Dive Master and Research Diver Internship in Indonesia

With my longtime lifegoal of becoming a Divemaster and a professional diver, me and my friend found the Indo Ocean Project wich persuaded us from the beginning to the end!
The combination of becoming not only a DM but also a Research Diver and learning from very experienced divers and marine conservationists is a one in a lifetime chance! It immediatly stood out from the other Programs.

Since the application Process the Staff of the Indo Ocean Project have been helpful and professional. Even with Covid-19 around the hole application process aswell the visa process went smooth and easy.

After arriving finally in Paradise on this amazing Island, the Indo Ocean Project makes you feel at home from the very first minute. Not only are the People that work there nice and welcoming, also you can see the passion and joy in every Intern and worker of the Project.

But don't get me wrong, this is no playground to come and make a nice holiday. Once arrived you immediatly get out there and start learning, working and mostly diving a lot. It is hard work wich pays off by good education/teaching from the dive professionals and the marine biologist involved in the Project. Mostly there are 6 days weeks and each day is filled with diving, marine science work and workshops to get the most out of it.

It was so impressive to see what this group is creating and doing to conserving Indonesia’s marine environment and to become a part of it daily was just the best decision i made. We learned so much and contributed a lot towards there work. Once getting started you immediatly go out and do hands on practices during your dives and on land. From BRUV's to Survey Dives, Mangrove plantations or Coral Restorations, you get all of it. Also do the highly skilled Teachers make sure you improve your diving skills daily and mostly even end up already on Instructor Level.

What more can I say.. Well did I mention you dive most of the time daily with Manta Rays and Turtles, get to see Mola's, Sharks or even Dolphins, finding some crazy Octopus or Moray eels or go on a Macro Dive for some Pikachu Nudi's!!!

Believe me you get it all there and you will love it!
I started to love it that much that I ended up diving even on my day off's if every day!

Thanks a lot for this experience Indo Ocean! I will definetly be back for some conservation Work.

And you people out there, don't think twice, do it!

After doing quite a bit of research into dive masters, the Indo Ocean project immediately stood out to me due to its focus on conservation. Not only do you get to become a divemaster, you also get a wealth of conservation experience including taking part in many workshops on marine species ecology for example Mantas, Molas, Shark and turtles, including practical coral restoration and surveys dives. What's really exciting about this project is that you actually get to contribute to science and you know the data you collect is really going somewhere and being used.
The training for both the divemaster and the conservation workshops / practicals were outstanding. The people that run the course and everyone supports the project have the utmost commitment to the programme and the people on it. They will go out of their way to ensure you are looked after and will make sure you get the most out of the course. So much so that you feel like one big family by the time you leave….making it very difficult to say goodbye!
Choosing to leave my corporate job in London and do my divemaster at the Indo Ocean project is the best decision I’ve ever made. It's without a doubt the best experience of my life and I would urge anyone who’s considering it to just book that place and join them. The project will certainly not disappoint!

I had a strong intention to pursue diving to its fullest and the decision of becoming a DM brought an enormous variety of options for education. IOP won this battle very quickly through their passion for conservation, introductions to Marine Biology and quite frankly; their attitude towards diving itself. I feel blessed to have learnt from these extraordinarily capable divers and make the connections i already know will last a lifetime.

This is a program where you work hard. They are not here to churn out DM's, you are expected to give your all because they give their all and it comes with an insanely detailed/comprehensive introduction to the various worlds in which are available to pursue after the program on top of your DM education, so beware...if you are a "lazy diver" this is not for you. This is Real Deal. It is taught with passion and fantastic ethic.

After that it comes to days on end of diving in a very special place, any question, pursuit of further knowledge or query answered, an insane achievement of managing everybody's expectation/demands/desire and skill level's at the same time and all of it no matter what resulting in the best dive's possible...this was truly a monumental way to transition from a dive enthusiast to a dive professional and even after graduating they're still helping me in every pursuit. I have built the utmost respect and love for these professionals and would recommend them to anyone pursuing the fields they are promoting.

I started my experience with Indo-Ocean Project in 2020. I was able to spend with them just two weeks before Indonesia was closed due to the pandemic. It took two years of rescheduling before being able to fly to Indonesia again.
In those two years the staff of Indo-Ocean Project has been incredible supportive and willing to any change in the starting date.
Once back to Indonesia the waiting was definitely worth it! I loved the way the program is organised between diving and workshops. I still can't believe how much I have learnt in just three months. I grew both as a diver and as a marine biologist, I meet incredible people, time passed way too fast!

Having signed up for the program in 2019, I finally made it to IOP in 2021 (thank you Covid) ... but the program was worth the long wait.
Whether you just want to be a better diver or move on to instructor level, this is the program you have been looking for. IOP goes above and beyond the standard and if necessary will customize the program to your needs. The IOP staff are not only very knowledgeable when it comes to diving and Marine Conservation, but were also incredibly supportive whenever I struggled. Be ready to meet some awesome and inspiring people among the staff and your fellow interns. We all came from different backgrounds, but bonded over our shared interest for diving and conservation. I gained a huge amount of diving experience in sometimes challenging conditions, learned a lot about marine life and also a lot about myself. Thank you to everyone at IOP, this was an amazing experience!

I immensely enjoyed my time with IOP and would highly recommend their program to anyone who is interested in becoming a better diver or becoming more aware of the scientific aspects of the local marine life.

The staff are incredible- both at IOP and Reeflex (the custodian dive Center). A particular highlight for me were the baited remote underwater video deployments and of course the manta dives!

The diving is fantastic and I feel far more confident in my skills as a diver. A massive thank you to IOP.

How can I write a review without sounding like a paid ad? I'll try...

The way that Indo Ocean Project combine divemaster training and conservation work gives meaning and purpose to your dives here. You are not trained to just be a dive professional, you are trained to be a conservationist with impeccable diving skills.

But an awesome program could not succeed without awesome people, all of the IOP staff are exceptional and will go to any lengths to help you with whatever challenge you encounter.

Joining IOP was the single best decision I've ever made. I'll never forget all of the jaw dropping but sometimes challenging dive sites, the laid back island life and its people, and the scooter adventures I've been on. Finishing the program I could proudly say I have improved my diving skills, increased my marine life knowledge and gained a family.

If you need a meaningful and fulfilling break from the tiring corporate world like I did, this is the place to be.

Ended up 2 month before starting that I was going to join IOP thanks to a miraculous free spot, I realize now I lucky I was. Solid divemaster training, lot of different conservation workshop and training, it is a very complete program for someone that don’t want to do a simple divemaster. Moreover, you are on an amazing island to explorer with plenty of people to meet, including the lovely team and the interns that will become precious friends in your adventure !

It totally met my expectations, and even went far beyond !!