AMAZING LOCATION FOR YOUR PADI DIVEMASTER COURSE

The decision to start your Divemaster course can be a daunting one.  With so many choices of locations, durations and internship styles it can be tricky to know where to start.
One thing's for sure - You definitely want an amazing location for your PADI Divemaster course!  So here we're going to tell you about why Scuba Junkie Penida is that amazing location, as well as some background about the course, the pre-requisites and what makes doing the course here so special.

Go Pro in the tropics with us in Nusa Penida

Why Scuba Junkie

Scuba Junkie is a multi-award winning Eco Dive Resort and PADI 5 Star Center with a strong focus on marine conservation. In 2012 & 2013 we won the Wild Asia award for Protection of Natural Areas & Wildlife conservation and are the current holders of the PADI Asia-Pacific award for Outstanding Contribution to the Marine Environment, plus we're winners of Dive Operator of the year 2017 from Blue Green 360 for our conservation efforts!  Scuba Junkie Penida is a "whale shark level" supporter of the Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) contributing daily to their Dive The Data and we're also a Shark Guardian dive centre.

Across all Scuba Junkie location you will be guaranteed a very high level of training for all courses - We've been running Divemaster courses and internships for years and have worked out great programs to make you the best Divemaster possible at the end of your course.

We all have a minimum of PADI 5 star rating, assuring you quality and safety.

Our instructors are experienced, knowledgeable and friendly - Which is important!  Your instructor will be your mentor throughout the internship and you can count on them for support.

What's Involved In The Course

Here at Scuba Junkie Penida we offer an internship style course over either 4 weeks or 6 weeks.

The 4 week version covers the core elements of the Divemaster Course in depth, and the 6 week version gets you two weeks of extra hands-on experience shadowing our experienced team of Divemasters and Instructors so that you learn much more about how to guide divers spot amazing marine life safely.

The core components of the course cover different elements:  Dive theory, polishing your rescue skills, learning how to demonstrate the 24 basic scuba skills to pro standards, workshops about leading PADI programs, swimming and stamina tests, deep diving and search & recovery scenarios, mapping dive sites, assisting our instructors on a full range of PADI courses and learning how to guide divers safely.

Divemaster Course activities - Deep dive, search & recovery, navigation

As a Divemaster Candidate (DMC) you will become part of our team and have a hands-on experience at the dive centre.  You'll learn all aspects of how the dive trips and courses run, from loading up tanks and gear in the morning, to greeting new divers and fitting them out for their gear and chilling after the dives to do all important log book and critter finding session!  It's very social and you get to meet loads of new people.

You definitely won't become a dive centre servant - Everyone helps one another and this is part of what makes it such a great experience.

DMC John with some of our awesome team

We'll also add in some extra workshops for you to make you a better Divemaster at the end of your internship.  Those involve theory top up for Physics, Physiology and Equipment, compressor and tank filling, learning to fix common equipment problems and we'll also show you how to look for jobs as a certified Divemaster using the PADI pro's site and give you tips for your diving CV.

We're lucky to get the full range of PADI courses in on a regular basis here - So you'll likely experience everything from beginner divers taking either Discover Scuba Diving or the Open Water Diver Course, plus Advanced, specialty and Rescue Diver Courses.

Assisting on courses is fun and a great learning experience

Why Nusa Penida

Our dive resort is on Nusa Penida  - a beautiful, relaxed island, just a short boat ride away from mainland Bali.    We have daily dive trips and courses around the Nusa Penida area where you can enjoy the beautiful reefs, fun drift dives, year round manta raysand seasonal mola-mola (Mola alexandrini).  Our reefs here also treat divers to turtles, sharks, marble rays, tunas, giant trevally and lots more! 

We dive all the top rated sites in the area such as Crystal Bay, Toyapakeh, Manta Bay, Manta Point, SD and Ped, plus we can show you some other spots that not many other operators visit!

The gentle giants - Nusa Penida's manta rays

Part of the reason that we get such amazing marine life here is because of the Indonesian Throughflow current - This passes around the nusa islands bringing all important nutrients with it's temperature changes! 

You'll learn a lot about dive planning here - We look daily at lots of different variables to make the dives safe and fun - Tides, wind and swell play an important part in us choosing where we will be diving and we will share this knowledge with you.

DMC Aksel after a current check

Nusa Penida is very easy to reach from mainland Bali - After flying in to Bali DPS airport you can be on the island within a couple of hours!  You get all of the benefit of being on a stunning island, without the hard-to-reach remote location.  We can help you to book airport transfers and the fast boat to the island, making your arrival hassle free.

The fact that we are close to Bali doesn't mean that the quality of the diving is compromised - Far from it!  The reefs here are outstanding and very rich.

Nusa Penida is a pretty large island - around 200 sq km!  There's plenty to do on your days off (yes, you get days off as DMC!) - There are amazing beaches to explore, a high limestone cliff coastline with waterfalls, natural infinity pools, hikes and plenty of other hidden gems.

Iconic Kelingking Point - One of the stunning spots on Nusa Penida

Being a larger island and being close to Bali means that you don't feel totally isolated here.  There are plenty of places to eat close to the resort within walking distance to suit all budgets and tastes.  And although you'll get some meals included with your internship it's nice also to have some variety… We can share out top tips for restaurants and sunset spots for you!

What Do You Need To Start

Just because you're about to enter the rank of professional divers doesn't mean that you need to be a super advanced diver to start with.

You will need to have PADI Advanced and Rescue Diver certifications (or equivalent from another organisation), and you need to show proof of 40 logged dives.  You also need to be a minimum of 18 years of age.

