SSI ITC Dive Resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Blog Posts
SSI ITC Dive Resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Blog Posts
Marine Conservation Marine conservation has become an increasingly important part of the diving industry. Dive centres organise beach clean-ups, participate in coral restoration projects, share conservation messages on social media and encourage divers to behave responsibly underwater. At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we believe all …
Touching the Seafloor? For decades, scuba students around the world have learned diving skills while kneeling on the bottom. It creates a stable platform, makes it easier for an instructor to organize a group, and allows students to concentrate on one skill at a time. …
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.
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.
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.
Our first Introduction Dive session starts every morning at 08:30.
The program is divided into several stages.
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:
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.
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]
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]
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.
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.
Theory → Pool Training → Ocean Dive at 11:30 or 14:30
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Yes. After completing the theory and required pool training, you will make an open-water dive under the supervision of your instructor.
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.
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.
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]
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.
[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.
10 Things to Check Before Booking Choosing a dive center can have a much bigger influence on your diving experience than choosing the dive site itself. When people plan a diving holiday, they often compare three things first: location, reviews and price. They search Google, …
A Complete Guide to Learning to Dive in the Gili Islands If you have never scuba dived before, choosing where to take your first breaths underwater is an important decision. You want warm water, interesting marine life, professional instructors, good training facilities and, most importantly, …
If you already love snorkeling, you probably know the feeling. You are floating at the surface, looking down at a beautiful coral reef. Below you are colorful reef fish, perhaps a turtle, a moray eel disappearing between the rocks, or something interesting hiding underneath a coral formation.
And then you think:
“I wish I could go down there and have a closer look.”
That is exactly where scuba diving changes everything.
Snorkeling gives you a window into the underwater world. Scuba diving allows you to enter it.
For people who already enjoy snorkeling, completing an SSI Open Water Diver course can be a natural next step. Instead of watching marine life from several meters above, you learn how to descend safely, control your position underwater, breathe comfortably through scuba equipment, and spend much more time exploring beneath the surface.
And there are few better places to make that transition than Gili Air and the Gili Islands in Indonesia.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we offer SSI Open Water Diver courses every day, allowing you to turn part of your tropical holiday into the beginning of a completely new adventure.
Snorkeling is a fantastic activity. You need relatively little equipment, you can explore shallow reefs, and you can enjoy the ocean without completing a diving certification.
But snorkeling has one obvious limitation: most of the time, you remain at the surface.
You might see a turtle swimming several meters underneath you. You can watch it for a while, but unless it comes to the surface, there will always be some distance between you and the animal.
You might see a beautiful coral formation below you, but you cannot comfortably stay next to it for several minutes.
You may notice a school of fish disappearing deeper along the reef, but eventually you have to stay behind.
Scuba diving changes your perspective.
Instead of looking at the underwater world, you become part of it.
With scuba equipment, you can remain underwater and move slowly around the reef. You can stop, observe and take your time. A small coral formation that looked relatively simple from the surface can suddenly reveal dozens of different animals when viewed from nearby.
For somebody who already loves snorkeling, that can be an incredible experience.
One of the biggest differences between snorkeling and scuba diving is not simply depth. It is time.
While snorkeling, you can make short breath-hold dives below the surface, but eventually you must return for air.
During a scuba dive, you carry your breathing gas with you.
This allows you to slow everything down.
Instead of quickly diving toward a fish and returning to the surface, you can remain neutrally buoyant and watch what happens.
You may see butterflyfish moving around coral heads, surgeonfish feeding across the reef, an anemonefish defending its home, or a turtle quietly feeding nearby.
And sometimes the most interesting animals are the smallest ones.
Once you start scuba diving, you begin looking underneath coral formations and into small cracks. Suddenly you notice nudibranchs, shrimps, pipefish, small crabs and other creatures that are easily missed while snorkeling.
The underwater world becomes much bigger simply because you have more time to observe it.
The SSI Open Water Diver certification is an internationally recognized entry-level scuba certification. SSI describes the program as combining academic learning, confined-water practice and open-water experience to develop the skills and confidence required to become a certified diver.[1]
The SSI program includes:
SSI recommends approximately 16–32 hours for completion depending on the student and training schedule.[1][2]
Once successfully certified, an Open Water Diver has been trained to dive with an equally or more qualified buddy in conditions similar to those experienced during training and within the recommended limits of the certification.[2][3]
That is an enormous step beyond snorkeling.
