Frequently asked questions
What is the typical daily dive schedule?
During the summer season, from May to October, our boat leaves the dock daily at 9:00am for two dives in the Portofino national marine reserve.
The 2-tank dive trip takes approximately 4 hours to visit two different sites in the marine park. Most of the 20 dive spots are reef, wall and wreck dives suitable for both beginners and experienced divers. Upon request it is possible to dive the underwater statue of the Christ of the Abyss.
Check-in time is 8:00am at our dive base at the harbor of Santa Margherita Ligure.
During the winter season, from November to April, our boat leaves the dock daily at 9:00am for a single dive in the Portofino national marine reserve. This trip takes approx 2 hours.
We often organize also an afternoon dive trip at 2:00pm for one or two dives.
Last update on 19. February 2024 by Portofino Divers.
How far in advance should I book my dives?
There is no precise answer to this question.
Since there are only 10 seats available per day, availability may decrease at any time.
We recommend booking well in advance if you want to dive on a specific date. The same applies to our training courses and try-dives.
Check the availability and prices of the most popular activities:
Last update on 6. March 2024 by Portofino Divers.
It is possible to dive the Christ of the Abyss?
There is no doubt that the submerged statue of the Christ of the Abyss is among the most visited dives sites in the Portofino marine park. Although for someone it might not be the most fascinating site Portofino has to offer, more and more divers want to see the statue during their stay.
If you are a certified diver and you want to dive at the Christ of the Abyss you should include this information in the online booking form, but also don’t forget to remind your dive preferences to our staff at your arrival. Dive sites are selected by taking into account the preferences of all passengers, we will do our best to satisfy your request.
Whilst Portofino Divers makes every effort, we cannot guarantee diving at specific sites. In adverse sea conditions the dive guides and captain will have the final decision about which dive sites to visit to ensure that the guests, staff and boat's safety is not compromised in any way.
Are you a certified diver ?
If you are not-certified for diving, but you want to dive at the Christ of the Abyss, you can apply for Discover Scuba Diving program.
Last update on 19. February 2024 by Portofino Divers.
I do not have any scuba diving experience.
Can I try scuba diving?
If you do not hold a scuba diving certification but you want to dive the Portofino National Marine Reserve and the famous statue of the Christ of the Abyss, our instructors can organize a introduction to scuba diving for you.
The Discover Scuba Diving program takes a minimum of an half day, it includes a lecture on the basic procedures of scuba diving and a training dive from the shore to learn the fundamental techniques for safety and to become familiar with the equipment. Then you could join an optional boat trip with your instructor to explore the Portofino marine park at maximum depth of 12 meters.
Last update on 19. February 2024 by Portofino Divers.
Do I need a Scuba ReFresher?
To get the most out of the dive trip, we recommend to all divers who have not dive been diving for over a year, in particular those with little experience, to attend a Scuba Refresher program before taking part in our guided dives.
You can enroll in a refresher class with your local dive center, or book a session with us as part of your stay. Our Scuba Refresher program will cover equipment management and basic diving skills refinement during one shore dive.
Last update on 19. February 2024 by Portofino Divers.
It is required to have a medical certificate to join your dive tours?
Although not required by italian legislation, certified scuba divers are advised to check with their doctor, on an annual basis,to be in good medical fitness to dive. The purpose of the Diving Medical Questionnaire is to find out if you need to be examined by a physician before participating in a dive trip or in a diving course. If there is a positive answer on the questionnaire you should participate in scuba diving activities only if you are signed off by a physician to be fit to dive. Although not required, divers with more than 50 years are advised to bring the questionnaire signed by their doctor, or a medical certificate of good health, not older than a year.
Last update on 19. February 2024 by Portofino Divers.
What are your diving prices?
You can find all the information about our rates in the booking page. Please select your favorite activity to check the price, including our discounts for families and small groups of divers, as well as incentives for young divers under-26 and for extended stays.
Last update on 19. February 2024 by Portofino Divers.
What type of scuba cylinders do you supply?
Our scuba tanks are 12 liter "long" steel cylinders 232 bar with a single DIN or INT connection.
For deep diving enthusiasts we provide 12+12 steel twin tanks and various sizes of aluminum decompression cylinders.
Last update on 27. February 2024 by Portofino Divers.