It’s been a few months since I’ve shared an experience here, and this one might be a little overdue; but it’s one I’m especially excited about. This past summer opened up an opportunity to not only enjoy some recreational diving in a totally new location, but also allow the next step forward in my career as a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) professional. Back in December of 2020 I completed my Dive Master certification, the very first level of professional status as a diver. After the experience there, I was almost certain that would be my final PADI course, and I was going to enjoy my scuba “career” as a happy recreational diver.

Well the more I got to mulling over that decision during the following years, the more I felt that preparing myself to work full-time in the industry could be a hugely beneficial thing, whether it would happen in the upcoming years, or farther off down the road as a retirement job. That next and final step would be finishing my PADI Instructor Development Course, or IDC. This would in essence “complete” my training as a professional diver at a significant enough level to guide or teach at any number of diving outlets around the world; but nothing short of a major undertaking (no pun intended)!

If I was truly going to commit to the several-weeklong-program, I wanted to be sure to find the most appealing shop and competent instructor available. Enter Trawangan Dive Center on the Island of Gili Trawangan (or Gili T), one of several tiny islands in Indonesia located between the much larger islands of Lombok and Bali. Have a look at the map below with the trio of Gili islands circled in white 👇

Now one might argue that there are plenty of other places much closer to home where I could have taken the course…but this little part of the world had been on my diving bucket list for YEARS! It was an opportunity I could not pass up, as timing for the IDC offerings is also an important consideration.

I’d been in touch with an instructor out there named Matt, an expert diver and PADI professional from Switzerland, who’d been teaching for over 20 years. He was the top-rated instructor on the island, if not the country as a whole. After doing some preliminary research, I was most impressed with the program he ran, along with the extra perks the shop offered to IDC candidates. Because if the diving around the area just happened to be gorgeous, I mean, why not appreciate it!

Before starting the 2.5 weeks of training, the shop offers candidates up to 2 weeks of free “fun” diving, and for everyone who knows, this is a highly enticing offer. So I planned accordingly, and found myself a reasonable place to stay within walking distance of the shop. And by the way, finding a cheap place ($60-80 US per week) on Gili T is relatively easy, especially if you’re willing to rough it a bit. It’s important to note that a lot of places do NOT have hot water, but all the other necessaries are there to accommodate a comfortable few weeks.

One of the first notable dive sites I went to visit was called Sunset Reef. Now there are probably numerous “sunset reefs” around the world, which may or may not be comparable here, but we did have some unique encounters. For example, one won’t often see an eel swim out in the open like this, as they normally just stick their heads out to breath (they have to pump water over their gills to extract the oxygen) or look for prey. Fortunately for us, this one was not afraid to “bear all”!

A few other nearby sites where I indulged my scuba sweet tooth were Shark Pointe, Simon’s Reef, the Bounty Wreck, Halik, and Hans Reef. Our maximum depth on most dives was between 75-95 ft/23-29 m. Conditions were always favorable, with comfortable water and great visibility. The colors were bright, and the sea life was abundant, just as I had hoped for during my time there.

Here’s a short video exploring Hans Reef, where mostly sandy bottoms allow the vibrancy of the surrounding coral bommies and fish to really stand out. It’s amazing to see how the fish swim in such tight “formation” with the flow of the current.

My two weeks of pre-IDC frolic eventually came to a soft close, and it was time to get down to business. I’d worked through the online learning modules ahead of time, so I was fortunately right on track for Day 1. And from then on, the entire course was a bit of a hectic blur. We usually spent the first half of the day in the classroom learning dive theory, then into the pool or open water for skills development after lunch. In a clamshell, the course was designed for those planning to immediately instruct full-time, and strictly under the PADI brand and structure. It’s thorough and well-organized, especially if you also have an organized instructor, and for the right folks, I’m sure it is incredibly beneficial and necessary for a successful teaching career.

I ultimately decided however that I was not meant to be one of those folks. My heart just wasn’t there, and I was frustrated enough at times to almost quit, though I knew I’d be selling myself short if I did. I mean, I’d come all the way out here, hadn’t I? So I stuck it out and saw it through to the end. There may come a time later when I decide to re-evaluate and give the course another run with a different PADI outfit, but I am in no rush at all.

I do try to include a few general traveling tips when I’m out exploring new countries, so on top of those I’ve already mentioned, here’s a brief bit of info on the Indonesian tourist visa. For starters, Indonesia is a country that isn’t exactly “free” to all foreigners, though acquiring an e-visa is a relatively easy and inexpensive process. As an American, I was able to apply and pay for a 30-day visa online for about $30 US. This is probably the most direct and reliable website for that: https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/.

I knew that I would need more than a month however, so I had to plan a trip back to Lombok, where I’d initially flown in, to apply for an extension. One used to be able to renew online as well, but as of a recent new law, this unfortunately needs to be done in-person. Thankfully it wasn’t too much of a hassle since I’d had the day completely off from IDC sessions.

I even ended up with some time to kill after renewing in the city of Mataram, and wanted to get out of the congestion to a possibly more quiet and scenic area. A couple locals recommended I check out the Water Palace, a lovely mid-size public park just a short drive away.

Here are a few shots walking along the perimeter of the central pool.

Referring back up to the map, there’s another island to the southeast of Bali called Nusa Penida. Once I finished the IDC, I was more than ready to escape the tiny island where I’d been camping for the past month. I was also thrilled with the idea of catching a few Manta Ray sitings, and the rumor was that Nusa was the best place to go. As it would turn out, my luck was with me.

I’d be lying if I said the Manta Ray dives didn’t end up being the overall highlight of my first visit to Indonesia, and hopefully the footage above makes that clear. The entirety of the journey was worthwhile however, and I didn’t return home feeling like I’d spent a small fortune; most everything about the trip was reasonable compared to other places I’d been, as many Asian destinations tend to be. If warm weather, unique architecture, friendly locals, and a bit of island hopping sounds like an appealing holiday for you, I say give it a go!

I’m always happy to answer any follow-up questions about the country, the diving sites, and/or the PADI IDC program. Thanks for visiting my blog site, and if you’ve enjoyed, sign up for the mailing list to be notified when my next post is out 🤙 Stay safe out there everyone 🤿 🫧