Geko Dive
5
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Full view

About
Geko Dive first opened in June 1997. It is the longest operating dive centre in Padang Bai. Geko Dive has been a PADI Resort since 1998, and is now a PADI 5 Star Resort and TecRec facility. We are fortunate to have one of Bali's best dive staff. The Geko Dive Team can guide and teach in Balinese, English, French, German, Spanish, Indonesian and Japanese. All of our dive guides are excellent divers, with years of working experience on Bali's dive sites. At the same time, SCUBA remains a passion first and foremost. Diving with Geko Dive has always been fun and serene. To make sure that it stays this way, we are not planning to get any bigger than we already are. Dive factories and diving in large herds are not things that the Geko Dive Team enjoys. Diving should be a personal experience! We therefore keep dive groups small (4 max and often less), with similarly experienced divers together. We believe all our guests deserve the ultimate diving adventure with utmost enjoyment and safety.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
540 reviews
Excellent
474
Very good
42
Average
15
Poor
7
Terrible
2
Darcy929
16 contributions
Oct 2022
Fantastic dive shop in Pandangbai! Cannot say enough about this shop. We dived with them for 8 days in October 2022. I am PADI rescue diver, my husband is AOW, however we only get to dive about once a year so I do a lot of research before picking a shop. Geko Dive is professional, efficient, safe, and a joy to work with. Operations manager Eka is responsive and informative via email (a huge plus in my mind when planning a trip from the other side of the globe!), and had everything ready for us from the minute we arrived. Front desk was organized, helpful, and they always greeted us by name when we entered. Our dive master, Kanox, was a delight - kept everyone laughing the entire day. Keen eye underwater, aware of the needs of each diver in his team, and radiated a love of the ocean. We would dive with him again in a heartbeat. #teamMolaMola
The shop has several boats (some single engine boats for local dives and larger speed boats to reach sites off Nusa Penida), with very skilled captains and crew. **I suggest taking motion sickness pills if you get seasick when traveling to Nusa Penida sites, as the channel does get rough.
The cost of the dives includes all rental gear, nitrox (recommended), and as a plus, a delicious lunch upon return to the shop that you preorder in the morning before you leave. This was a huge perk for us as it was both cost-effective and a relaxing way to start the afternoon.
We really enjoyed our time here, and highly recommend the shop to anyone coming through Padangbai and looking for a safe, efficient and fun dive shop.
The shop has several boats (some single engine boats for local dives and larger speed boats to reach sites off Nusa Penida), with very skilled captains and crew. **I suggest taking motion sickness pills if you get seasick when traveling to Nusa Penida sites, as the channel does get rough.
The cost of the dives includes all rental gear, nitrox (recommended), and as a plus, a delicious lunch upon return to the shop that you preorder in the morning before you leave. This was a huge perk for us as it was both cost-effective and a relaxing way to start the afternoon.
We really enjoyed our time here, and highly recommend the shop to anyone coming through Padangbai and looking for a safe, efficient and fun dive shop.
Written October 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hey Darcy,
The Geko Dive Team loves to see such a great review. Thanks for taking the time to write this. We loved diving with you back in 2022. Hope to see you again wuickly in 2023.
Written January 16, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alex
7 contributions
Oct 2022
What a great experience! This was my first time diving and Geko were awesome in all aspects of making it as good as possible. I did the open water course with my instructor, Made. He was super helpful and a great teacher and helped me progress through each stage with confidence. The dive sites we visited were incredible and an amazing introuduction to the underwater world. Geko were great in accomodating my request to dive at the Liberty shipwreck site further up the coast which I highly recommend and worth the trip. The rest of the staff are also super helpful, Eka was great with the communications in organising my trip and the rest of the shop staff were very helpful and kind.
I will definitely return to dive with Geko when I am next in Bali !! Highly recommend !!
I will definitely return to dive with Geko when I am next in Bali !! Highly recommend !!
Written October 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you for diving with the Geko Dive Team and taking the time to review your formidable experience.
Made is a great instructor. Both beginners and certified divers love to learn from him and share time under the sea or above ground. He is a great guy after all!
Looking forward to your return.
Written January 16, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
beaubo
Cleveland Ohio USA331 contributions
Jun 2022
I booked a last minute dive and contacted a few companies and Eka from Geko was the first to get back to me. His shop was going to the Liberty wreck on my only possible date of travel....and he accepted credit cards. And that was the clincher!
