I’m sure most people don’t think “Ahh, let’s go scuba diving” when they think of Dubai. There isn’t even supposed to be signs of water on this crazy man-made planet right? Trust me, I thought the same thing. I’ve never been a fan of diving, mostly because it starts to hurt my ears and I get all claustrophobic. But when I was forced to entertain myself while my boyfriend and his dad attended a food show, I figured, what the hell right?
Funny enough, I was laying out by the pool at Atlantis when a guy approached me. Somehow I got roped into taking this course and I’m soooo happy I did. You could learn a thing or two from my experience!
Here is my experience Scuba Diving at the Atlantis Aquarium in Dubai
What to expect
There are a few different options to choose from for both professional and first-time divers. Since I hate snorkeling even more than I hate diving, I decided to go with the Atlantis Dive Discovery. This adventure caters specifically to non-certified divers. Here you will learn some pretty basic diving skills, then literally be thrown to the sharks!
>> The whole in and out process takes around 2 hours, the first hour being the briefing, paperwork (signing your life away) and then a mini class from a PADI certified instructor!
>>The class consists of some basic scuba skills with a group that has no more than 3 people in it.
>> After you complete the whole process, dive and all, you get a certification of completion, YIPPIE! (you weren’t a pussy after all) This will contribute towards a full PADI open water diving license, that is, if you want to get that in the future! Awesome right?
>> All the gear that you could possibly need (including wetsuits) are required and given to you to borrow! No need to buy anything special. Just a bathing suit will suffice!
The Dive
>> When it states that you will be immersed in the water with sharks and rays, this does not mean Great Whites. Some small guitar sharks, reef sharks, and other harmless creatures. So there is nothing to worry about!
>> The dive takes place at the Lost Chambers Aquarium at Dubai’s Atlantis, The Palm (whew, that’s a lot to say) At the Lost Chambers is the Ambassador Lagoon that boasts over 65,000 creatures native to the gulf! THIS is where you will be diving, inside the Lagoon.
>> There are mock ruins of the secret lost City of Atlantis, which add to the experience. You feel like you are diving into an old, underwater world!
>> Even though the dive isn’t in completely open water, you still feel like you are swimming in the ocean. At no point did I ever feel like I was in a confined area.
>> The water isn’t super deep either, so your ears will never feel much pressure!
Overall Experience
If you are looking for an introduction to scuba diving, and find yourself sitting at the Atlantis pool in Dubai, pondering what to do with your afternoon…this is it! The entire process was smooth from start to finish, and would definitely recommend it to any adventure seeker! The best part is that you don’t need any prior experience. I’d say that it changed my outlook on diving, and now if I want to pursue my scuba diving career, I have the first certification complete!
OVERVIEW
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $345 USD
Company: Skywings
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Would you recommend? YES!!
Would you try shark diving?? Maybe you have before and wanna try again? ALSO, wanna see how amazing my adventure was?
CLICK HERE to watch the Atlantis Discovery Dive from my point of view! Until next underwater adventure…
xo Bonvoyage Babes
