10 Tips for Beginner Scuba Divers

1. Get used to being in the water

You might be excited to learn to dive but if you aren’t 100% comfortable in the water you can land in trouble quickly.

During a PADI Discover Scuba Diving or PADI Scuba Diver Course you will have to tread water for 10 minutes and swim 200 metres. Your dive instructors will assess your ease and comfort in thedive cGili dive water during these tests.

If you’re not sure how comfortable you are in the water, head to your local pool and get used to spending some time in the water.

10 Tips for Beginner Scuba Divers

2. Choose the right dive centre to do your training

You may assume all dive centres are the same but this couldn’t be further from the truth. You should be looking for a reputable dive centre with plenty of testimonials and high-standard certifications. You should also be looking for a centre where the dive sites, currents and weather conditions are suitable for new divers.

Gangga Divers at Villa Almarik is fantastic for beginner divers thanks to their professional service and location on Gili Trawangan. There are tons of easier dive sites around the island that are ideal for your first dives.

10 Tips for Beginner Scuba Divers

3. Do a test run in a pool

If you’ve never tried out diving at all and want to take a PADI Scuba Diver Course you will get to try out all your gear and techniques in the pool.

Villa Almarik has a pool deep enough for dive practice and this is where your very first scuba experience will take place.

If you aren’t 100% sure diving is for you, you can also get in touch with a dive centre closer to home and see if they do test session in a pool. There are opportunities like this all over the world, not just in tropical climates.

10 Tips for Beginner Scuba Divers

4. Ask lots of questions

Before you start your course start asking questions. Gangga Divers will answer any questions you have even before you have a course booked.

Once you’re on Gili Trawangan and are doing your PADI dive training you should ask as many questions as you can. A 3 or 4 day course can go very quickly and you want to make sure you are confident every step of the way.

No question is silly when it comes to diving, so make sure to raise your hand and ask anything you need to.

5. Study the material

Scuba diving is great fun but it’s also very serious. While you are training you are going to need to pay attention and complete all the course work and theory that is part of the course.

PADI Dive Courses offer the option of completing your coursework online with PADI e-learning. This is included in the price of your course and can ensure you have more diving time and less time in the classroom. It can also make you more confident with diving before you even get in the water.

10 Tips for Beginner Scuba Divers

6. Stay hydrated

Speaking of water, it’s important that you stay hydrated while you are diving. Our bodies actually lose a lot of water while we are diving so drinking extra water should be high on your list of priorities.

Dehydration can lead to fatigue, lack of concentration, and muscle cramps.

7. Don’t drink too much alcohol

You also have to be careful not to drink an excessive amount of alcohol. Gili Trawangan has a reputation as a party island but apart from being very unpleasant to have a hangover on a boat, alcohol consumption can lead to dehydration, sickness, lack of concentration, and can also make you more susceptible to decompression sickness.

8. Relax & breathe

10 Tips for Beginner Scuba Divers

Relaxation and rhythmic breathing is key to scuba diving. The more relaxed you are and the longer and deeper your breaths are, the more at ease you will be underwater.

Learning some simple breathing and meditation techniques can be really useful before you learn to dive. The more even your breaths are the easier it is to stay calm and focused.

9. Follow your instructor’s instructions

10 Tips for Beginner Scuba Divers

This is very important and as much so for long-time divers as beginners. Your dive instructor or guide is there to support you and keep you safe. During your training and even afterwards you should always be listening and watching for instructions or warnings.

10. Don’t fly for 24 hours after you dive

After diving you need to rest for at least 24 hours before flying. The air pressure in an aircraft increases as it ascends and increases your risk of decompression sickness if you have been diving.

Divers who have been diving multiple times over a period of a few days, for example when they are on a dive course, should wait between 1 and 3 days before flying. The more dives you’ve been on, the higher your risk of decompression sickness is if you fly too soon.

Gangga Divers are ready to start you on your dive journey!

10 Tips for Beginner Scuba Divers

There are lots more things to learn about diving but these 10 things should get you ready to figure out if diving is for you. If you have any more specific questions, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment in the box below. We’d love to get you closer to your diving dreams!

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    10 Comments

  1. Forku Panayotis
    June 18, 2019
    Reply

    Good day, I wish to know how much you train divers. I have the dream of becoming a diver. I will like to also know your based country.

  2. August 1, 2019
    Reply

    Hey there! Yeah, I am also a beginner scuba diver and thanks to you for sharing tips with us. Your post is really amazing and informative. The tips you have shared will help me a lot. Thanks again and keep sharing such kind of posts of diving.

  3. August 21, 2019
    Reply

    My children want to go scuba diving. I like how you mention taking a PADI scuba diver course and doing a test run in a pool to get to know the gear and techniques of scuba diving. Thank you for the advice. I’ll have my children take the PADI scuba diver course before we go scuba diving.

  4. August 28, 2019
    Reply

    I loved your tips about scuba diving for beginners, especially the part about getting used to being in the water. My husband and I are planning to take scuba dive lessons on our next vacation trip, and we are looking for information. I will make sure to follow your advice to make my first experience worth it.

  5. September 19, 2019
    Reply

    I liked that you mentioned you need to feel 100% comfortable in the water before you learn to dive. My husband and I are thinking about learning to dive, and we are looking for advice. I will make sure to be comfortable in the water before learning to dive.

  6. December 11, 2019
    Reply

    Scuba is a very strenuous sport. Scuba fatalities from heart or circulatory problems account for about a quarter of all scuba diving deaths. Although you do not need to be a world class athlete, You should be healthy enough to take on the physical stresses associated to scuba diving. If you are in doubt of your physical capabilities, it would be wise to undertake a physical exam before a dive.

  7. February 10, 2020
    Reply

    These are some great tips for the beginner scuba diver. I’m heading off on a scuba diving trip to Koh Tao Thailand later this year. Although I’ve dived many times before I always find it useful to read articles like this to refresh my memory on the basics!

  8. March 21, 2020
    Reply

    I am currently training to be a professional diver. Well, I also think making research will help me out so this got me here. I really love the ideas you put up on this article and I hope to get more from you! Please do well to also get information from my blog HERE.

  9. November 25, 2022
    Reply

    You did a fantastic job at writing it, and your thoughts are excellent. This article is superb!

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