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Scuba diving vacation tips

Our marine experts have shared their scuba diving vacation tips to help you choose the right trip for you, and make the most of your time under water. Diving from shore or from a boat, putting your skills to use on a marine conservation vacation, picking the right location and ensuring your vacation company is reputable - read on to find out more.

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Scuba diving vacation tips

Tips on shore diving

Lynne Gillis, from our supplier, Dive Urge, shares her scuba diving vacation tips:
“Shore diving means that your brain, as you’re going into the water, can get used to its underwater surroundings and get used to it gradually, so you’re not just straight into the deep blue off the back of the boat and disorientated. Especially for nervous people, it’s ideal, because when you start learning to dive the water is barely above your head.”

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Tips on scuba diving conservation

Andy Woods-Ballard, from our supplier, GVI, shares his advice on marine conservation diving vacations: “Our marine conservation trips start at a length of four weeks, so we tend to get all of the presentation, lectures and dive training completed during the first two weeks. Regardless of how much diving you have done before, there will be further dive training during the first two weeks, so we can ascertain the level that you’re at. All of our volunteers need to get to a very high level of knowledge regarding their fish and their coral, so there is a lot of training given on that, with point out dives and lectures. We also ensure our volunteers have an understanding of the bigger picture, so there is training and discussion on how tourism and other factors are affecting the marine environment.”

Tips about choosing your location carefully

Annie Antonatou, from our supplier, Mystic Blue, shares his scuba diving vacation tips on choosing your location carefully: “People who are crazy about diving will choose their vacation based on the underwater world and the marine life in that location; a diving photographer might choose the Red Sea, for instance, because of the visibility and the sheer amount of species that live there. But then there’s another group of people who may want to go on vacation to Greece, for example, first and foremost, and who are also interested in trying diving; for them, diving is an extra and the location will take precedence. The most important thing is to research what diving is available at the location so you know whether you’re going to be seeing smaller fish, or spotting sharks, and also what there is to do besides diving – that way you will have more fun all round.”

Tips about doing thorough research

Lynne Gillis, from our supplier, Dive Urge, shares her tips on small group diving vacation companies: “Research how long they’ve been established. Diving is very popular, so how long a company has had success is a good indicator that they’re doing something right. Research their safety record – especially if you’re going for more advanced, more technical and deeper dives – how many incidents have there been? Not to scare yourself, but just to make sure your operator is reputable; you get what you pay for, and it’s not just the cost of your experience, it’s the cost of your life because if not done properly, diving is a sport that could encounter risk.”

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Vacation reviews from our travelers

At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travelers are often... other travelers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.

We have selected some of the most useful scuba diving vacation tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation - and the space inside your suitcase.

If you go shark diving in South Africa, I would recommend adding a few extra days on either side of the project so that you can explore Cape Town and do any additional activities

- Annabel Marriott

If you’re going on a liveaboard diving vacation, pack light. I mean really pack light and use a small soft-sided bag and/or SMALL backpack. You won't end up wearing half of whatever it is you've packed. - Melandee Brown

Be aware that a yacht is a small space to live in - comfortable, clean, and safe, of course, but small - and a liveaboard diving vacation is an active vacation. Be prepared to go up and down ladders, haul ropes, and do the washing up. Bring anti-seasickness medication too, better to have it and not need than otherwise! - C Appleby

Book for at least two weeks! I was only able to come for one week, but left wanting more! - Karen Whitham

Go now! It's amazing! Even if you haven't ever dived before, you will love it. - Faye Bennett

See the reef even if it is with a snorkel

- Melvyn May

Prepare thoroughly – I researched the vacation operator and more info on scuba in general and realised that there is a set of six comprehensive learning/exam papers, which I gave myself time to complete via e-learning before I flew into Dahab. This meant I could wholly concentrate on the actual diving process with no homework to do in the evenings and was able to fully relax and enjoy the experience - Michael Jones

I was glad we'd done the theory and confined water dives in advance. Doing two dives a day when you are still learning was tiring enough and we felt rather sorry for some of our fellow guests having to pore over their manuals and dive tables every evening whilst we were able to relax. - Catherine Shaw