Your first scuba dive: how the day goes
Never dived before? Here is an honest walk-through of your day, from hotel pickup to a second dive at 10–12 metres. No experience, no course and no strong swimming needed.
Updated:
The day, hour by hour
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7:30 | Pickup from your hotel in Nha Trang |
| 8:00 | Boat leaves for Hon Mun; on the way, a briefing on breathing, equalising and hand signals |
| around 9:00 | First dive: breathe at the surface first, then go down to 3–4 metres |
| around 10:00 | Lunch, water and fruit on board, rest and a chat about the first dive |
| around 11:00 | Second dive: down to 10–12 metres along the reef |
| 13:00 | Back to port and transfer to your hotel |
One instructor for two people at most
On a Try Dive we take no more than two people per instructor, and the same instructor stays with you all day. They hold your hand as long as you like and watch your buoyancy and air. Your job is to breathe calmly and look around.
If you are nervous
Almost everyone is. We never rush: first you breathe from the regulator holding on to the boat, then put your face in the water, then go down one metre. If anything feels wrong, you give a signal and you are back at the surface. Usually after five minutes nerves turn into “wow”.
Ears
The pressure feels like a plane coming in to land. You clear it by pinching your nose and blowing gently into it. We teach this on the boat and remind you underwater. Do not dive with a cold or a blocked nose — reschedule instead.
Who should not dive, and minimum age
- You fill in a standard medical questionnaire before diving. Usually diving is not allowed with asthma, epilepsy, serious heart or blood pressure problems, during pregnancy or after recent surgery. If in doubt, ask your doctor before the trip.
- Try Dive is from 10 years old. For children, the private option works best: an instructor just for your family.
- You do not need to be a strong swimmer — just comfortable in the water.
- Wait at least 18 hours after diving before you fly.
What to bring
Swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and dry clothes. We provide the wetsuit, mask, fins and all the gear. Soft contact lenses are fine; if you wear glasses, tell us in advance.