Sober Diving Centre - Lembongan

Sober Diving Centre is a PADI 5 Star facility situated on the island of Nusa Lembongan, just a 35-minute boat ride from Bali. Since opening in 2019, the centre has established itself as a reliable hub for both local exploration and professional training.

The centre is ideally positioned to access the diverse marine environments of the region, from vibrant reef flats to high-current drift sites. Whether you are looking to complete your first certification or are an experienced diver seeking pelagic encounters, the setup is designed to handle a wide range of experience levels.

The centre operates with a strong emphasis on safety, maintaining a 100% safety record since its inception. Instruction is provided by PADI certified instructors, with a commitment to low diver-to-guide ratios, ensuring you receive close supervision during your dives.

For those looking to advance their skills, the centre provides a structured learning environment with a 1:4 maximum ratio for fun dives and a 1:3 ratio for courses. The team is multilingual, with staff able to communicate in English, Indonesian, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Cantonese.

Beyond standard recreational diving, the centre is active in marine conservation through programmes like PADI Project Aware and Dive Against Debris. They also offer specialised conservation courses focused on the local Manta Ray and Mola Mola populations.

The centre provides a comprehensive range of PADI courses, beginning with the Open Water Diver and progressing through to Advanced Open Water Diver and Rescue Diver. For those looking to enter the professional ranks, the Divemaster programme is available as a 4-week course, with the centre preparing to become an Instructor Development Centre (IDC) in the near future.

Specialty training is extensive, covering PADI Deep Diver, Nitrox, Night Diver, and Peak Performance Buoyancy. More technical or specialised skills can be acquired through Sidemount, Search & Recovery, and Self-reliant training. The centre also offers Scuba Refresher courses in the pool for those needing to regain confidence.

The centre operates two speedboats, each powered by Yamaha F150 engines, designed to reach the best dive sites quickly. Each vessel has a capacity for 15 passengers.

Onboard, you will find refreshments including water, tea, coffee, snacks, fruit, and lunch provided during the day. The boats are used for various trip types, including day trips to local sites and night dives.

The shore-based facilities include fully equipped classrooms and a 25-metre training pool with a depth of 2.4 metres, which is ideal for skill practice and course training. All rental equipment is maintained and inspected regularly by an in-house technical team.

Nitrox is available for divers looking to extend their bottom time. While full kit hire is available, please note that you will need to provide your own dive computer or hire one from the centre. For those pursuing professional paths, dedicated Divemaster equipment hire is also available.

The waters around Nusa Lembongan are famous for large pelagics. Depending on the season, you can encounter Manta ray (Mobula alfredi) year-round, while the ocean sunfish (Mola Mola) appears between June and October. You may also see dolphins (Delphinidae), reef sharks (Carcharhinus), blacktip reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus), and hammerhead sharks.

The reef ecosystems are rich with life, including various species of turtles, rays (Batoidea), and schooling fish such as jacks (Carangidae) and trevallies. You will frequently see reef fish, angelfish (Pomacanthidae), butterflyfish (Chaetodon), and various species of snapper and grouper near the coral formations.

For macro enthusiasts, the area offers plenty to explore, including nudibranchs, octopus (Octopus vulgaris), frogfish (Antennarius), and scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae). Look closely for mantis shrimp, sea slugs, and various crustaceans like lobster (Homaridae) and crabs (Brachyura) among the hard corals (Scleractinia) and soft corals (Alcyonacea).

The region is characterised by drift diving, where currents carry you along the site, reducing the need for heavy swimming against the flow. However, some sites like Blue Corner are known for having strong currents, which are best suited to experienced divers.

The best period for diving in the area is from April to November, when visibility is generally at its best. The seasonal presence of certain species, such as the Mola Mola from June to early November, is a key factor for trip planning.