A Beginner’s Guide to Scuba Diving in Vanuatu: What You Need to Know

Always wanted to try scuba diving in a tropical paradise? Well, now you can with Aore Adventure Sports in Vanuatu.

We believe Vanuatu is the perfect place to start your scuba journey. As a trusted local dive provider, we provide all the support you need to enjoy this sport and make the most of your time on the island.

If you’re new to scuba diving, you can sometimes feel intimidated. All that time spent underwater: what happens?

Fortunately, Vanuatu is an ideal location. It offers so many benefits for first-timers and gives you an Instagrammable experience you’ll love.

One factor is the calm, clear tropical waters. The seas around Vanuatu are pleasant most of the year, providing a long diving season.

There’s also abundant marine life. Vanuatu is a wonderful location for seeing rare species and getting the diving experience you want. You can find various fish, corals and manta rays right here on the island.

For beginners, the island has a variety of shallow, accessible dive sites. These mean you won’t have to go deep to see what you want to see. Furthermore, you will go on these trips with friendly, English-speaking instructors so you always know what to do next. You won’t have to contend with a language barrier when under the water.

So, what happens when you go scuba diving in Vanuatu?

We suggest you start with our Discover Scuba Diving experience or Open Water course. As the only five-star PADI on Vanuatu, these courses introduce you to the basics of scuba diving on the island, providing you with skills you can use anywhere in the world.

Beginner diving in Vanuatu starts with a pre-dive briefing. Here we explain what to expect and how conditions might affect the diving experience.

Next, we move on to shallow-water training. This step gets you used to being in the water and managing your equipment.

Then, finally, we go on a guided dive.

As you learn to dive in Vanuatu, we provide you with all the equipment you need, including masks, fins, tanks, and wetsuits. It’s natural to feel nervous the first time you go PADI or SSI diving in Vanuatu, but our friendly instructors are there to help you every step of the way.

PADI and SSI are both diving certification bodies in Vanuatu. Either option is good, but which you choose depends on your goals.

PADI is a standard approach where you work through lessons sequentially. SSI is more flexible and is usually instructor-led.

For example, PADI offers e-learning options for an additional cost and allows instructors to operate independently. SSI is usually free online and focuses more on practical skills and building confidence in the water.

Ultimately, the course that’s right for you depends on your preferences. Both offer global recognition, but teaching styles can differ.

Vanuatu is full of dive sites that are suitable for beginners because of its shallow reefs and calm conditions. The Aore Wall and Cindy’s Reef are both close to Aore Island, offering fantastic opportunities to witness marine life.

Bokissa Reef offers moderate visibility and an array of colourful coral formations. Here, you can find gorgonians, sea fans, reef sharks, barracudas and passing manta rays. The reef is also beginner-friendly, with depths starting from just 16 feet.

Becoming a first-time diver can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially if you haven’t done it before. But, fortunately, it’s easier than you might think. Here are our tips:

• Stay relaxed and breathe normally. Changing your breathing can make the experience more stressful.
• Equalise early and often. Don’t change your depth too long between matching pressures.
• Listen carefully to your instructor. Their instructions will keep you safe when diving around Vanuatu.
• Don’t worry about going deep—focus on comfort. Many divers spend weeks or months building up their tolerance.

If you’re right at the start of your scuba diving adventures and looking for a qualified instructor to help you, Aore Adventures is here to assist. There’s no better place to learn to scuba dive in Vanuatu than with us, thanks to our English-speaking instructors and massive selection of dive sites.

Book your beginner dive today or learn more about our certification courses.