E-learning lite is a great way to do your theory and exam prior to arrival. On arrival all you will need to do is watch the PADI videos and review and revise any tricky areas with your instructor. Then it’s just the practical side of the course. However, some people prefer face-to-face teaching and feel more comfortable being taught in person. It is really up to you. Whether you like a personal interaction with your Instructor during theory time or prefer self-study using the PADI website, both options will allow you to pass your course and have a full understanding of the diving world.

We understand that booking domestic flights within Indonesia can be frustrating and are happy to help! Let us know the dates that you are interested in, which airport you will be departing from and the full passport names of any passengers and we’ll have it sorted for you. Please note that all bookings do incur a 10% service charge.

If you haven’t been diving in a while (over 6 months), we ask you to sign up for a refresher course. A quick review and pool session just before your refresher dive can help you become comfortable with your dive skills and equipment.

When in Indonesia there are a few customs to be aware of to avoid any faux pas: it’s usual to leave your shoes at the door of a home or business (look for a row of flip flops outside as a clue); try not to point with your feet or touch anyone on the head, both can be taken quite offensively; and use your right hand when shaking hands with anyone as the left is generally used for, ahem, other matters. Also, on a dive boat or on the beach, a bikini is perfectly acceptable attire. However, do note that being topless or wearing a very small or revealing bikini or G-string is frowned upon. When walking around the island, please cover up with a sarong.

Assuming you have no irregularities in your ears and sinuses, no. The discomfort is the normal effect of water pressure pressing in on your ears. Fortunately, our bodies are designed to adjust for pressure changes in our ears – you just need to learn how to properly equalise. If you have no difficulties adjusting to air pressure during flying, you’ll probably experience no problem learning to adjust to water pressure while diving.

Yes, Blue Marlin offers WiFi. While this will allow you to check email, please note that internet speeds can be unreliable.

Yes. Due to our remote locations, we strongly recommend dive insurance. We offer DAN (Diver’s Alert Network) Short Term Insurance from 1 day - 1 month. This is good for anywhere within Indonesia and coverage begins immediately. We are happy to sign you up in advance, or you can sign up the day you arrive. Please note that dive insurance is mandatory for all liveaboards. Please contact us for current pricing.

Yes, you may see a shark! Incidents with sharks are extremely rare throughout the world and in respect to diving, primarily involve spear fishing or shark feeding both of which trigger feeding behavior. The sharks you may see are more likely to be scared of you and if you are lucky to see one it is a magnificent sight to enjoy.

The local currency is Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). As of July 2015, Indonesian law mandates rupiah must be used for all transactions in the country. IDR 1,000,000 (1 million) is roughly equal to USD$ 70, EURO€ 60, GBP£ 45, AUS$ 100. Please check out http://xe.com/ for current exchange rates.

The biggest medical problems that may prevent you from diving are asthma, diabetes, recent surgery, high blood pressure and certain prescription medications. If you are concerned, please refer to our medical statement here. If you answer yes to any of the questions, it’s best to get an ok and signed statement from your personal doctor before visiting.

Electricity is 230v and Indonesia uses the European-style two-pin round plugs. Adaptors are readily available throughout Indonesia. If the standard voltage in your country is between 220V – 240V you can use your electric appliances throughout Indonesia

No. We only run liveaboard trips out of Labuan Bajo, Flores. However, there are multiple daily flights connecting Lombok, Bali & Labuan Bajo.

Water temperatures vary between 23-28°C. We provide a 3mm long or short wetsuit to all guests, If you tend to get cold, we do provide 3 or 4mm shorty to put under the long wetsuit upon request.

Due to varied topography, conditions and depths, we may limit certain sites to advanced certifications or higher. You can find the certification need to dive each site by visiting our dive site descriptions here.

Our standard tanks are interchangeable between yoke and DIN, meaning we can change our tanks according to your needs.

It is perfectly safe to dive while you have your period. You are not more prone to shark attack! If you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant the recommendation is that you should not dive. Physiologists know little about the effects of diving with a foetus.

At the dive shop, we accept credit cards (Visa and MasterCard at a 3% surcharge), bank transfers, TransferWise, PayPal payments (+5% Paypal fees) and Indonesian Rupiah. Due to Indonesian law, we cannot accept any other currencies.

Yes, Nitrox tanks are available at no additional costs if you are Nitrox certified.