I met his staff at a hotel near the dive site. They arrived on time and had the requested gear I needed. I was assigned a Divemaster along with another diver that had my experience level, so that we were not slowed down by a DSD course that another guide was responsible for.
The Liberty wreck is pretty wrecked, much of it looks more like a huge articulate reef than a proper ship, but it was still a great dive worth doing. There was a nice lunch during the surface interval and the 1.5 hour ride back to their shop afterwords, was on a spacious and comfortable bus, with coffeee, tea, water and Eka waiting for us back at the shop.
Eka was also helpful with my fast boat logistics from Gili and airport transfer after the dive. I appreciated his extra effort.
I met his staff at a hotel near the dive site. They arrived on time and had the requested gear I needed. I was assigned a Divemaster along with another diver that had my experience level, so that we were not slowed down by a DSD course that another guide was responsible for.
The Liberty wreck is pretty wrecked, much of it looks more like a huge articulate reef than a proper ship, but it was still a great dive worth doing. There was a nice lunch during the surface interval and the 1.5 hour ride back to their shop afterwords, was on a spacious and comfortable bus, with coffeee, tea, water and Eka waiting for us back at the shop.
Eka was also helpful with my fast boat logistics from Gili and airport transfer after the dive. I appreciated his extra effort.
Written June 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hey Beau,
We're glad you took the opportunity to enjoy our great services during your last stay in Bali. We try to help whenever we can and do our best both when it comes to diving and help outside diving too.
The USAT Liberty is indeed quite a damaged piece of history. Due to its shallow position and history of being pushed back from its stranded position on the beach, it has endured much structural damage. It takes a bit of imagination to visualise the whole ship, but I love a lot of the details like the stern area with its rudder placeholder and canon, the boilers, the cargo room, the bow and its dozens of intact valves spread about the ship. The real stars of the show are however the corals, fishes and crustaceans covering the old girl, along with the numerous nudibranches. Certainly not a site to miss for any diver holidaying on Bali!
We hope to see you again soon to dive with sharks and manta rays at other sites. Take care!
Written January 16, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tungky
Solo, Indonesia198 contributions
Dec 2019
We are 5 pax with different dive levels, and Geko accommodated all of us with no problems. We are doing Nitrox, OW, DSD, Fun Dives, and it went so well, with zero hiccups. Unfortunately the diving conditions is not that good at this time of the year, murky water with viz of less than 10. We did 2 days of diving, the viz did clear up a litte on the second day. Guides are excellent as they kit us up and ready to dive. No effort needed to prep the equipments etc, everything is ready to go.
Padangbai diving is more for macro critters. Do consider this before diving in Padang bai. We loved it. But macro is not for everyone.
Padangbai diving is more for macro critters. Do consider this before diving in Padang bai. We loved it. But macro is not for everyone.
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thanks for all the stars you sent our way. Glad you enjoyed the service and the dives, in spite of poor conditions. Conditions do vary in rain season. You can have one week with bad visibility, then next week is crystal clear. It's a game of luck really, but prospective guests are always welcomed to ask us what conditions are like close to their day of diving and we will give an honest answer...
Written January 20, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jjk23
Europe24 contributions
Jan 2023
We did two dives with Gecko dive and they were great. The divemaster showed us lots of cool critters, communication for reserving was super easy and the dive centre is perfectly situated and pleasant to be in. We will come again!
Written January 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thanks for diving with you and thanks again for taking the time to review our services. We're mighty glad you enjoyed diving with us and look forward to diving with you again!
Written January 12, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vinit J
5 contributions
Jan 2020
We had a fabulous snorkeling experience with Geko Dive. Wayan is a fantastic guide and we give him 5 stars for his services. We all were beginners and also had few non swimmers in our group. Wayan took great care of all of us and made sure we had fantastic time. Overall, excellent experience and highly recommended!
Written January 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thanks for the 5 star review. The Geko Dive Bali Team is thrilled that you enjoyed your first class snorkeling experience. Wayan is indeed a great guide and a fantastic addition to the team!
