7-Day Diving Trip
A week-long diving holiday for certified divers with 2-3 dives per day across reef, wall, wreck, and drift sites. Includes a rest day with land activities, a night dive, and detailed dive briefings. Full-board resort accommodation with all diving logistics covered.
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- 7 days
- Each day is a segment. Reorder them, drop one, insert a rest day — the rest of the itinerary follows.
- 53 blocks
- Everything inside a day is a block: a transfer, an activity, a meal, a night, a briefing. Blocks carry their own type and colour.
- 107 fields
- Distances, ascent, times, prices and notes are structured fields, not prose — so they total, sort and export instead of only reading well.
- 11 internal notes
- Marked Internal — guides onlybelow. Your guides get them; your clients never see them.
One itinerary, three audiences
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The itinerary, day by day
Airport pickup by the resort shuttle. Transfer to the dive resort — usually a scenic coastal drive. The resort will have your room ready and dive center open for registration. Bring your certification card and logbook.
Beachfront dive resort with a dedicated dive center, rinse tanks, and gear storage. Sea-view rooms with air conditioning, en-suite bathroom, and private terrace. Full board — breakfast, lunch, and dinner included. The resort has a pool, beach bar, and Wi-Fi in common areas.
Confirm the resort holds the nitrox fills and the rental sizes booked — this one takes the reservation but allocates kit on arrival, and a diver in the wrong BCD size loses the first day.
Register at the dive center. Present certification card (PADI/SSI/CMAS), logbook, and dive insurance proof. Equipment fitting: BCD, regulator, wetsuit, mask, fins. Briefing on local conditions: typical visibility 15-30 m, water temperature 26-28°C, currents variable. Emergency procedures: DAN hotline, nearest hyperbaric chamber location.
Verify all divers' certification levels — minimum Open Water for reef dives, Advanced for drift/wreck/night dives. Check logbook for recent experience — anyone with 50+ dive gap needs a refresher. Inspect rental equipment: check regulator free-flow, BCD inflation, and computer battery. Note any equipment preferences.
Easy check dive at the resort's house reef. Shore entry, maximum depth 12 m. The dive master assesses buoyancy, air consumption, and comfort level. The house reef is surprisingly rich — coral formations, reef fish, possibly moray eels and octopus. A gentle reintroduction to underwater life.
Buffet dinner at the resort restaurant. Seafood, international dishes, and local specialties. Meet the dive team and fellow divers. Discuss tomorrow's dive plan over dinner. Early bed — first boat departs at 08:00.
First proper dive at a coral garden site. Boat ride 20 minutes, backward roll entry. Maximum depth 18 m. Dense hard and soft coral formations teeming with reef fish — butterflyfish, angelfish, wrasse, and damselfish. Look for nudibranchs on the coral and cleaning stations where larger fish queue up.
Check every certification card and logbook before the first boat, not at the briefing. An Open Water diver on the day-three drift is the problem you cannot fix at the site.
Second dive along a vertical reef wall dropping from 5 m to beyond 40 m. Stay within your depth certification. The wall is covered in sea fans, sponges, and soft corals. Look into the blue for passing pelagics — tuna, barracuda, and possibly reef sharks. Maintain neutral buoyancy to avoid damaging the wall.
Lunch at the resort between dive sessions. The dive center has a rinse tank — wash gear now while it's fresh. Drink water (not alcohol) during surface intervals. Log morning dives in your logbook.
Extended surface interval. Rest by the pool, walk the beach, or review underwater photos. The dive center may offer a photo editing workshop. Minimum 2-hour surface interval before the afternoon dive.
Afternoon dive at a submerged pinnacle — a reef tower rising from the sandy bottom. The pinnacle attracts schooling fish, rays, and sometimes whale sharks in season. Circle the pinnacle at different depths. Maximum depth 22 m. Current can be moderate — brief on drift procedures before entry.
Dinner at the resort. Three dives today — appetite will be strong. Review the day's sightings and plan which sites to request for later in the week.
Full-day boat trip to the outer reef system — 90 minutes by dive boat. Pack sunscreen, hat, and seasickness tablets if prone. The outer reefs are less visited and offer bigger marine life, better visibility, and untouched coral formations.
First dive at a pristine remote reef. Visibility often exceeds 30 m here. Massive coral bommies (formations) with overhangs sheltering groupers, lionfish, and lobsters. The reef top at 5 m is a garden of staghorn coral with clouds of damselfish.
