Frequently Asked Questions

The easiest way is via WhatsApp: +356 9999 3483. You can also email info@divemalta.com or use the enquiry form on any page. We respond within a few hours, typically the same day.

A 50% deposit of the total booking value is required to confirm your place. The balance is due on arrival before your course or dive begins.

100% refund with 14 or more days' notice. 50% refund with 6–13 days' notice. No refund within 5 days. All cancellations must be submitted in writing. See our Terms & Conditions for full details.

No. The SSI eLearning fee is a separate charge paid directly to SSI when you enrol in the online materials. It is listed separately on all course pages. eLearning fees are non-refundable once materials are accessed.

No experience is required for the Try Scuba programme. You enter open water with a diveshack instructor on the same day. No certification, no prior pool work required.

The SSI Open Water Diver course takes 3–4 days from zero experience to full certification. eLearning theory is completed at your own pace before you arrive, which shortens the in-water time.

Yes. All major certification agencies are mutually recognised. A PADI Open Water Diver dives at the same level as an SSI Open Water Diver. Bring your certification card (physical or digital) and your logbook.

SSI (Scuba Schools International) and PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) are both internationally recognised certification bodies. Their courses are equivalent at every level. diveshack is an SSI centre and all certifications issued here are SSI certifications, recognised worldwide.

Yes. The XR Extended Range Foundations course is the entry point to the technical pathway and requires only an Open Water Diver certification and logged dives. No prior technical experience needed.

Um El Faroud, MV Rozi, HMS Maori, and Cirkewwa are all diveable with Open Water Diver level to their shallower sections. The full depth of Um El Faroud (36m) and penetration of larger wrecks requires Advanced Open Water or Deep Diver specialty. Technical wrecks at 45m+ require relevant XR certifications.

Yes. Malta has calm, clear water for most of the year. Visibility averages 20–30 metres. Shore entries are common, and most popular sites have wide, open access. Water temperature ranges from 16°C in February to 27°C in August.

Malta is diveable year-round. June to October offers the warmest water (22–27°C) and the calmest conditions. Winter diving (November to March) has excellent visibility and fewer divers on site. Water drops to 15–16°C in February; a 7mm wetsuit is recommended.

Yes. Gozo dive sites including the Blue Hole, MV Karwela, Inland Sea Tunnel, and Reqqa Point are available as day trips from Sliema. Journey time is approximately 90 minutes each way including the ferry. Gozo trips require advance booking.

Standard guided dive days involve 2 dives. Triple dive days (3 dives) are available via the Triple Dive package. Technical dives typically run as single dives due to decompression obligations and longer surface intervals.

You must complete the SSI Medical Statement before your first dive. This is a self-declaration form. A medical certificate from a doctor is only required if you answer 'yes' to any question on the form. See our Medical & Fitness to Dive page for full guidance.

Contact lenses are worn by many divers without issue. Prescription masks can also be fitted. If you wear glasses, you will need a prescription mask or contact lenses to see clearly underwater. We can advise on prescription mask options.

Asthma is on the SSI Medical Statement as a condition requiring physician clearance. Some asthmatic divers dive safely with appropriate medical sign-off. Contact a diving physician before booking. We cannot allow participation without written clearance.

Equipment hire is available at €10 per dive (mask, fins, wetsuit, BCD, regulator set). Dive computer hire is €5 per dive. Book when you enquire. Tank and weights are included in every dive. See our Equipment & What's Included page for full rates. You are welcome to bring your own gear.

diveshack is based at 20 Qui Si Sana Seafront, Sliema SLM 3111, Malta. We are on the seafront, a short walk from the main Sliema ferry terminal. Most dive sites are accessed by boat from Sliema or by short drive.

Our team includes instructors who operate in English, German, and Italian. Contact us in advance if you need instruction in a specific language and we will confirm availability.

Street parking is available along the Qui Si Sana seafront and on surrounding streets, though it fills quickly in summer. The Sliema ferry park-and-ride is a short walk away. A taxi or rideshare from central Sliema or Valletta takes 5–10 minutes.