Introductory Dive

Can anyone recommend a good place to do an introductory dive? We will be in rarotonga and Aitutaki in September. We will then be heading for australia. We'd like to do one or more dives, in the Cooks or in Australia, or both. Any suggestions? Thanks, Sharon

If you'd like to do more than one dive then I'd strongly suggest that you get your dive certification before you go on holidays. It will make things a hell of a lot easier, you will be more relaxed in the water and be able to enjoy your dive more.

There are four dive operations here on Rarotonga, and one (maybe two now) on Aitutaki.

Check the main website www.ck for more details.

Stay as much as possible in aitutaki. You got nice cruises, excellent snorkeling with big oysters and safe conditions as it's a lagoon to learn how to dive. In addition, locals friendly and fee of paradise, compared to rora which is more commercial.

Of course you could always try Byron Bay, Australia.

As mentioned above, best way is to get your dive ticket prior to your trip so you can just dive and enjoy yourself rather than have to listen to instruction. The other options are doing your ticket on holiday, only problem there is it takes up about four days of your trip, depends how much time you have. The third option, and certainly a good one especially if you haven't dived before and may want to sample it first before outlaying too much cash is the 'introductory' or 'try' dive. I myself did one of those over in Raro a few years back and have since gotten my ticket and enjoyed a lot of diving. I did my intro dive through Dive Rarotonga I think (the one with the 'big fish' near the Rarotongan Resort) and really enjoyed the dive in the lagoon, and then the following day two escorted dives outside the reef. Great struff. Got me hooked. Only problem is you have to be lead, can't do your own thing etc.

Yes there are four dive shops on Raro, I've since gone out with three of them and they're all pretty good. There are two operators on Aitutaki and I must recommend Bubbles Below, the newer operator, as he is a nicer bloke and offers good, fun, easy diving.

Hope you enjoy it.

thanks for all the information. I'm thinking I might do all the "classroom" work here, but the actual diving in Raro. Would that be the best of both worlds? I don't really want to get certified here, because of the cold water requiring heavier wetsuits, etc. I doubt I will dive anywhere other than the cooks and then the GBR in Australia. Would this work?

Yes that would certainly work, look them up on the internet and enquire with them direct, but from memory all four shops are pretty much PADI places, so do you class work through them. That option will certainly save time from the class room, just remember a couple of your dives will require you to perform skills etc, so while enjoyable you're still having to jump through some pretty basic hoops. If you do get certified wherever you are you may be surprised with what is there in your home waters, and if you can dive in the colder waters you'll then find the tropics an absolute breeze. Hope you enjoy it whatever you do.