Why should you even consider doing a dive specialty course on Gili Meno?
In general, specialty programs are a great way to improve your current skills and learn new ones that peak your interest. Also, when you complete a certain number of logged dives and specialty programs you will earn the elite Master Scuba Diver Rating once you have completed the rescue course, five specialties and a minimum of 50 dives.
What specialty courses do you offer at Divine Divers Gili Meno?
Specialty courses allow you to focus on a certain area of diving that interest you.  They are a great way to improve your diving skills. Divine Divers on Gili Meno offer following specialties – we will list them according to popularity:
Nitrox Specialty: The most popular specialty course. Dive safer, become less tired and extend your no-decompression time by breathing enriched air nitrox.
Deep Specialty: Become certified to dive to 40 meters and learn about decompression theory and diving planning.
Perfect Buoyancy: The most recommended specialty by most instructors. During PPB (Peak Performance Buoyancy) we improve your buoyancy by playing games underwater, experimenting with breathing patterns, weight placement and learning efficient finning techniques.
Drift Diving: Learn about drift and current diving and discover flying under water. We will practice buoyancy control, negative entries, navigation, use of surface signaling equipment and buddy communication. By the end of waive, tide and current course, you’ll have the skills you need to go with the flowand navigate through a strong surge.
Night Diving: Learn techniques for diving at night and discover the unique creatures that come out after sunset.  It’s a whole different world after dark.
Fish Identification / Underwater Naturalist: Get a better understanding about the marine ecosystem and the differences between terrestrial and aquatic worlds. See new things, learn about the most important fish families in the tropical waters around the Gili Islands and learn to differentiate between different fish
Underwater Photography and Videography: Learn to take awesome photos or videos underwater to show off online.
Wreck Specialty: There are thousands of shipwrecks to be found in the oceans, seas and lakes all over the world! This course will give you skills to navigate and enjoy shipwrecks while teaching you how to recognize and avoid unique hazards wrecks pose to us as divers.
Underwater Navigation: Navigation can be quite a hard skill for a new diver to master. Learn compass proficiency, navigation patterns and natural navigation to make your dives more enjoyable.
Search and Recovery: Learn about search patterns, knot tying and use a lift bag to find missing objects underwater.
First Aid & CPR: A prerequisite to the Rescue Course. You will learn important techniques that may one day save a life and improves your willingness to help at an accident scene.
Environmental / Ecology Specialties:Â Environment specialty programs are the perfect way to enhance your dive experience by learning about different marine life, how ocean ecosystems function and how to dive safely with sharks, rays and more. The environment specialties can either be taught as a dry course (online and with classroom sessions) or as a two dive specialty. Here are the Devine Divers Gili Meno options:
- Coral Identification
- Fish Identification
- Marine ecology
- Sea Turtle Ecology
- Shark Ecology
- Dive against Debris
Other specialty courses
If there is anything else that tickles your fancy, just let us know- other specialties are for example: Boat Diving, Equipment Techniques, Decompression Diving , Self-Reliant Diver, Full Face Mask Diver, and of course specialty programs that don’t really fit our tropical environment (ice diving, dry suit, etc)
How long will my certification last?
Your entire life! Certifications do not have an expiry date. If you have not dived in more than a year we do recommend refresher training especially when you don’t have extensive dive experience.
Can I dive with health issues?
There are some serious conditions such as epilepsy, active asthma, emphysema, heart disease or haemophilia that could prohibit any diving activity. Since you are looking at advanced training you have surely filled in a medical questionnaire  at least once before. If you had to provide a before a fit-for-diving-confirmation from a doctor then, you will most likely have to bring one again. However, things change and maybe some health issues have resolved themselves whereas other might have appeared. If you are not sure, please check the medical statement in the download section or contact us.
What’s the difference between PADI and SSI?     Â
If there is anything else that tickles your fancy, just let us know- other specialties are for example: Boat Diving, Equipment Techniques, Decompression Diving , Self-Reliant Diver, Full Face Mask Diver, and of course specialty programs that don’t really fit our tropical environment (ice diving, dry suit, etc)
What different diver levels are there?
PADI and SSI differentiate slightly in between the different diver levels. You can mix and match the courses depending on what you are aiming at. When you complete a certain number specialties, you’ll earn different recognition levels up to the elite Master (Scuba) Diver rating. These ratings display your competency and build a solid base for more adventures to come. You can also credit a certain amount of specialties from the one agency to the Master (Scuba) Diver rating of the other agency.
Why should I do a diving course on the Gili Islands?
Postcard-like white sandy beaches, azure and year-round warm waters (28 to 29 degrees), the reef on your doorstep and a great lifestyle – does this sound like paradise to you? The Gilis offer great diving all year round and are known as the turtle capital in the world – rightfully so, because both green and hawksbill turtles are abundant. Reef sharks are also frequently spotted and there is a broad range of marine life to be met on all dives. The dive sites are rarely more than a 15-minute boat ride from Divine Divers Gili Meno. The dry season is running from May to October and the rainy season from November to April. Rainy season sounds more extreme than it actually is because it hardly ever rains an entire day – expect showers at different severity but therefore less people.
Why should I choose Divine Divers Gili Meno?
We love what we do! We have been in the diving game for over 10 years as Divine Divers on Gili Meno (but our passion for diving didn’t start here). Apart from our location in paradise and at the most beautiful spot on Gili Meno we are both professional and enthusiastic about diving. Our groups are small and our instructors hand chosen for their personality and excellent teaching records. Safety is our primary concern; our equipment is in excellent order and of course regularly maintained. We are committed to offering first-class service and superior quality dive courses. However, our main differentiator is our personal approach. We live Divine Diver and consider the dive shop more as a family than a business. Some guests just end up staying for months or even years…