SSI ITC Dive Resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Blog Posts
SSI ITC Dive Resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Blog Posts
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, …
Open Water Diver Course 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 …
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 sandy roads, coconut trees, the sound of the ocean and the occasional chicken making the questionable decision to cross the road.
Then something happened.
Years ago, Gili Air got an electric bike.
One.
And there was a very good reason for it. It was used by a disabled person who needed transportation around the island.
Nobody had a problem with that. In fact, this is exactly where electric mobility makes sense.
But apparently that lonely electric bike was secretly reproducing at night.
Because one became ten.
Ten became fifty.
Fifty became hundreds.
And today, depending on how you count them, there appear to be more than 1,000 electric bikes and scooters moving around our tiny island.
Welcome to Gili Air 2026.
Or, as we may soon have to rename it:
The Gili Air International MotoGP Training Circuit.
One particularly interesting development is that Gili Air has apparently become an international training center for future MotoGP champions.
And recruitment starts young.
Very young.
Six years old? Perfect.
Seven? Almost professional.
Eight? Probably ready for qualifying.
Parents can simply rent an electric scooter, put their child on it and release their future Valentino Rossi onto the roads of Gili Air.
Helmet?
Optional, apparently.
Driving experience?
Why ruin the excitement?
Knowledge of Indonesian traffic rules?
Details, details.
Understanding which side of the road Indonesia drives on?
Something you can discover during the journey.
The roads of Gili Air have therefore become an excellent slalom course.
Walking tourists are the poles.
Bicycles are moving obstacles.
Cats add an advanced difficulty level.
Cidomos are the boss level.
And crossroads are apparently designed specifically to test acceleration.
The objective seems simple: reach the intersection as quickly as possible and hope everybody else has better brakes than you.
For younger readers who may not remember him, Alberto Tomba was a legendary Italian alpine skier famous for attacking slalom courses at incredible speed.
On Gili Air, we now have our own tropical version.
Instead of skis, we use electric scooters.
Instead of snow poles, we use pedestrians.
Left.
Right.
Left.
Tourist with suitcase.
Right.
Local carrying groceries.
Left.
Small child.
Sharp right.
Cidomo.
BRAKE!
Congratulations.
You have successfully completed the Gili Air Slalom Championship.
The interesting thing is that many visitors would never allow their children to behave like this at home.
In many countries, there are clear restrictions concerning the age at which children can operate powered vehicles on public roads.
Parents wouldn’t normally say:
“Darling, you’re six now. Take this motorized vehicle and go practice between pedestrians.”
But apparently the moment some people step off the boat onto Gili Air, normal logic goes on holiday too.
The island becomes a theme park.
No cars means no rules.
No police on every corner means no danger.
Holiday means everything is allowed.
Except physics unfortunately doesn’t take holidays.
Perhaps before renting out an electric bike, we could introduce a revolutionary new concept:
Knowing how to ride one.
I know. Very controversial.
Lesson one:
How do you start an electric bike without accidentally launching yourself into a restaurant?
Lesson two:
Which side of the road do we drive on in Indonesia?
Lesson three:
What happens at a crossroads?
Hint: the correct answer is not “accelerate.”
Lesson four:
Pedestrians are human beings, not slalom poles.
Lesson five:
When you see a child, dog, cat, bicycle or cidomo in front of you, slowing down is an available option.
Lesson six:
Your holiday insurance does not magically turn you into Valentino Rossi.
Perhaps after completing these six highly complicated lessons, tourists could receive the prestigious:
A beautiful laminated card.
Valid for seven days.
With a photograph, signature and perhaps a little golden coconut for people who successfully understand that Indonesia drives on the left.
Fail the test?
Congratulations.
You have won a bicycle.
This is the more serious question.
Gili Air is tiny.
You can walk from the south of the island to the north in roughly 30 minutes.
Walking around the whole island takes approximately 90 minutes, depending on how often you stop for coffee, food, turtles, sunsets or conversations.
That was part of the charm.
You arrived on an island where life moved differently.
You walked.
You cycled.
You slowed down.
You didn’t need an engine for a seven-minute journey.
Of course, there are reasonable exceptions.
Businesses need transportation.
Older people may need assistance.