Your certification can become the passport to underwater adventures around the world.
People who already enjoy snorkeling often arrive at their Open Water course with one important advantage:
They already like being in the ocean.
They are often comfortable wearing a mask and snorkel. They understand what it feels like to have their face underwater. Many already know how to use fins, clear water from a snorkel and relax while floating.
Of course, scuba diving introduces many new skills.
You need to learn how to use a regulator, control your buoyancy, equalize your ears, communicate underwater, monitor your air supply, use your dive computer and respond correctly to different situations.
But the basic fascination with being underwater is already there.
You are not learning to love the ocean.
You are learning how to explore more of it.
The Gili Islands — Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan — have been famous for snorkeling and scuba diving for many years.
Indonesia’s official tourism website highlights the islands for their coral reefs and marine life and names sites such as Shark Point, Turtle Heaven, Deep Turbo and Simon’s Reef among popular diving locations.[4]
The waters surrounding the three islands are also part of the Gili Matra marine conservation area.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries describes Gili Matra as an important conservation area containing coral reefs, seagrass habitats and protected marine species, including turtles and reef sharks.[5]
In 2024, Gili Matra and Nusa Penida received international recognition when the International Maritime Organization designated the area as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA).[6]
For a new diver, this means your first underwater experiences take place in an environment with a remarkable variety of marine life.
For many visitors, turtles are one of the highlights of snorkeling around the Gili Islands.
Diving gives you a completely different way to experience them.
Instead of looking down from the surface, you might find yourself swimming along the reef when a green turtle appears nearby.
You do not need to chase it.
You simply remain calm, control your buoyancy and observe.
The coral reefs around Gili Matra provide important habitat and feeding areas for marine life, while the islands and surrounding ecosystem are also important for green sea turtles.[5][7]
For somebody completing their first four Open Water training dives, seeing a turtle underwater can turn a training dive into a memory that lasts for years.
Learning to scuba dive is not about completing skills as quickly as possible.
It is about becoming a comfortable, confident and responsible diver.
That philosophy is important at Oceans 5 Gili Air.
We do not want students to finish their course simply knowing how to perform a list of exercises. We want them to understand what they are doing underwater and, most importantly, feel comfortable doing it.
Oceans 5 believes strongly in personal training.
Smaller groups allow instructors to spend more time with individual students. If you need additional practice with a particular skill, there is time to work on it.
People learn differently.
Some students immediately understand buoyancy but need extra time with mask skills. Others are completely comfortable with equipment but need more practice relaxing and breathing underwater.
There is no reason everyone should learn at exactly the same speed.
One major advantage of learning at Oceans 5 is our training facilities.
We have two large training pools, allowing students to develop their skills in a controlled environment before performing them in the ocean.
This is particularly useful for beginner divers.
Your first breathing experience underwater should not feel rushed. You can start in shallow water, become comfortable with your equipment and gradually progress.
Once you are relaxed, everything becomes easier.
One of the biggest differences between simply completing a diving course and becoming a good diver is buoyancy control.
Good buoyancy allows you to move through the water without constantly using your hands, touching the bottom or accidentally contacting coral.
It also makes diving much more enjoyable.
Instead of fighting against the water, you begin to feel almost weightless.
At Oceans 5, buoyancy is an important part of the Open Water training process.
We want students to learn how breathing, weighting, body position and their BCD work together.
That is when scuba diving starts becoming something special.
You stop feeling like somebody wearing diving equipment.
You start feeling like a diver.
After developing your basic skills in the swimming pool, it is time to take those skills into the ocean.
The SSI Open Water Diver program requires four open-water training dives.[1][2]
And around the Gili Islands, those training dives are not simply exercises.
They are real dives.
Between demonstrating the required skills, you are exploring the reef.
You may encounter turtles, schools of tropical reef fish, moray eels, pufferfish, anemonefish, stingrays and many other animals.
Every dive becomes a combination of training and discovery.
That makes learning much more enjoyable.
Another advantage of completing your course with Oceans 5 is flexibility.
We start Open Water Diver courses every day.
That means you do not necessarily have to organize your entire holiday around a fixed weekly course schedule.
Our Open Water Diver course normally takes around three days, although learning is never a race. The goal is to complete the required training while giving students enough time to become genuinely comfortable.
And because Oceans 5 is located directly on Gili Air, your course becomes part of your island experience.
