Frequently Asked Questions
The optimal diving season in Tioman Island is from March to October, offering calm seas, excellent visibility, and vibrant marine life. The island remains closed from November to February due to the monsoon season.
No experience is required for beginner programs such as Try Diving or the Open Water Course. Our instructors will guide you step by step, from theory to practice.
We offer multilingual instruction in English, Chinese, Cantonese, and Malay.
Yes, we offer accommodation option at Paya Debloc Village, including chalets, container rooms, and dormitories. Packages with meals are also available.
We also offer packages that include accommodation at other resorts in Kampung Paya, such as Aman Tioman Beach Resorts.
Yes, our Open Water Course includes DAN’s Student Dive Accident Plan for your safety and peace of mind.
Yes, we offer various options at Paya Debloc Village, including chalets, container rooms, and dormitories. Packages with meals are also available.
Yes, you can dive with contact lenses, or we can provide prescription masks (subject to availability).
Yes! We highly recommend a refresher course if it has been more than six months since your last dive. It’s a quick, stress-free session with a PADI Professional to help you regain confidence and review your basic skills before joining our fun dives.
Your safety is our top priority! All scuba students must complete a PADI Medical Questionnaire. Here’s how it works:
- What if I’m healthy? If you have no pre-existing medical conditions listed on the form, you simply answer ‘NO’ to all questions, sign it, and you’re ready to start.
- What if I have a medical condition? If you answer ‘YES’ to any of the questions, it just means you must get medical clearance before your course. Please take the form to your doctor, who must sign it to confirm you are fit to dive. It is highly advisable to get this signed 2-3 days before your trip to ensure the clearance is recent.
Important:Â Please review the form before your course. We cannot allow you in the water without a doctor’s signature if you have a ‘YES’ answer.
Download the scuba medical questionnaire
We provide all the scuba diving equipment for your course, so you don’t need to worry about gear! You should pack as you would for a beach trip (swimsuit etc.). For the most comfortable experience, we also recommend bringing these extra items:
- Swimsuit and Base Layer:Â A T-shirt or rashguard to wear under the wetsuit. Leggings are also helpful for extra warmth.
- Socks:Â A regular pair of ankle socks to prevent your fins from rubbing.
You don’t need to be a professional swimmer, but you have to demonstrate basic water skills to be sure you’re comfortable in the water, including:
- Swim 200 metres or 300 metres in mask, fins and snorkel. This can be any stroke and isn’t timed, so you can take your time.
- Float and tread water for 10 minutes, again using any methods you want. You can do this laying on your back or by treading water.Â
- Complete some basic snorkelling skills.
The most important thing is your level of comfort in the water. The more comfortable you are the more enjoyable your dives will be.
Yes, absolutely. All PADI courses you sign up for include the official PADI study materials. This will be either the online e-learning module or a traditional PADI hardcopy book. At De Dive Centre, we primarily use the e-learning as we find it’s the most flexible and convenient way for our students to start. We will send your access code approximately one week before your trip to ensure you have ample time to complete the theory at home, so you can focus on the fun, in-water training during your holiday.
Flying too soon after diving is dangerous and can cause decompression sickness. The official guidelines from Divers Alert Network (DAN) recommend a minimum surface interval:
- For a single dive:Â Wait at least 12 hours.
- For multiple dives or multiple days of diving:Â Wait at least 18 hours.
- For dives requiring decompression stops:Â Wait at least 24 hours.
To be extra safe, we recommend all our divers plan for a 24-hour surface interval after your last dive before you fly. This is the safest, most conservative rule and covers all types of recreational diving.
Aside from pregnancy, no. Because physiologists know little about the effects of diving on the fetus, the recommendation is that women avoid diving while pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Menstruation is not normally a concern. Â If you are diving during your period, you can manage it with tampons or a menstrual cup just as you would do for swimming or any other water activity.