Shore diving and local culture advice

[chillyinCanada]

I like this sentence hahaha.. so true

How I wish it weren't so. Last time that I flew to Manado, a woman wanted to have a picture taken of her and me. I couldn't understand what it was that she wanted. My driver interpreted. It felt very strange but I did it as if we were best friends. That photo is floating about in Facebook land somewhere though I suppose only within parts of Indo.

 

[Edward3c]

This is the complete law. https://www.kemenparekraf.go.id/asset_admin/assets/uploads/media/old_all/REGULATION OF MINISTERI OF TOURISM NUMBER 7 OF 2016 ON GUDELINES FOR RECREATIONAL DIVING ACTIVITIES.pdf
.

Thanks for the link. I've added this document to the others where countries have legislated for SCUBA.

Interesting solo diving is illegal.

 

[Centrals]

Thanks for the link. I've added this document to the others where countries have legislated for SCUBA.

Interesting solo diving is illegal.

That would put off a lot of divers particularly those insisted that guiding is a insult to their abilities to diving!!!!
Plenty of these posts are to be found in SB!

 

[Edward3c]

That would put off a lot of divers particularly those insisted that guiding is a insult to their abilities to diving!!!!
Plenty of these posts are to be found in SB!

The regulations do not exclude a buddy pair from diving without a guide. Chapter II,B.1.b). "All recreational diving activities in open water must be supervised by a dive guide or certified dive instructor directly of indirectly." Direct supervision is defined in Chapter I.D.16. If your supervised from the boat or shore you meet the regulations.

Sorry to the OP for the thread highjack.

 

[Blackcrusader]

This goes against the law. The sponsor is fully responsible and has to show 10.000 USD per per who is sponsored for the visa. And then the quarantaine (5 plus 14 days) which is not very inviting to come over for 3 weeks.

Seems the law is not very well enforced as many people are flying in to get to Bali to stay there for several months at a time.
I do business with Indonesian companies so if I had to do a business trip they would sponsor my visa and they are in Jakarta.

 

[Blackcrusader]

The regulations do not exclude a buddy pair from diving without a guide. Chapter II,B.1.b). "All recreational diving activities in open water must be supervised by a dive guide or certified dive instructor directly of indirectly." Direct supervision is defined in Chapter I.D.16. If your supervised from the boat or shore you meet the regulations.

Sorry to the OP for the thread highjack.

The chap I go on dive vacations to Bali with is an instructor. Never been an issue for the pair of us to rent tanks and go diving.

 

[Mike Veitch]

Seems the law is not very well enforced as many people are flying in to get to Bali to stay there for several months at a time.
I do business with Indonesian companies so if I had to do a business trip they would sponsor my visa and they are in Jakarta.

They were issuing business visas up until the end of December when those were then put on hold and no foreigners other than residents could enter. In February they started allowing those with pre existing business visas to enter once again. However, they still have not started issuing new business visas again. So the only ones who can get in at present are those who had visas issued in December or earlier.

 

[Indah]

The chap I go on dive vacations to Bali with is an instructor. Never been an issue for the pair of us to rent tanks and go diving.

What the law says and what people do is not always the same. Often the law seems to be invisible in Indonesia. But if something goes really wrong, these laws are applied. Example, no police ever tested me for consuming alcohol before driving, but if I would kill somebody in an accident and after that I am tested and it turns out I drank, I would go to jail for at least 5 years. Dive centers and guides do everything to please their guests, and the guests often do not know how risky this can be for the dive center. By the way, in case of an accident the dive guide is personal responsible. The OP mentioned unguided shore dives with minors. My response was mainly to that question. About your other comment. People staying for months in Indonesia are not the typical tourists.

 

[Divingswede]

While the discussion on the thread has taken a bit of a turn, I appreciate the information. Learning about the local diving is why I posted.

To be clear, no issue with diving with a guide. It’s the access to shore diving that’s key.

 

[Indah]

While the discussion on the thread has taken a bit of a turn, I appreciate the information. Learning about the local diving is why I posted.

To be clear, no issue with diving with a guide. It’s the access to shore diving that’s key.

If you children are still junior divers you might want to know if the shallower depths from the shore are worth visiting and about the currents at that part of the reef. Going back against a current is often impossible. By the way, diving from a boat is in general much more comfortable and safer than shore entries. The perfect white sandy beaches with easy entries seldom offer any good diving shallower than 14 meters. From other beaches sometimes you can only enter the water by just walking in and out during high tide (highest around 06.00 and 18.00 during springtide). Our beach at Rao is more or less perfect for shore dives and beach entries. But we always take a boat with us, just for safety if suddenly a currents picks up or somebody would have the bad luck getting stung by a jellyfish. If you go really off the beaten track, do not expect any good medical care being available.