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Unforgettable aquatic adventures for kids – Go underwater and discover the wonder of Snorkel, Scuba, Mermaid, and Freediving Explorer programs
The SSI Classified Diving program has been created to enable persons with disabilities who might not be able to earn full certifications the ability to dive and get certified with different safety parameters. Learn to work with disabled divers.
Our diving in schools and colleges programs give students the opportunity to learn life-long certifications with friends and family in a safe, team environment. Our scuba diving mantra is that we provide an inclusive sport that allows boys and girls with varying sporting abilities, interests, and passions to apply them to the underwater world. Given a small amount of patience, we are constantly astounded by the enthusiasm and personal development of our students on a weekly basis for all course levels.
As well as earning PADI scuba diving certifications, Ocean Tribe’s philosophy is to ensure that our younger divers really comprehend the importance of the underwater world to the well-being of the planet. Every course has been designed to challenge divers to know the most up-to-date trends in marine conservation and dive physiology and how these in turn can have an effect on protecting endangered species and reef-dependent communities.
All participants must meet medical questionnaire requirements and some conditions or medications may prevent you from diving. Check the PADI Diver Medical: Participant Questionnaire to see if you meet the requirements before booking.
See what the diving in schools available courses and opportunities can count towards in the wider experience of life.
After-School Activity – Discover Scuba Diving, Bubblemaker, Jnr Certification (Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver), Standard Certifications (Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver and Specialty Diver),
Duke of Edinburgh – Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver
Duke of Edinburgh Residential – Marine Conservation Project, Underwater Photography Internship, Master Scuba Diver, Go Pro Packages (for over 18s)
CAS Activity for International Baccalaureate – Creativity, Action, Service – Diver courses, underwater photography, reports, dive site mapping, beach/ underwater clean-ups, coral monitoring,
Go Pro Programs (for over 18s) – PADI Divemaster, PADI Assistant Instructor, PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
GAP Year Programs – Marine Conservation Programs, PADI Divemaster Internship, PADI Instructor Internship
Scuba diving courses, projects, and residential courses can be used in your pursuit of the Duke of Edinburgh International Awards. Ocean Tribe offers differing scuba diving opportunities and experiences for both beginner and certified divers. Such opportunities include learning to dive as part of your DoE. Taking part in environmental activities such as beach and underwater cleanups can be counted towards DoE and doing courses and staying in our residential package can be used for the DoE Gold Award.
Diving can be used as a choice in all three segments of the CAS project. Our projects and courses offer great opportunities for creativity, action, and service, including dive courses, conservation projects, and challenging tasks.
For young people who have decided to take a GAP year between school and university the dive internships offered by Dive Pro Africa give you a structured program to make sure that you actually get something constructive out of their GAP year. Skills acquired during the dive internships can improve a CV when participants look to gain employment later. Potential employers and university admissions tutors can take notice when participants can put down some of the experience and qualifications that participants can acquire during their GAP year diving experience in Kenya.
An example of things you can add to your CV
These are just some of the skills that participants can acquire but other skill keywords that they can pick up by involvement in our programs could include organisation, using initiative, conducting research, teaching students, communication, motivation, self-discipline, responsibility, leadership, teamwork, languages, independent learning, and conservation project work. All of these skills are looked upon favorably by employers.
Choosing a GAP year scuba diving internship in Kenya involves the participant thinking about what they would like to get out of the program as obviously, the different programs offer the chance to learn different skills.
Contact us to discuss your different options which could include becoming a diving instructor or Divemaster, or perhaps working in marine conservation projects and learning to manage wildlife in a real African conservancy area. If you have a specific program that you would like to do then we can tailor it for you. Really we want you to get the most out of your GAP year experience as possible and acquire skills that will be useful to you further down the line.
