If you’ve always wanted to enter the underwater world quietly, on your own terms, staying as long as your breath allows, then freediving is for you.
DiveBase Instructors are going to organize a 3 hour-long experience in a pleasant and calm environment respecting your learning times.
WHAT includes:
- 1 Intro session at DiveBase dive center,
- 1 Training session at sea in shallow water
- 1 Dive at Sea in open water (max depth -10mt)
- Full Diving Equipment
- Instructor
- Insurance Coverage for the entire duration of the experience
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- to know & correctly use basic freediving equipment
- to learn breathhold techniques
- to manage equalization in comfort conditions
- to swim with fins without efforts
DIVING EQUIPMENT
Full diving equipment is provided by DiveBase dive center. Participants should bring own bathing suit/shorts or bikini, towel and dry clothes. Own mask & snorkel are always welcomed.
REQUIREMENTS
Sufficient swimming skills are required, as well as being in good state of health DiveBase provides all diving equipment needed. Participants should bring own bathing suit/shorts or bikini, towel and dry clothes.
Min age to participante is 10 year.
A Medical Screening Statement and Questionnaire must be filled out before the start of this course. In case of positive answers to the Online questionnaire DiveBase Team has the right to request an additional legal document of fitness to dive issued by a doctor or medical examiner. Please inform the Team before the start of the activity in case of medication taking, asthma, high blood pressure, heart complications, past COVID-19 positivity or had surgery in the past 12 months.
PRICES:
1 participant: € 75
2 participants: €70 per person
3 participants and more : €65 per person
WHAT’S NEXT?? If you liked this experience and would like to continue discovering the blue side of Malta you may join daily Snorkeling Tours from shore and to Comino with boat. If you would like to reach further freediving goal you may continue with DiveBase Freediving courses.
Pre-Dive Briefing: Setting You Up for Success
Before we even get close to the water, your instructor will sit down with you for a relaxed chat at the DiveBase center. This is not a rushed lecture – we take time to understand your previous experience with the sea, your comfort level in water, and any concerns you might have. The briefing covers the plan for the day, from the breathing exercises on land to the first duck dive. We’ll explain the signals we use underwater, how we communicate with you, and what you can expect to feel during each stage. You’ll also learn a simple but powerful relaxation routine that will become your best friend once you’re floating face down.
During this session we go through the equipment you’ll be using. Even if you’ve snorkeled before, freediving fins, the low-volume mask, and the simple but carefully fitted snorkel might feel new. We’ll show you how to adjust everything for a perfect fit because comfort equals calmness, and calmness is the key to a long, enjoyable breath-hold. You’ll also be introduced to the concept of “buddy system”: you are never alone. Your instructor or a trained safety freediver will be right next to you at all times, watching over your dive and ready to assist. This safety net gives you the peace of mind to truly relax and focus only on the sensations of the dive.
The briefing ends with a series of land-based breath-hold exercises. You’ll practice breathing patterns that help your body store oxygen efficiently, and you’ll do your first static apnea lying on a mat, with the instructor guiding you through the seconds. Many people are surprised at how long they can hold their breath after just a few minutes of coaching. This early success sets a positive, confident tone for the whole experience.
The Shallow Water Training: Building Confidence Step by Step
After the land session, we move into a sheltered shallow-water area – often a calm bay or a protected swimming zone where you can stand up easily. Here the water is only waist-deep or a little deeper, and the bottom is sandy and visible. This environment is designed to remove any fear of the unknown. You’ll first simply float face down, breathing through the snorkel, and getting used to the feeling of the freediving fins. The fins are longer than normal snorkelling fins and they might feel strange at first, but within minutes you’ll discover how a gentle, slow kick can propel you almost without effort.
Your instructor will show you the correct body position: arms relaxed at your sides, head in line with your spine, fins moving from the hips with a soft, fluid motion. We call this the “streamline” – it reduces drag and saves oxygen. You’ll practice swimming horizontally just under the surface, and then we’ll introduce the first duck dive. The duck dive is the way freedivers get beneath the surface without splashing. Your instructor demonstrates, then guides you through it step by step: tuck your chin, bend at the hips, let your legs follow. Even if you only go down one or two metres, you’ll feel the magic of being fully submerged with a single held breath. Equalisation – the gentle clearing of your ears – is taught here, on the spot, with hands-on help. You’ll learn to equalise early and often, preventing any discomfort.
If you feel any anxiety, we simply return to the surface, breathe, and talk. There is no rush, no pressure. Many students repeat the same exercise several times until it feels natural. The shallow pool or bay becomes a playground of discovery, and you’ll be amazed how quickly your body adapts. By the end of this training, you’ll be ready to venture into slightly deeper water, carry with you the fundamental skills that make open water freediving safe and exhilarating.
Making the Most of Your Open Water Dive
When the moment arrives to leave the shallows and explore open water, your heart might beat a little faster – and that’s perfectly normal. The site we choose has a gentle slope or a small reef where the depth increases gradually to a maximum of ten metres. Your instructor will swim right beside you, and often another DiveBase safety freediver may be in the water as well. The first descent is always the most memorable. You’ll do a calm breathe-up at the surface, then, on your own signal, you’ll perform the duck dive you’ve just practised, and begin your finning towards the bottom. The world goes quiet except for the sound of your heartbeat and the distant crackle of the sea.
During the open water dive, you’ll be encouraged to look around. Depending on the season and location, you might see schools of small bream, bright wrasse darting among the rocks, octopus peeking from crevices, or even a passing sea turtle if luck is on your side. Malta’s underwater visibility is often exceptional, giving you a crystal-clear view of the sea floor and the sunlight piercing the surface above. You’ll learn to gauge your limits not by an external timer, but by listening carefully to your own body sensations – the first gentle urge to breathe, which always appears long before you actually need air. Coming back to the surface, you’ll break into a smile and share your experience with the group. Usually we do two or three open water dives in the session, each one a little longer and a little deeper than the last, perfectly tailored to your comfort and progression.
Common Questions from First-Time Freedivers
Many people ask us if they need to be able to hold their breath for a very long time before trying freediving. The answer is no. The course is designed for absolute beginners, and most participants find they can comfortably hold their breath for over a minute by the end of the introductory session, even if they started with only twenty seconds. Another frequent question is about ear pain or pressure. Equalisation is a skill like any other, and our instructors have plenty of tips for making it easy and automatic. If you have had trouble clearing your ears when flying or diving in the past, simply let us know during the briefing; we have experience with common issues and can adapt the pace to suit you.
A question that comes up a lot is “What if I panic?” The truth is, when you learn in the safe, gradual manner we provide, panic rarely happens. Because you are never alone, never pushed, and always in control, your brain has time to realise that being underwater on a breath-hold is a natural, calming state. Even if you do feel a bit of nervousness, the buddy system means you can signal to your instructor at any second and they will guide you to the surface immediately. At DiveBase we believe that every person has the innate ability to dive on one breath – it’s our job simply to unlock that ability in a safe, enjoyable way.
Finally, many wonder what comes next. After the introductory experience, you’ll have a solid foundation for further training. DiveBase organises regular beginner courses and freediving excursions to some of Malta’s most beautiful spots, including caves and wrecks in depths accessible to novices. Freediving becomes more than a sport; it turns into a way to connect with the sea, with your body, and with a global community of like-minded individuals. Your dive log, started on this first day, could be the beginning of a lifelong passion.