Insider Divers Reviews 

Insider

Diving trips with Insider Divers are the best! You get extra contents, lot of fun, and develop knowledge about diving, marine life and nature. You’re sure to be diving in the best place in the right moment of the year and with reliable operators. As a pro-diver myself, I am also very glad that safety is always a priority!
After Palau, Fiji, Red Sea and Tubbataha…I can’t wait for the next trip!

Just came back from an amazing trip to Sea of Cortez with these guys. We saw orcas and a lot of other different species of whales, as well as mobulas, sea lions and much more. Great company and even better boss. Simon, an award winning photographer who speaks 4 - 6 languages fluently, is also a great organizer and real professional. Thanks to him little problems with local hotel management were handled smoothly and quickly. Additional to being the perfect guide he also supplied a lot of information about the wildlife during amazing pep talks and made the whole experience just a lot better. I already booked my next trip with him - very excited about what adventures he will take me on next!

Simon and the Insider Divers team put on an incredible trip to the Galapagos! We had a fun and diverse group from around the world that came together for some great diving and one of my favorite parts were all of the educational talks that Simon put on for us. I learned a ton on this trip. It was my first Insider Divers trip but certainly won't be my last!

Galapagos will always be great, but the experience is even more special when handled by a professional. thanks insider divers! can't wait to travel more with you guys.

I have done 3 trips with Insider Divers and already have my next one booked. Simon Lorenz manages trip details thoroughly, making it as effortless as possible for the divers. The most recent trip was Galapagos, and the mix of land and sea arrangements, taking into consideration the rules and policies of the park, were quite intricate, but all we needed to do was show up (on time please!) because all of the heavy lifting was done by Simon. It is also valuable that he is an award-winning underwater photographer so after the trip, we get pro photos to keep the memories alive for a lifetime!

My husband, my sister and I went on our first Liveaboard last September through Insider Divers. Destination: Maldives! I do not have words to explain how grateful I am for this trip, and how thankful I am for the way Simon handled it. The dives we experienced blew my mind and are obviously a HUGE component of a liveaboard trip, but it is just as important to recognize that the trip leader(s) is/are what makes the experience so unique and enjoyable.

Simon championed the entire organization of the trip! I, among others, had booked this trip back in early 2020. During the 2+ years we had to wait (thanks, COVID) to finally embark, I want to emphasize how responsive Simon has been with me; he was always super patient in addressing all my questions and concerns, and never hesitated to jump on a call for a chat. As the trip got closer in 2022, he was very communicative on our chat group with updates, traveling info and tips, and was available for every question we had. During the trip, Simon and our awesome co-host Lauren (from Girls That Scuba!!) went above and beyond to make sure his group was happy on the boat and in the water. Both Simon and Lauren shared tons of valuable tips, advice, and information on diving, wildlife, and photography that were a great addition to our trip. Simon kept on working with the boat director to adapt the itinerary based on what the group wanted to see or explore. A very special moment for us was when Simon secretly changed the itinerary and had us move to a location where whale sharks were spotted the night before…that effort led us to have an absolutely magical night with whale sharks visiting us! Seriously, how cool is that?

I also very much appreciated the way Simon handled everything when two members of our group (including my husband) got sick with COVID. He was very reactive in finding solutions and very involved in making sure they were well taken care of. Simon kept checking on them throughout the trip, which showed how much he cares about everyone involved in his trips.

Far from being a salesperson who just looks for money to fill his trips, Simon truly cares about his groups, and works hard to give us the best experience in unique adventures. Simon/Insider Divers won our hearts, and the three of us know we will be joining Insider Divers in many future trips, with one already booked…CANNOT WAIT!

It was my second trip with Simon Lorenz and my fiancés first liveaboard! It exceeded all expectations, as usual. We arrived to Sorong a few days early to recuperate from jet lag. Simon organized our getting to the Sea Safari 8 and all went smoothly. The diving was amazing….our group was blessed with at least 11 Mantas at a cleaning station! Hooked in to the reef, we just floated and observed these regal creatures. Clown fish, a blue ringed octopus, cuttlefish, sharks, schools of barracuda, sweet lips and in and on. Meeting fellow divers from all over the world is a plus! You meet strangers and leave as friends. Simon’s talks are so informative and make the trip even sweeter.
Thank you, Simon for another memorable trip!