Get introduced to the underwater world with a short pool session followed by 2 ocean dives where you will explore the coral reefs of Diani under the close supervision of a PADI Instructor.
from $180
A sub-course of the Open Water course. Learn to dive under the supervision of a PADI pro. eLearning, pool training and 2 dives on the coral reef of Diani
from $420
Learn to dive on the coral reefs of Diani on the world’s most popular scuba diving course. The PADI Open Water course qualifies you to dive all around the world and introduces you to a lifetime of excitement.
from $595
The PADI Adventure Diver course is where you can begin to take part in dives that interest you and increase your depth range as a diver. 3 adventure dives (and one free fun dive)
from $340
Go deeper, improve your navigation skills, and do dives from specialties that interest you. The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course is 5 adventure dives (and one free fun dive).
from $490
Serious fun. Learn to look out for other divers underwater and potentially save lives. Get your dive buddies more at ease knowing they are diving with a PADI Rescue Diver
from $499
Go pro and become a respected PADI dive professional. The PADI Divemaster course is the first professional diver level and will teach you to lead divers, assist divers in training and even conduct some programs yourself. Motivate, lead, mentor!
from $999
Become a PADI Instructor on the world’s most comprehensive dive instructor course. Learn teaching and mentoring techniques as well as many other disciplines used by diving instructors. Then onto the IE and a dive instruction career.
from $999
Yes! You may be eligible to get college credit for learning how to scuba dive. PADI courses have been recommended by a variety of Institutions for college credit or funding in various countries throughout the world. Choose from the regions below to find out how it works
The American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated and recommended college credit for
15 PADI courses
3 DSAT courses
1 Emergency First Response course.
The American Council on Education is the major coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions.
Learn more about how you can gain college credit for PADI courses in the U.S. (PDF) or contact PADI Americas at training@padi.com.
The British Columbia Ministry of Education (External Credentials Program for Industrial and Occupational Courses) has approved the PADI Open Water Diver (2 credits), PADI Advanced or Adventures in Diving Program (4 credits) and PADI Rescue Diver (4credits) courses for school credit.
Grade 10, 11 and 12 students who have been certified in these PADI courses simply present their PADI certification card to the school administration to apply for credit. For information on receiving credit contact your school’s administration. On an individual, merit-base case, divers in Canada may also receive credit for PADI courses through the USA-based American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service as noted under “United States.”
Those who want to teach diving in Japanese school systems (colleges, universities, vocational schools, etc.) undergo general and specialized course work and testing to become authorised by the Japan Sports Association (JASA), under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors are exempt from this specialised course and test, and can attain JASA authorisation by taking a general course and certification test.
PADI Divers may receive credit toward various certificates and diplomas for several PADI courses within the Australian national training system. These training providers recognize certain PADI and Emergency First Response (EFR) courses:
Training and Further Education (TAFE) South Australia Australia Fisheries Academy (AFA) South Australia Victorian Tertiary Admissions Center (VTAC)
Western Australia Curriculum Council (WACC) Tasmanian Qualifications Authority (TQA)
Queensland Studies Authority (QSA)
Vocational Education and Training (VET) – Nationally Recognised Training
Visit http://providers.lsc.gov.uk/LAD/ for details of PADI and Emergency First Response courses currently listed on the UK Learning Aim Database, which holds data on all learning aims and qualifications recognised by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), an agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Divers may be awarded credit for PADI courses from further education institutions in mainland Europe and through the military, however, each institution sets its own benchmarks for credit accumulation and transfer, so should be contacted individually to obtain information on their specific recognition of prior learning policy.
For further information, contact the Training Department on training.emea@padi.com.
Open Water Divers, Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver qualify for the National Certificate of Diving: Foundational Skills
Divemaster and Open Water Scuba Instructors qualify for the National Certificate of Diving: Leadership;
Specialty Instructors qualify for the National Certificate of Diving: Instruction.
To take part in the scuba diving courses and experiences the following apply:
· They do not have to be accomplished swimmers to take part in the experience but they should be comfortable in the water.
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No. We are required to ensure participants are fit to dive before they are accepted on to the experience and we must have a GPs approval if any conditions have been noted.
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The medical questionnaire is used to ensure that your child is generally fit to dive and must be answered truthfully. If there are any positive answers then this does not necessarily rule them out from diving but they must receive approval from your GP. We use an additional medical questionnaire which contains a form for your GP to sign as well as some notes for their consideration.
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Yes and no. A parent or legal guardian must attend with the child(ren) at the first session of a PADI Seal Team/Bubblemaker programs undertaken with Ocean Tribe.
We set this condition because the paperwork which we require you to fill out has to be completed correctly as it relates to the safety of your child. Part of this relates to a safety briefing which must be heard by both parent and child and requires a signature from each person to show they have listened to this.
