It was my eighth dive trip to Indonesia since 1994, and in earlier years I spent a lot of time finding the most reliable of the local dive centres.
End of August I spend one week in Ocean View Tulamben Resort, a well-organized spacious resort in a prime location gearing to middle class tourists, offering good rooms, well-kept pools and its own dive centre, Blue Water Dive. Their instructor teaches in English and French. You don´t share guides. They have emergency equipment like 2 oxygen bottles, but most staff is AOWD without qualification for rescue diving procedures and Medic first Aid. The management and senior dive staff do not seem to see any issue there.
I decided to do a night dive on the wreck on the day of arrival. I got a very young dive guide (AOWD with three months experience as I found out later). There was not much of a briefing given his limited English.
I have dived with dozens of shops around the world, but cannot remember an equally poor preparation to the first dive with a new shop. I told him to give me a hand on the rocks, move slowly during the dive and look for small stuff. And that is what we did. It was a very good dive. Surprisingly, he knew how to look for tiny critter as you would expect it from specialist macro guides in reputable shops. After the dive, I requested to continue diving with him. After 4 dives, he was so scared about not meeting my expectations that I was given another guide.
Management told me that he could work better with inexperienced divers. Imo, management and senior dive staff should maybe reconsider priorities on the issue.
The new guide was a seasoned and entertaining dive master speaking good English, but not as good for macro. After four dives, he was not avalaible any more.
The guide for the remaining dives was another dive master and really great for critter spotting.
Check your bill carefully. I found dives on my bill that took place before my actual arrival in Tulamben or on days I did not dive at all.
The dive shop is not what you expect in a resort like Ocean View. Guides´ qualification varies a lot, and guides change frequently. Their awareness of safety reminds me of shops in Indonesia I avoided 20 years ago. And in a place like Lembongan with currents and without my own gear, I would not have dived with them. Experienced divers who can get over the rocks on their own could also just rent out tanks.
End of August I spend one week in Ocean View Tulamben Resort, a well-organized spacious resort in a prime location gearing to middle class tourists, offering good rooms, well-kept pools and its own dive centre, Blue Water Dive. Their instructor teaches in English and French. You don´t share guides. They have emergency equipment like 2 oxygen bottles, but most staff is AOWD without qualification for rescue diving procedures and Medic first Aid. The management and senior dive staff do not seem to see any issue there.
I decided to do a night dive on the wreck on the day of arrival. I got a very young dive guide (AOWD with three months experience as I found out later). There was not much of a briefing given his limited English.
I have dived with dozens of shops around the world, but cannot remember an equally poor preparation to the first dive with a new shop. I told him to give me a hand on the rocks, move slowly during the dive and look for small stuff. And that is what we did. It was a very good dive. Surprisingly, he knew how to look for tiny critter as you would expect it from specialist macro guides in reputable shops. After the dive, I requested to continue diving with him. After 4 dives, he was so scared about not meeting my expectations that I was given another guide.
Management told me that he could work better with inexperienced divers. Imo, management and senior dive staff should maybe reconsider priorities on the issue.
The new guide was a seasoned and entertaining dive master speaking good English, but not as good for macro. After four dives, he was not avalaible any more.
The guide for the remaining dives was another dive master and really great for critter spotting.
Check your bill carefully. I found dives on my bill that took place before my actual arrival in Tulamben or on days I did not dive at all.
The dive shop is not what you expect in a resort like Ocean View. Guides´ qualification varies a lot, and guides change frequently. Their awareness of safety reminds me of shops in Indonesia I avoided 20 years ago. And in a place like Lembongan with currents and without my own gear, I would not have dived with them. Experienced divers who can get over the rocks on their own could also just rent out tanks.
