Frequently Asked Questions

You can rent snorkelling gear for self guided exploration from us.

We do not offer guided tours from either beach or boat.

No, it contributes to animal cruelty.

We do not discriminate for age or disability.

Regarding any disabilities or special needs, we kindly ask that you inform us in advance so we can prepare a suitable dive plan.

In addition, we require all divers aged 60 and above, as well as any divers with a disability regardless of age, to bring a medical clearance from a doctor in their home country.

We dive all year round. April to October is usually the best time to dive.

Piranha Divers is closed during Christmas and New Year.

This is a common question with a tricky answer! Okinawa has a sub-tropical climate, with mild winters and long, humid summers. The rainy season runs from mid May to mid June, though rain and thunder don’t usually affect diving.

Typhoon season typically lasts from May to October, and while typhoons may disrupt diving for a few days when hitting Okinawa or passing nearby, schedules generally return to normal afterward. We always take precautions. [Typhoon Forecast]

Wind and waves are the main factors that can impact a planned dive. [Wind and Weather Forecast]

Okinawa’s sea temperature is consistently comfortable. It dips to about 22°C (72°F) in February and March and rises to a warm 29°C (84°F) in summer. We provide both long and short wetsuits for different temperatures, as well as hoods and vests if you’d like a bit more warmth.

Depending on the dive schedule and location we do from the following Hotels:

• Oriental Hotel
• Kariyushi Hotel
• Odysis Onna Resort
• Exes Spa Resort
• Resort Class Inn Onna
• The Ritz Carlton Hotel
• Halekulani Hotel
• Kanehide Kise Beach Palace
• Best Western – Kouki Beach
• Miyuki Beach Hotel
• Umito Plage
• The Busena Terrace

We can offer pick ups and drop off from other hotels for a small fee schedule permitting.

At Piranha Divers, our pricing reflects our commitment to safety, quality, and professionalism. Since 2009, we have focused on well-maintained equipment, small and personal dive groups, and a high level of service to ensure the best possible experience for every guest.

We are a fully registered limited liability company in Japan and meet all legal requirements for scuba diving service providers. This includes official registrations, paying all taxes and fees, maintaining professional memberships with SDI/TDI, and providing health insurance and fair working conditions for our staff.

By operating transparently and responsibly, we ensure that both our guests and our team are fully protected, giving you peace of mind and a safe, high-quality diving experience.

Medications: Certain medications may be difficult to obtain over the counter, and a doctor’s visit may be required. We recommend bringing essential items from home, such as motion sickness medication, sunscreen, and spare contact lenses.

Travel and Dive Insurance: While not required, travel and dive insurance is strongly recommended. We have liability coverage, but for diving-related injuries, we advise using third-party insurance like [DiveAssure]. Without insurance, you may be liable for treatment costs if a dive incident occurs.

We are happy to offer the following private options:

A private dive guide or instructor for your trip or course. This allows for a fully personalised experience and is available at twice the regular trip or course fee.

A private boat charter for a more exclusive and flexible schedule. Please note that this option requires advance planning and must be arranged well ahead of time to ensure availability.

We are happy to support larger groups. For this, we work together with an experienced dive travel agent based in Japan who can coordinate and manage the full itinerary for both diving and travel arrangements.

With extensive experience in Japan, the agent can also design customised itineraries beyond diving, should your group wish to include additional cultural or sightseeing activities. This ensures a smooth, well-organised, and enjoyable experience from start to finish.

You can rent snorkelling gear for self guided exploration from us when snorkelling from shore.

Local regulation require us to to provide a guide for snorkelling from a boat, a service we can not offer.

At Piranha Divers, we primarily offer morning diving, dusk and night diving can be scheduled as needed.

• Boat Diving trips start at the diveshop between 6:30am and 7:30am, depending on which boat we have scheduled. 2 Dives are usually done by noon, and an optional 3ed dive returns early afternoon. Departure and return times sometimes change due to weather or the schedule of the boat operator.
• Shore diving trips and diving courses usually start 8:30am at the diveshop, unless something else has been planned for an individual trip.
• If your hotel is on the way to the divesite a pickup/drop off probably is possible but no guaranteed, as spaces are limited. All divers are recommended to rent a car for additional flexibility when traveling on Okinawa.

Both, DIN and Yoke are OK!

We offer a minimum of 2 dives per day as a package. Unfortunately we cannot offer tours with only 1 dive. Should you choose not to do the second or third dive of the day, no refund or discount can be offered from the original booking.

Exception: If 2nd or 3ed dive is canceled due to weather a partial refund will be offered at the discretion of Piranha Divers.

We only offer technical diving using Sidemount gear.

Plenty of AL80's with Left and Right Valve are available as well as cylinder hardware.

Technical Diver Training is available on Sidemount only.

Currently there are 3AL 40's (5.5l) with Nitrox/O2 and plenty of Nitrox AL80's (11l) with Nitrox.

5 stage regulators are available - usable with high percentage of o2

Technical fun diving in Okinawa is possible but requires advance planning, as resources are limited. Boat diving must be arranged well ahead of time, and specialty gases need to be ordered in advance. Shore-based technical dives are generally easier to organise.

In addition to the required certifications, divers must demonstrate a reasonable level of technical diving knowledge and experience. We do not support an “ego-driven” approach to diving.

Yes you can solo dive from shore! Show us a prudent dive plan, redundant gear, Solo/Self reliant certification card. You need to have your own ride to and from the divesite and only pay for rental gear.

Boat solodiving is not available due to local logistics.

Our courses are designed for motivated individuals who are ready to actively participate and take responsibility for their own learning. Confident swimming ability is an essential prerequisite. During training, students are expected to set up and check their own equipment, work effectively within a buddy team, and engage with the course material to develop safe and competent diving skills.

For the Open Water Course, it is required that participants are able to swim 200 meters without stopping and tread water or float for 10 minutes in water too deep to stand. These water skills are mandatory training standards and must be met to begin certification.

Yes, during the Advanced Open Water Course only.

Open Water 18m/60ft

Advanced 30m/100ft

Deep Diver 40m/130ft

Our Open Water Diver course takes 3 days. Training generally is performance based not time based, except that for most visitors courses are time based due to a travel schedule.

For participants who need extra time to master the course content:

• Students can opt for additional training at an additional cost if our schedule permits it.
• Students are welcome to return and finish the course at Piranha Divers within 1 year.
• Students can be issue a referral form for continuing diver training elsewhere.

Piranha Divers is a small family run business and unfortunately not able to give refunds for reasons such as:

• Sudden illness, anxiety issues, inability to meet certification requirements or not enjoying diving etc.
• Not being able to follow the normal pace of the class.
• Snorkelling gear will be offered to participants who aren't able to go underwater, to snorkel independently.

We keep our courses as small as possible to maximise the attention each student receives. At Piranha that usually means a ratio of 4:1.

Private Courses are possible upon request.

The time it takes to become a Divemaster can vary depending on the individual, your previous experience and your goals. Usually we teach the course in 2-3 weeks, but are open to alter the schedule depending on your needs.

The Divemaster course is designed for divers who want to develop the skills and mindset required to work in the dive industry and to continue toward an instructor-level qualification. Before enrolling, you should already be a confident and comfortable diver with solid fundamental skills.

The program builds on your existing experience rather than teaching basic diving, so strong buoyancy control, situational awareness, and a serious, professional attitude toward learning are essential. Even if you do not plan to work as a Divemaster, we ask that all candidates approach the course with commitment and professionalism.

Short Answer: NO!

If your focus is on becoming a stronger diver. We’ll gladly design a customised training plan based on your current skills and specific goals.