Diving below the waves this holiday? Life's not always a beach. Here's some fast facts about this popular scuba diving:
Keep reading to find out what travel insurance can help you with if you're planning to go scuba diving this holiday.
If you find yourself in deep water, we might be able to help:
Remember, you're only covered if you hold an open water diving license from a certified or accredited body, or your diving instructor holds a PADI accredited license.
You won’t be covered for anything arising from your scuba diving if:
There’s plenty of fun to be had on the surface of the Gili Islands, the three stunning tropical outcrops near Bali and Lombok in Indonesia. On Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air you’ll find a laidback, bohemian vibe, the perfect antidote to the tourist-heavy centres nearby. There’s no motorised traffic on the Gilis. In fact there’s very little of anything at all: just a few quiet settlements with a good selection of chilled-out accommodation to suit most budgets. There’s no stress in the Gilis. Nothing to worry about.
And all of that is great. Still, as much fun as you can have above water around here, it’s even better down below. It’s better once you’ve donned a mask and fins, stuck a regulator in your mouth, let the air out of your BCD, and begun to sink down into underwater paradise.
The scuba-diving around the Gilis is phenomenal.
For those who love turtles, this is your spot. There are turtles everywhere around the Gilis. This is also a great place for drift diving, with a few reliable currents, as well as to check out some unique natural underwater features like Meno Wall and Secret Reef. There are plenty of big fish around the Deep Turbo site, and the sleek, eponymous sea-life at Shark Point. The Gilis are also an ideal place to either get certified or improve your qualifications, with plenty of dive shops offering good deals on courses and certifications.
Of course, divers have a whole world of possibilities out there on their future holidays. Most bucket-lists for underwater fans will feature the likes of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Sipadan in Malaysia, Alotau in Papua New Guinea, the wreck of the SS President Coolidge in Vanuatu, and the clear seas of Yolanda Reef in the Egyptian Red Sea. However, for the best of all worlds, head directly to the Gilis. And enjoy.
It's a mantra you should keep repeating to yourself, because holding your breath underwater can result in serious injury or even death. That's because the air in your lungs expands and contracts as you ascend and descend underwater. But if you don't breath out, the air can't escape as it expands, causing the lung walls to rupture.
Fitness is paramount when you're diving. Strength is important but so are supple muscles and confident, steady breathing. Many people who go on diving holidays say that swimming and yoga helps them when it comes to being underwater.
This is especially important when you're diving around coral reefs where skin is more prone to infection. If you do have sores or wounds, make sure you protect the wound with gauze and waterproof tape.
Panicking is a leading cause of many diving accidents. So if you can, figure out how you might respond to scuba diving conditions. Things like meditation and breathing techniques can help you if you have a personality that's prone to panic, so talk to experienced divers about what they do when they face issues underwater.
This is a well-known mantra amongst divers. Contrary to popular belief, diving is a well-planned sport and every diver needs to know their depth and the time limit they have in the water. It's often recommended that you approach your depth cautiously - it's better to stay a little shallower to have some room to breathe - literally!
It means that the person who is instructing you and taking you on the scuba dive is a PADI licensed instructor or any other instructor with an open water license recognised in Australia.
If tou purchase the Adventure & Sports Pack, you are covered to dive up to 30 metres in depth. If you do not purchase the Adventure & Sports Pack, you are covered to dive up to 10 metres in depth.
There is a provision to claim for Cancellation Fees and Lost Deposits of unused travel arrangements if you have to cancel your trip or your trip is shortened due to claimable events such as injury/illness, and the fees cannot be recouped from the provider.
We would not be able to provide medical cover for you if you are going against medical advice.
Under the standard Luggage and Personal effects benefit we provide cover for sporting equipment that you own up to $750, but we don't cover the equipment while it's in use. Note that we don't cover rental equipment.
Provided you are within the parameters stated in the PDS, and you don’t have a Domestic or Frequent Traveller Domestic policy, then the benefit we offer is unlimited. Terms and conditions apply. Please note that we don't cover for Search and Rescue.
In an emergency, get yourself to hospital. As soon as it's possible, we advise that you or a member of your travelling party call our medical assistance team who will be able to liaise with you or the hospital.
Find out all information you need about what’s covered and what’s not before you go adventuring.
It may be one of the best regions for diving south of the equator, but it can also be dangerous for those not in the know. Award winning travel writer Ben Groundwater reveals all.
Ben Groundwater reveals the five special reasons why scuba-diving is something you might want to consider if you’re taking a gap year.
If you have any other questions or queries, please send us a message via our Contact Us page.
If you are experiencing an emergency, please use the details on our Emergency Assistance page.
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