People with disabilities should absolutely have access to suitable mobility.
There are also legitimate practical situations where electric transportation makes sense.
But that doesn’t automatically mean everybody arriving at the harbor needs an electric scooter.
At what point do we ask ourselves what kind of island we actually want?
Because if every visitor needs motorized transportation to travel 500 meters, perhaps the problem isn’t Gili Air.
Gili Air used to sell a very simple image.
A tropical island.
Coconut trees.
White beaches.
No cars.
No motorbikes.
Walk barefoot.
Ride a bicycle.
Slow down.
Now perhaps our tourism marketing needs updating.
Visit beautiful Gili Air!
Enjoy our beaches.
Dive with turtles.
Watch the sunset.
And experience the thrilling sensation of having a twelve-year-old pass you at maximum speed while you peacefully walk back to your hotel.
For an additional authentic experience, try crossing an intersection at 6 p.m.
No reservation required.
And this is where the joke stops being quite so funny.
When the number of electric bikes increases dramatically while riders include inexperienced adults and very young children, the risk inevitably increases.
Eventually, somebody is going to get seriously hurt.
Maybe it will be a rider.
Maybe a pedestrian.
Maybe a child.
Maybe somebody stepping out of a restaurant.
Maybe a collision with a bicycle or cidomo.
And after that happens, everyone will suddenly become extremely interested in regulations.
There will be meetings.
There will be discussions.
People will ask:
“How could this happen?”
“We need to do something!”
“We need rules!”
But we don’t actually have to wait for a serious accident before discussing the problem.
We can see it developing in front of us.
There are several possibilities.
We could establish clear rules about who may rent and operate electric bikes.
We could introduce a minimum age.
We could require rental companies to provide a basic safety briefing.
We could establish speed limits in busy areas.
We could clearly explain Indonesian road rules.
We could restrict electric vehicles in certain pedestrian-heavy areas.
We could create a simple Gili Air riding certificate.
Or we could take the strongest approach and stop renting electric bikes to tourists altogether, while maintaining sensible exemptions for residents, businesses, older people and people with disabilities.
Maybe that sounds extreme.
But is it really?
One of the reasons people came to Gili Air in the first place was precisely because it was different.
No cars.
No motorbikes.
No rushing.
An island where you could walk.
Perhaps progress doesn’t always mean adding more engines.
Sometimes progress means protecting what made a place special.
Nobody is suggesting that electric mobility itself is evil.
Electric bikes can be extremely useful.
The question is whether a tiny island needs more than a thousand of them and whether everybody—including young children and people who have apparently never ridden one before—should be allowed to use the public roads without basic instruction.
Gili Air doesn’t need another thousand Valentino Rossis.
It doesn’t need a MotoGP circuit.
It doesn’t need pedestrians practicing emergency evasive maneuvers every time they walk to dinner.
It needs some common sense.
So perhaps next time you arrive on Gili Air, try something truly adventurous.
Walk.
Yes.
With your legs.
It’s an ancient transportation system that requires no battery, no charging station and remarkably little driving experience.
You might even notice the coconut trees.
You might say hello to somebody.
You might discover a small restaurant you would otherwise have passed.
You might remember why you came to a tiny tropical island in the first place.
And don’t worry.
Valentino Rossi already retired from MotoGP.
We don’t urgently need to find his replacement on Gili Air.
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, …
Become an SSI Dive Instructor 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 …
For many people, scuba diving looks like an activity reserved for athletes, adventurous travelers, or people in perfect physical condition. Movies often portray diving as an extreme sport involving sharks, deep wrecks, or dangerous caves. As a result, one of the most common questions we receive at Oceans 5 Gili Air is:
“Can everyone dive?”
The answer surprises many people. Scuba diving is one of the most inclusive recreational activities in the world.While there are medical conditions that require assessment before someone can dive, the vast majority of people—including seniors, children, and many people with physical disabilities—can safely experience the underwater world.[1][2]
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, our motto is “Diving for Everyone.” It is more than a slogan. It is our philosophy. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the silence, freedom, and beauty of the underwater world.
One of the biggest misconceptions about scuba diving is that your first experience immediately takes place in deep ocean water.
It doesn’t.