You can dive during the day and still enjoy Gili Air afterwards — restaurants, beaches, sunsets and the relaxed island atmosphere.
The biggest advantage of completing an Open Water Diver course instead of doing only an introductory dive is what happens afterwards.
An introductory program gives you an experience.
An Open Water certification gives you a new activity that you can continue for the rest of your life.
After certification, diving can become part of future holidays.
Thailand?
Go diving.
The Philippines?
Go diving.
Australia?
Go diving.
Back to Indonesia?
There are thousands of islands waiting to be explored.
And if you become more enthusiastic about diving, your education can continue with specialties such as Perfect Buoyancy, Enriched Air Nitrox, Navigation, Deep Diving, Wreck Diving, Night Diving and many others.
Your Open Water certification opens the door.
Many scuba divers started exactly the same way.
They loved snorkeling.
They loved floating above coral reefs.
They loved watching fish.
But eventually, watching from the surface was no longer enough.
They wanted to go down.
They wanted to stay longer.
They wanted to know what was underneath that coral ledge.
They wanted to swim beside the reef rather than above it.
If that sounds familiar, perhaps it is time to make the next step.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, SSI Open Water Diver courses start every day.
Your snorkeling adventures showed you the underwater world.
Now you can learn how to enter it.
There is a good chance you will. Snorkelers already enjoy being in the water and observing marine life. Scuba diving takes that experience further by allowing you to stay underwater longer and explore below the surface. However, scuba involves additional equipment, skills and safety procedures that you will learn during your course.
No. The SSI Open Water Diver course is an entry-level certification designed for beginners.[1][2]
The SSI Open Water Diver program has a maximum training depth of 18 meters/60 feet for adult students and older juniors. Different restrictions apply to younger divers.[1][2] After certification, SSI recommends diving within the conditions and depth appropriate to your training and experience.[3]
SSI lists 10 years old as the minimum age for the Open Water Diver program, with additional restrictions for younger students.[2]
The SSI Open Water Diver program requires four open-water training dives, in addition to academic and confined-water training.[1]
Being slightly nervous at the beginning is completely normal. This is one reason Oceans 5 uses its training pools before progressing into open water. You can practice breathing, equipment use and skills in controlled conditions until you become more comfortable.
Turtles are commonly associated with diving and snorkeling around the Gili Islands, and Gili Matra provides important habitat for sea turtles.[5][7] Wildlife encounters can never be guaranteed, but seeing a turtle during your training dives is certainly possible.
You have access to numerous dive sites around Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan, tropical marine life and coral reefs, all within the Gili Matra marine conservation area.[4][5] This means your training dives can also become genuine reef-diving experiences.
Oceans 5 focuses on small groups, personal attention and comfortable training. We have two purpose-built training pools, experienced SSI instructors and easy access to dive sites around the three Gili Islands. We also place strong emphasis on buoyancy and developing good diving habits from the beginning.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, Open Water Diver courses start every day. This makes it easier to fit the course into your holiday rather than planning your entire trip around fixed course dates.
[1] Scuba Schools International (SSI). SSI Open Water Diver Certification. SSI describes the Open Water Diver program as an internationally recognized entry-level certification incorporating academic, confined-water and open-water training.
[2] Scuba Schools International (SSI). Open Water Diver (ISO 24801-2) Training Standards. SSI standards specify the minimum age, recommended course duration, training depths and open-water requirements for the program.
[3] Scuba Schools International (SSI). Training Environments and Depth Limits. SSI recommends that certified divers dive with an equally or more qualified buddy in environments and depths appropriate to their experience and training.
[4] Wonderful Indonesia – Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia. Diving the Gili Islands / Snorkeling the Gili Islands. The official Indonesian tourism portal highlights Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan for their reefs and popular diving locations including Turtle Heaven, Shark Point, Deep Turbo and Simon’s Reef.
[5] Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Republic of Indonesia. Conservation and Rehabilitation of the Gili Matra Marine Ecosystem. KKP identifies Gili Matra as an important marine conservation area containing coral reefs, seagrass and habitat for protected marine species including turtles and reef sharks.
[6] Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Republic of Indonesia. IMO Designates Gili Matra and Nusa Penida as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area. The designation provides international recognition of the ecological importance of these marine areas.
[7] International Maritime Organization / Indonesian Government submission. Documentation supporting the Gili Matra PSSA designation describes the fringing coral reef ecosystem as important habitat, nursery and feeding grounds for marine life and notes the ecological importance of the area for green sea turtles.