Written January 20, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
monb777
Toronto, Canada9 contributions
Dec 2018 • Couples
The Dives were great. We did two days of diving with Geko in Dec 2018. Overall, we really enjoyed the Dives. That being said, I had really high expectations for them based on their offerings of tech dives. I was nervous about currents in Bali and received very thorough responses over email when I asked about recommended dive sites and expectations for currents as we were diving at Full moon. The conditions on day 1 were windy and the seas a bit choppy at Gili Biaha and Tepekong, we didn't have a very thorough briefing and we felt a bit rushed to get into the water. The boat and sea conditions didn't allow for a buddy check but my partner and I sort of did it quickly from across the boat and I went through all my checks on my own as well as did my partner. We all met in the water and descended quickly due to the waves. We realized that we were missing some people after decent (I thought they were all DMTs, but I later learned they were also guests so I wasn't actually sure if they were in our group). After a few minutes we proceeded with the dive and then we found the other divers later. Turns out, one of them was missing his BCD integrated weights and thus had issues descending (This is the first thing we all look for in the buddy check Acronym). We also did a drift dive on Day 2 which was so fun. I was REALLY nervous about currents and made this clear to our DM, and he was thorough then about what to do and that we need to watch him and how to stay safe on the dive. I will say, I never felt unsafe and I felt that the DM was keeping an eye on us and giving us instructions during the dive. I do think that likely since we chose more intermediate sites, there is an expectation of self sufficiency there and maybe I am more used to more thorough briefings. It was a good reminder to ensure self sufficiency. The food after the dive was also really nice. The other issue I had was smoking on the boat. It was mainly one of the other guests and some of the DMTs. Smoking is common in Indonesia, but I didn't like it on the boat. When the seas were choppy and I was feeling slightly motion sick, then to smell the smoke just made it a less than 5 star experience.
Written January 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Brian S
Melbourne, Australia83 contributions
I was originally signed up for a tour around Padang Bai, but Cedric offered me a place on a boat leaving for Nusa Penda for the same price so I took it.
We snorkeled at two sites which had plenty of fish and turtles - Cedric and his staff were great and professional (ask for Made - hilarious and he'll take some photos for you under the water).
The trip included a cooked lunch on return which was good. Definitely consider Geko Dive!
We snorkeled at two sites which had plenty of fish and turtles - Cedric and his staff were great and professional (ask for Made - hilarious and he'll take some photos for you under the water).
The trip included a cooked lunch on return which was good. Definitely consider Geko Dive!
Written January 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hi Brian S
Thanks for leaving us a great review! We're happy to upgrade our guests where possible to make sure they have the best experience possible so it's great to hear you loved your day at Nusa Penida and your snorkelling with Made.
We hope you will return to see us again!
The Geko Dive Team! 👌
Written March 23, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Henriette_Sillerud
Oslo, Norway11 contributions
Apr 2017 • Solo
This review is not about diving, because I did not dive with this company. It is about the relational skills of the management and one of the diving instructurs, who just yelled at me "they have a life also" when I asked for flexibility of time for picking up my passport (it is not convenient to bring to the beach)- without telling me in advance that I had to be there at a spesific time to pick it up.
When I said I would put this on tripadvisor, the owner came. He was angry, telling me putting it on tripadvisor meant threatening his business and that it was unacceptible. They said they would delete it- they just had to prove I did not dive with them.
Actually, this was the divecentre that I planned on diving with. Now I am really happy that I chose another one. I hope I can help some other travellers choose a nicer place for their holiday before the owner reach to delete this post. I found the behaviour of these people quite shocking after having met so many nice people during 6 weeks of travelling in Asia. It is just not normal here.
When I said I would put this on tripadvisor, the owner came. He was angry, telling me putting it on tripadvisor meant threatening his business and that it was unacceptible. They said they would delete it- they just had to prove I did not dive with them.
Actually, this was the divecentre that I planned on diving with. Now I am really happy that I chose another one. I hope I can help some other travellers choose a nicer place for their holiday before the owner reach to delete this post. I found the behaviour of these people quite shocking after having met so many nice people during 6 weeks of travelling in Asia. It is just not normal here.
Written April 12, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
I think it is necessary to inject a little bit of truth into this review.