Every SSI Open Water Diver Course begins in a controlled environment.[3]
The swimming pool allows new divers to learn without waves, currents, or distractions. Students discover how to:
For many people, this is already a magical experience.
Being underwater feels completely different from life on land. Gravity almost disappears. Every movement becomes slow and effortless. The only sound is your own breathing.
Many divers describe this sensation as peaceful, calming, and almost meditative.[4]
Safety is always the first priority in scuba diving.
Before beginning any SSI diving program, students complete a standardized medical questionnaire.[2]
This questionnaire helps determine whether someone may need medical clearance before diving.
For most healthy people, no additional medical examination is required.
Certain conditions may require approval from a physician experienced in diving medicine, including:
Having a medical condition does not automatically mean someone cannot dive.
It simply means additional medical advice may be needed.
The goal is never to exclude people.
The goal is to keep diving safe.
Another common myth is that scuba diving is only suitable for young adults.
In reality, scuba diving welcomes a wide range of ages.[3]
Children can begin introductory SSI experiences from a young age under appropriate supervision, while older adults regularly earn diving certifications well into their seventies and even eighties.
Many retired people discover scuba diving later in life.
Unlike sports that place heavy impact on joints, scuba diving places very little stress on knees, hips, or ankles because water supports the body’s weight.
For many older divers, this makes diving easier than running, tennis, or football.
Perhaps the greatest misconception is that people with disabilities cannot become divers.
In reality, adaptive diving has opened the underwater world to thousands of people worldwide.[5]
Depending on the individual’s abilities, people with:
may all be able to dive safely with appropriate training, equipment, and instructor support.
Every disability is different.
Rather than focusing on limitations, adaptive diving focuses on individual abilities.
No two adaptive divers are the same.
Training is always personalized.
Water creates something unique.
Buoyancy removes much of the body’s weight.
Movements that may be difficult on land often become much easier underwater.
Someone using crutches or a wheelchair on land may experience complete freedom of movement underwater.
This feeling can be emotional.
Many adaptive divers describe their first dive as life-changing.
For the first time in years, they feel weightless.
They move in three dimensions.
They are no longer limited by gravity.
Few recreational activities offer this unique experience.
People often focus on the fish, turtles, or coral reefs.
But many divers remember something else.
The silence.
Underwater there are:
Divers concentrate on breathing slowly and observing the underwater environment.
Scientific research suggests scuba diving can reduce stress levels, improve mood, and promote relaxation for many participants.[4]
Many divers compare it to meditation.
You cannot rush underwater.
You simply breathe.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, inclusivity has always been part of who we are.
We believe scuba diving should be available to as many people as safely possible.
Our instructors understand that every student learns differently.
Some people need extra time.
Some need different teaching techniques.
Some require adaptive equipment or specialized assistance.
That is perfectly normal.
Our experienced instructors—including instructors trained to work with divers with disabilities—focus on creating a safe, supportive learning environment where every student progresses at their own pace.
There is no pressure.
Only encouragement.
Learning to dive should never feel rushed.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we intentionally teach in small groups.
This allows instructors to:
For adaptive divers, this personalized approach becomes even more valuable.
Every dive plan is adjusted according to the student’s individual needs.
Many people arrive convinced they will never be able to dive.
They are nervous.
Some cannot swim well.
Others have physical challenges.
Some simply fear putting their face underwater.
Watching these same people finish their course with huge smiles is one of the greatest rewards for every instructor.
Scuba diving often teaches much more than diving skills.
It teaches confidence.
Students discover they are capable of much more than they imagined.
The calm waters surrounding Gili Air make it one of Indonesia’s most welcoming places for learning to dive.
Warm tropical water, excellent visibility, gentle conditions, and abundant marine life create an ideal classroom for beginners.
It doesn’t take long before new divers encounter:
For many people, these first underwater encounters become lifelong memories.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we don’t simply teach diving.
We help people achieve dreams.
Some students arrive wanting to become professional divemasters.
Others simply want to overcome fear.
Some have physical disabilities and never imagined scuba diving could become part of their lives.
Seeing those dreams become reality reminds us every day why we chose this profession.
Our motto says everything:
Diving for Everyone.
