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.