Free diving as the name suggest is all about freedom under water. It’s amazing what you can achieve when you push yourself (and when you have the proper instruction) makes this in with a beautiful tropical island deep clear blue seas and superb free diving instruction from some of the world’s top free dive instructors and you’re onto a winner.

 

 

Freediving In The Gili Islands

The Gili Islands located just a short distance away from Bali are the perfect location to learn to free dive. Based at a top free diving school, you will be under the instruction of some of the worlds best free dive instructors, where you can learn the theory and skills necessary to dive deep on a single breath of air.

Whilst we offer free diving courses in lots of different locations all over the world, there’s something very special about the Gili Islands, maybe it’s because you are not limited by depth (if you could go deeper than 200m although you certainly won’t be able to do that on this course). Perhaps you just want a taste of this exciting sport, or you really want to develop your free diving skills in which case we have some pretty advanced courses as well.

If you want to learn more about free diving check this Freediving link.

Highlights

  • Learning the theory behind Apnea and overcoming your fear to go deeper
  • Training under British national record holder Mike Board
  • Experiencing the awesome feeling the first time you break the negative buoyancy barrier becoming completely weightless.
  • Discovering more amazing things your body is truly capable of when you learn how to master it properly.
  • Checking out the beautiful underwater world surrounding the Gili Islands.
  • Enjoying the tropical island lifestyle sitting on white sandy beaches with the coconut arrak!

 

 

Photos

Itinerary

We have two options in the Freedive course. The first one is a 1 week pack. You have 5 full on freedive course days! This gives you a couple of days to chill out as well.

  • Complete a 1 Week Beginner to Advanced
  • Complete a 2 week Beginner to Deep Dive Course

The Beginner and Advanced Freedive Course What’s the difference?

Beginner:

The Level 1 Freediver Course is an entry level course designed to teach the fundamental skills of breath holding and freediving. This course is suitable for anyone interested in improving their overall comfort underwater, or for those with previous freediving experience, interested in developing the correct techniques to extend their limits. This two day course is comprised of two academic sessions and two open water sessions.

Advanced:

This level 2 course will equip you with further knowledge of the mammalian dive reflex and how to initiate the best response for Freediving. You will learn new advanced equalization techniques and apnea training methods to carry you past 20 meters and develop the skills necessary to Freedive to depths up to 30 meters.

Deep Diving Freediving course

If you decide to join this trip for 2 weeks, you will also do the Deep dive course. We take you deeper and learn you more about breathing techniques!

The two week freedive programme includes the Beginner, Advanced and Deep dive course.

People that join usually wish to maximize their potential and see just how deep they can go! Students train progressively over the duration of the course and increase both breath-hold and depth from day to day.

Certification

Once you have completed your initial training you will be a certified SSI Freediver. SSI certification is recognized world wide so your diving experiences will be limitless.

We also have Master courses but you have to be freediving for 6 months already if you want to join this course, if you are interested you can send us and email.

Yoga classes included

Whenever you feel like it you can attend the yoga classes. Because we feel you benefit from doing yoga, helps you to learn to control your breading, we include 2 sessions per week.

About your instructors

We work with some of the top freediving schools in the world, and the Gili Islands School is on we of those with out a doubt. Your instructors Kate and Mike have an impressive roster of awards.

Freedive Instructor Kate Middleton won 1st place overall in the South East Asia Breathless Freediving competition in Phuket Thailand from 17-20 Feb 2011.

Mike Board sets a new British national record in Free Immersion at the Blue Hole in Dahab, Egypt.

See Mikes Successful Record Attempt

Depending on which course you will be doing the itinerary is as follows:

Beginner and Advanced

Beginner, level 1.

The Level 1 Freediver Course is an entry level course designed to teach the fundamental skills of breath holding and freediving. This course is suitable for anyone interested in improving their overall comfort underwater, or for those with previous freediving experience, interested in developing the correct techniques to extend their limits.

This two day course is comprised of two academic sessions and two open water sessions.

