Program Reviews

I did the research diver programme with IOP, which took 6 weeks. The 6 weeks were filled with many dives, a lot of new information, and great experiences. I recommend this programme to anyone interested in learning more about ecology and conservation.

Thanks to my great instructors Greg, Kert, Yuly, and Sudar for the interesting and helpful classes and dives.
Bira is a great programme location, because of the amazing dive sites, great visibility, beautiful beaches, nice community, friendly locals, and great dive school.

Spent 3 months with IOP and it was probably the best 3 months of my life. I study marine biology at Uni and love diving, so finding a course that included both the qualification of a DM as well as a heavy emphasis on conservation was perfect for me. Gregoire, Kert, Sudar and Yuly have perfected a blend of fun, education and experience and their input and care into the interns is what gives Bira this feeling like you are home. Can’t recommend Bira enough as a place it’s such an amazing place to experience some culture and really immerse yourself in the language and some incredible indonesian food. Tennis courts, volleyball court, chess tournaments, a dartboard and more board games than i can count you will have so much fun with the fellow interns and staff here. I will miss this place so much, but will miss the people more.

My experience with Indo Ocean Project in Bira was truly amazing and unforgettable. The team at IOP and Blue Planet have a great dynamic offering the perfect fusion of scientific and recreational diving on some of Indonesias most pristine reefs. The comprehensive dive training and conservation education programme in such an exclusive environment provides a valuable, unique, and personal learning experience. If you yearn for adventure away from the crowds, Bira awaits to welcome you to its warm and wonderful community.

Just do it, you won't regret it! I did the 8 week programme and learned so much in a short time. Every day is packed with diving, conservation and diving workshops, activities, and gaining experience as a dive professional. The IOP and Dive Hub staff Marina, Marine, Sel, Aria and Qinthan, to name just a few of the amazing team, are doing such a great job and one can see the passion and dedication they are putting into the programme every single day. The programme also gave me such valuable insights and experience in doing research and conservation work and I became a much more confident diver.
I did the programme in Nusa Penida and loved the island and it's dive sites.
I would do it all over again!

I really recommend this course in every way. Learning about marine biology, quality of teaching for the divemaster, super interesting education program! Plus the environment is just incredible: the living space is super pleasant, the partner diving club is really good and all the IOP team and the general atmosphere are great. Go for it!

What I really loved was that the biology component and the divemaster program were really well balanced.

Bira is also a great place for diving: a little paradise, very quiet. We were the only ones at the dive sites, and the marine biodiversity is incredibly rich and preserved. It also allowed us to experience diving with currents, which is a great benefit for the training.

Thanks to my amazing instructors: Gregoire, Kert, Yuly, and Sudar!

I recommend this internship for everyone.

You will live something really special there, you will make memories for life, and meet amazing people. You do something that matters in this world. You understand better the importance of protecting the ocean. You learn so much cool stuff about the corals, the fish, and other species.

You see some special marine animals, and I really felt privileged to live this experience. And trust me with the people and the staff, it's so much fun. Go there, you will see it's amazing, trust me.

I found a family abroad with members from every part of the world. Life in Bira is paradise, and it feels like home now. From the movie night to family dinner, playing beach volleyball or board games, I will really miss those moments of community.

The staff is amazing and super helpful; they made me a confident dive master. The training is much more complete than a typical diver master program; you will finish this as a buoyancy pro.

If you like diving and you are interested in learning more about the ocean and its conservation, do not hesitate to sign up!

Could not have asked for a better experience! From the people, to the location in Bira, to the diving, and skills and knowledge I gained from my time here, it was all incredible. I applied for this internship because I am in the process of changing careers from nursing, and my time here has absolutely solidified that I have made the right decision. I learned so much, not only about diving but also ecology, and being able to directly apply all the skills and knowledge in real life was an amazing learning experience. I could not recommend it enough.

I came to Indo Ocean Project having never dived before and completed 14 weeks of training, now finishing with 133 dives as a Divemaster. The internship was everything I had imagined and more. I met some of the most admirable people who have inspired me in many ways, not just diving.

I completed my internship in Bira, and I can easily say I have found a second home and family here. Every aspect of the experience, from the science, conservation, and dives to the people (and the dogs!) has all been amazing, I can’t recommend it enough!

I had a great time in IOP learning from incredibly professional and competent staff. This internship has helped me to gain a better understanding on marine conservation in regards with field work, scientific analysis as well as the advocacy and governance side of marine conservation.

The standards given by the staff during the internship was high however they will always be there to help and I believe this has made me a very competent diver especially for marine research however after completing this internship it has also filled me with more curiosity and motivation to pursue a career relating to marine conservation and to continue to be curious and hone my skills.