Where Every Tourist Is Valentino Rossi There was a time, not so long ago, when Gili Air was famous for something rather unusual in the modern world: there were no motorized vehicles. No cars. No motorbikes. No traffic jams. Just bicycles, cidomos, people walking barefoot along …
Turn Your Passion for Diving Into a Professional Career Are you an Indonesian citizen with a Rescue Diver certification who dreams of becoming a professional Divemaster? Perhaps you want to guide divers around Indonesia’s incredible reefs. Maybe you dream about working in Raja Ampat, Komodo, …
Already a dive instructor with another training agency and thinking about adding SSI to your professional qualifications? This August, Oceans 5 Gili Air is offering a special opportunity.
Starting 20 August 2026, Oceans 5 Gili Air will organize a special 10-day SSI Instructor Crossover Course, specifically designed for certified dive instructors from other recognized training organizations who would like to become SSI professionals.
The course will take place at Oceans 5 Gili Air, an SSI Instructor Training Center with more than 16 years of experience in scuba diving education on the Gili Islands. The program will be guided by SSI Instructor Trainer Warren “Waz” Beyers.
For instructors planning to work in Indonesia—and particularly around the Gili Islands—crossing over to SSI can be much more than adding another certification to your professional portfolio. It can increase your employment opportunities, introduce you to a modern digital training system and give you access to SSI’s professional recognition and reward structure.[1][2]
Most dive instructors begin their professional careers with one training organization. There is nothing wrong with that. However, the international diving industry is constantly changing.
Dive centers generally want instructors who can teach through the training organization used by their business. Being qualified with more than one recognized training agency can therefore make an instructor more flexible when looking for employment.
This is particularly relevant on Gili Air.
SSI has developed a strong presence on the island, with several established dive centers operating as SSI Training Centers. For an instructor who wants to find work on Gili Air or elsewhere in the Gili Islands, holding an SSI professional qualification can therefore create additional opportunities.
Instead of being restricted to businesses operating with your existing training organization, you can potentially work with SSI Training Centers as well, provided you meet SSI’s active-status and professional requirements.[1]
In a competitive international diving industry, having more options can make a real difference.
One of the biggest reasons to complete an SSI crossover is simple: employability.
Imagine two instructors applying for the same position. Both have similar diving experience, teaching experience and references. One is qualified to teach through only one organization, while the other holds active professional qualifications with multiple recognized training organizations.
For a dive center operating through SSI, the instructor already qualified within the SSI system has an obvious practical advantage.
This does not mean that belonging to one particular training agency automatically makes somebody a better instructor.
Good instructors are created through experience, professionalism, attitude, teaching ability, diving skills, student control and a willingness to continue learning.
However, additional professional qualifications can make it easier for a dive center to employ you within its existing training system.
For instructors traveling through Southeast Asia or looking for seasonal or long-term diving employment, this flexibility can be extremely valuable.
Another reason instructors are attracted to SSI is its digital approach to diver education.
SSI provides digital learning materials and online resources through its digital ecosystem and MySSI platform.[2]
For today’s traveling instructor, this is a major advantage.
Students can access educational materials digitally, while instructors and Training Centers can use SSI’s systems to support administration, training and certification processes.[1][2]
It means less dependence on traditional printed teaching materials and allows students to complete much of their academic preparation independently.
The instructor can then spend valuable face-to-face training time discussing important concepts, answering questions and—most importantly—developing comfortable and competent divers.
For instructors who have spent years working with a more traditional educational system, crossing over can therefore introduce a different approach to teaching.
The 10-day crossover at Oceans 5 Gili Air is not simply about learning how to use another app or finding out where to click on a website.
It is about understanding the SSI educational philosophy, standards, training structure and professional system.
One of the interesting aspects of SSI for active diving professionals is its professional recognition structure.
Being a professional dive instructor involves annual costs. Maintaining active teaching status, professional membership, insurance where applicable, continuing education and equipment all form part of working within the diving industry.
SSI provides professional recognition based on training activity and achievements within its system.[1]
For instructors working full-time in a busy diving destination such as the Gili Islands, this can be particularly interesting.
An instructor teaching regularly throughout the year may be able to qualify for benefits or rewards that help offset professional costs, depending on the applicable SSI program, eligibility requirements and current terms.
