Introduction Dive

Have you always wondered what it feels like to breathe underwater, but you have never tried scuba diving before?

At Oceans 5 Gili Air, you have two opportunities every day to start your Introduction Dive: at 08:30 and at 15:00.

You don’t need any previous diving experience. An Introduction Dive is specifically designed for people who want to discover scuba diving before deciding whether they would like to become certified divers. Under professional supervision, beginners can learn basic diving principles, practice essential skills in confined water, and then experience diving in open water.[1][2]

And most importantly at Oceans 5: there is no rush.

What Is an Introduction Dive?

An Introduction Dive gives you the opportunity to experience scuba diving without immediately signing up for a complete Open Water Diver course.

You will learn basic diving theory, practice important scuba skills in one of our training pools, become comfortable breathing underwater, and—when you are ready—make a real dive around the beautiful Gili Islands.

The maximum depth during the ocean part of the program is 12 meters.

The Gili Islands are also famous for their populations of green and hawksbill sea turtles.[3] So there is a good chance that one of the first larger marine animals you encounter as a diver will be a turtle.

Of course, marine life is wild, so sightings can never be guaranteed. But seeing your first turtle while actually diving next to it instead of looking down from the surface can be an unforgettable experience.

Experienced Instructors to Guide You

Oceans 5 Gili Air has a team of five experienced dive instructors. One of these instructors will guide you throughout your Introduction Dive, from your first explanation of scuba diving until your first real dive in the ocean.

We believe that learning to dive shouldn’t feel like being on a production line.

Everyone reacts differently to breathing underwater. Some people put their regulator in their mouth, take their first breath and immediately feel comfortable. Others need a little more time to get used to the sensation.

Both are completely normal.

That’s why we practice the skills at your pace.

There is no reason to hurry. We want you to feel relaxed and confident before going into the ocean.

Option 1: Start at 08:30 and Dive the Same Day

Our first Introduction Dive session starts every morning at 08:30.

The program is divided into several stages.

Step 1: Basic Dive Theory

Your instructor starts with a theory session.

Before entering the water, it is important to understand some basic principles of scuba diving.

One of the most important differences between being on land and being underwater is pressure. Water is much denser than air, so pressure increases as a diver descends.[4]

Your instructor will explain what this means for you as a diver, including:

• how pressure changes underwater;
• how to equalize your ears;
• how to breathe correctly from a regulator;
• how your scuba equipment works;
• basic underwater communication;
• what to do if water enters your mask;
• what to do if your regulator comes out of your mouth;
• and the basic safety rules you need for your first dive.

Don’t worry—you don’t need to study a huge textbook.

The purpose of this session is to give you enough knowledge to understand what you are going to experience and how to respond comfortably underwater.

Step 2: Pool Training

After the theory session, it’s time to get wet.

Oceans 5 has two large training pools, giving our students plenty of space to practice without feeling crowded.

Before entering the water, your instructor explains your scuba equipment and the skills you are going to practice.

Then comes one of the most memorable moments for every new diver:

your first breath underwater.

For some people, it feels completely natural.

For others, the brain needs a few moments to understand something that normally seems impossible: you are underwater, but you can still breathe.

There is no hurry.

Your instructor stays with you while you become comfortable with breathing through the regulator.

After that, you will practice the required diving skills. These are designed to prepare you for situations that can realistically happen during your dive.

Once the skills are completed, you will also spend time simply diving around the pool.

This part is important.

Scuba diving isn’t only about completing skills. You need to become comfortable moving through the water, controlling your position, breathing normally and getting used to your equipment.

The pool gives you a controlled environment to do exactly that before entering the ocean.[1][2]

Step 3: Your First Ocean Dive

Once the pool session has gone well and you are comfortable, it’s time for the real adventure.

Depending on how much time you need in the pool, your ocean dive can normally be conducted with our 11:30 or 14:30 dive departure.

This flexibility is an important part of the Oceans 5 philosophy.

We don’t want you looking at the clock while learning your skills.

If you need some extra practice, you get extra practice.

When you are ready, your instructor will take you by boat to one of the dive sites around the Gili Islands.

The Gili Islands—Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan—are surrounded by the Gili Matra marine protected area.[5] The area contains coral reef habitats and a wide variety of tropical marine life.

Your maximum depth during your Introduction Dive is 12 meters.

Instead of floating on the surface with a mask and snorkel and looking down, you suddenly become part of the underwater environment.

You can swim alongside tropical fish, look closely at the reef and, with some luck, meet one of the turtles for which the Gili Islands are famous.[3]

Option 2: Start at 15:00 and Dive the Next Morning

Not everyone arrives on Gili Air early in the morning.

Maybe your boat arrives around lunchtime. You first want to check into your accommodation, have something to eat, unpack and relax.

Starting an entire diving day at that point might not be what you want.

That’s why Oceans 5 offers a second option.

You can start your Introduction Dive at 15:00.

The program begins in exactly the same way as our morning option.

You meet your instructor, complete the theory session and then enter the pool to practice the diving skills.

But there is one important difference:

you don’t have to make your ocean dive that afternoon.

After finishing your pool training, you can shower, relax and enjoy the rest of your afternoon and evening on Gili Air.

The following morning, you return to Oceans 5 and make your ocean dive.

This option is particularly convenient for people arriving on Gili Air around lunchtime or for guests who simply prefer to spread their first scuba experience over two days.

Why Does Oceans 5 Offer Two Starting Times?

