Tarzan-Diving

Tarzan-Diving is situated on the island of Gam in Waigeo Selatan, providing a base for diving some of the most significant marine ecosystems on the planet. The centre is positioned to give you quick access to the legendary sites of the Dampier Strait, making it a practical choice for those looking to explore the reefs of Raja Ampat.

Since its establishment in 2021, the centre has maintained a strong focus on local community engagement and environmental responsibility. They work closely with local homestays, such as Tau Yado and Coconut, to offer a traditional Papuan experience that integrates your stay with the local culture.

The team is composed of a mix of local professionals and European instructors, ensuring that the dive experience is both culturally authentic and technically sound. They speak English, German, and Portuguese, which helps facilitate clear communication during briefings and training sessions.

Safety and personalised attention are central to their operation, with a strict ratio of a maximum of four divers per guide. This small-group approach allows for more controlled drift dives and closer observation of the marine life. The centre is a PADI affiliated operation, providing a structured environment for both recreational and professional training.

The centre offers a comprehensive range of PADI courses for every stage of a diver's development. Beginners can start with Discover Scuba Diving, leading into the Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver certifications.

For those looking to refine their skills or progress professionally, they provide Peak Performance Buoyancy, PADI Deep Diver Specialty, and Rescue Diver courses. Professional training is also available, including the Divemaster programme. They also offer EFR (Emergency First Response) training.

The centre operates two vessels to manage different group sizes and dive requirements. The Elly is a larger speed boat powered by twin 150hp Yamaha engines, capable of carrying up to 12 divers to more distant or remote sites.

A smaller boat, powered by twin 40hp Yamaha engines, is available for smaller groups of up to 7 divers. Both boats are used to navigate the currents of the region, and the centre provides water, snacks, tea, coffee, and various drinks on board during your trips.

Full rental kit is available on-site for those not travelling with their own equipment. This includes BCDs, masks, snorkels, fins, booties, 3mm wetsuits, and regulators with manometers, as well as cylinders and weights.

For safety, the centre is equipped with oxygen for use in an emergency. While they do not offer rebreather or Trimix services, they provide all the essential kit required for standard recreational diving and night dives.

The waters surrounding Gam are teeming with life, ranging from massive pelagics to tiny macro species. You can regularly encounter sharks, whales, and whale sharks, alongside various species of fish that cover the reef flats and walls.

Between October and April, the presence of plankton makes this an ideal window for seeing manta rays. The region is also known for its diverse birdlife, including birds of paradise, and even blue cockatoos can be spotted in the area.

For macro enthusiasts, the reefs host a variety of pygmy seahorses and other small organisms. The biodiversity is supported by a rich environment of corals and other fixed marine life that provides a complex habitat for the local fauna.

The region is characterised by the presence of currents, which can sometimes be strong. These currents are a key driver of the high biodiversity in the area and often result in excellent drift diving opportunities.

Visibility is generally high, typically ranging between 15 and 30 metres. Between October and April, the increase in plankton may affect the clarity of the water, though this period coincides with the best sightings of manta rays.