Perhentian islands in Malaysia - that's where our diving story began. Specifically, at Bubbles Dive Resort (www.bubblesdc.com), which has its own private secluded beach cove with calm waters. This beach attracts one of the largest number of turtles to lay eggs every year in Perhentian, and is the perfect place to learn how to dive.
Perhentian is located on the North-East side of Peninsular Malaysia. From Singapore, there are direct flights to Kota Bahru (or "KB", the nearest airport to Perhentian) on certain days of the week, or daily transit flights via KL. From KB, it is a 1.5hour car ride and a 45 min boat ride to the nearest place to Paradise - Bubbles Dive Resort.
This is our school, your classroom. Water color changes from emerald to blue.
Who can ask for more with this kind of "office"?
Kat at work...
4pm - Knock Off Time..yay!!!
Perhentian is a hidden gem - a dive location teeming with marine life from big to small...including the big schools of snappers at several of its dive sites, 1-meter large bumphead parrotfishes in groups, turtles, stingrays, bamboo sharks, schools of chevron barracudas, lionfish, clownfish and many types of tropical fish, as well as the cute little nudibranches. Perhentian also has a few amazing wrecks for divers to explore, and you would surface from such dives with disbelief at the abundant marine life at these wrecks!
The water is calm at Bubbles Dive Resort's 100m long beach front, and is perfect for newbies to get used to the underwater environment at shallow waters. The resort is currently ranked #1 of specialty lodgings at Perhentian islands in TripAdvisor. "Specialty lodging" = not commercialized, and that is exactly how Bubbles is. Even at maximum capacity, the resort will house only 40 guests, meaning that there will never be a case of overcrowding at the dive shop. Every student will be able to focus on learning and enjoying the wonderful nature at this piece of paradise!
Meals at Bubbles are simple, delicious and healthy.
Bubbles Dive Resort is not a 5-star hotel. Precisely because of that, the beauty of nature is well-preserved in the process of creating this special place. Much thoughts have been put in to create a sanctuary for turtles to continue to come to this beach and lay eggs. Trees line the shore, and lights at night are dimmed to a minimum to allow turtles to come to shore without fear. Students will also be able to experience first-hand the viewing of turtles laying eggs, and the release of hatchlings into the sea at night under the supervision of the turtle conservation program volunteers who stay at the resort during the diving season.
The two instructors, Kathleen Ng (aka "Kat") and Ben Chong, are more than familiar with the surroundings (both on land and underwater) at Bubbles Dive Resort. Both of us have stayed and worked in Bubbles before and each has more than 300 dives done at Perhentian. In particular, Kat was based at the island for 8 months in 2010 teaching and guiding. With our combined experience, our students are in safe hands while learning how to dive here.
The instructor-to-student ratio will never be more than 1: 4. This ensures that full attention are given to a small group of students, which in turn ensures safety in our teaching. It also means that students get their questions or problems that arise during the learning process resolved very quickly and in a personal manner!
A short introduction about Kat - I am from Singapore and first dived in 2002 and obtained my instructor certification in 2009 after spending 3 months on the island to train as a divemaster and instructor. I love to impart knowledge not just on skills of diving, but also to teach students about the identification of various marine creatures and their unique behavior! :)
Learning is fun! But I also am strict about students doing all their studies properly so that they fully understand the reasons behind the rules of diving.
After being certified as an instructor in 2009, I continued to guide and teach in 2010 during the diving season from April - October 2010 at Bubbles in Perhentian. Since then I have been teaching regularly every year at Perhentian, certifying basic Open Water as well as Advanced Open Water and Rescue divers.
I enjoy underwater photography as well and encourage my students to progress in their diving experience along the way. Several of the divers who go on trips with me also enjoy photography underwater
- it is part of the fun in diving!
Ben, on the other hand, is a Malaysia-born Chinese. Similarly certified in 2009 as a dive instructor, Ben continued to reach out to people interested in diving from China when he was based in Xiamen for 4 years. Altogether during the 4 years, Ben has organised 7 groups of students from China to learn diving at Bubbles. All have successfully obtained their PADI Open Water certifications! Both Ben and I can teach in Mandarin, which very few dive instructors are able to :)
Ben's true colors...hehe...
In Ben's words, he does not view diving as a travel activity but views it as a lifestyle. He is happiest and most satisfied when our students progress from newbies to responsible divers who are conscious of the marine environments and who strive to play a part to protect marine life and their habitat.
The strength of a single man may be limited, but to be able to influence all around him to appreciate and respect nature, that would be the mark of success for Ben. And diving is one of the best channels for everyone to experience 1st-hand the wonder of nature, and to be in awe of the kind of planet we live in.
Being more "old-school", Ben believes in practicality in diving and has lots of practical ways of resolving students' concerns or obstacles that arise during the learning process.
Lesson starts! :)
When Kat is teaching, everybody listens...hehee
Not forgetting to pose during class!
Diving is a slow activity. We teach slowly, we learn slowly, and we dive slowly - that is the way we do things :)
The key milestone for our students is to achieve good buoyancy when diving! That means you are able to move as you wish underwater, and that helps to protect the marine environment as well as ensure your own safety when diving! See the perfect buoyancy pose of one of our students in this picture..hehe
Learning water entry from a boat is also a milestone :)
Happiness is when you experience and see all the beautiful marine life underwater!
We are holding several Open Water Courses at Bubbles in 2015! A minimum of 4 full diving days are required to complete the course. A 6D5N or 5D4N course would include the following:
* 5 (or 4) nights twin-share aircon deluxe room
* Open Water course manual, video, log book and Instructor fee
* 13 (or 10) dives in total including the course and fun dives
* all equipment use
* all land and boat transport
* full board meals with 1 BBQ dinner
* videography done for the course plus all photos download
Cost of a 6D5N package is RM3,155 (approx. S$1.2k), and a 5D4N package is RM2,670 (approx. S$1k) including 6% VAT, but excluding airtickets. We encourage a 6D5N trip so that you can enjoy 3 fun dives after being certified!
Our schedules for 2015 for 9D8N courses are also now fixed! 6D5N courses can be conducted during these periods as well, and we welcome all enquiries to start your new adventure in diving :)
Group 1: 7 - 15 March (closing: 31 Jan)
Group 2: 28 March - 5 April (closing: 28 Feb)
Group 3: 4 - 12 April (closing: 28 Feb)
Group 4: 25 April - 3 May (closing: 31 Mar)
Group 5: 1 - 9 May (closing: 31 Mar)
Ben and I are looking forward to a year of breakthroughs, of bringing more people into the diving world to appreciate the world of Mother Nature!
For more course/ trip details and to join our amazing dive family, contact Kathleen Ng at kyazuryn@yahoo.com.sg :)