All paperwork has to be signed by a parent or legal guardian and we are VERY particular about this. Any mistakes or omissions will result in disappointment as we will not allow the child in the water.
Following this, we will accept children as a group drop-off but we will require a responsible adult to remain on site during the session.
· They do not have to be accomplished swimmers to take part in the experience but they should be comfortable in the water.
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No. None of our staff are fully medically trained and as such are not in a position to make judgement calls on whether a particular individual is medically fit to dive. As the forms are a self-certification they should be completed honestly – if any of our staff become aware of medical conditions subsequently then they will require a Doctor’s sign-off before allowing the child to continue with the course.
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If you would prefer to just complete the practical side of the IDC in Kenya then it is possible to complete the class PADI IDC online. You would complete all of the traditional classroom parts of the IDC from the comfort of your own home via live presentations over video connections. This means that the time spent in Kenya on the IDC can be shortened for those of you with less time to spare to complete the PADI IDC.
PADI IDC eLearning (to be completed in your own time)- This is the IDC eLearning assigned by PADI which consists of presentations and exercises to get you familiar with the PADI instructor development process. This should be completed before the live presentations from the PADI Course Director and IDC Staff Instructors.
EFR Instructor Course eLearning (to be completed in your own time)- The theory for the EFR Instructor course should be completed before the practical teaching presentations and skills demonstrations, which are done on the main practical IDC section of the program.
Includes schedule for the week and what to expect from your PADI IDC both online and on the practical in-water presentations in Kenya.
This workshop is designed to familiarise you with PADI System components and their uses. You will learn to use the PADI Instructor Manual and the PADI Guide to Teaching and other reference materials such as slates and student manuals, as well as the difference between standards and recommendations.
You will explore how to find what you need to know, do, or reference while conducting PADI programs using your PADI materials
On this workshop you will develop an understanding on the learning and instructional theories and how they are applied to scuba diver training within the PADI system. This includes:
On this workshop we will work on the practicalities of conducting the PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience program. The workshop will include:
This workshop works on training in the classroom. The workshop will include:
This workshop looks at preparing you to set up an schedule your own PADI Open Water Diver course. The workshop will include:
You present your second knowledge development presentation of the PADI IDC.
During this workshop, you’ll be getting creative and using good judgement to choosing and working on confined water training sites. This will include:
In this workshop, we will work together to prepare you for the confined water presentations that you will give on the PADI IDC and on the PADI IE. This will include:
You present your third knowledge development presentation of the PADI IDC.
This workshop will prepare you for teaching the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course and will include:
On this workshop we will be examining working with the PADI continuing education system. This will include:
During this workshop, you’ll be getting creative and using good judgement to choose and arrange training sites for open water dives on PADI courses. The workshop will include:
This workshop will prepare you for teaching the PADI Rescue Diver course and will include:
This workshop covers the law and scuba diving. It will include:
You present your fourth knowledge development presentation of the PADI IDC.
This workshop will prepare you for teaching the PADI Divemaster course and will include:
This workshop will prepare you for the sales side of being a PADI Instructor and will include:
Knowing your dive theory is an important part of being a PADI Instructor so you are in the position to answer “why”. This workshop will include:
You would then complete the PADI skills circuit, swims, confined and open water presentation practice and evaluation and knowledge development presentations on-site in Kenya, prior to entering the PADI IE (Instructor Examination) immediately following the IDC.
We understand that preparation for the IDC can be daunting with making sure your dive theory knowledge is up to scratch and that you have everything you need for your PADI Instructor course. As such we have created an online learning centre to assist you with your IDC preparation.
Our PADI IDC Google Classroom is assigned to all Ocean Tribe PADI IDC participants and includes:
Ok so now we are all in Diani ready for the practical side of the IDC. Over 8 days in Kenya we will cover.
Confined Water 24 Skills Circuit
On this you will be evaluated on your demonstration of the 24 skills from the PADI Open Water Diver course to prepare you for teaching the skills in your presentations and on the PADI IE.
Rescue Exercise #7 Workshop
In this workshop, we will work on the unresponsive diver on the surface section of the PADI Rescue Diver course. You will practice presenting the skill in demonstration quality in preparation for teaching the PADI Rescue Diver course and the rescue assessment on the PADI IE.