The reviewer hired a Go Pro camera from a Village local in front of our dive centre. She later returned complaining that the camera did not work when in fact she did not understand how to operate it. Demanding a refund and claiming she had no time to wait and trying to ask for people to run around for her in front of our guests making a scene when Geko Dive had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the camera hire or her predicament. Obviously this was highly unreasonable and unfair to the Local Person hiring the camera as well as unacceptable behaviour in our Dive Centre which as previously stated had no part in her hire transaction.
It was the individuals lack of manners and selfish behaviour that led to the confrontation. Acting like a spoilt child will not make friends and should not be tolerated by anyone no matter where you are from or who you think you are.
We pride ourselves on customer service and assisting travellers both diving and non diving.
I hope this individual has had the time to reflect on her poor behaviour....it was embarrassing to witness and something we rarely see here in Bali.
Written March 24, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
maat1976
London, UK24 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
I had read about Geko DIve on Scubaboard, and also read the reviews here on Tripadvisor.
Geko definitely lives up to their reputation. I did 9 dives with them - some local to Padangbai, and some further afield. I think my favourite dives had to be at The Jetty in Padangbai though. The macro stuff you see there, along with the thousands of schooling fish around you, is fantastic. We saw a rhinopia, which our DM said was only the third time he had ever seen one. Sometimes I don't know how these guys spot things - it all can look like a bit of sea fluff sometimes. We attempted a trip to Manta Point but the seas were really rough and it was a group decision to turn back.
As for the dive operation - I felt very comfortable with the DMs. We started with James who checked us out on two local dives. The next three days we were with Kanox, who was fabulous. I am awful on sucking air and he was appropriately cautious.
On the first day with Kanox at Gili Mimpong or Tempong (forget which), I lost my weight belt right at the beginning of the dive. It was my fault, and in all fairness I should have gotten back on the boat and missed the dive. The other DM on the trip (whose name I forget) went and miraculously found it. To be honest, I would have been happy to get back on the boat and be charged for the belt, but this guy saved my dive. I am not sure I would have done the same for a weight belt! The weight belt was of the fluorescent plastic variety which is easy to spot but not so easy to keep on. On my second dive that day they knew I was a bit hesitant about it coming loose, so we swapped it out for a metal buckle one.
The equipment was in good condition, and I felt comfortable with the regs (which seemed to be brand new), the BCDs, and the gauges seemed solid.
Finally, the DMs and captains were conservative. This may be a bad thing for some divers who want to push the limits a bit (and they may change their style), but I am fairly new to diving (just completed my 48th dive), and I don't need to be in a bad situation where I can't handle it. I am fine in the water, but I'm not great on a boat - my nerves do not handle waves and swell. The GEKO boys kept checking in to make sure I was OK with the situation we were in. I can't ask more than that.
Finally, my husband is a DM, and this was the first time I have ever heard him comment on a shop being really well run, safe, and knowing what they are doing. It is also the first time he said he'd return somewhere- which nearly had me fall over. So well done Cedric and James. Keep up the good work.
Geko definitely lives up to their reputation. I did 9 dives with them - some local to Padangbai, and some further afield. I think my favourite dives had to be at The Jetty in Padangbai though. The macro stuff you see there, along with the thousands of schooling fish around you, is fantastic. We saw a rhinopia, which our DM said was only the third time he had ever seen one. Sometimes I don't know how these guys spot things - it all can look like a bit of sea fluff sometimes. We attempted a trip to Manta Point but the seas were really rough and it was a group decision to turn back.
As for the dive operation - I felt very comfortable with the DMs. We started with James who checked us out on two local dives. The next three days we were with Kanox, who was fabulous. I am awful on sucking air and he was appropriately cautious.
On the first day with Kanox at Gili Mimpong or Tempong (forget which), I lost my weight belt right at the beginning of the dive. It was my fault, and in all fairness I should have gotten back on the boat and missed the dive. The other DM on the trip (whose name I forget) went and miraculously found it. To be honest, I would have been happy to get back on the boat and be charged for the belt, but this guy saved my dive. I am not sure I would have done the same for a weight belt! The weight belt was of the fluorescent plastic variety which is easy to spot but not so easy to keep on. On my second dive that day they knew I was a bit hesitant about it coming loose, so we swapped it out for a metal buckle one.
The equipment was in good condition, and I felt comfortable with the regs (which seemed to be brand new), the BCDs, and the gauges seemed solid.
