Scuba Diving in Bali’s Pristine Ocean

The teenagers volunteering abroad with Global Leadership Adventures in Bali aren’t spending their entire time doing service projects – though that’s one of their favorite parts!  In fact, these GLA students get the incredible opportunity to get scuba certified, and add an element of heart-pulsing adventure to their cultural immersion in Indonesia.

“We have enjoyed many swims in the warm Balinese water, great food, and breathtaking sunrises. Today was our first day participating in the PADI scuba diving program, which was very exciting and exhausting. Super excited for our second day of scuba!”

“We had our second day of scuba diving lessons today. It was incredible, although some of us struggled a little bit with the equipment and diving techniques (at first!). It will be well worth it when we become certified and can apply the skills this class has taught us to new diving locations filled with exciting experiences. After a whole day of diving, most of us were very tired and we all came back to the bungalows to have dinner together while discussing the day’s events. Those who did not participate in the scuba lessons spent the day immersed in the culture of Bali and witnessed an important ritual. We should all sleep pretty well tonight and will have our final day of scuba diving tomorrow.”

Many students staff off with very basic or no skills at scuba diving (or even snorkeling!), but are soon immersed in the water with all of the techniques they need to dive in successfully.  The land-based world of Bali is already stunning enough, but adding in the underwater world of Bali only amplifies the wonders of this pristine ocean community.

Learning to scuba dive on your own can be a lonely experience, so GLA students instead have the chance to bond with their fellow students, staff members, and friends as they all partake in the training together.  Building ties with the local community is an aspect unique to Global Leadership Adventures’ Bali program, but building lasting bonds between other teens on the program before plunging into the water is hard to duplicate no matter where you go!

“We had a short break back at the dorms, designed our next lesson plans, and then headed to the beach! We all swam and listened to music, and hung out on the black sand. Then, we got to take an amazing sunset boat ride. We took the boats out, swam over the coral reefs and then watched the sunset.  We headed back to the coast for dinner, and after a delicious meal, got to hang around a bonfire with the owners of the restaurant, singing and dancing. It was an overall great evening, and a great day of volunteering.”

Ready to take the dive and learn to scuba in the the sun-soaked waters off the Bali shore?  If so, check out the GLA Bali Land of Discovery program and learn how you can spend your summer in the sea.

Prefer to surf?  The Young Leader has a feature all about this surfer’s paradise in Costa Rica, and it’s waiting for your visit!