intensive course. If you are travelling with a non-diving partner, the intensive course is also most likely your best option. If you have more time and are keen to learn more and make more dives on the beautiful Bali, opt for the longer internship style course.

If you decide the longer divemaster internship is the one for you, make sure you research the divemaster internships that are on offer. Will the program be run completely separately from the other activities of the dive center, meaning you will get plenty of training in simulated situations with other divemaster trainees but not work with real guests so much, or will you be part of the day-to-day running of the dive center and get more hands-on experience and exposure to as many real life situations as possible. The actual PADI divemaster program will be the same everywhere, as all PADI dive centers should be following the same PADI standards. 

Where will you be diving on Bali?

The dive sites on Bali are quite spread out. The location of the dive center on Bali will already be a good indication where you will be diving during your divemaster Internship. Dive centers in the south of Bali tend to dive on more different dive locations around the island, so you will get to see more of Bali. It does involve a bit more travel time to and from the dive sites though. It is certainly worthwhile to check where the South-based dive centers usually do the open water dives for the PADI Open Water course. Do they go to nice dive locations or do they spend a lot of time on the Sanur or other local reefs, if they do, chances are you will be spending some of your time there as well. 

What is really included in the Course Price?

All divemaster courses and divemaster internships will include the course itself, but what else is included? Is the PADI Divemaster Crewpack included or not? If not, it will cost you US$250 to purchase one yourself. Is lunch included or do you have to pay that yourself? Even though food is not expensive on Bali, a nice lunch including drinks will usually cost you around 7-8 US dollars. Is the rental of dive equipment included or is it required you purchase some of your own? If rental is included, does that mean a dive computer is also included? And what about dive insurance? Some of the dive centers offer accommodation as part of their package, others allow people to choose and select the type of accommodation that fits them best. Normally the PADI application fee is not included in the course price, so make sure you take that into account when planning your divemaster course or internship. In 2015 this is AUD178. Ask a dive center to send you a complete overview of the extra cost that might be involved.

Style of the Dive Center

Last but not least, does the style of dive center match you? Each dive center has its own style. Some dive centers have many parties and social events at night; other dive centers might have a very strict program, run large programs or on the other hand have a more personalized style with smaller groups. It just depends what you are looking for and what fits you best.

When should you do your Divemaster Course on Bali at Joe’s Gone Diving?

You should choose to do your divemaster course on Bali with Joe’s Gone Diving if you like a more personal approach, would like to work with professional but fun dive instructors, and get exposure to as many real life dive situations as possible. We dive on many different dive sites on Bali and offer a short 2-week Divemaster program as well as a 1-month Divemaster internship or longer.

For more information: Divemaster Courses and Divemaster Internships on Bali