Conservation through research and education

Indo Ocean Project

Why choose Indo Ocean Project?

Dive Master and Research Diver internship with multiple locations in Indonesia, the heart of the coral triangle. Complete your PADI dive master course along with 5 ecology specialties written and designed by our team of marine biologists and dive professionals and approved by PADI and SSI. Marine megafauna, coral and mangrove restoration, marine park management and much more. You don't need to be a scientist to get involved!

Reviews

Default avatar
Jenna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Diving in paradise

Indo Ocean Project in Raja Ampat is nothing short of paradise! The diving is incredible with so much biodiversity, and our home in the jungle was simple but gave direct access to a stunning coral reef and a beautiful jetty where we spent much of our free time. The interns and staff feel like a family and I couldn’t be more grateful for this experience. It’s the perfect mix of professional education and constructive feedback, while keeping things very fun and enjoyable! Couldn’t recommend more :)

Default avatar
Anna
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Experience

I learned a lot at Indo Ocean, Raja Ampat. It was a great experience. If you choose Raja Ampat as your location you need to be aware, that this is a really remote area. No fancy coffee shops etc. nearby.
The Indo Ocean program is a really good combination of Divemaster and Conservation/Research Skills. I was lucky to have two marine biologists as the program managers. So their knowledge and experience was very useful to me.
Even if you have a biology background you'll learn a lot!
And if you don't have one, do not be afraid to take part in this program! ; )

Default avatar
Nathalie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Living in paradise

To keep it short: if you love the ocean, join this program!
From start to end, I've enjoyed the IOP project and can't believe how much I've learned in such a short period of time.
This is of course, thanks to the amazing program itself - but above all because of Qinthan, Jess & Ben who've made the stay truly unique :)

Diving:
Bira is by far the greatest place I've had the opportunity to dive in so far. It's full of marine life and thriving coral reefs. What makes it so special that you never know what appears in the blue 💙 - schools of devil rays, trevallys, barracudas, tuna or grey reef sharks, marbled rays and more!

Housing & social life:
We've had a wonderful time in Bira with lots of like-minded people :) there's a community kitchen and a bunch of amazing restaurants in walking distance.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Launched a fundraising campaign to support local people in exploring the underwater world and become guardians of their marine miracles
Pros
  • Incredible dive sites with abundance of marine life
  • Wonderful managers & marine biologists
  • Well structured program with lots to learn
Default avatar
Aditya
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Thank you!

So, to begin with, from day 1 when i reach IOP at reeflex divers, Mette & Anne were there for me. They are both such amazing people and also very talented and professional. They were always there for me whenever i used to face any type of difficulty, whether in terms of housing, diving etc. And now i am a divemaster. I came to Penida with 6 dives OW diver and right now i am with + 100 dives. Diving in Penida was definitely challenging with all the surges and currents but our training was of the level to ensure that we can dive anywhere in the world! Thank you so much IOP.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Sticky steamed rice! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack. everything is rice. Was cool though as i started eating that everyday too.
Pros
  • good diver
  • growing personally and professionally
  • amazing networking
Cons
  • very tired everyday
  • no breakfast as no kitchen no fridge
  • dive center wouldnt allow us to use their facilities e.g fridge
Default avatar
Brooklyn
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Experience of a Lifetime

I struggle to put into words just how special this program was. To be succinct: it was the experience of a lifetime, made exceptional because of Ben, Jess, and Qinthan.

From the first night when Jess and Ben greeted me, I knew I was being welcomed into a very special experience filled with "my people." I bonded with everyone right away, not least because of the relaxed and close-knit atmosphere these two fostered every day. On day two, I met Qinthan, whom I knew immediately would become a role model to me within marine conservation, and she did not disappoint. I am so grateful I decided to partake in this program!

The diving in Bira is on some of the most well preserved reefs left in the world today, which is no small feat. From the smallest of macro life sheltered within the colourful reefs to the sharks, rays, and turtles we saw on every single dive, Bira is unique. I could spend 100 lifetimes diving these reefs and never get tired of them.

IOP itself is a commendable initiative which seeks to balance marine conservation and education with local involvement. They don't try to bulldoze over local ways of living, but rather they integrate these into their science in order to build a sustainable program which has the capacity to thrive.

