DM Scout Trip

My husband and I have decided to throw in the corporate towel in about a year and a half to move to Asia and get our Divemasters. In the meantime, we're planning a trip to Indonesia as kind of a scouting trip for potential DM locations this November. We're targeting areas with excellent diving and a laid-back, expat-friendly lifestyle. I'd also love to train at a dive shop that is active in conservation - for example the reef restoration that Trawangan Dive is doing in the Gilis (but it seems the diving there is just so-so?).

We traveled through Thailand this past January for potential DM locations too. We loved the diving in the Similans but don't think working on a liveaboard day in and day out is for us. We also dove Koh Phi Phi and really enjoyed the island feel (really loved that there are no cars!) but the diving was just okay. Not to mention the over abundance of "bros".

So, keeping all that in mind, any suggestions on best places to DM train and live in Indonesia? Any personal accounts of making this sort of leap are welcome.

Thanks!
Ashley

Two Fish Divers have a good reputation for doing your DM and you would get to dive both Bunaken and Lembeh with them - not chance to have lots of social life but very good diving and nice laid back atmosphere. Their Course Director runs Shark Guardian and is very active in Shark Conservation. I also believe that they maybe opening a location in Nusa Lembongan as well so could do a three place swap.

The Gili Islands are a relaxing place to do ur dm. the 3 islands are totally different, trawangan is busy and has the most nightlife, meno is the quietst one, and gili air is in the middle.


we oceans 5 on gili air, do a lot of conservation, we have a turtle nursery, we organise every week clean ups, reef and beach, we offer biology classes for our dm and instructors for free. be free to click on one of the links if u like to have more info about dm courses. hopefully we see u on gili air.