Discover Scuba Diving Practical Workshop
You will build on the classroom Discover Scuba Diving workshop and apply your knowledge to set up and teach the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program in confined water and then discuss how to do the dives in open water.
Confined Water Teaching Presentations
You will give teaching presentations of single confined water skills from the PADI Open Water Diver or PADI Rescue Diver courses to your fellow candidates and PADI staff. On these your will give your briefing, and skill demonstration, problem-solve any issues your students have with the skill, control the scenario, and give the debriefing. You will give at least 4 and possibly more of these presentations on the PADI IDC, in preparation to give a single presentation on the PADI IE.
Rigging and Lifting Workshop
In this workshop, we will build on the Search and Recovery scenario from the PADI Divemaster and PADI Search and Recovery Diver programs to make sure that you can:
CESA Workshop
The Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) is an important skill from the Open Water Diver course which has specific standards and conduct requirements. The CESA workshop will ensure that you are performing and briefing the CESA correctly to standards to use in your teaching presentations and instructional career.
Open Water Teaching Presentations
The final set of teaching presentations you will give is the open water teaching presentations. You will teach a combination of 2 skills from the PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, or PADI Rescue Diver courses. During these presentations, you will make sure of control and the students (your fellow candidates) meeting the performance requirements. You will give at least 2 but more likely more of these presentations on the IDC in preparation for the PADI IE.
EFR Instructor Course Practical Skills and Teaching Presentations
This course section builds on the EFR Instructor e-learning and will have you perform all of the skills from the EFR Primary & Secondary Care courses and Care for Children course to demonstration level. You will then give full teaching presentations of skills from those courses before taking the final exam and becoming an Emergency First Response Instructor and able to teach CPR and first aid courses. This is also a pre-requisite for becoming a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.
Dive Theory Exams
To ensure you know your dive theory you will do 2 dive theory exams during the practical part of the IDC. These will be on the 5 sections of Physics, RDP, Physiology, Dive Skills, and the Environment and Equipment and there are 20 questions per section. You will have 1 ½ hours to complete all 5 sections unless you get 45 minutes extra time for learning or language reasons. The pass mark is 75% on each of the sections.
PADI General Standards and Procedures Exams
To ensure that you know how to locate and read PADI standards, you will also take 2 PADI General Standards and Procedures exams. These exams are open book, meaning you can use your PADI Instructor Manual and PADI Guide to Teaching to find the standards. You will have 1 ½ hours to answer the 40 questions unless you get 45 minutes extra time for learning or language reasons. The pass mark is 75% on each.
Embrace a life of awesomeness on a PADI Instructor Training Course like no other in the World!
It is time for your PADI Instructor Development Course (PADI IDC) in Kenya.
Ocean Tribe is offering a once-in-a-lifetime IDC Training course conducted in part on an amazing African Safari. Yes, you get to do your dive instructor training whilst seeing African wildlife in Kenya’s world-famous game parks.
The dry workshops and expert presentations of the IDC will take place around the safari in Tsavo East National Park a few hours drive from our Diani Beach dive base.
The PADI IDC which is being taught to the brand new 2019 updated curriculum incorporating PADI Touch eLearning is with Award-Winning PADI Course Director Mark Slingo.
When it comes to scuba diving coral reefs, Kenya is up there with the best of them.
Ocean Tribe’s dive base in Diani Beach is located on one of the world’s top 10 rated beaches and consistently rated the best in Africa.
The palm tree-lined white powder sands run down to azure waters where the fringing coral reefs can be found only 100m offshore.
The Ocean Tribe PADI Instructor Development Course incorporates the Assistant Instructor Course and the Open Water Scuba Instructor Course.
The whole program takes place over 7-10 days, followed by a 2-day instructor exam, conducted by an incoming PADI Instructor Examiner.