For a busy instructor working on the Gili Islands, reaching meaningful recognition levels can be a realistic objective rather than something that feels completely disconnected from normal day-to-day teaching.
Of course, instructors should always check the current SSI professional conditions because membership, recognition and reward programs can change.[1]
But the philosophy behind rewarding active professionals is one of the aspects that makes SSI attractive to instructors considering a crossover.
There are many places around the world where you can develop your career as a dive professional. So why choose Gili Air?
Because Gili Air isn’t simply somewhere to complete a course.
It is an island where diving is part of everyday life.
The three Gili Islands—Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan—are surrounded by tropical diving environments and form part of the Gili Matra marine protected area.[3]
Diving takes place throughout the year, attracting complete beginners, experienced recreational divers, Divemaster candidates and diving professionals.
This creates an excellent environment for professional-level training.
During your time on Gili Air, you are surrounded by the diving industry. You can see how dive centers operate, meet Divemasters and instructors from around the world and experience what working in a busy Indonesian diving destination actually feels like.
For somebody considering finding a diving job in Indonesia after completing the crossover, that experience can be extremely valuable.
Professional development is important, but there is another advantage to completing the course here: you get to spend 10 days on Gili Air.
Gili Air combines a well-established tourism and diving industry with the atmosphere of a small tropical island.
After training, you can explore the island, go diving or snorkeling, visit restaurants, watch the sunset or simply meet other diving professionals.
There is also something special about doing an instructor-level course in an environment where almost every conversation eventually seems to come back to diving.
You are not driving through a city every morning to attend a classroom course.
You wake up on an island surrounded by the ocean.
For 10 days, diving becomes your environment.
Oceans 5 Gili Air has been involved in scuba diving education for more than 16 years.
The dive center opened in 2010 and has since trained recreational divers, Divemasters and dive instructors from around the world.
Today, Oceans 5 operates as an SSI Instructor Training Center, continuing its long history of professional scuba education through the SSI system.[4]
Professional training is an important part of the identity of Oceans 5.
The center has dedicated classroom facilities, two large swimming pools for confined-water training and direct access to the diving around Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan.
But facilities alone do not create good instructors.
The philosophy at Oceans 5 is that professional education should prepare instructors for the real diving industry, not simply teach somebody how to pass an evaluation.
That means professionalism, organization, student control, environmental responsibility, dive planning, communication, neutral buoyancy and the everyday realities of working inside a busy dive operation all matter.
The August crossover will be guided by SSI Instructor Trainer Warren “Waz” Beyers.
Instructor-level education is very different from recreational diver training.
Candidates joining this special program are already instructors. They already know how to dive and they already have teaching experience.
The purpose of the crossover is therefore not to pretend that candidates are starting their professional education again.
Instead, the objective is to take their existing knowledge and experience and show them how to apply it correctly within the SSI system.
During the program, candidates become familiar with SSI standards, teaching philosophy, digital systems, course structures and professional expectations.[1]
Your previous instructor experience does not disappear when you cross over.
It becomes the foundation for adding another professional teaching system.
One of the biggest advantages of this August edition is its format.
The program takes 10 days and starts on 20 August 2026.
Because participants are already qualified dive instructors, the program can focus on the knowledge and skills required to transition experienced professionals into the SSI system.
This makes the crossover particularly attractive for working instructors who may not have several weeks available to complete another full instructor-development program.
Ten focused days on Gili Air can significantly expand your professional options.
It is easy to look at an instructor crossover as simply collecting another certification card.
But that misses the real purpose.
The biggest advantage is professional flexibility.
By adding SSI to your professional qualifications, you can potentially increase the number of dive centers where your teaching credentials match the training system being used.
You also learn another educational philosophy.
You become familiar with another digital training system.
You expand your professional network.
And you experience professional training from a different perspective.
That can make you a more rounded instructor.
Maybe you are already an instructor but want more employment opportunities.
Maybe you are planning to travel through Indonesia.
Maybe you have always wanted to work on the Gili Islands.
Or perhaps you simply want to continue developing as a diving professional rather than standing still.
The 10-day SSI Instructor Crossover at Oceans 5 Gili Air, starting 20 August 2026, provides an opportunity to take that next step.
You arrive as an experienced instructor from another organization.
You bring your existing knowledge, teaching experience and diving skills with you.
Then you learn how to apply that experience within the SSI system under the guidance of Instructor Trainer Waz.
