Peninsula Diver Scuba Diving Course ReviewLearn to Dive and Make Friends: Your Second Home as a Diver on the Hengchun Peninsula

After getting familiar with the gear, it's time for the practical session. The Bantao Hairen scuba course starts with confined water practice on the first day, heading to the pool once the equipment is assembled. You won't immediately put on the heavy scuba gear; instead, you'll begin by using a snorkel to practice fin techniques. The instructor will observe your fin kicks, turns, and standing posture, offering corrections as needed. Once your movements are correct, you can then put on the full scuba gear!

Next comes all the skill practice for OWD certification, including regulator recovery, equipment removal and replacement, and buddy air sharing. There are at least ten different items in total, and each one must be performed perfectly. Only after the instructor shakes your hand to confirm completion are you finished.

Of all the skills, neutral buoyancy was the most challenging for Calista. It's incredibly difficult to use your breath to maintain a stable position underwater, requiring a deep awareness of each inhale and exhale, and accounting for the delay in buoyancy changes. During the first day's confined water session, Calista and her classmates were like Super Mario characters, bobbing up and down in the water. They'd settle on the bottom, only to accidentally float back up again.

I was incredibly nervous at the time, because if I couldn't stay still in the water, I wouldn't be able to watch the instructor's demonstration, forcing them to wait repeatedly. Calista was afraid of causing trouble, but to her surprise, the instructor maintained incredible patience from start to finish, guiding us to find neutral buoyancy through breathing. Their patient teaching put us greatly at ease.

The second and third mornings are dedicated to open water sessions, with two dives each day. You'll start by finding and assembling your gear, loading it onto the vehicle, and the instructors will double-check that everyone is fully equipped before departure. Upon arrival at the dive site, the instructors will use Bantao Hairen's hand-drawn maps to brief you on the day's dive locations and plans. Each dive begins with a few skill assessments, and once completed, you're free to explore the dive site with your instructor.

Calista was particularly impressed by the "buddy breathing and controlled ascent" exercise. Each time she surfaced, Calista would instinctively release her alternate air source, prompting the instructor to require a complete re-do of the entire sequence. This meant her dive buddy had to repeat the assessment three times alongside her. However, no one rushed or complained during the process; instead, everyone offered reminders and encouragement. This supportive atmosphere gave Calista the confidence to complete the assessment.

After each tank assessment, it's time for a fun dive with the Bantao Hairen diving instructor. You'll explore the ocean with the instructor, still needing to maintain good buoyancy control to avoid accidentally floating back to the surface or kicking sand in your buddy's face.

Our instructor had an incredible eye; we were just talking about wanting to see a flounder on shore, and sure enough, they spotted one camouflaged in the sand. We also saw familiar clownfish, sea turtles, and more. Scuba diving allows you to observe them closely and quietly, without the worry of running out of breath as you might with freediving.