Amare Divers runs an active coral restoration program in Labuan Bajo, the islands close by and Komodo National Park. We don’t just take people diving past the reef — we teach them to repair it. From first-time divers to marine biology students, everyone can contribute, learn, and leave Komodo having done something that lasts.
Our program combines SSI-certified courses with hands-on restoration work at active nursery and outplanting sites. Every level is open to different experience backgrounds, from complete non-divers to advanced professionals seeking internship experience.

Why Coral Restoration in Komodo

Komodo sits inside the Coral Triangle — the most biodiverse marine region on Earth. The strong tidal currents that make diving here so thrilling also bring cold, nutrient-rich water that gives Komodo’s corals better resilience to warming than most Indonesian reefs. This makes active restoration here genuinely effective — not just symbolic.
Coral grows 1–3 cm per year. A damaged section left alone takes decades to recover. With nursery propagation and outplanting, recovery timelines drop to 2–5 years. Our program focuses on branching corals (Acropora) and table corals — the structural backbone species that create habitat for thousands of reef fish.

Course & Program Overview

We offer four levels of participation, from a single-day SSI experience to a multi-week internship. All certified courses use SSI’s official Coral Reef Restoration program materials and are taught by our SSI Instructor team.

REEF
GUARDIAN

1 Day

2 Dives

OW Certified
Divers

3,500,000

book this course

REEF
RESTORER

2 Days

4 Dives

OW Certified
Divers

5,500,000

book this course

OCEAN
STEWARD

3 Days

6 Dives

OW Certified
Divers

8,500,000

book this course

REEF KEEPER
INTERNSHIP

1-4 Weeks

Daily

Non-divers to
advanced

See details

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REEF GUARDIAN

Your first dive into coral restoration. One day. Two dives. One SSI certification.

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This is the entry point into our program. In a single day you’ll learn the fundamentals of coral biology, understand why Komodo’s reefs are under pressure, and get in the water to do real restoration work — trimming coral fragments, attaching them to nursery frames, and logging your contribution.

You’ll earn the SSI Coral Reef Restoration Specialty certification. It counts toward your SSI Master Diver rating and is accepted worldwide.

Course name

 Reef Guardian — SSI Coral Reef Restoration Specialty

Duration

 1 day

Dives

 2 open water dives at our restoration site

Theory

 Morning classroom/briefing session (2 hours). Coral biology, restoration methods, site orientation.

In-water work

 Nursery maintenance + coral fragment attachment to frames

Certification

SSI Coral Reef Restoration Specialty

Min. certification

SSI Open Water Diver or equivalent

Min. age

12 years old

Group size

Maximum 4 divers per instructor

What you’ll receive

SSI digital certification + GPS coordinates of your coral + participation certificate

Includes: SSI cert fee, dive equipment, boat, SSI digital course materials, briefing, onboard lunch and water.
Excludes: personal expenses.

REEF RESTORER

Go deeper into the science. Two days. Four dives. Two SSI certifications.

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The Reef Restorer program combines the SSI Coral Reef Restoration Specialty with a full guided reef health survey — teaching you to assess reef condition the way marine biologists do. Over two days you’ll move from nursery work on Day 1 to outplanting and monitoring on Day 2.

You’ll leave with two SSI specialty certifications, a hands-on understanding of reef survey methodology, and a stronger connection to what actually happens to a reef after restoration.

Course name

 Reef Restorer — SSI Coral Reef Restoration + Reef Survey

Duration

 2 days

Dives

 4 open water dives (2 per day)

Day 1

 Coral biology briefing + nursery maintenance + fragment attachment (2 dives)

Day 2

 Outplanting to degraded reef section + guided reef health survey (2 dives)

Certifications

SSI Coral Reef Restoration Specialty + SSI Marine Ecology Specialty

Min. certification

SSI Open Water Diver or equivalent

Min. age

12 years old

Group size

Maximum 4 divers per instructor

What you’ll receive

2 SSI digital certs + GPS coordinates of outplanted coral + reef survey data sheet to keep

Includes: 2 SSI cert fees, dive equipment, boat both days, SSI digital materials, briefings, onboard lunch and water both days.
Excludes: Komodo National Park fee (IDR 300,000/day), personal expenses.

OCEAN STEWARD

The complete restoration experience. Three days. Six dives. Three SSI certifications including Perfect Buoyancy.

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Ocean Steward is our most complete conservation course package. It covers the full SSI Coral Reef Restoration program, reef monitoring, and adds the SSI Perfect Buoyancy Specialty — because a diver who can hover perfectly causes zero coral contact and works far more effectively in a restoration setting.

By Day 3 you’ll be hovering over the reef with full control, outplanting coral with precision, and running a basic reef health assessment. This is the program for divers who are genuinely serious about marine conservation — or who want to be.

