NEWS
PADI’S CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE: GIVE THE GIFT OF BLUE MEANINGFUL GIFTING FROM AND FOR OCEAN LOVERS This year, you can make your holiday giving count while still delighting the ocean lovers, wanderlusters, wishful mermaids and thrill seekers on your list. PADI, the world’s largest purpose-driven diving organisation, has curated the ultimate, swoon-worthy holiday gift guide for those who adore the ocean and want to protect our largest – and most important - ecosystem.
It’s the perfect gift to give the whole family – it’s an amazing way to bond and something you’ll all remember forever. Kids as young as 10 can join in on the fun. Why not try something you can all enjoy for years to come together – and see if your family has the adventure gene? 2. THE GIFT OF A PASSPORT TO A LIFETIME OF ADVENTURE
Whether it’s sustainable gear made from recycled plastic perfect for the beachgoer, the ultimate, limited-edition collectibles for shark lovers, a passport to explore the secrets hidden beneath the surface in far flung places, or the chance to swim with dolphins as a mermaid, share in the power of creating positive ocean change through purpose-driven gifting while delighting everyone on your list. Here are PADI’s top picks for holiday gifts that pay it forward and serve a higher purpose: 1. THE GIFT OF THE FIRST BREATH UNDERWATER
Photo by Neil Andrea and Julie Andersen.
Ask anyone about their first dive and they’ll share how unforgettable it was to dip their heads beneath the surface and breathe underwater for the first time. For many, it creates an instant lifelong passion for both exploring and protecting our blue planet. Do you know someone who is curious about scuba diving but has never tried it? Let them test the waters with PADI’s Discover Scuba Diving course. It’s a fantastic way to learn all about diving and give someone their first experience in the deep blue if they’re thinking about getting their full PADI Certification. The experience will introduce them to the basics like how to use scuba gear and what hand signs to use to communicate with others underwater while under the guidance of a trained PADI Instructor. This experience will take place either in a pool or a calm water environment. Your adventure can start all over the globe, in one of PADI’s 6,600 members’ locations. Whether you choose to gift this locally, or on your next vacation in paradise, it’s easy to change someone’s life forever. 24
DIVERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT | DECEMBER 2023
Photo by Neil Andrea and Julie Andersen.
Buy less, do more. It’s the perfect motto in a world full of materialism. Rather than giving another gift that could end up in a closet collecting dust, you can give the ultimate experience – the ability to experience the incredible world underwater as a scuba diver, free diver, mermaid (see #1!) or snorkeller and forever change their life. PADI’s library of diverse educational courses provide transformational opportunities and a life-long passport to seeking adventure beneath the surface. What’s more, your recipient will earn a certification to turn your passion into meaningful action to protect our blue planet.
Open Water Divers – so it is also the perfect present for the whole family! The course can begin at home with PADI’s eLearning, and then be completed at any of PADI’s 6,600+ Dive Centres and Resorts around the world. If someone is already certified with PADI, help them go deeper into their underwater journey by choosing from a range of PADI’s Continuing Education courses. This includes a variety of specialised skills like advanced open water diving, wreck diving, night diving, or underwater photography. For those that want to take action to protect the ocean, there are also a range of conservation courses that provide the knowledge to help them protect the underwater world they love. Top picks include: PADI AWARE Speciality: A gift that makes a difference for our shared blue planet, by helping anyone and everyone learn and apply tips to save the ocean. The PADI AWARE Speciality course equips you with tangible actions and opportunities to bring about positive ocean change. Supported by PADI eLearning®, this course dismantles the barriers between diving and conservation, making responsible marine conservation accessible to all. A portion of the proceeds from every PADI AWARE Foundation™ course funds AWARE’s critical conservation work to remove marine debris, secure protection for sharks & rays, expand marine protected areas, and support local grantees. 3. THE GIFT OF A TRIP THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
With courses available for all ages and skill levels, certifications can be completed in 28 languages. And they can start from home with PADI eLearning – the foundation to obtaining any certification – which can be completed online or offline. From there, your recipient can complete the course with one of 128,000 PADI Professionals located around the world. For the adventurer in your life who wants to explore worlds that are still waiting to be discovered, for the bucket lister who has always wanted to swim with a turtle, and for the budding underwater detective eager to check out the mysteries of the deep, the PADI Open Water Diver course is the perfect gift. It’s the first level of PADI Certification that teaches all the skills and knowledge someone will need to dive at home or anywhere in the world. The course covers everything from basic principles and terminology to practical skills that include five dives in the open water with your PADI Instructor. Designed for beginners, kids as young as 10 years old can get their PADI Certification too as PADI Junior
Photo by Neil Andrea and Julie Andersen.
Wrap the world up with a bow with the gift of travel that gives back to our blue planet at the same time. Curated to help travellers discover new depths of our shared blue planet, PADI’s global travel platform offers bucketlist adventures with the largest collection of liveaboards and dive resorts. Fuelling wanderlust souls, enriching families, connecting visitors with local communities and supporting thoughtful holiday itineraries, PADI takes travel to a new level of purpose – and sustainability.
