Recommendations for freediving holidays

[HydroApprentice]

Dear all,

I'd like ask whether somebody has some good recommendations for longer freediving holidays? I'm about to finish a big project in August, and I would like to treat myself to a nice holiday afterwards. The idea would be to spend most of it in the water, take a couple of freediving courses, relax and enjoy life

The main criterion is that there's a good school to take one or two courses (I've the AIDA-2* certificate, maybe I can get the 3* before I leave), and meet some other freedivers to buddy up with. Otherwise, I am perfectly happy with snorkeling and shallow dives to explore the beauty of the ocean.

Apart from the "classics" in Egypt or Thailand, are there other places which you could recommend for an extended stay? Has anybody stayed on the Canary Islands? Are there any other magical places, where you can freedive (or even surf) for a month? Where else have you been and had a good time recently? Any suggestions are appreciated!

Cheers,
HydroApprentice

 

[HydroApprentice]

Gili Trawangan sounds nice, has anybody been there?

http://www.freedivegili.com/learn-to-freedive/

 

[pingshui]

Gili Trawangan sounds nice, has anybody been there?

http://www.freedivegili.com/learn-to-freedive/

three years ago I went freediving there for a day. The gilis are a really nice place to stay and depending on weather conditions also good for diving. Nice diving spots are easy to reach, except for days when currents are strong.

4 weeks might be too much though, as the gilis are small. Since it is quite remote there might not be too many fellow freedivers around. But things might have changed since then.

if you want to surf zou should take a boat from the gilis to lombok. The south of lombok has many good waves to offer.

 

[HydroApprentice]

Thanks for sharing! I was actually thinking to travel around Lombok, too. Maybe even a trip to Komodo I'm still looking around so I'm happy for any input

 

[HydroApprentice]

Does anybody here have contact to a freediving group in Florianopolis, Brazil? Are there some clubs or instructors you can recommend?

 

[livebreathedive]

Hiya Hydro Apprentice -

Must recommend Sipadan Island in Malyasia - we've featured it among the world's best freediving spots check it out -

Gilis look fun with Mike and co only heard great things but like pingshui said a month is probably too long to stay there..

Have you thought of a few boat tours around islands in Thailand too?

Keep us updated!

 

[HydroApprentice]

Great, thanks for your suggestion, I'll definitely check it out!

 

[Michael Watson]

If your already thinking of Indonesian Islands, I'd strongly recommend a livaboard trip from Lombok across to Flores. I did this a few years back. You can organise the trip when you get to Bali, Gili Islands or Lombok (If you organise before you go you'll pay more). These tours take you to a new spot every morning and afternoon, food included etc. Just stunning locations and cracking sea life, big and small. After 5 days you're in the swing of things and you can head off from there...

 

[HydroApprentice]

Thanks for all your suggestions! However, a job came up, so the holidays need to be postponed. Good news is, this job includes to work on an island in the med

 

[cdavis]

When you get back to it (you will) consider the Cayman Islands. Good air connections, very good courses(PFI) available on Grand Cayman, good freediving there and spectacular freediving in Little Cayman, a short hop away. Perfect for a freediver with no boat, Little Cayman offers world class diving. We did two trips there, descriptions will be in Freediving Stories.