Drift dive through a channel between two reef formations. The current carries you along — minimal swimming effort, maximum fish action. Reef sharks, eagle rays, and large schools of snapper are common in the channel. Deploy an SMB (surface marker buoy) at the end so the boat can collect you. Advanced certification recommended.
Drift dive with current: brief the deployment order and the surface marker rule on the boat, and count divers in and out by name. This is the dive where a group gets separated.
Lunch served on the dive boat between dives. Sandwiches, fruit, and cold drinks. Rest on the sun deck during the surface interval. The crew may spot dolphins or whales from the boat — keep your eyes open.
Afternoon dive at a known cleaning station where manta rays and large fish visit to be cleaned by small wrasse and shrimp. Descend quietly to 15 m and wait patiently on the sandy bottom. Stay still — movement scares the mantas away. One of the most magical underwater experiences possible.
Return journey to the resort. Rinse gear on the boat if possible. The sunset from the boat on the return is often spectacular. Three dives in remote waters — today is usually the highlight of the week.
No diving today — rest day for nitrogen offgassing. This is a mandatory break after three consecutive diving days. Enjoy the resort facilities: pool, beach, spa, or explore the local area on foot.
Boat trip to a shallow lagoon for snorkeling. Crystal-clear water over white sand with baby reef sharks, stingrays, and colorful fish. Maximum depth 3 m — no diving equipment needed. Excellent for underwater photography in natural light.
Surface day is mandatory, not a soft option — keep snorkelling shallow and say why. Divers who free-dive to 8 m on their off day defeat the whole point of the interval.
Visit the nearby fishing village or local market. See traditional boat building, buy local crafts, or watch the fish market in action. A cultural contrast to the resort experience and a reminder that there's more to the area than underwater life.
Lunch at a restaurant in the village — much cheaper and often more authentic than the resort. Fresh fish cooked local-style, tropical fruits, and local drinks. Ask the waiter for the catch of the day.
Afternoon at the resort. Spa treatments (book in advance), pool swimming, beach volleyball, or simply reading in a hammock. Rest well — tomorrow includes the wreck dive and night dive.
Dinner at the resort. Tomorrow's dive plan includes the wreck and the night dive — discuss expectations and any concerns. Early-ish bed for the 07:00 departure.
Day 5 plan: morning wreck dive (28 m, Advanced cert required), second dive on a sandy slope for macro photography, and an evening night dive at the house reef. The wreck has optional penetration for experienced divers — discuss comfort levels at dinner.
Check all divers' Advanced certifications before the wreck dive. Anyone without Advanced does the reef alternative. Inspect all torches and backup torches for the night dive — dead batteries are a safety risk. Brief night dive procedures in detail.
Dive to a sunken vessel resting at 28 m on a sandy bottom. The wreck is encrusted with coral and sponges, creating an artificial reef teeming with life. Swim through the main hold (open, no overhead environment) and around the stern where large groupers reside. Maximum bottom time 30 minutes at this depth — monitor your computer closely.
Penetration only for those with the certification and only with a line. Confirm who is qualified the night before so the boat is not the place that conversation happens.
Wreck rules: no penetration beyond the open hold unless wreck-certified. Maximum depth 28 m — check NDL limits on your computer. Stay with your buddy at all times. Silt clouds easily inside the wreck — fin gently and avoid touching the bottom. If you stir up silt, stop, wait, and navigate by touch along the hull to the exit. Emergency: follow your bubbles up if disoriented.
A completely different dive — slow drift along a sandy slope at 12-18 m, searching for macro life. Nudibranchs, seahorses, pipefish, mantis shrimp, and frogfish hide in the sand and rubble. A magnifying glass for your mask is useful. Patience and good buoyancy are more important than swimming distance.
Lunch at the resort. Rest and prepare for the evening's night dive. Charge torch batteries. Review night dive hand signals during lunch.
Extended rest before the night dive. Review photos from the wreck. The dive center may offer a photo session to help with settings and editing. Nap recommended — the night dive doesn't finish until 21:00.
Night dive at the house reef — the same reef you dived on Day 1, but a completely different world after dark. Torch beams reveal hunting octopus, sleeping parrotfish in mucus cocoons, prowling moray eels, and bioluminescent plankton. Turn off your torch briefly for a moment of pure darkness — then stir the water to see the bioluminescence sparkle.