Because your holiday shouldn’t have to fit around a rigid diving schedule.

Some guests want to start early, complete their training and make their first ocean dive on the same day.

Others arrive later or don’t want to spend most of one holiday day completing the entire program.

That’s why we offer two Introduction Dive starting times every day.

Morning Option – 08:30

Theory → Pool Training → Ocean Dive at 11:30 or 14:30

Afternoon Option – 15:00

Theory → Pool Training → Enjoy your evening on Gili Air → Ocean Dive the following morning

Different schedules, but exactly the same goal:

giving you a relaxed, safe and enjoyable first experience underwater.

No Rush, No Pressure

For us, this is one of the most important parts of an Introduction Dive.

Your first experience underwater should be something you remember for the right reasons.

If you need more time in the pool, we take more time.

If you want to repeat a skill, you repeat it.

If you need a few extra minutes simply breathing underwater before continuing, that’s fine.

The ocean will still be there.

Our instructors want you to enter the ocean feeling comfortable with what you learned in the pool rather than feeling that you were rushed through the program because the boat was waiting.

This is also one of the advantages of having two training pools, multiple daily boat departures and experienced instructors available at Oceans 5 Gili Air.

We can focus on the person rather than only focusing on the schedule.

From Your First Dive to Becoming a Certified Diver

There is another possibility.

You might discover that you absolutely love scuba diving.

For many certified divers, their diving journey started with exactly this type of experience: they simply wanted to try scuba diving once.

Then they surfaced and immediately wanted to go again.

If you decide that scuba diving is something you would like to continue, the logical next step is the SSI Open Water Diver course.[6]

The Open Water Diver program provides more extensive academic learning, confined-water training and open-water dives and leads to an internationally recognized scuba certification.[6]

At Oceans 5 Gili Air, Open Water Diver courses can start every day.

Your Introduction Dive therefore doesn’t necessarily have to be the end of your experience.

It might be the beginning of an entirely new adventure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need previous diving experience?

No. The Introduction Dive is designed for people who have never scuba dived before. Your instructor starts from the beginning and explains everything you need to know before entering the water.

What time can I start?

Oceans 5 Gili Air offers two starting times every day: 08:30 and 15:00.

The 08:30 program allows you to potentially complete the theory, pool training and ocean dive on the same day.

The 15:00 option allows you to complete the theory and pool training in the afternoon and make your ocean dive the following morning.

How deep will I dive?

The maximum depth for the Introduction Dive is 12 meters. Your actual depth will depend on the dive site, conditions and your personal comfort level.

Reaching 12 meters is not the objective. Having a comfortable and enjoyable first diving experience is.

What happens if I’m nervous in the pool?

That’s exactly why we use the pool before going into the ocean.

Your instructor can give you extra time to become comfortable with breathing underwater and repeat skills when necessary.

There is no rush.

What happens if I need longer to complete the skills?

We work at your pace.

For guests starting at 08:30, the ocean dive can normally be made at either 11:30 or 14:30, depending on how the pool session progresses.

We don’t want you to hurry simply because a particular boat is leaving.

Will I see turtles?

There is a good chance. The Gili Islands are well known for green and hawksbill turtles.[3]

However, turtles and other marine animals are wild, so we can never guarantee a particular animal sighting.

Is the Introduction Dive done in the ocean?

Yes. After completing the theory and required pool training, you will make an open-water dive under the supervision of your instructor.

Why should I choose the 15:00 option?

The 15:00 start is ideal if you arrive on Gili Air around lunchtime or don’t want to spend most of one day completing the entire program.

You can do your theory and pool training in the afternoon, enjoy your evening on Gili Air and make your ocean dive the following morning.

Can I continue with a diving course afterward?

Yes. If you enjoy the experience and want to become a certified diver, you can continue your diving education with the SSI Open Water Diver course.[6]

Oceans 5 offers Open Water Diver courses with daily starting possibilities.

Is an Introduction Dive the same as becoming a certified diver?

No. An Introduction Dive is an experience program for beginners and does not make you an independently certified diver.

If you want to become a certified recreational diver, you should complete an entry-level certification program such as the SSI Open Water Diver course.[6]

Ready for Your First Dive?

You don’t need diving experience.

You don’t need to know whether scuba diving is going to become your new passion.

You simply need to be curious about what is underneath the surface.

At Oceans 5 Gili Air, you can start your Introduction Dive every day at 08:30 or 15:00.

Choose the morning program and potentially complete your first ocean dive the same day, or choose the afternoon program and make your ocean dive the following morning.

Two starting times. More flexibility. Small-scale training. No rush.

And who knows?

The first turtle you see underwater might be the moment you realize that one dive isn’t going to be enough.

References

[1] Scuba Schools International (SSI). Try Scuba and Basic Diver Programs. SSI recreational diving education materials and training standards.

[2] Scuba Schools International (SSI). SSI Training Standards. Standards covering introductory scuba experiences, confined-water training, supervision and open-water diving.

[3] Gili Eco Trust. Information and conservation resources concerning sea turtles and the marine environment around the Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia.

[4] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Diving and underwater pressure principles, including the effects of increasing ambient pressure with depth.

[5] Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Republic of Indonesia / BKKPN Kupang. Information concerning the Gili Matra Marine Tourism Park (Taman Wisata Perairan Gili Matra) and management of the marine protected area surrounding Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan.

[6] Scuba Schools International (SSI). Open Water Diver Program. Entry-level recreational scuba certification, including academic, confined-water and open-water training.