Tony’s Tips: 5 tips for your tropical dive holiday
A little preparation goes a long way towards a good tropical dive holiday. Get your gear sorted before you leave, pack a few useful extras, stay hydrated and leave room for a raincoat. These are my five tips for spending more time enjoying the diving and less time sorting out problems.
1. What should I check before packing my dive gear?
Get your dive gear checked well before you leave, and book any servicing that’s due according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Give yourself time to test everything afterwards. A small problem is much easier to sort out at home than when you’re standing on a boat ready for your first holiday dive.
Don’t leave this until the day before your flight. Check your regulators, BCD, computer, mask and fins, including the straps and buckles that are easy to overlook.
I’d also pack a small “save-a-dive” kit. It doesn’t need to be a travelling workshop. A few compatible spares can help stop a simple breakage from costing you a dive:
- A spare regulator mouthpiece and suitable cable ties.
- A spare mask strap and fin straps.
- The correct batteries for equipment with user-replaceable batteries.
- A spare mask, particularly if you rely on prescription lenses.
Make sure the spares actually fit your equipment. Leave servicing and repairs beyond your knowledge to a qualified technician.
2. Why take a mesh bag as well as a suitcase?
Take a mesh bag to carry your equipment once you arrive. A simple folding one takes up very little space inside your suitcase, but makes getting from your accommodation to the dive shop much easier. It also helps keep your gear together when you’re heading out on the boat.
Your main gear bag might be perfect for airports, but that doesn’t mean you want to drag it along the beach every morning.
A mesh bag gives you somewhere to put your mask, fins and other equipment without juggling everything separately. On a busy dive boat, keeping your kit together also makes it easier to find what you need.
Just remember that mesh lets water through in both directions. Keep your phone, wallet and anything else that needs to stay dry in a separate dry bag.
3. How do I stay hydrated without missing out on the holiday?
Drink water regularly through the day and keep the alcohol modest, especially when you’re diving the following morning. Tropical heat makes it easy to lose fluid through sweat. Taking a refillable water bottle on the boat is a simple way to keep drinking water within reach.
I’d also consider packing electrolyte sachets or tablets for those hot days when you’re sweating a lot. They can help replace salts lost through sweat, but they’re an addition to sensible eating and drinking, rather than something everyone needs in every bottle.
And that evening gin and tonic? It might feel like part of the tropical holiday, but it doesn’t count as malaria prevention. The quinine in tonic water won’t protect you. If malaria is a risk at your destination, get proper travel-health advice before you go.
You’ve travelled a long way for the diving. It’s worth keeping yourself in good shape to enjoy it.
4. Do I really need a dive torch somewhere sunny?
Yes, I’d take a dive torch even if every dive is planned for daylight. Bright sunshine above the water doesn’t mean you’ll see every colour below it. A torch helps reveal colours at depth and lets you get a better look beneath ledges and into shaded parts of the reef.
It doesn’t have to be a huge torch. Something compact and easy to carry can earn its place in your luggage.
If you’re taking a camera, think about lighting too. You can take lovely photos using natural light, particularly in shallow water, but suitable underwater lighting can make a big difference to the colours in your pictures. A camera strobe provides a flash for still photos, while a video light gives continuous illumination.
Check that your lighting suits your camera and the photos or video you want to take. Remember the charger as well!
5. Should I pack a raincoat for the tropics?
Absolutely. The tropics aren’t always sunshine and piña coladas. Pack a lightweight raincoat and take it with you on boat days, rather than leaving it in your hotel room. It takes up little space and gives you something to pull on when a tropical shower arrives.
Warm water doesn’t guarantee a warm ride home. Sitting in wet dive gear with rain coming sideways and wind blowing across the boat can soon take the holiday glow off things.
A simple raincoat can make that trip much more comfortable. It’s useful on land too, whether you’re walking back from dinner or heading out exploring.
Pack for the holiday you’re hoping for, with a little room for the weather you might actually get.
A few quick questions
Do I need to bring all my own dive gear?
No. Check what your operator supplies, what hire costs and whether suitable sizes are available before deciding what to pack.
Are mask and fin straps universal?
No. Check compatibility with your particular mask and fins before buying spares.
Can I change my dive computer battery myself?
Only if the manufacturer allows it. Some computers need an authorised service centre to replace the battery.
Can a normal torch replace a camera light?
It can illuminate a subject, but its beam may be too narrow or uneven for the photo or video you want.
Will a mesh bag keep my belongings dry?
No. Use it for dive equipment and put anything that needs to stay dry in a separate dry bag.
Need a hand working out which spares, bag or light suit your holiday? Get in touch with Dive360 and we’ll help you put together a practical kit for your trip.
Written by Tony, Co-Founder Dive360
Co-owner of Dive Zone Tauranga since 2017, diver since 2001, PADI IDC Staff Instructor and PADI Freedive Instructor.