IDC Prep 5-6th May
IDC 7th May-18th May
EFRI 13th May
IE 19th-20th May
MSDT PREP 21-24 May
IDC Prep 18-19 Aug
IDC 20 Aug- 30 Aug
EFRI 25 Aug
IE 31 Aug-1 Sep
MSDT PREP 2-4 Sep
IDC Prep 7-8 Sep
IDC 9-19 Sep
EFRI 16 Sep
IE 20-21 Sep
MSDT PREP 22-24 Sep
IDC Prep 22-23 Nov
IDC 24-3 Dec
EFRI 29 Nov
IE 4-5 Dec
MSDT PREP 6-7 December
We are delighted to announce new Ocean Tribe Dive Club member benefits for our local resident members. Ocean Tribe has partnered with some amazing local bars, restaurants and hotels to give our members even more of a reason to visit Diani Beach for regular dive trips.
Dive club members in addition to their diving privileges can now enjoy a 10% discount at the Funky Monkey Cocktail Bar & Restaurant.To redeem the discount all members need to do is present their membership photo ID to serving staff upon requesting the bill.
The Funky Monkey boasts a fabulous cocktail range with award-winning mixologists and is a great place to enjoy the courtyard atmosphere, tasty food, and regular events such as salsa nights, and regular DJ spots. Located in the central part of Diani next to Diani Sea Resort, it has rapidly become THE place to start your evening in Diani. Call Funky Monkey on +254742794527 now to reserve your table and start using your dive club member benefits.
And that is not everything! Ocean Tribe Dive Club Members are also able to get special rates from Baobab Beach Resort and Spa, Salt Lick Safari Lodge, Taita Hills Safari Resort, and The Maji Beach Boutique Hotel. Contact Ocean Tribe for more details about the offers available.
*- Subject to availability and conditions. Please see brochure for details
Ocean Tribe Dive Club Membership is open to:
To join, renew, or enquire about membership please contact us via email or Whatsapp using the links above.
1 Year Membership $499
1 Year Family (2 Adults/1 Junior) Membership* $1199
Rates are in USD and apply for 2025 Applications
This Easter Ocean Tribe are excited to have an amazing Diani hotel offer in partnership with Baobab Beach Resort and Spa. We have combined packages offering diving courses or dive trips in conjunction with an all-inclusive stay at the amazing Baobab Beach Resort. Check out the offers below and book your Diani hotel offer for dive and stay with Ocean Tribe today. Do something amazing this easter.
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It can be a hard decision, to find the best places to eat in Diani. Mainly because there is so much choice and selection of restaurants. We want our divers to have the best experience of everything Diani has to offer so we have put together a small guide of the best places to eat and drink in Diani.
After your scuba diving and beach activites you want to be able to enjoy the best places to eat in Diani and other activities such as catching a game, live music, and partying
We have tried to be selective about what the best thing that the bar or restaurant has to offer is and categorised below. This list is not exhaustive but is a great start in finding the best places to eat in Diani.
Taking its name from the sails that protect diners from the sun at this spectacular beach-side restaurant, Sails offers a relaxed exclusive dining experience. With under 10 dining tables available, you should book in advance to make sure you can experience the culinary delights served up by top chef Anthony Huth and his team.
Situated on the roadside in the centre of Diani, Belgian-owned Tiki Bar offers a wide range of seafood and popular European dishes including their famous surf and turf steak and prawn platter. Daily specials keep the variety going and live music and sports matches as well as salsa evening dances are regular occurrences. A great bar too. Not to be missed.
Found nestled amongst the palm trees by the powder sands of Galu Beach, Salty Squid offers a great menu of seafood and cocktails in a comfortable relaxed environment. Wine and dine yourself whilst hearing the soothing sounds of the ocean and watching the kitesurfers practicing on the waves.
A great cafe experience for breakfast, lunch or dinner, Kokkos is the one-stop place to grab a quick bite and take in the daily comings and goings in central Diani. A lovely environment where you can get anything from a coffee and croissant, right up to a delicious dinner from local, Asian and European influences.
Check out Kokkos Cafe and Bistro
This one really is a hidden gem. Found on the road to the beach in Galu, close to KFI supermarket and Tequila Sunrise, Colobus Shade is an excellent choice for budget seafood in Diani. You can get the seafood platter which can contain lobster, crab, prawns, and fish fillet, all for the most reasonable prices you will find around. Not to be missed and a hint is to call/stop by to book in advanced so that the barbecued seafood will be ready when you want to come for lunch or dinner.
