Art Of Diving

Located in the Bávaro-Punta Cana region of the Dominican Republic, Art of Diving has been operating since 2017. The centre provides a gateway to the diverse marine environments of the Caribbean, ranging from the shallow reef flats to deeper offshore sites.

The operation is built around a professional approach to skill acquisition, focusing on the technical aspects of diving such as buoyancy control and gas consumption. Whether you are looking for your first breath underwater or seeking to progress into technical cave penetration, the centre's curriculum is designed to meet those specific objectives.

The instructional team is composed of experienced professionals, including Training Director Xavier P. Tapia, a Full Cave instructor. The team also includes Pavel Anisimov, an experienced cave diver, and Olga del Mazo Cardiel, who brings a focus on emotional well-being to the diving experience. Paola Espinosa provides additional instruction across the SSI and PADI systems.

Communication is straightforward for international divers, as the team is multilingual, speaking English, Spanish, and Russian. This ensures that technical briefings and safety protocols are understood clearly by all members of the buddy pair.

The course catalogue is extensive, covering all major certification levels through SSI, PADI, and IANTD. Beginners can start with Try Scuba or Discover Scuba Diving, progressing through Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water.

For those looking to specialise, the centre offers Peak Performance Buoyancy, Deep Diver, Wreck Diver, and Advanced Nitrox courses. The technical side of the curriculum is particularly robust, featuring Sidemount, Cavern Diver, and the full progression of Cave Diver and Technical Cave Diver certifications.

Beyond scuba, the centre also provides training in freediving, covering Level 1 through Level 3, as well as specialised courses in fish identification and spearfishing.

The centre provides full equipment hire for those not travelling with their own kit. This includes regulators, BCDs, wetsuits, fins, and masks.

Nitrox is available for divers looking to extend their bottom time on the reefs and wrecks. The centre is well-equipped to handle the needs of both recreational and technical divers requiring specific gas blends.

The reefs are vibrant ecosystems dominated by various corals and a high density of tropical fish. You will frequently encounter colourful reef fish, sergeant majors, and various species of blennies and combtooth blenny (Blenniidae).

For those interested in macro life, the area hosts a variety of smaller organisms including nudibranchs, seahorses (Hippocampus kuda), and various species of crab (Brachyura) and spider crabs. You may also spot garden eels (Gorgasia) swaying in the sand or juvenile boxfish and porcupinefish.

Larger residents of the area include various rays (Batoidea), including spotted rays and Jamaican rays, as well as moray eels (Muraenidae). Sea turtles (Cheloniidae) and reef sharks (Carcharhinus) are also part of the local marine landscape, alongside octopus (Octopus vulgaris) and lobster (Homaridae).

The local reefs near Bayahibe generally experience little to no current, making them ideal for controlled exploration. This stability allows for relaxed diving on most of the regional sites.