The Indonesian Government now allows visa-free travel for 52 countries valid for 30 days. (Check if your country is listed here) Please be aware that this option is not extendable or convertible into another type of visa. Make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of arrival in Indonesia. If your country is not listed or you think you may stay longer than 30 days, we advise you to get a Visa on Arrival (USD 35), which can be extended for another 30 days.

You can dive after flying as long as you are rested and properly hydrated from a long haul flight. You must wait 18 hours after diving however to be able to fly. Due to the schedule of our dive trips, unless your flight leaves before 9:00 am the following morning, you will be fine to dive and fly the next day.

Although there is Malaria throughout Indonesia, the risk to travelers staying at any Blue Marlin is quite small. Prevention by Malaria tablets is usually not prescribed. You will find that the usual precautions of wearing repellent and long loose clothing are sufficient protection, and most hotels use a spray when they clean the rooms. If you have to take anti-malarial medication be careful about the use of Larium, as in about 50% of cases it produces unpleasant side effects when combined with diving.

One of Komodo’s great assets is our resident manta ray population of over 700 individuals. While it is possible to see mantas throughout the year, please note that your best chance of seeing them is October through June.

We cannot stress enough that, while Komodo is famous for its currents, it also offers dive sites appropriate for beginner divers or those who wish to try diving for the first time. Blue Marlin’s 2 boat system means that we never will push a newer diver into a site they may not have the experience to properly manage (for their sake as well as for the benefit of the reef!). As a beginner diver, enjoy 2 dives on our course and beginner boat, Hugo, for a bit more instruction and time to work out any nerves. However, if you are already an Open Water Diver, we advise continuing with the Advanced Course, allowing you to explore even more dive sites around Komodo National Park.

The Indonesian government charges entry and diving tickets into Komodo National Park which must be paid for daily and in Indonesian Rupiah. While Blue Marlin buys these tickets for all guests each morning, these fees are not included in quoted prices. Tickets are IDR 275.000/day and IDR 350.000 on Sundays and holidays.

Our dive guides, instructors and captains decide on dive sites only after assessing current and predicted ocean conditions. Based on variables such as tides, currents, waves and visibility we may change or cancel dives entirely for our guests’ safety. Some dive sites in Komodo can change from beautiful and serene to deadly within a short time frame. We ask that our guests respect Blue Marlin Komodo’s scheduling decision with the understanding that we plan the day’s dives to maximise enjoyment and safety.

There are plenty of ATM’s around town. Please be aware that withdrawal limits are usually around 10.000.000/day (USD 750). There is one reliablemoney changer at Green Hill Hotel, next to Cafe In Hit, but to avoid disappointment in exchange rates, change your money in Lombok at official money changers and/or banks.

Similar to the rest of the tropical world, Komodo National Park experiences a wet season and a dry season. Wet season generally runs from December until March. However, while it does rain in wet season, we are still able to go diving most of the time. In fact, it is during this season that Manta rays are most prevalent. The northern sites usually experience poor visibility and large waves, but sites in the southern part of the park (Cannibal Rock, 3 Sisters, Pillarsteen and more) open up with incredible visibility (25-40m) and calm conditions. The cooler dry season is from April through November. Visibility clears up in the northern and central parts of the park with an average day seeing about 30m vis, while we stop visiting the southern sites due to winds coming in from the south. In terms of crowds, high season is July, August and September with a busy week around the Christmas and New Year Holidays. We recommend April, May, October and November as the best months for optimal weather and beating the crowds.

Unfortunately, we do not offer pickups from hotels based around Labuan Bajo. Please arrange morning transportation with your specific hotel.

Ladies, no need to worry. It is perfectly safe to engage in all diving and trekking trips while on your period. No, you will not be more prone to attack. Please note that one of our dayboats; Hugo, is not equipped with a toilet.

Unfortunately, because of our early starts in combination with notorious delays of the airports, it is not possible to dive on the day that you arrive. However, we can always begin the theory of a course or get you in the pool for a quick refresher on day one.

There is an apotek (pharmacy) conveniently situated right across the street from Blue Marlin where you can see Doctor Asep for any minor health complaints. If you do come down with any health problems, the recently opened Siloam hospital is a good resource with Western standards. There is also a hyperbaric recompression chamber in Siloam hospital.

If you arrive at Komodo International Airport, you can very easily get a taxi from the arrival hall - it is only a 10 minute ride to Blue Marlin Komodo.