Best Freediving Destinations for Digital Nomads
by Yannick SchrothAug 3, 20266 min read
Photo: Elianne Dipp / Pexels.
Verified detail lives in the individual guides, not in this summary.
How we chose
Freediving needs different things from scuba: deep water close to shore, minimal current, good visibility, and above all an established scene with people to buddy with. That last point does more for your safety than any depth chart, and it is why a few otherwise superb walls are not listed. Somewhere with a school and a lane line beats somewhere prettier with neither.
Dahab, Egypt
The Blue Hole and world-class freediving at the lowest costs on this list, on the Red Sea.
Freedive mecca, budgetRead the guide → 8°20′S 115°41′E · IndonesiaAmed, Bali
Calm, warm shore access and a growing freedive scene on Bali's quiet east coast.
Calm, warm, freedive sceneRead the guide → 36°02′N 14°14′E · MaltaGozo
Dramatic blue holes and walls in clear Mediterranean water, with an EU nomad permit.
Clear water, EURead the guide → 9°33′N 123°46′E · PhilippinesPanglao, Bohol
Warm, clear Visayan water, deep walls off Balicasag and freedive schools.
Warm, deep wallsRead the guide → 8°21′S 116°03′E · IndonesiaGili Islands
Calm, warm, clear water off car-free islands, a gentle place to train.
Calm, clearRead the guide → 8°44′S 115°33′E · IndonesiaNusa Penida
Clear water and big pelagics off Bali's dramatic neighbour, for confident freedivers.
Clear, big pelagicsRead the guide → 9°57′N 123°23′E · PhilippinesMoalboal
A year-round sardine run and a wall drop-off metres off the beach, at low prices.
Sardine run, cheapRead the guide → 10°06′N 99°50′E · ThailandKoh Tao, Thailand
Warm, calm bays, cheap training and a big freedive and dive scene.
Cheap training, warmRead the guide →Picking a freedive base
- Classic freedive training and depth: Dahab's Blue Hole and Amed in Bali.
- Warm, clear and cheap: Panglao, Moalboal and the Gilis.
- EU base with dramatic dive sites: Gozo in Malta.
How the picks differ
Freediving destinations stand or fall on two things you cannot see in a photograph: how deep the water gets close to shore, and whether there is a scene to buddy with.
| Base | What it is best at | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Dahab, Egypt | budget nomad divers and freedivers who want warm water year-round and a slow pace | among the cheapest dive bases, roughly $470 to $1,175 a month |
| Amed, Bali | focused solo nomads and couples who dive most days and do not need office-grade wifi | roughly $1,070 to $1,480 a month, cheaper than Canggu; a villa is $600 to $1,200 |
| Gili Islands | turtle-rich diving and snorkelling, car-free calm, and a social island break | roughly $1,000 to $1,220 a month; a bungalow $300 to $500 |
| Nusa Penida | world-class manta ray and mola mola diving off Bali | roughly $1,000 to $1,800 a month; a premium over mainland Bali |
| Moalboal | cheap, world-class diving: the year-round sardine run, turtles and Pescador Island | roughly $700 to $1,100 a month; a long-stay room $250 to $450 |
| Koh Tao | getting certified or a short, dive-intensive stint; nomads who like a social scene | roughly $470 to $625 a month; studio ~$378 |
Who each one is wrong for
Freediving alone is the one thing every agency tells you not to do, so a place without a community is a place to skip regardless of its depth chart. These are the specific catches.
- Dahab, Egypt:
think twice if you need fast, reliable internet or city amenities
- Amed, Bali:
think twice if you need reliable high-bandwidth video calls all day or a large coworking community
- Gili Islands:
think twice if you need reliable bandwidth; the wifi is the weak point
- Nusa Penida:
think twice if you are a new diver (strong currents) or need reliable wifi
- Moalboal:
think twice if you need fast, guaranteed wifi or big-city amenities
1 of the 6 guides here do not state a drawback in their summary. Rather than invent one, we have left them out of this list; read the guide itself for the honest downsides.
FAQ
Where is the best place to learn to freedive?
Dahab in Egypt is the classic: the Blue Hole, deep water close to shore, and a dense freediving scene at low cost. Amed in Bali, Panglao in the Philippines and Gozo in Malta are also excellent, warm and clear. Always train with a certified instructor and never freedive alone.
Is freediving safe?
Freediving has real risks, above all shallow-water blackout. Never freedive alone, always use the one-up-one-down system with a trained buddy, never hyperventilate, and get proper instruction. See our freediving-safety guide before you start.
Sources
- Every entry above is drawn from our own destination guide for that place, and the claims here are the ones those guides already verify: Dahab, Egypt, Amed, Bali, Gozo, Panglao, Bohol, Gili Islands, Nusa Penida, Moalboal, Koh Tao.