Night dive rules: enter with primary torch and backup torch. Stay within 10 m of your buddy — maintain visual contact by torch beam. Signal OK by circling torch on the reef. Signal distress by waving torch rapidly. If primary torch fails, switch to backup and signal buddy to end dive. Ascend following the reef slope, not mid-water. Maximum depth 12 m.
Late dinner after the night dive — the kitchen keeps plates warm. Share the adrenaline of the night dive experience. The contrast between daytime and nighttime reef life is always the biggest topic of conversation.
Revisit the dive site voted best of the week by the group. A chance to see things you missed the first time, take better photos, and simply enjoy the dive without the novelty distraction. Familiar sites reveal more on the second visit.
The group chooses: repeat a favorite, try a new site, or do a special-interest dive (photography, deep, or marine ID focus). The dive center knows dozens of sites — there's always something new to explore even on the penultimate day.
Lunch at the resort. Log all remaining dives. Begin rinsing and drying personal gear — it needs to be dry for packing tomorrow.
Final dive of the trip at the house reef. A relaxed, no-agenda dive. Swim slowly, observe carefully, and say goodbye to the reef and its inhabitants. Many divers find this gentle farewell dive the most peaceful of the entire week.
Last dive of the trip at 14:30 fixes the no-fly clock. Anyone asking for a bonus morning dive on day seven gets a no, and it lands better if they heard the 18-hour rule on day one.
Final rinse and dry of all dive equipment. Return rental gear to the dive center. Personal equipment should be rinsed thoroughly in fresh water, dried completely, and packed carefully. Check for any damage or missing items.
Special farewell dinner — often a beach barbecue or themed evening. Share the week's highlights: best dive, best sighting, biggest surprise, worst moment (there's always one). Exchange logbook buddy stamps and contact details. Toast to future dive trips together.
No diving today — a minimum 18-hour surface interval is required before flying. This is a safety rule, not a guideline. Even snorkeling at depth should be avoided. The morning is free to enjoy the resort on land.
Final morning at the resort. Pool, beach, or a walk along the shore. Pack bags, collect any laundry, and settle the room bar tab. The dive center will have your logbook stamped and ready.
Late brunch at the resort. Last chance for the breakfast buffet and a final coffee on the terrace. Soak up the view — you'll miss it tomorrow.
Check out of the resort. Confirm all charges and settle the account. Tip the dive team, boat crew, and hotel staff. The dive center may have USB sticks with group underwater photos available for purchase.
Settle the dive-centre tab separately from the room tab on the last morning. Nitrox surcharges and rental extras go on the centre account and guests routinely leave without clearing it.
Resort shuttle to the airport. Allow at least 2 hours before departure for check-in and security. If carrying dive equipment as checked luggage, remove batteries and ensure regulators are depressurized.
Airport transfers, six nights at the dive resort, all meals, sixteen guided dives across house reef, outer reefs, a wreck and one night dive, tanks and weights, the full-day outer-island boat trip, the day-four lagoon snorkelling and village visit, and a guided ratio of no more than four divers per guide.
Flights, dive equipment hire if you do not bring your own — budget about 25 EUR per day for a full set — nitrox fills, dive computer hire, marine park fees collected locally, alcoholic drinks, spa treatments, and gratuities for guides and boat crew. Dive insurance is not included and is not optional; see below.
Nitrox and computer hire are where a diving invoice grows. Both go on the dive-centre account rather than the room, so state them at quote stage and make sure the tab is cleared on the last morning — guests forget it exists.
Dedicated diving insurance covering hyperbaric treatment and evacuation is mandatory — DAN or equivalent. Ordinary travel insurance almost never covers a chamber, and the nearest one is a flight away. Bring your certification card and logbook, both of which are checked before the first boat: Open Water is the minimum, and the wreck and night dives require Advanced or equivalent experience. Nothing to declare medically? Bring the signed medical statement anyway. Note the no-fly rule: the last dive is day six at 14:30 and no diving happens on day seven, so build at least 18 hours before your flight.
Check the insurance certificate itself, not the client's word — a policy that covers diving in general and one that covers a chamber are different products and the difference only surfaces when someone needs it. Anyone without proof dives the house reef only, and they need to hear that before they book flights.