Because everyone deserves the chance to discover the incredible world beneath the surface.
Most people can learn to dive safely. Some medical conditions require evaluation by a diving physician before certification.
No. You should be comfortable in the water and meet the swimming requirements of the certification agency, but you do not need to be a competitive swimmer.
Absolutely. Many divers begin diving after retirement and continue enjoying the sport for decades.
Yes. Many people with physical or sensory disabilities dive successfully with proper instruction, planning, and adaptive techniques.
No. Training always begins in a swimming pool or confined water environment. Some people enjoy pool diving experiences without continuing to the ocean.
Many divers describe scuba diving as calming or meditative because of the slow breathing, weightlessness, and peaceful underwater environment.
Oceans 5 Gili Air offers experienced SSI instructors, small class sizes, excellent training facilities, warm tropical waters, and instructors experienced in working with divers of different abilities. We truly believe that scuba diving should be accessible to everyone who can safely enjoy it.
[1] Divers Alert Network (DAN). Fitness to Dive and Medical Screening.
[2] Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS). Diving Medical Guidance to the Physician.
[3] SSI (Scuba Schools International). Open Water Diver Training Standards and Student Materials.
[4] Morgan, W.P. (2019). Research on the psychological benefits of recreational scuba diving and relaxation in underwater environments.
[5] Handicapped Scuba Association International (HSA). Adaptive Scuba Diving Standards and Instructor Resources.
[6] World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC). Minimum Training Standards for Recreational Scuba Diving.
[7] Divers Alert Network. Diving with Physical Disabilities: Safety Considerations and Best Practices.
[8] International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 24801 Recreational Diver Training Standards.
Certified Local SSI Divemasters When you join a dive at Oceans 5 Gili Air, one thing immediately stands out: every certified diver is guided by a local Indonesian SSI Divemaster. This is not a coincidence, nor is it simply a company preference. It is a …
Becoming a Divemaster is much more than collecting a professional certification. It is about developing the confidence, experience, and knowledge to guide certified divers safely in a wide range of underwater environments. While the Divemaster internship itself provides an enormous amount of practical experience, combining …
For many scuba divers, earning an Open Water certification is just the beginning of an incredible underwater journey. After completing Advanced Adventurer, Deep Diving, Nitrox, or Rescue Diver, many divers start wondering what lies beyond the recreational limits. What is it like to explore deeper reefs, spend longer underwater, or visit dive sites that recreational divers simply cannot reach?
The answer is technical diving, often called tech diving.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, technical diving is more than simply diving deeper. It is about becoming a better, more disciplined, and highly skilled diver. Whether your goal is to explore deep reefs, prepare for scientific expeditions, photograph untouched marine life, or simply challenge yourself, technical diving opens an entirely new world beneath the surface.[1]
Technical diving refers to scuba diving that goes beyond the limits of standard recreational diving. According to most training agencies, technical dives may involve one or more of the following:[1]
Unlike recreational diving, technical diving assumes that you cannot make a direct ascent to the surface at any moment. Every dive is carefully planned, every piece of equipment has a purpose, and every procedure is practiced until it becomes second nature.[1][2]
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, technical diving courses are taught in a structured, step-by-step approach so divers gradually build the skills and confidence required for more advanced diving.
Many recreational divers ask:
“Why would I want to become a tech diver?”
The answer is surprisingly simple.
Technical diving is not only about going deeper—it is about becoming a significantly better diver.
Some of the biggest advantages include:
Technical divers spend countless hours perfecting neutral buoyancy.
Small buoyancy changes can have major consequences during decompression dives, so precise control becomes second nature.[3]
Many divers notice that after completing technical training, even a simple reef dive feels effortless.
Tech divers learn to maintain a perfectly horizontal body position throughout the dive.
This:
Perfect trim is one of the hallmarks of an experienced technical diver.
Technical divers understand every component of their equipment.
Instead of simply using scuba gear, they learn:
This deeper understanding makes divers more confident and more self-reliant.[2]
Recreational dives often involve simple planning.
Technical dives involve:
This level of preparation improves every dive—even recreational ones.
Technical training teaches divers to continuously monitor:
This awareness makes divers calmer and better prepared for unexpected situations.
