5 things to consider when planning your diving holiday

Diving in Komodo National Park

In honesty, nothing ruins your diving holiday more than stress or bad mood. You plan your holiday long time in advance; you are excited and look forward to it. So why turn it into a disaster or to an unpleasant experience? And what can you do to avoid such situations and to enjoy your diving holiday to the maximum?

We’ve gathered 5 things to be considered when going on diving holiday.

#1 PACKING

Packing your dive bag can be stressful. Scuba dive gear is bulky, big and partially fragile. Quite quickly, we find our bags full of several diving accessories, spare equipment parts, trendy knives, hooks, and carabiners. But is it really all needed?

Selecting the most important and necessary items is much better. Take the personal items in first line such as your personal mouthpiece, or your personal mask. Other equipment can easily be rented – unless you require irregular sizes. But then again, get in touch with your dive centre before you fly, they might be able to organise for you even the most irregular size.

If you decide to take all your scuba equipment, that’s fine as well, just keep it to the main items. No need to bring your own weights.

And don’t forget to check the baggage allowance on your flights – both international and domestic ones in the destination country. This will save you lots of money and nerves, and gives you more time for Duty Free shopping.

#2 CHOOSE CORRECTLY

Well actually, maybe this point should have been even No 1. Nevertheless, some of us are so travel and diving addicted that packing their bags becomes the first thing. And then? And then you should choose your diving holiday with careful consideration. It is important to first think of your level of experience, of your wish how long you’d like to travel, the professionalism of the dive centre, how is their structure of a diving day – rather get as much dives done as it fits in one day; or better have less dives and more time to relax and explore the land too?

As one of the main reasons why you go on holidays – well, besides the urge to be underwater – is also to take the time to relax your mind and body. There is no point to book a liveaboard with 5 dives per day just because it was a good deal; and then to find out that there is no time to sleep, to read a book or simply to sit on the beach and watch into the ocean.

Some dive centres offer good options for families if you travel with kids or with non-diving family members, others offer marine conservation programs, and some others offer diving just for experienced divers for example.

Thus to avoid stress at your holiday place, check it out before you book and fly, and make sure the type of holidays you plan and book suits everyone who flies with you.

#3 RESPECT THE RULES

There might be too many rules around us and it might be frustrating to follow them at all times. And it’s so tempting to feel free from all the norms and rules during the holiday. Just do what your soul desires.

Especially when you feel weightless under water; when you can spread your arms and pretend you are a manta ray. It’s just so relieving.

Yet, diving is a serious sport. And you always should pay attention to what you do and how you do it. Don’t dive beyond your skills and certification level. Don’t break the diving rules – if it has been planned to be a shallow dive, it is a shallow dive then. You can’t decide down there on your own, that now you want to explore deeper.

Drinking alcohol before or during diving is out of question. Even if it feels like “It’s just a small cold beer.” NO alcohol when you are diving!

All the same whether you are on a liveaboard or in a resort, there is a dive master, a captain or any other person from the dive centre who is responsible for your pleasure and your safety. Thus, it is respectful and important to listen to them and to follow what they say.

You can be sure, they are not keen on annoying you; they are there to make your holiday a memorable experience.

#4 STAY HEALTHY

Well, diving itself keeps you healthy. It is a great exercise for your body, it keeps your mind relaxed, and it has got a positive impact on your psyche. You even loose calories while diving – you burn more than 200 kcal per 1-hour dive!

And to keep it this way and to support your body even more, make sure you pay attention to your diet. Before your diving holiday, a day before your dive and during the dives. Most important is WATER. Remember to drink as much water as you can. Being well hydrated can prevent decompression sickness and can make all the difference in getting cramps.

One more time, stay away from the alcohol!

But what is on your plate makes a difference as well. While some other athletes might need the “carbo load”, divers don’t need it. Eat low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fruits, veggies, nuts and lean meat. Try to avoid eating food that your stomach doesn’t know yet – unless you travelled in the country before and you are used to the local spices and ingredients. You want to be under water and not in the toilet.

Looking after your diet and making sure you drink enough water will make you happier, feel better and will increase the pleasure of your diving holidays.

#5 IT’S HOLIDAY

After all it’s holiday. It’s your time to switch off, to load new energy, to explore and to be happy.

You might want to take our points mentioned above, or not. At the end, it is your decision.

We want you to feel good; and that you go home full of great memories about your diving holiday.

Contact us to discover diving in one of the top dive destinations in the world – the Komodo National Park.

 

Wet Frog Divers

We are a SSI dive centre in Labuan Bajo, located inside the 4* Bintang Flores Hotel with a direct access to the beach. We offer daily dive trips on our own boat as well as a wide range of dive courses. Our aim is to offer professional diving in a familiar atmosphere. It is important to us that diving and your whole stay with us get a personal touch.

 

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