I know I know we are at the beach and sport shouldn’t be on the brain. But if you want to catch rugby, football, cricket, golf, formula 1, or other sports game, whilst enjoying a drink and a bite then Piri Piries is that place to go. Big screens in the bar offer a great place to catch the action and there is a well-stocked bar with excellent cocktails, as well as a super menu. For those of you with little ones, there is a playground in the courtyard of the restaurant, to keep the wee ones entertained. On certain nights of the week, the bar even organises car park hockey and netball games for interested guests to take part in. Great fun.
Check out Piri PiriesBest Family Restaurant in Diani- Leonardos
Leonardos is the place to head if you are looking for a nice Italian-influenced environment, offering Italian meat and seafood dishes and a superb pasta and pizza menu. The ice cream from Leonardos is also to die for. Amazing. All situated under a large makuti roof around a central bar area with private dining enclosures also available and a children’s playroom, Leonardos really does have it all.
A hard tag to earn with so many great pizza places in Diani, Jolly Bar and Pizzeria is a great option for going out to enjoy large pizzas with a massive selection of toppings and styles. A well catered bar adds to the experience and deliveries are also available if you are looking to chill elsewhere too.
A Diani institution, Nomads is a spectacular location to enjoy a cocktail before tucking into a meal from a menu that offers so much. This includes seafood, curries, great meat options, and even sushi is available. The location is right on the white sands of Diani Beach, offering spectacular views, while you dine. A must-go, at least once during your trip to Diani.
A famous one. Finding the best place for a small romantic dinner in Diani or even a large party, the open-topped Ali Barbour’s restaurant is located in a cave. Offering high-level gourmet dishes, you dine with a candlelight experience, drawing your eyes to the stars in the sky above the open-topped cave. This one really is up there on the bucket list of things to do. Book it early to avoid disappointment.
Check out Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant
Fancy a curry? Then look no further than Shan E Punjab, located next to Diani Beach Hospital at the northern end of Diani. Serving the curries in traditional cooking pots and offering a great Indian menu for both meat-eating and vegetarian pallets, this is the one-stop place to grab an Indian meal in Diani.
Asian-owned Shashin-Ka offers a Japanese experience in the heart of Diani Beach. The cosy restaurant serves sushi and other traditional Japanese food offering another dining option in Diani.
For a superb pasta experience as well as tasty pizzas and authentic Italian vibe, visit Aniello’s. A varied menu (ask for specialities) offers a range of delicious Italian dishes to be consumed in a relaxed atmosphere.
Funky Monkey Bar and Restaurant– Check out Funky Monkey Burgers, Tacos and cocktails!
Apero– Check out Apero Great food, nice cocktail bar.
Havana– Check out Havana Cuban dishes, pizzas bar and live sports.
The K Korean Restaurant– Amazing Korean menu
While scuba diving accidents are quite rare, it is a very good idea to get your own scuba diving insurance. You will be covered as a student with us and our instructors have personal student insurance. Certified divers are also covered under our insurance but there are limitations. We highly recommend getting your own specialist dive travel insurance to account for all eventualities,
Well as mentioned above scuba diving is a very safe sport to take part in. But even if you are a very conservative diver, accidents can happen. Now once an evacuation has occurred, once you reach a hyperbaric chamber, then treatment costs can go through the roof. Standard treatments can start at over $3000 and it is highly likely you might need multiple sessions. The chamber at the Kenya Navy base here in Mombasa will need proof of scuba diving travel insurance before treatment can begin.
As such we highly recommend you have your own cover to expedite the process. Our own policy is a cover-all general policy and it will take longer for approval. In the cases where hyperbaric treatment is required for decompression illness, then it is crucial to get the treatment started as quickly as possible. Your own name on a valid insurance document will speed this up drastically.
Now many standard travel insurances will cover you for scuba diving within the limitations of your training, but you should be very careful. Ensure that you have read your travel insurance document thoroughly as insurance companies might add certain restrictions such as:
It is the business of insurance companies to try and avoid paying out, so please ensure that your policy will cover your diving activities. If you go into environments you are not trained for or to depths you are not certified for then the insurance company will not pay out. As such you should also seek further training if you plan to go into these environments. A good example is experienced Open Water Divers should consider taking the PADI Advanced Open Water, Deep Diver course to extend their ranges and potential insurance coverage.
