Hi, my husband and I recently got our OWD certification and we will be traveling to HK the first week of April 2023 and we hope we can do 1-2 dives in Hong-Kong just to see how the ocean looks like in HK. We would like to get recommendations for dive shops that are managed by expats rather than by local Chinese partially due to the language barrier. We will still consider reputable dive shops owned by local Chinese though. Thank you.
Dive shop recommendation for fun dives in Hong-Kong
- Thread starter rbivore
- Start date
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caffinated_hippo
New
Hi hi, probably too late to answer, I recommend Saikung Scuba
www.saikungscuba.com
Diving Hong Kong | Sai Kung Scuba | Hong Kong
We are recognised PADI Dive centre based in re recognised PADI Dive centre based in Hong Kong. If you’re interested in doing a course with us, keen to join our social dives to explore HK’s varied dive sites, or just get in touch to know more about diving in general we’re happy to hear from you!
www.saikungscuba.com
caffinated_hippo
New
Diving in HK is a mixed bag.
According to some studies, Hong Kong is very rich in terms of marine life biodiversity and environment:
Hong Kong hosts more than ¼ of all marine species recorded in China －HK’s first comprehensive study on marine biodiversity reveals - All News - Media - HKU
(From left) Dr Terence Ng Pun-tung, Professor Gray Williams and Mr Martin Cheng. Hong Kong is best known as a bustling harbour, a financial centre and a shoppers' ...
www.hku.hk
There are no big animals like manta rays, sharks, or whales. There are a lot of small animals. I'd seen nudies, frog fishes, cuttlefishes, octopus, etc. So there are much to see if you have sharp eyes, know what to look for, and have a bit of luck.
The visibility is generally not good. On a good day I get about 3m. Anything higher we consider it to be a great day. A much more experienced friend once told me, "poor visibility is an opportunity to practice navigation", so I don't let that bother me anymore. I'd heard stories about some instructor level divers with thousands of dives but couldn't handle a relatively standard dive in HK cuz they always had great viz in some SEA destination. I know that if I can handle diving in HK, I'm gonna have a good time diving somewhere else.
Summer/fall is peak season, but that's when visibility is the worst. The best visibility happens during winter/early spring, but that's way too cold for me. Need to get that dry suit course when I can afford it.
That said, we don't have strong currents here. If I ever go somewhere with strong currents, I am likely to have problems.
Dive shops are also a mixed bag. Every shop has their own different strengths and weaknesses. A lot of people like to stick the the handful of shops they are comfortable with. Currently I am diving with different shops a few times to see how I like them. The crowd is different too. So I am also meeting people and networking which was not something I set out to do. This is an unexpected bonus.
Accessibility is great. On a dive day I just have to get up a bit early, and takes me about an hour on public transport to get to Sai Kung pier where most dive boats leave from. This is a luxury that a lot of people around the world don't have.
Overall, even though HK is not a great diving destination, it is still a very good place to dive as a local since it is easily accessible. And the less than ideal conditions makes it a good place to practice.
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