Your Side Diving Questions, Answered by the People Who Run the Boat
"Do I need any diving experience?" arrives before every other question, at the office, on WhatsApp and on the deck of our dive boat. Here it is answered, with eleven more, by the operator of the Side Scuba Diving & Underwater Museum Tour.
Do I need any diving experience?
No. The tour is built for complete beginners as much as for certified divers. Before anyone enters the water, our instructors run a comprehensive, easy-to-understand briefing covering underwater communication, breathing regulator techniques, and equipment fitting. You then dive accompanied by a certified dive master in an intimate group of three to four, never in a crowd.
How deep do we go?
Two dives, two depths. The morning dive is a gentle introduction to 5–8 metres, lasting 15 to 25 minutes. In the afternoon, once you are comfortable, you descend to 12–13 metres to glide through the exhibits of the Side Underwater Museum, sunken statues, historic displays, and swarms of fish you can hand-feed alongside your instructor.
How long is the whole tour?
It is a 7-hour full day: hotel pickup, boat cruise, two dives with a freshly prepared lunch served on board in between, deck time, and transfer back to your hotel.
Is hotel pickup included, and when will I be collected?
Yes, two-way transfer from and to your hotel in Side is included in the price. We do not publish clock times because pickups depend on where your hotel sits on the route; your exact pickup is confirmed personally the evening before the tour, so you always know your plan before you sleep.
What exactly is included in the €45?
Two guided scuba dives, all professional diving equipment and wetsuits, comprehensive safety training and instructor fees, full passenger and diving insurance, onboard lunch, the full-day boat cruise, and hotel transfers. Not included: beverages on the boat, optional professional underwater photos and videos, CMAS certification course fees, and personal expenses. The full breakdown lives in our diving prices guide.
Can someone come along without diving?
Absolutely. Guests who prefer to stay dry can book as visitors at a reduced rate: they get the boat trip, the lunch, and snorkeling from our spacious deck while the divers explore below. Couples and families split this way all the time.
Can children join?
Yes: the tour has a child rate of €27 and infants join free; the adult rate applies from age 12. Whether a child dives or joins as a snorkeling boat guest depends on their comfort and health, and our instructors make that call generously on the side of safety. Tell us your children's ages when booking and we will set the day up honestly, more on this in our family diving guide.
Are there health restrictions?
Yes, and we do not bend them: the tour is not suitable for pregnant women or individuals with severe asthma, heart, or respiratory conditions. If you are unsure whether a condition applies to you, ask us before booking, and your doctor before us.
Can I fly the day after diving?
No: it is strictly recommended not to fly within 24 hours after your last dive. Book your dive with at least a full day's buffer before your departure flight. This is standard international diving practice, not our invention.
How does booking and payment work?
Reservation is free and you pay on the day of the tour. No prepayment, no card required to hold your spot. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the tour. We are a direct local operator, no middlemen, no hidden costs added between you and the boat.
What happens if the weather turns bad?
The sea decides, not the calendar. If conditions are not safe for diving, we tell you as soon as we know and you choose: move to another day or cancel with nothing owed: you have not paid anything in advance, so there is nothing to claw back. Our captains do not take beginners out in water they would not dive themselves.
Do I get anything official for my dives?
Certified divers get their logbook officially signed and stamped to record the Mediterranean descent. Beginners can take their first steps toward international CMAS certification right from our boat: the course itself is a separate fee, available on request.
Still Deciding?
Read what to pack in our what-to-bring guide, or zoom out and compare every day trip on this coast in the complete Side excursions guide. When you are ready, dates and the booking form are on the tour page.