What stood out for me on this INSIDER DIVERS trip to Raja Ampat compared to other trips we've done, is all the extras and different types of diving on offer. For example the talks on photography, sharks and mantas, plus the personal portraits of each of us underwater. I enjoyed the new and different types of diving and snorkeling such as muck diving, diving under jetties, black water diving, snorkeling under the mangroves, with baby sharks and in a jellyfish lake. I also appreciated Simon's helpfulness and advice regarding my camera and how to improve my photography. Great value-add from INSIDER DIVERS!

I went on my first trip with Insider Divers and Simon Lorenz earlier this year to Raja Ampat. It was all around an amazing experience.

Simon, our group, the crew, the boat, the food, and of course the diving! were all a 10/10.

Something unique about Insider trips is the emphasis on education and learning. Simon gave multiple presentations and workshops (relevant to the region) throughout the trip on everything from the biology of manta rays to underwater modeling. These presentations are of course optional, but I would encourage you to attend as they enrich your trip experience and you’ll learn some cool things!

We had a diverse group of people in their 20’s — 60’s from (I believe) 7 different countries and all sorts of backgrounds. Amateur photographers. Serious photographers. Dive Masters. Fun divers. But everyone had a shared passion for the ocean and diving, and got on really well together. I know that I made some new dive buddies.

I’ll definitely be back on another Insider Divers trip soon.

It was a fantastic 10 days aboard the Sea Safari 8 with Insider Divers. I learned so much about photography and marine life! What a joy each dive was - and so much variation! From reefs to mantas, night dives and my first muck dive. Snorkeling with baby sharks and stingless jellyfish- beautiful vista overlooks and more! Simon had everything planned beautifully and the boat crew was stellar. My husband and I were blown away. Don’t hesitate to travel with Insider Divers as it is sure to be a trip of a lifetime.

This was my first open water trip. I had snorkelled before but was new to multi day trips and liveaboards. Can honestly say this was one of the best experiences of my life start to finish. I had been to Tromsø before and had seen orcas from the comfort of a rib boat but hadn’t ventured into the water. My very good friend convinced me that this was a trip we should do and once I did some research I was in! I did extensive swimming lessons (25 or so hours) and did an AIDA 2 freediving course in advance so I felt ready and we went with the freediving suits 7mm. It was cold but the freedom of movement was awesome.

Simon was extremely communicative in advance and really put my mind at ease as I was a little worried intially about how experienced I was. Turns out I was definitely in the middle of the group in terms of ability and that was actually perfect.

The boat itself was so fun. The crew were lovely. I can 100% recommend Inside Divers and Simon (and Tobias for future though he was sick with Covid this time) but I also would heavily recommend Kingfish and the guides Asbjörn and Morton. Between then they genuinely created an experience you would not believe!

Day one we got what I thought was the ultimate Orca (and humpback) experience and day 3 blew my actual mind. Day one the very first drop I saw 10 or more orca slowly swimming directly under me and it was the most magical intro to the week we were going to have and later that day we got a bait ball that lasted what felt like forever. Swimming through a sea of mirrors (herring scales) and seeing orcas a meter or so away for I think about 20-30 mins (though time stood still I have no idea how long it was) was incredible. We could not believe our luck! And we were lucky. I’ve heard of others who have been on boats in the same location for weeks and not seen the half of what we seen. It is the ocean and unpredictable after all. Simon and the Kingfish guys were keen to impress upon us that this was off the charts amazing and that we might not get another day like this. Mainly to avoid anyone feeling disappointment. As luck would have it, we actually had many many more encounters like this (again, beyond lucky) and I was the lucky girl who ended up touching a fin whale. Can you imagine how insanely rare that is. All of this. It was all so so unbelievable. And to be in the water with so many photographers meant we got so many memorable shots.

The camaraderie on the boat was so fab! I made so many friends and really enjoyed getting to know everyone. It’s really ignited something in me now where I’ll be a free diver for life! We had such a fun time. The food was incredible (shoutout to the chef), I felt in very very safe hands overall. The crew were so sweet and we all loved getting to know them all. Simon spent a long time each day putting together content for us on the day prior and educating us on whales and orca. He also generally have such good advice on photography and editing and was so approachable on each topic. Plus he told us about dives that I would be soooooo keen to do in future. I do have to get some diving under my belt but I’m a little more interested in freediving for now so I will do a little of each and take my time. What I do know if that diving with orcas was a completely amazing experience and I can’t wait to have mote like it.

