I'm going on a diving vacation and I'm taking....

It is sometimes challenging to pack your suitcase when you go on vacation. You don’t want to carry too much, but you also don’t want to carry too little. If you’re going on a diving vacation, then there’s an added challenge – your diving equipment. What luggage do you take with you on a diving vacation? And what exactly do you leave at home? And how do you take it? We have listed 8 packing tips for you, especially for your diving trip!

1. Leave your lead & scuba tank at home!

A very logical piece of advice for many people, but it really does happen that people pack their lead. Therefore, some airlines even name in their baggage rules that lead is not allowed. Wherever you go, you can assume that the location where you will be diving has lead for you. As well as a bottle for that matter, you don’t have to pack those either.

2. Respirators

Put your breathers in your carry-on luggage or protect them well in your suitcase. Your regulator easily weighs 3-4 kg and therefore many people prefer to take it with them in their hand luggage, which is often not weighed. In addition, people are also very careful with their regulator and find it a nicer, safer idea to carry it in hand luggage. Should you have room, you can absolutely do that. If you transport your regulator in your suitcase, it is best to pack it well, for example by wrapping it well in a towel or the like. Some people also put the breathers in their diving boots, but we put a bit of our reservations about that in terms of hygiene…. 🤔

3. Delve into diving equipment for vacation divers

Are you going to buy new gear? Or are you buying diving equipment for the first time? And are you a real vacation diver? Then inquire especially about the travel dive sets. These dive sets are very light and specially designed for travel. A regular diving set can easily weigh 10-15KG, add to that the weight of empty suitcase á 2 to 5 KG and you are not left with very much… (not that you need much more).

4. Baggage rules regarding diving equipment

Familiarize yourself with baggage rules and book extra pounds if necessary. Of course, we at EWDR already take this into account during the booking process, of course. Every airline is different in terms of rules. With some airlines, you can check in dive luggage very cheaply or even for free (Garuda, among others). If it costs relatively little to carry extra pounds, and you don’t plan to travel continuously from accommodation to accommodation, a little extra luggage is convenient. Because with diving equipment, you are often right at the standard 20-23 kilos of checked baggage that most airlines use.

5. Pack the right wetsuit

Inform yourself well in advance what temperature the water is so that you pack the right wetsuit! After all, packing a 7mm suit for a nice diving vacation to Indonesia makes no sense at all. That is way too hot for (almost) everyone and also weighs quite a bit. For tropical water, instead of open-heel fins and boots, you can choose pool fins, with a closed heel. That makes quite a difference, but you do lose comfort and power in the water… choices… choices…. To make it as easy as possible for our customers, we have posted wetsuit advice with all of our trips. Keep in mind that some people get cold faster than others AND if you dive a lot you often cool down faster on the last few dives. Especially for liveaboards, something to consider.

6. Consider renting (some) diving equipment

Have you just started diving? Or maybe you dive on vacation once a year? Sometimes then it can be interesting to just rent your equipment such as BCD, regulator and wetsuit. We do always recommend at least purchasing your own goggles, and a computer will also benefit you for a long time. Everything else you can consider renting. It does depend a bit on where you’re going and how long you’ll be diving – not everywhere is as inexpensive to rent. In the Optional Costs & FAQ of our trips, we indicate the cost of renting diving equipment whenever possible.

7. Traveling with photography & film equipment and/or dive lights

Do you have an underwater camera and/or dive lights? Then it is important that you carry it well protected in your carry-on luggage. In any case, you will have to carry the batteries in your carry-on luggage because those are almost always Lithium batteries and they are not allowed in checked luggage. Your camera/lamp is also very vulnerable and therefore it is not wise to put it in your luggage. Note: Make sure the batteries are out of your camera/lamp/flashers and where possible the contact points are taped.

8. Travel with a hard case suitcase

Perhaps not the lightest option, but certainly the most solid option; a hard case suitcase that protects your belongings extra well. Especially if you carry breathers etc. in your checked baggage, this is definitely worth considering. I myself, Rianne, have a bright yellow suitcase from Samsonite (lightweight and hardcase). This is not a fashion statement – actually the opposite. I got this bright shade of yellow for two reasons, one I instantly recognize it on the belt and two, someone won’t be so quick to grab my suitcase off the belt!