Recreational diving is designed to keep diving simple.
Technical diving is designed to prepare divers for situations where there is little room for mistakes.[1]
Some of the major differences include:
Rather than relying on luck or improvisation, technical diving relies on preparation.
This is one of the most common questions.
The answer is:
Almost everyone can—provided they are willing to learn slowly and practice consistently.
Technical diving is not reserved for elite athletes.
Instead, successful technical divers share several characteristics:
Experience matters far more than physical strength.
Many excellent technical divers started exactly the same way—as recreational divers who simply wanted to continue learning.
Oceans 5 offers technical diving training under experienced technical instructors.
Courses may include:
Each course builds upon the previous one, allowing divers to progress safely while gaining experience.
Many divers think technical diving starts at 50 or 60 meters.
In reality, the journey starts much earlier.
Intro to Tech focuses on:
These are skills that improve every future dive.
Even if a diver never progresses beyond recreational diving, Intro to Tech often becomes one of the most valuable courses they ever complete.
Many technical divers choose sidemount configuration.
Instead of carrying one cylinder on the back, divers carry cylinders along both sides of their body.
Advantages include:
Many divers also find sidemount more comfortable than traditional back-mounted equipment.
One of the biggest limitations in recreational diving is no-decompression time.
Technical divers learn how to safely extend bottom time by conducting carefully planned decompression stops.[4]
This allows:
However, decompression diving requires significantly more training and discipline than recreational diving.
Technical diving carries greater inherent risk than recreational diving because it involves deeper depths, specialized gases, and planned decompression. However, the purpose of technical training is to manage those risks through rigorous preparation, appropriate equipment, teamwork, and conservative decision-making.[1][2]
Safety is built around:
Properly trained technical divers spend far more time preparing than actually diving.
Choosing the right training facility is just as important as choosing the right course.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, technical diving emphasizes quality over quantity.
Training focuses on:
Students are encouraged to master each skill before progressing to more advanced techniques.
The calm conditions around the Gili Islands often provide an excellent environment for refining buoyancy, trim, propulsion, and gas management before moving on to more demanding technical dives.
One of the greatest lessons in technical diving is humility.
Every course reveals there is still more to learn.
Technical divers continually practice:
Learning never truly stops.
That mindset is one of the biggest reasons why many technical divers become exceptionally capable recreational divers as well.
If you enjoy learning new skills, improving your diving, and pushing yourself in a controlled and disciplined way, technical diving may be the next logical step.
You do not need to dream about diving to extreme depths.
You only need curiosity and a willingness to improve.
Many divers begin technical training simply to become better recreational divers—and discover an entirely new passion along the way.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, technical diving is not about reaching the deepest depth. It is about becoming the most skilled, confident, and capable diver you can be.
No. Entry requirements depend on the course. Introductory technical courses are designed for experienced recreational divers who already have solid buoyancy control and meet the course prerequisites.
Yes. Many technical divers are recreational holiday divers who dedicate time during their vacations to structured training and skill development.
Absolutely. Better buoyancy, trim, gas management, awareness, and emergency skills make every recreational dive safer and more enjoyable.
No. Technical diving is about extending diving capabilities through better skills, specialized equipment, gas management, and decompression techniques. Depth is only one aspect.
For most divers, Intro to Tech is the ideal starting point. It develops the core skills that form the foundation for all future technical diving.
Yes. Oceans 5 offers a progressive pathway including Intro to Tech, Sidemount, Technical Nitrox, Advanced Nitrox, and Decompression Procedures with experienced technical instructors.
[1] Technical Diving International (TDI). Technical Diving Standards and Procedures.
[2] Divers Alert Network (DAN). Technical Diving Safety Articles and Best Practices.
[3] Global Underwater Explorers (GUE). Fundamentals of Buoyancy, Trim and Propulsion.
[4] NOAA. NOAA Diving Manual, decompression theory and gas management.
Special Instructor Crossover Course Starts: 20 AugustInstructor Trainer: Warren “Waz” BeyersLocation: Oceans 5 Gili Air, Indonesia Already a certified dive instructor with another training agency? Then this course has been designed specifically for you. Instead of completing the full 16-day Instructor Training Course (ITC), Oceans …