Learn more

Theory

  •  Introduction to freediving
  •  Freediving Equipment orientation
  •  Physiology
  •  Mammalian Dive Reflex
  •  Understanding Pressure
  •  Equalization
  •  Freediving skills: duckdiving, finning technique, the ascent and descent
  •  2 section breathing
  •  Freediving safety

Water Session One

Learn More
  •  Pre-dive Stretching
  •  Equipment adjustment
  •  Breathing revision (in water)
  •  Equalizing
  •  Duck diving, finning technique, streamlining
  •  Arms only technique
  •  Dives to 12m
  •  Freediving safety
  •  Black out and Loss of Motor Control rescue techniques

…

Day Two

Theory

Learn More
  •  Aquatic Environment
  •  Water Movement – Tides and Currents, Wind and Waves
  •  Planning your Freediving session
  •  Freediving Safety – Freediving and Scuba diving
  •  Training for Freediving

Water Session

Learn More
  • Stretching for Freediving
  •  Breating revision
  •  Constant Weight (with fins) diving to 20m max (min 10m)
  •  Practice recovery of an unconscious diver (black out) underwater from 10m
  •  Loss of Motor Control rescue on the surface
  •  Duckdiving, finning technique, streamlining
  •  Ascending arms only from 10m
  •  Surfacing and recovery breathing Advanced Freediver Course

Advanced, level 2

The Level 2 Freediver Course will equip you with further knowledge of the mammalian dive reflex and how to initiate the best response for Freediving. You will learn new advanced equalization techniques and apnea training methods to carry you past 20 meters and develop the skills necessary to Freedive to depths up to 30 mtrs.

Advance Level Course Curriculum

Day One

Theory
  •  Physiology
  •  Pressure and Depth
  •  Mammalian Dive Reflex
  •  Breathing technique
  •  Deep equalization technique
  •  Advanced Freediving skills
  •  Freediving Safety
Confined Water Session
  •  Stretching
  •  Breathing revision
  •  Static Apnea
  •  Static Apnea training techniques
  •  Static Apnea safety
  •  Dynamic Apnea techniques
  •  Dynamic Apnea without fins technique
Open Water Session
  •  Stretching and Warming up
  •  Duckdive revision
  •  Frenzel equalization
  •  Streamlining and orientation
  •  Finning technique

Day Two

Theory
  •  Lung volumes
  •  Thoracic stretching
  •  Warm-ups for freediving
  •  Freefall/Glide phase
  •  Daltons Law and Shallow Water Blackout
  •  Competitions
  •  Aquatic Environment
  •  Training for Freediving
Open Water Session
  •  Constant Weight (CWT) Freediving
  •  Freefalling
  •  Frenzel Equalization
  •  Proper turns at depth
  •  Buddy system and Freediving Safety

Day 3

 

Open Water Session
  •  Thoracic Stretching
  •  Warm-up dives
  •  CWT dives
  •  Frenzel Equalization practice
  •  Freefalling
  •  Ascending arms only from 15m
  •  Ascending without mask from 15m
  •  Freediving safety dives
  •  Rescue of blacked out diver from 15m
  •  Loss of Motor Control rescue at surface
Open Water Session
  •  Warm-up dives
  •  CWT dives to max 30m (min 20m)
  •  Free Immersion dives

The Master Course (Deep Dive Course)

Add this on to the Beginner and Advanced Course

The Master course is a in total (incl beginner and advanced) 2 week training especially for freedivers who want to do more than just the beginner and advanced. If you wish to maximize your potential and see just how deep they can go! Students train progressively over the duration of the course and increase both breath-hold and depth from day to day.

Trip Frequently Asked Questions

Visas

The Visa required will depend on the length of stay planned. Visa on arrival (30-days US$25) You automatically get 30-days on arrival when you enter into the country. You will need to pay for this at the airport, and it is best to bring US$ notes dated from the year 2000 onwards for the payment. Most airport immigration offices will not accept credit cards, so be prepared with the cash.

Once your first 30-days runs out you can visit the Immigration office in Lombok and apply for an additional 30-days for around $50. This involves one day spent in Lombok and a lot of Indonesia paperwork, so can be a day wasted if you are on a tight schedule! If you know you want to be here for longer than one month, then it is best to come prepared with a 60-day tourist visa.

Tourist Visa (60-days, cost depends on the Embassy where visa application is processed) For anyone planning to be here for up to 2 months, a 60-day tourist visa is definitely the easiest way to go. These visas need to be pre-arranged and collected from an embassy outside of the country before entering into Indonesia. The time taken to process the visa is usually 3 working days, and the cost will depend on which embassy you are using. You can check the latest requirements on our Visa section.

