GO GO GLOBAL GRINGO!: 6 Reasons Why Doing A Liveaboard Is The Best Way To Scuba Dive (A Travel Pro Tip)

Nathalie and I just finished a 3-day/2-night diving cruise in and around Komodo Island, Indonesia; home of the eponymous dragon. The trip was beyond fantastic, but I'm not going to write about that here (this will be for another post), rather I'm going to enlighten you on why doing a diving cruise, or a 'liveaboard' as it's commonly referred to in the diving word, is the way to see some of the world's most exotic, remote and breathtakingly stunning places.

View from the Tatawa, Dive Komodo's liveaboard vessel

First and foremost, if you're physically and financially able to, I highly recommend learning how to scuba dive. It will give you access to the other world that lives beneath the water and the ability to visit one of the few truly untouched and wild places on earth. It's a unequivocally eye-opening experience and I can't recommend it enough. You owe it to yourself. Once you're certified to dive (it's really not that hard nor time consuming), here's my 6 reasons on why you should go on a liveaboard whenever possible.

More Down Time (Dive Eat Sleep Repeat)

Liveaboards are all about 4 simple activities: diving, eating, sleeping, and repeating. As cliche as this might sound, it's more or less what your day's agenda will look like. In between the cycles, you'll have plenty of opportunity to socialize with your fellow divers, catch up on some reading, take in the scenery around you, or simply zone out on deck listening to music. There are worse ways to spend a day.

Time To Slowdown And Become An Explorer

Most liveaboards focus their business on getting its passengers out to remote dive sites, usually encapsulated in a national park or protected marine area. These reserves are usually scattered with islands. As the boat you're in slowly plows through the virgin sea, you can't help but feel a bit like you're an adventurer exploring untouched tropical lands. With the air in your face and alien landscape all around you, your sense of time will no doubt slowdown while your fascination with your surroundings only grows. You're going to be disconnected from the world as most phone cell phone/GSM signals don't make it out that far meaning you won't have the distraction that is the internet keeping you from enjoying the moment.

Additionally, you might get the chance to explore one of the islands near the dive sites. There's something very humbling about stepping foot on land that hasn't been developed and is devoid of human settlement. The only issue you might encounter is dealing with your sea legs, but that's just a minor inconvenience behind the unspoiled nature in front of you.

Beat The Crowds (AKA Don't Spend Six Hours On A Boat To Make Two Dives)

As many of these dive sites are protected natural areas, they are highly popular with divers looking to explore them. They are usually within a few hours boat ride from a nearby port, meaning it's possible to visit them in one day. However, this means that you'll have to get up very early, spend 2-3 hours on a boat just to get to the dive sites. From there, you'll make a quick surface interval, then another dive, then it's back to the mainland. All in all, you're spending 6 hours transferring just to get 2 measly dives in.

With a liveaboard, you start diving first thing in the morning as you spend the night at your dive site. You literally get up, have coffee during the briefing , throw on your gear and get in the water. No need to get up before sunrise and sit on a boat all morning long; you're already there. By the time the first day boat gets in, you've already finished your first dive and are getting ready for your second. And after the last dive of the day (sometimes, it's a night dive!), you take a shower, eat dinner, and chill out: no commute back.

See The Stars

Liveaboards go where it makes more sense to stay out at open seas for a few days rather than make day trips from the mainland. This means that at night, you're miles away from civilization and none of the light pollution that comes with it. Above you, the sky opens up and you'll get one of the most heart-stirring views of the heavens above. The first time I saw this, I laid in awe of how many stars and planets we can actually see from earth. It's the perfect compliment to end a day of laying witness to the marvels that dwell within our seas and oceans.

Get To Know New People

Unless you're going with a group of friends (nothing wrong with that) or you've chartered a boat for yourself (nothing wrong with that, either), you're more than likely going to wind up going out to sea with strangers. You'll inevitably get to know at least some of these people as you'll be spending the next few days living and diving with them. You might get lucky and click with everyone on the boat or you might make some new friends, but either way, it's an excellent way to meet new people from around the world, crack jokes, and learn something new.

Dive More, Dive Longer, Learn Faster

As mentioned above, taking the day boat is a time consuming experience and the day boats get 2-3 dives max per outing. With liveaboards, you'll dive anywhere between 3-4 times per day. As you're not pressed for time to return to port, you'll have more time to explore underwater (of course this all depends on your air consumption). This constant diving gives you plenty of opportunity to hone your scuba skills. Additionally, you'll have plenty of time in between dives to talk to the dive masters (aka the guides) and your fellow divers about technique and other pointers, helping you to improve your diving even further.

There are of course a few minor downsides to liveaboards, mainly the cost and the extended disconnect. For me though, the cost usually is justified in the fantastic experience. Also, if you factor in what you'd pay for a hotel and for three meals while staying on land, the price doesn't seem that high anymore. The disconnect from the world can be scary at first, but once you let go and realize that the world won't stop if you're not watching it, you'll feel liberated in ways you probably haven't in years.

In any case, I hope that this article was helpful for you. Whatever you do and wherever you dive, enjoy it and remember: no troubles, make bubbles!