Yes, there is specialist scuba diving travel insurance available and this is definitely the way to go. The specialist insurers such as our recommended insurer Divers Alert Network (DAN) will be very clear about what coverage is extended and what is not. DAN is made up of divers and research is done by diving doctors. DAN is experienced in getting everything sorted, quickly and efficiently, no matter where on earth you are. Once they have consulted with their specialists they can then guarantee payment to the medical facility where you are receiving treatment.
You can select from a range of lengths of cover with DAN. Annual insurance is superb value for money, but they can also offer short-term packages ranging from single days, weekly, or monthly packages.
We’re a DAN partner so happy to arrange this for you. Get DAN Cover Today
As standard we insure every diver but it’s only up to a lower level limit. In all honesty that should cover most diving accidents but it certainly won’t cover repatriation or any other costs incurred. Insurance in Kenya has a general policy of the claimant paying first and then claiming back from the insurance company. That goes the same with ours. Suddenly there could be a big potential problem here if there is hyperbaric treatment required.
Please check with your insurance company very carefully on what your policy covers. Find out if you are covered before your dive trip, not when you require emergency treatment. We don’t want you to have to start go-fund me pages just to get help. Specialist scuba diving travel insurance is definitely the best course of action, enabling you to dive safe in the knowledge you are covered in the unlikely event anything were to go wrong.
The type and condition rental dive equipment you will use when you go diving with Ocean Tribe is of utmost importance to consider when you are planning your dive trip.
While we do counsel that the goal for a diver should be to have their own dive equipment custom arranged for them, we do appreciate that it is not always faille or within budget for some divers to have this option when they dive with us.
As such we try to keep a good range of well-maintained rental dive equipment for our divers to use when diving with us. All of the equipment is from top scuba brands including Scubapro, Aqualung, Fourth Element, Suunto, Beaver Sports and XS Scuba.
A Standard equipment rental package includes a mask, snorkel, BCD, regulator with octopus, SPG and depth gauge, fins, shorty wetsuit, tanks and weights. Dive computers are also available at an extra charge. To give you a basic idea we list the types of available equipment below
Our rental BCDs are made up of the two workhorse BCDs of the industry. Going in sizes from 3XS-XL we use Aqualung Wave BCDs and Scubapro T-Ones. Both style of BCD offer side pockets for carrying items like Go Pros and are comfortable, wrap-around stabilising jacket styles of BCD.
The Ocean Tribe rental regulators which incorporate 1st stage, 2nd stage, octopus, SPG and depth gauge also are manufactured by Aqualung and Scubapro. From Aqualung we have the Calypso and Titan Regulators, while our Scubapro regulators are the MK2 Evo R195 1st and 2nd Stage with and R095 Octopus. All regulators offer a decent breathing experience and are the number one choices for dive centres around the world. Regulators are available in both DIN and Yoke formats.
For diving in the tropical waters of Diani, we offer shorty wetsuits as our rental equipment option. These come from Aqualung with a 4mm shorty or Fourth Element Xenos Shorty wetsuits.
Catering for a wide range of sizes from kids to very large adult foot sizes we have a range of full foot and open-heel fins. The full foot options are Aqualung Caravelles, while the open-heel options are Aqualung Storm and Scubapro Go fins which are able to be worn without boots.
Our choice of rental masks enables a fit for a wide range of face shapes and sizes. Brands include Beaver, Scubapro, Aqualung and even our own custom Ocean Tribe brand. Snorkels are either ones with easy clear blast vents or bendable freedive snorkels.
The rental dive computers that are available are either Suunto Zoop computers or Aqualung i100, wrist mounted ones. We can also provide guidance on how to use your own rental computers or investing in newer technology like the Apple Watch Ultra.
While we offer 11 litre steel tanks upon request, most of our dive tanks are 12 litre aluminium tanks from Coltri Sub, Catalina or Beaver Sports. For our smaller divers or side mount divers we also have 7 litre aluminium cylinders available. Tanks have interchangeable DIN and Yoke valves.
We are delighted to announce that we have teamed up with top brand Native Outfitters to come up with an awesome Ocean Tribe clothing range. The new gear includes gorgeous sublimated long sleeve SPF50+ sun shirts and hoodies. There are choices for both the ladies and the guys with cool prints on them, reflecting local wildlife and activities.