What else can I do other than diving and freediving?
Apart from the tourist attractions like temples and waterfalls, and the usual beach activities like sunbathing and snorkelling, you can go fishing, horse riding, water skiing, wakeboarding, and there is a surf break to the south of the island for the experienced surfer. If any of you are golfers there is a fantastic 18 hole course 10 minutes away in the speed boat. It’s not a cheap day out when compared to everything else in Indonesia, but good value for western standards: transport, green fee, clubs, buggy, caddy, lunch and drinks will cost you about $100. The best thing to do on your day of is chilling as this is the island for it!

Are there police on the island?
There are no police on Trawangan, however the local population have put together an equivalent organization called SATGAS. They answer to the Kepala Desa (Head of the Village) so if, for example, you lose anything they’ll be your best chance for finding it. There office is located just behind the harbour.
Are there street sellers on the island?
No, the aggressive hawkers you may have had experiences with in Bali are not allowed onto the island. However on your way to the Gilis you will possibly come via Bangsal harbour. The hawkers there will try to sell you everything from cigarettes to return tickets, telling you that these are not available on the islands. Everything they offer is available on the island and probably cheaper.

Can we swim to the other Gilis?
While it is perfectly safe to swim and snorkel around the Gilis you should never try to swim to the next island, it is much further than it looks and the currents in the middle of the channel can be very strong even for the best of swimmers.

Is Gili Trawangan safe?
There are no cars, motorbikes, in fact no motorized transport on Trewangan,so no traffic accident will happen. Everything is very close together so there’s no chance of getting lost. The locals are also very friendly and always keep an eye out, so finding staying safe will not be a problem. However just line in every country there is the hazard of getting drunk and feeling unwell. Take it easy as you will always dive the next day. The current of the sea around the Gili’s is very strong so skinny dipping after dark is also not a good idea.

Do I have to bring much cash?
On the island Visa/Mastercard, Travellers cheques, and almost any foreign currency are accepted in the western run restaurants. There is also an ATM/cash point machine on the island, however it does not accept all cards and it runs out of cash quite regularly so bring some rupiah as a back up. You can change money at the local money changers and even get cash on credit cards but the exchange rates will not be in your favour and commissions will be charged. We go to Lombok for shopping once a week and at the same time get cash from ATM’s for our customers when the machines on the island do not work.

Is there Malaria on the Gili Trawangan?

No, despite what you may have heard there is no malaria on Gili Trawangan. Some areas in Lombok (20 minutes by boat) however are known to have it. If you have to take anti malarial medication don’t use Larium, as in about 50% of cases it produces unpleasant side effects when combined with diving.

Do I need to be super fit to learn freediving?
No, you do not need to be fit to learn to free dive. Eben if you have to much body fit, have not been working out for a while and you smoke you can join and learn how to free dive.

Do I need to have scuba dive experience
No, this is something totally different to scuba diving. You do however need to love water, as this is where you will be spending a lot of your time!

Price

Duration Luxury Aircon Hostel, shared room
beginner to adv. 819 629
Beginner to deep diver 1439 1129

Included

  • Pre departure information
  • Accommodation in dorms
  • Training gear
  • Instruction
  • Certification
  • 2 yoga classes per week

Excluded

  • Flights
  • Visa
  • Insurance
  • Meals
  • Transfers to the Gilis (Can be arranged for you though)

 

Dates

There are no set start dates for this trip please contact us with your available travel dates.

“Freediving is one of the best things i have ever done!
It’s such an amazing and peaceful experience to dive in the wonderful blue ocean and explore the underwater world while holding the breath. The very experienced and super nice instructors made me feel very comfortable and safe in the water and they taught me how to explore and enjoy the underwater-world. See more reviews here.”
Helen Stewart
” if you like the idea of something a little more extreme to scuba, being able to dive deeper than you normally would even with a tank, experiencing diving on a new and competitive level (if you like), rather than just ‘looking at fish’ i would strongly recommend you to join this programme. You get a real sense of achievement every time you push a little deeper and test your own limits.  more reviews here.”
Tom Adams