Don't worry if you're not yet a Rescue Diver - We can add this on at the start of the course, it takes 3-4 days.

You will also need to have CPR & 1st Aid training which is valid within 24 months of when you will complete your Divemaster training.  If you'll be doing that here with us with the Rescue Diver then the same qualification will be valid for your DM training also.

If you don't yet have the 40 logged dives to start we can put together a great fun diving package for you to bring you up to that level.

The Divemaster Course is not just for those with their eyes set on working in the dive industry… Many people embark on the training with the view to improving and advancing their own dive skills and knowledge, and the courses definitely does that for you!

What Materials Do You Need

In terms of the PADI materials that you need - The Divemaster Crew Pak is included in our course rates.  This is your DM manual, instructor manual, logbook, Divemaster slates, Encyclapoedia of Recreational Diving - All in a handy bag!

We recommend buying a Crew Pak ahead of time so that you can do some studying before you arrive (gets you more in-water time!), and if you do that we'll give you a discount on the course rate!

Your PADI Divemaster Crew Pak

It is recommended that as a future PADI professional you bring your own full set of dive equipment with you but if you wish to use our gear (as we know it is expensive to buy a full kit and makes travelling quite difficult), you can do so for free (not including the list of required materials below). Please be aware that if you choose to borrow our gear it may happen on the rare occasion that you may not always be able to have the sizes that you need so will have to make do.

  

Here's a list of practical things you will need to purchase for your training – These items can be bought in Bali but prices may be higher compared to buying them outside of Indonesia! These items are necessary to be able to complete your course:

  

Compass

Dive Computer

Blank Dive Slate  

Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) & Reel  

Steel Pointer (for rapping on tank to get attention and pointing out marine life)  

Dive Knife Dive or cutting tool  

Divemaster equipped and ready for action!

How Much Diving Will You Do

Bearing in mind the different components that we mentioned (theory, pool and dives) it's fair to say that you'll get between 30-50 logged dives in over the 4 week internship (probably more!).

If you take the extra 2 week internship (highly recommended!) then you'll be diving every day and will get between 30-40 more logged dives!

Just a small selection of Nusa Penida's incredible marine life - Mola, frogfish, turtle and a spectacular reef

It's possible to dive on your days off - It will be your choice!  You can choose to take a well earned rest and get some hammock or beach time, go diving or go explore this amazing island!

What's A Typical Day Like

Throughout your course you'll have a mixture of different activities… During the earlier parts of the course you'll have a bit more study and classroom time, but once your dive theory and exams are out of the way you'll be full on in the water!

Our days start just before 7am - We load up the tanks and the gear for the divers and students of the day on our custom built boat.  Then as divers start to arrive we welcome them and make sure that everything is prepared for trip ahead (Got your camera?  Need a seasick pill?  Forgot something in your room?)… Then at 8am we're off to the boat and out for the day on Nusa Penida's superb dive sites.

You'll be assigned tasks for the day, for example following a specific guide, or assisting an instructor with their course. Your instructor will give you direction and feedback and you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions.

We take water, snacks and lunch on board so after three dives you'll come back to the beach and we start unloading the gear and washing everything.  Once that's all done it's logbook time!! This is great part of the day where you get to chat with your divers about all the amazing things you've seen, and give them tips for success in their courses.  Later in the afternoon we'll go over the plan for the next day and get everything prepped for the next day of fun!

There will always be feedback sessions about how your day went, and a thorough briefing about what to prepare and study for ready for the next days activities.

A great day out on our boat- Alexandrini

Where Will You Stay

We have dorm beds available at the resort for a very reasonable price.  The dorm has AC and an en-suite bathroom (cold shower), lockers, plus a balcony with comfy bean bags.  You get daily breakfast included and unlimited water refills, tea & coffee.

If you prefer to have your own private room we can give you some recommendations for places which are a short walk from the dive centre.

The comfortable 4-bed dorm

Visas & Island Practicalities

Indonesian visas:  Citizens of most countries get a free 30 day visa on arrival.  This is a non-extendable visa and the arrival and departure days are counted within the 30 days.  If you're planning on doing the 6 week course or plan to be in Indonesia for longer than 30 days then there's a couple of options:

1.  You can pay USD 35 for a 30 day extendable visa when you land in Bali.  There's a visa desk before the passport control counters so you need to buy the visa before going to the immigration desk.
2. You can apply for a 60-day tourist visa from an embassy before arriving in Indonesia.  This can be further extended in country for another 30 days, so it's a good option if you're planning to travel for longer in Indo!

We have free Wi-Fi at the resort and you may also find having a local SIM card for your phone useful.  The best network on Penida is Telkomsel / Simpati – You can buy sim cards easily in Bali.  Top up credit is easy to buy on the island.

For your budgeting purposes there are several restaurants and warungs in walking distance of the resort for your evening meals – lunch is provided when you're on the boat or at the pool.  Meals range from as little as Rp 15,000 for local dishes, western dishes are around Rp40-50,000 and upwards.  Soft drinks are around Rp 10-15,000 and beers are Rp 25,000-Rp 50,000.

Although the fast boat harbour and several food options are in easy walking distance, people quite often rent scooters on the island to get around to places further afield and sight see.  Daily scooter rental is usually Rp 75,000 per day, and longer term rentals can be negotiated on the island.  We don't have any scooters for rent ourselves, but we can point you in the right direction once you're here.

The meeting point and chill out area

When Can You Start?

ANY TIME!!  We have a flexible schedule here on Nusa Penida and can start Divemaster internships on any date!

Got questions?  Of course you will have!  No matter how small or unimportant you think it might be, just get in touch and we'll be happy to answer all of your queries.