What was your funniest moment?
Wrong Way Shrey (iykyk)

Programs

Displaying 1 - 1 of 1

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Helen Wu

A city girl from Hong Kong who loves nature and adventures, just do it slowly, cautiously and preferably in small group, because introvert.
Helen Wu diving with a diving buddy

Why did you choose this program?

When I was researching ideas for my career break, I only had two wishes: something to do with diving and something I can give back to the environment.

After stumbling upon Indo Ocean Project (IOP) online and read so many good reviews about them, I knew this is where I want to be. Living on an island, diving everyday, learn about the environment and meet like-minded people are more than what I wish for.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

IOP have all the contacts to help you with the basics. From visa application, transportation from Bali to Nusa Penida to on site accommodation, they have it all sorted for you.

They also have Facebook group for up-coming interns and alumni, as well as WhatsApp group for stand-by interns, the answer to your concerns is just one question away!

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Be mentally prepared to live on an island. Put your city-life standard and western-norm expectation aside. Embrace the purity of simple living and enjoy the presence of animals and nature.

Be open-minded. The things you deemed as “challenge” would be your accomplishments when you look back to it. No dives are the same and you only train once as divemaster, so make the most of every moment with a smile.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

The program is well organised with good structure. A typical day involves two dives, either from the boat or shore. Followed by afternoon activities like knowledge workshops or skill practices or independent study. Once the work is done comes the hardest part of the day that requires the most brain power - to decide what’s for dinner.

Every five to six days we get a day off, which we usually spend exploring the island, go on fun dives or get a well deserved massage.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Coming in I had plenty of concerns. Do I have the body strength to take on the intense physicality of daily diving? Am I be able to keep up in learning all the scientific knowledge and training? And my biggest concern of all - will I make friends as a mid-thirty Asian woman amongst the many young gap year-goers?

As it turns out, all of my fears and concerns are just overthinking, as IOP is an accommodating place where you can take your time and do it in your own comfortable pace.

And as cliche as it sounds, age really is just a number, be your true self and you will attract your kind of people wherever you are.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Mario Casati

Job Title
Co-manager and marine biologist
Mario studied natural science and mastered in marine biology in the university of Milano Bicocca in Italy. after gradauting he took the instructor course in thailand and worked there for an year before moving to raja where he uses his knowledge and passion to form new dive mster and researchers as the co-manager of the program.

Interview

What is your favorite travel memory?

I think that one of my favorite travel memory regards a holiday i spent with my girlfriend, we packed our bags and hit the road on the car, without a specific end point, stopping where we wanted, sleeping in the car, in the tend or in a hotel, deciding day by day. one night we ended up high in the mountains, in a tent, enjoying a gorgeous night sky and roasting marsh mellow on a bon fire made whit wood we found early that day on the sea side. The freedom and happiness felt in those days are a core memory for me.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Massively, working in this environment changed the way i approach certain aspects of teaching, it also helped me understand exactly what i love about the diving life, how fulfilling it feels to pass the passion for the ocean to others .

How to manage other people, balancing positive attitude, a friendly environment but also a firm hand to be able to instruct correctly was a challenging part of the job but helped me grow.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Our students leave our program ready to face the diving and conservation world, and we take pride in having them become dive professionals that are able to sustain any difficulty. The best story of a return student would be from a student that had to face a dangerous situation in strong current, for which she had been trained, and while others had trouble and couldn't handle it she instead was able to react correctly and blessed her training, making the best out of an otherwise bad experience.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

Our program offers a dive master preparation and conservation learning, the locations where this happens are 3: Nusa Penida, Bira and Raja Ampat. the first one is where i my self partook in the program as an intern and the last one is the one i am currently co-managing, I would therefore choose Bira.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

I would describe the strongest point of our company in it's well organized Dive master schedule. Our interns are well prepared following a perfectly organized schedule that ensures that they complete not only the minimum requirements but a training of higher standards then the main diving associations. Not only that but they are lead too take increasing responsibilities making sure that the professionals we form are not such only on paper but especially on the practical side. What makes me proud of my team is how we can trust each other to fill in every possible mistake that one might make, creating many layers of control and safety, making the working environment feel safe and supported.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Organization and communication play a vital role in any company, a proper scheduling system, and organization in handling things ensures that even the smallest detail is not overlooked and has a place in which it can be handled correctly. this avoids piling up of small issues that result in the end in big problems. A correct organization would, although, be useless without proper communication. a healthy not one-sided communication with colleagues of any level helps everyone to understand and avoid mistakes.