Native Outfitters are a specialist company based in Florida, U.S.A., and have developed a range of shirts featuring their exclusive DRiQ Fabric Technology, providing safe, comfortable sun protection with immense style and some of the softest shirts in the industry.
The Ocean Tribe range by Native Outfitters includes an awesome Dive, Safari, Adventure shirt, an Ocean Tribe hoodie (probably the most comfortable shirt you’ll ever wear, some awesome turtle wraps, and an amazing lady’s turtle print. Visit our online shop to check them out and get yours today or they are available in both our dive bases at Alliance Safari Beach Hotel and Baobab Beach Resort & Spa in Diani.
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As well as the awesome clothing range in the Ocean Tribe shop we also stock dive equipment and Ocean Tribe souvenirs including coffee mugs, beer glasses, vacuum cups, and even baseball caps. Come down and check it out and get items to remember your dive experience in DIani Beach, Kenya.
How to choose a dive centre in Kenya is a very important process for a diver or potential diver. There are a few operators claiming to be dive centres / diving instructors, yet lacking the qualifications or equipment quality and having no monitoring of their activities. It really breaks our hearts and worries the bejesus out of us when we hear reports from people who have been taken in by these perpetrators. As such we have decided to write a guide to selecting a safe operation to dive with.
1. When you choose a dive centre, ensure that the dive professionals that are working with you are renewed with a recognised training organisation. They should be able to show you a dive card / digital that displays their name, photo, certification number (which you can verify through PADI or SSI dive apps) and that they are renewed as a dive professional for that year.
2. Check that the dive centre you choose is registered with a training organisation such as PADI or SSI. This can be done by going to the dive centre locator on the PADI website or the Dive SSI app. Dive centres that are registered with training organisations are required to keep up standards regarding equipment, professionals on staff and courses offered and are regularly monitored by the training organisation.
3. Check the dive centre level. When you choose a dive centre, if you are looking for specific training there are only certain dive centres that can offer it. This can be found using the dive centre locators on the training organisations. A guide to the different levels of PADI dive centre can be seen here. Seeing this goes a long way to seeing the commitment the dive centre has to providing quality diver training and experiences.
4. Check the equipment that the dive centre will be giving you to use. A good dive centre has the latest, well-maintained and serviced equipment. This includes tanks within visual and hydrostatic test dates, serviced regulators with octopus, depth gauge and SPGs and BCDs that fit and inflate correctly. Do not go with a dive centre you suspect of using sub-standard gear as it will vastly impede your experience and constitute a serious safety risk.
5. When signing up for a dive trip or a course, make sure that you check what is included. All dive courses will require you to have a NEW set of diver materials /eLearning to keep. Do not sign up for programs where the dive centre/ dive instructor offers to loan you materials for a cheaper price. This is not allowed under any major training agency standards and could result in your certification not being able to be processed. As a point in fact all PADI eLearning programs include the cost of the certification as part of the eLearning, so if eLearning is included there shouldn’t be any extra certification costs. For dive trips ask if equipment included and if so what items of equipment and are there any extra costs.
6. Ask what dive sites you will be going to and whether they will be boat or shore dives. While it is sometimes necessary to go to dive sites which are more easily accessible based on safety, if you are booking in for multiple dive trips, check that they don’t go to the same dive site every day and that you will get a varied and exciting dive schedule. Also check that they follow agency guidelines for depth limitations. A dive centre who will take someone who is not qualified, deeper than they should go without being on a course is breaking agency standards. Be careful.
Remember dive centres cost their diving programs and courses according to their costs and expenses to make the fairest price they can. If someone is offering diving programs for vastly lower prices than others you should question whether all of the above questions are being answered satisfactorily. If you follow the above guidelines you can choose a dive centre in Kenya very easily and have a great diving experience in one of diving’s best kept secrets. It is a cliche to say but in a majority of cases you get what you pay for. Do you really want to go cheap and sub-standard on what is essentially life-support equipment? Keep diving safe and enjoyable. We look forward to welcoming you to diving in Kenya.
Ocean Tribe Dive Team
I will be back soon