Course name

 Ocean Steward — SSI Coral Restoration + Marine Ecology + Perfect Buoyancy

Duration

 3 days

Dives

 6 open water dives (2 per day)

Day 1

 SSI Perfect Buoyancy — buoyancy theory + 2 skill dives. Reduce reef contact before doing restoration.

Day 2

 SSI Coral Reef Restoration — coral biology briefing + nursery maintenance + outplanting (2 dives)

Day 3

SSI Marine Ecology — reef health survey + coral identification + data logging (2 dives)

Certifications

SSI Perfect Buoyancy + SSI Coral Reef Restoration + SSI Marine Ecology (3 certs)

Min. certification

SSI Open Water Diver or equivalent

Group size

Maximum 4 divers per instructor

Min. age

12 years old

Group size

Maximum 4 per instructor

Best for

Divers wanting real conservation impact + underwater photographers + divers planning return trips

What you’ll receive

3 SSI digital certs + GPS coral coordinates + reef survey data + participation log

Includes: 3 SSI cert fees (IDR 2,340,000 in certs alone), dive equipment all 3 days, boat, SSI digital materials, briefings, onboard lunch and water all 3 days.
Excludes: Komodo National Park fee (IDR 300,000/day), personal expenses.

REEF KEEPER INTERNSHIP

For non-divers to advanced divers. 1 to 4 weeks. Genuine conservation fieldwork in Komodo.

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The Reef Keeper Internship is our most immersive program. Unlike the shorter courses, this is for people who want sustained hands-on experience working on a real restoration site — not just a one-day dip. Students, gap-year travelers, marine biology graduates, and conservation volunteers all join this program.

We offer four tracks based on diving experience. Non-divers can start from zero — we get them certified and in the water within the first week.

INTERNSHIP TRACK A — Non-Diver Start

Who it’s for

 Complete beginners — no diving experience required

Duration

 3 weeks minimum (4 weeks recommended)

Week 1

 SSI Open Water Diver certification (3–4 days) + orientation dives in Komodo

Week 2

 SSI Coral Reef Restoration Specialty + first nursery work dives

Week 3–4

Daily restoration dives + reef survey training + optional SSI Perfect Buoyancy or Marine Ecology

Certifications earned

SSI Open Water + SSI Coral Reef Restoration + 1 elective specialty

Dives

~20–30 dives depending on duration

INTERNSHIP TRACK B — Certified Diver (OW or above)

Who it’s for

 Open Water certified divers with 10+ logged dives

Duration

 2 weeks minimum

Week 1

 SSI Coral Reef Restoration + SSI Perfect Buoyancy + restoration dives

Week 2

 SSI Marine Ecology + reef survey work + deeper outplanting dives

Certifications earned

SSI Coral Reef Restoration + SSI Perfect Buoyancy + SSI Marine Ecology

Dives

~16–20 dives

INTERNSHIP TRACK C — Advanced Diver / Research Focus

Who it’s for

 Advanced OW or above with 30+ dives, serious about conservation

Duration

 1 week minimum

Programme

 Restoration + reef health monitoring + coral ID survey + photographic documentation + data logging for park management

Certifications earned

SSI Coral Reef Restoration + SSI Marine Ecology (if not already held)

Dives

~10–14 dives in 1 week

Academic credit

We provide documentation for universities requiring evidence of field hours. Past interns have used this for marine biology theses.

All Courses — What's Included and Excluded

Included

  • SSI certification fee(s)
  • SSI digital course materials
  • Full dive equipment rental
  • Boat access to restoration site(s)
  • Certified SSI Instructor supervision
  • Onboard meals (lunch) and drinks on dive days
  • GPS coordinates of your coral
  • Digital participation certificate

Not Included

  • Komodo National Park & harbour fee (IDR 300,000/diver/day — cash only)
  • Accommodation
  • Flights or transfers to Labuan Bajo
  • Personal expenses
  • Dive computer rental (IDR 100,000/day, available on request)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be an advanced diver?

 No. Open Water is enough for Courses 1, 2, and 3 and Internship Tracks A and B.

Can I join if I’ve never dived?

 Yes — via the Internship Track A. We get you certified in Week 1 then move straight into restoration work.

Does the SSI cert count toward Master Diver?

 Yes. SSI Coral Reef Restoration is an official specialty — it counts toward your specialty count for SSI recognition ratings.

Is it safe for beginner divers?

 Yes. Restoration work is done at 5–12m in sheltered conditions. Perfect buoyancy is taught before you touch the coral.

Can snorkelers join?

 Yes — non-diver guests can observe shallow nursery work via snorkel. No certification for snorkelers but they can contribute to surface-level tasks.

Can I use this for academic credit?

We provide formal documentation of field hours for university programs. Contact us for details.

When are courses available?

Year-round. We schedule based on booking — contact us to choose your dates.

What coral species do you work with?

Primarily Acropora (staghorn, table), Porites, and Pocillopora — the structural backbone species of Indo-Pacific reefs.