The result is not about replacing your previous training.
It is about adding another professional opportunity to your diving career.
And you get to do it on Gili Air—one of Indonesia’s best-known diving destinations.
Course: SSI Instructor Crossover – Special Edition
Start date: 20 August 2026
Duration: 10 days
Location: Oceans 5 Gili Air, Indonesia
Instructor Trainer: Warren “Waz” Beyers
Designed for: Certified dive instructors from other recognized training organizations wishing to cross over to SSI
For information about prerequisites, costs, accommodation and availability, contact Oceans 5 Gili Air.
WhatsApp: +62 853 3339 7823
Email: [email protected]
An SSI Instructor Crossover is a professional training pathway for already-qualified dive instructors from another recognized training organization who want to become SSI professionals. Rather than starting their instructor education completely from the beginning, candidates learn how their existing teaching experience fits into SSI standards, philosophy, programs and systems.[1]
The special SSI Instructor Crossover at Oceans 5 Gili Air starts on 20 August 2026 and runs for 10 days.
The program is intended for certified dive instructors from other recognized scuba training organizations. Exact eligibility depends on your existing professional certification and whether you meet current SSI crossover requirements.[1] Contact Oceans 5 before booking so your qualifications can be checked.
The August 2026 program is guided by SSI Instructor Trainer Warren “Waz” Beyers at Oceans 5 Gili Air.
Adding SSI can increase your professional flexibility. If you want to work at an SSI Training Center, having the appropriate SSI professional qualification can make you a more suitable candidate. It also introduces you to SSI’s digital learning environment, standards and educational philosophy.[1][2]
It can improve your opportunities. SSI has a strong presence among dive centers on Gili Air, so instructors who are able to work within the SSI system have access to additional potential employers. Employment, however, always depends on vacancies, experience, languages, professionalism and Indonesian immigration and employment requirements.
No. Crossing over to SSI does not mean that you have to forget or replace the training and experience you gained through another organization. You are adding another professional qualification, subject to the membership and active-status requirements of the respective training organizations.
Yes. SSI provides digital educational materials and uses its MySSI digital ecosystem for divers and professionals.[2] This makes SSI particularly convenient for traveling instructors and international students.
SSI recognizes professional achievements and training activity within its system.[1] For instructors teaching regularly in a busy destination such as the Gili Islands, reaching useful recognition levels may be realistic. The exact benefits and eligibility conditions can change, so candidates should always check the current SSI professional information rather than relying on historical reward structures.
Oceans 5 has more than 16 years of experience in scuba education and is an SSI Instructor Training Center. Candidates train in a professional diving environment with classrooms, two training pools and access to the dive sites surrounding the Gili Islands.
Gili Air has a large and active diving community, year-round diving and numerous dive centers. You are completing your professional training in an environment where the dive industry is operating around you every day. It is also an opportunity to network and learn more about employment possibilities in the area.
Contact Oceans 5 Gili Air directly on WhatsApp +62 853 3339 7823 or email [email protected] for availability, prerequisites, course costs and accommodation information.
[1] Scuba Schools International (SSI) – Official SSI information regarding professional education, Training Centers, instructor programs, standards, professional recognition and crossover pathways. Current professional standards and eligibility requirements should always be confirmed through SSI and the conducting SSI Training Center.
[2] Scuba Schools International (SSI) / MySSI – Official SSI digital learning and MySSI platform information regarding digital educational materials and resources available to SSI divers and professionals.
[3] Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Republic of Indonesia / BKKPN Kupang – Information concerning the Gili Matra marine protected area, covering the waters surrounding Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan.
[4] Oceans 5 Gili Air – Oceans 5 Gili Air operational and training information, including its history, professional training facilities and status as an SSI Instructor Training Center.
Important note: SSI professional standards, membership fees, crossover requirements, recognition levels and reward programs can be updated. Candidates should verify the current SSI requirements and benefits applicable at the time of enrollment.
If you are already a dive instructor, you have invested a lot of time, energy and passion into reaching the professional level.
The next step doesn’t always have to be another level higher.
Sometimes the smartest step is to become more flexible, more knowledgeable and more employable.
Join the special 10-day SSI Instructor Crossover at Oceans 5 Gili Air starting 20 August 2026, train with Instructor Trainer Waz and add another opportunity to your professional diving career.
WhatsApp: +62 853 3339 7823
Email: [email protected]
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