MOANA Diving College ISHIGAKIJIMA

Located at the southern tip of Japan on Ishigaki Island, MOANA Diving College is a specialised PADI 5 Star training centre. The school is built around a commitment to pedagogical quality, ensuring that every diver receives the attention required to master their skills.

The centre is led by a PADI Course Director, which sets a high standard for the training programmes offered on-site. Whether you are starting your journey with your first certification or progressing through professional levels, the emphasis remains on precision and safety.

The team is led by a PADI Course Director, providing a level of expertise that is rare in many dive centres. This leadership ensures that even the most advanced training, such as the Instructor Development Course (IDC), is delivered with professional rigour.

Instruction is conducted in small groups, with a maximum of three divers per guide. This low ratio allows for personalised feedback and a controlled environment, which is particularly beneficial for students working through their Rescue Diver or Divemaster certifications.

All instruction and communication at the centre are conducted in Japanese.

MOANA Diving College offers a complete spectrum of PADI training. For beginners, the programme starts with the Open Water Diver course, progressing through Advanced Open Water Diver, Deep Diver, and Nitrox certifications.

For divers looking to specialise, the centre provides courses in Drift Diver, Wreck Diver, Navigation, Night Diver, and Peak Performance Buoyancy. They also offer training for specific skills such as Search and Recovery, Dry Suit Diver, and the use of Scuba Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPV).

Professional divers can train here through the Divemaster and Instructor Development Course (IDC) programmes. The school also provides EFR (Emergency First Response) training and specialised courses like Underwater Naturalist, AWARE Shark Conservation, and AWARE Coral Reef Conservation.

The centre provides a full range of rental kit for those who do not wish to carry their own. This includes BCDs, regulators, wetsuits, fins, masks, snorkels, and dive computers.

For those looking to extend their bottom time or dive more efficiently, Enriched Air Nitrox is available. The centre also maintains oxygen safety equipment on-site for emergency use.

The waters around Ishigaki are home to a variety of pelagic species and reef inhabitants. You can regularly encounter whitetip sharks and clownfish living among sea anemones.

During certain seasons, the area offers the opportunity to see hammerhead sharks, making it a significant location for divers interested in larger marine life.

Diving on Ishigaki is subject to local currents which vary depending on the specific dive site. The best period to plan your dives is from late April to early June.

You should be aware that the period from August to October carries a risk of typhoons, which can affect boat operations and sea conditions.