Finally, the DMs and captains were conservative. This may be a bad thing for some divers who want to push the limits a bit (and they may change their style), but I am fairly new to diving (just completed my 48th dive), and I don't need to be in a bad situation where I can't handle it. I am fine in the water, but I'm not great on a boat - my nerves do not handle waves and swell. The GEKO boys kept checking in to make sure I was OK with the situation we were in. I can't ask more than that.
Finally, my husband is a DM, and this was the first time I have ever heard him comment on a shop being really well run, safe, and knowing what they are doing. It is also the first time he said he'd return somewhere- which nearly had me fall over. So well done Cedric and James. Keep up the good work.
Written June 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hi Maat,
Thanks for taking some time to review your experience while diving with us around Bali.
The Geko Dive Team is glad you enjoyed The Jetty dive site as much as we do. We've been diving this pier built in 2009 for a few years now and it keeps on getting better. So much so that some divers want to return there everyday. We are truly grateful to have such an amazing macro dive sites just minutes away from our facilities.
It's a pity you could not make it to Manta Point during your stay. Seas can be rough with heavy swell as we enter the Indian Ocean South of Nusa Penida. It is a great dive site and we'd love to go there with you during your next visit.
Glad you enjoyed our mostly new equipment except for the plastic weight belt buckle. Since your last visit, we have started phasing out all these and are replacing them with metal buckles. There is also no need to worry about being "awful on sucking air": we have 15lt/100cu ft tanks available so that you can enjoy longer dives. This will also get better as you gain more experience.
It's also great to hear that you felt our dive team was always attentive to your needs and checked on you at all times. We can adapt ourselves to the personal needs of divers and will choose more or less challenging dive locations accordingly. Safety is as much of a priority for us as sharing a great time together and spotting rare fishes.
Lastly, we too enjoyed the time we spent with you and your husband and look forward to your next visit.
Safe diving!
Written September 22, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Can someone direct me to the best place to snorkel in this area? Does Geko have any tours for snorkelers or spots that you recommend for snorkeling?
GekoDiveBali
Padangbai, Indonesia60 contributions
Hi there,
Experienced free divers can go directly off the beaches of Blue Lagoon or Bias Tugel / White Sand Beach. Beware of currents if you choose to go without a boat or guide, as these can be treacherous. I recommend to stay well inside the bay, or, even better, go with a guide from a boat.
We do offer snorkeling excursions on a shared boat with divers to Padang Bai sites and beyond (including Manta Point, Crystal Bay and Tulamben). For Padang Bai, going with an experienced guide from a reputable company affords more than just extra safety. It also means you get to the best spots where you're most likely to see what you want to see and can drift leisurely with the current and have the boat pick you up at the end of your snorkeling session.
As Slughunter recommended, it's best to send us an email with your potential dates and level of experience in order to obtain all the info needed.
Hope to bring you to some great snorkeling spots soon.
Cedric @ Geko
Chili4417
London, UK220 contributions
Hi what facilities do you have on the boats, e.g. Sea toilet, dry area etc?
GekoDiveBali
Padangbai, Indonesia60 contributions
Hi,
Sorry for the late answer. Like all dive boats on Bali, we use outboard engines on our diving speedboats. The reason for this is that there are no harbor on the island available for dive boats with deep waters suitable for larger vessels / inboard engines.
This means that boats may be smaller than what divers are accustomed to in places like Egypt or Thailand. What may be lost in comfort is gained in having less divers on a boat and a more personal experience.
We operate our own speedboats, unlike most dive operations on Bali. This is paramount to us as we believe this is the only way to ensure safety through proper training and good cooperation between dive staff and boat crews when / if emergencies emerge.
One of our boats has got a toilet, both have dry areas. There is oxygen, first aid kit, VHF and GSM, along with all required floatation devices onboard at all times.
Why not try diving with us soon? I'm sure you'll have a great time.
Cedric @ Geko
summittmann44
Indianapolis, IN2 contributions
Pick-up from Ubud possible?
GekoDiveBali
Padangbai, Indonesia60 contributions
Hello and thanks for contacting The Geko Dive Team.
We can indeed come to pick you up in Ubud for a supplement. It takes about one hour to commute from there.
Please contact us by email to find out more. Do let us know your dive experience and your preferred dive sites.
Best regards and...
Safe diving!