- Resource Centre
- Diving advice
Introduction
Joining ReefDoctor’s Madagascar expedition means that you will be diving regularly during your stay in Ifaty. This section provides all the information you need to ensure that when you arrive you are ready to get in the water.
To participate in ReefDoctor dive surveys you must be a minimum of PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or the equivalent with another agency. Find out more about equivalent ratings. If you need to complete the PADI Advanced Open Water course or take additional training to get there, we will do this free of charge when you arrive. Find out more about taking PADI courses with ReefDoctor to ensure that you bring everything you need to participate in the courses you want to take.
You will also need to make sure that you have a current diving medical, diving medical insurance and that you have all of the equipment you need to join our dive teams.
Medical advice - Diving medical
Insurance advice - Dive insurance
Diving advice - Dive equipment
If you have not dived for some time you could consider taking a short refresher course. This involves visiting a swimming pool with an instructor and practising the core scuba diving skills and theory to refresh your memory. It’s also a good way to try out equipment if you are thinking of buying your own, or checking that your own equipment is working. Refresher courses are available at most dive centres and clubs. Don’t worry if you can’t though as we will conduct a refresher course with you when you arrive.
When you have completed your preparations you can relax and look forward to joining our dive teams. The diving in and around the Bay of Ranobe is stunning and there’s always time to explore and see more of the local marine life. In the calm waters of the lagoon you’ll see reef fishes and invertebrates including moray eels, mantis shrimp, octopus, cuttlefish and squid. On the exterior of the lagoon the marine life broadens with the possibility of seeing turtles, sharks, napoleon wrasse, giant grouper and humpback whales (from August to November).