Thanks so much Simon for giving us such an incredible week. Can’t wait for the next one. All of it was so unique and amazing and anyone considering a trip of this kind absolutely has to get in touch with Simon and Tobias. It looks like a lot of money (and it is) and the cabins in the boats are teeny tiny, but you will never ever regret having done this trip. It’s a proper bucket lister and life changing experience and I feel extremely fortunate to have been there. I will be making my way back to wherever the herring decide is the spot in 2-3 years as I can’t imagine not getting back in the water with the orca or Northern Norway. Magical. Absolutely magical! Thanks Simon! Game changer! x

Orcas of Norway 2022 organized by Simon Lorenz from Insider Divers was the most magically, unreal trip of a lifetime. Yes, it was sooo cold, but if I can do it (55-year-old, “cold weather is torture” woman) anyone can do it! This is my second trip with Simon, and the only question is which will be my next one? Simon takes care of everything: he finds the most extraordinary experience available per location, he answers all your pre-trip questions and needs, he answers and fixes any issues during the trip (1st trip - He realized I had a scuba diving training deficiency and took the time to instruct me, plus fixed the settings on my complicated dive watch. 2nd trip - He fixed my GoPro settings, and got me last minute a freediving 7mm wetsuit since my custom-made one wasn’t delivered on time), so he basically takes the time to make sure your adventure is the most possibly perfect and safe one. Furthermore, it is such a welcoming experience where different people from different age groups become wonderful friends. I will keep reliving for a long time with everyone’s videos and photos the 3 bait balls, 100s of orcas, several humpbacks and fin whales we saw, and our little escapades thru small towns along the way and the Tromso cable cars (Fjellheisen). Going back home, you realize how fortunate you are to be one of the few people on Earth to have snorkeled/freedived with these beautiful, majestic animals. Finally, for the icing on your chocolate cake…the photos Simon took of you!

I joined the Insider Divers Trip to Norway this winter, which was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You can’t predict nature, and you can never be 100 percent sure that you will have wildlife encounters – however, Simons's wise planning made sure that our prospects were pretty good. We saw hundreds of Orcas, groups of humpback whales, and fin whales. Aside from unbelievable encounters I will never forget, it was an amazing journey with fun, like-minded people. Thank you, Simon!

My trip to Timor Leste with Insider Divers was more than I could have asked for both in terms of the wonderful group of people I met and the amazing in-water experiences we had with the whales. Prior to booking Simon was very upfront about expectations and communicative throughout. I would highly recommend!!

Amazing trip diving with blue whales in timor-leste. Awesome experience
Very good organisation, and accompanied. The service from the operator was excellent.
I am so happy that I‘ve done this trip with insider-divers.

I have nothing but praise for the way Simon and the Insider Divers team put together this 10-day trip in the Maldives. The experience goes beyond "just" great dives and fantastic accommodations on board - when you dive with Simon and ID, you get so much more. 1). A well-planned agenda to be in the right place at the right time to see some truly spectacular wildlife. 2). Well-researched presentations on these animals' biology and behavioral patterns - things to look out for which make the whole experience more enjoyable. 3). World-class photographer who is happy and willing to help others with tips, tricks, and even mini-instructional seminars....and then offer us all the pictures he took of us for free.

Truly after this experience, I can't see a reason to go on a dive trip with anyone else.

Everything about this trip was well organized and well executed. The dive masters (we had 3 ‘layers’ of accompaniment: from Cruise Directors, to GTS and ID staff, as well as dive guides from Blue O Two) were attentive and supportive both in preparation for and during each dive. Food was wonderful, rooms were clean and comfortable, and the liveaboard itself was in lovely condition. Beyond the basic accommodations the people who joined this adventure were awesome - groups intermingled and everyone was up for the challenge. The wildlife and ecosystems encountered? WOW! I was moved to tears after one encounter with mantas. Absolutely breathtaking.
One other item worth mentioning…we had a world class, award-winning photographer on board who gave us access to literally every photo he took at NO additional charge! Who does that?! Thanks to Simon, Lauren, Oliver and Carmen!

Maldives dive trip. What can I say AMAZING! Simon was an amazing group leader! He shared so much information with us about the dive sites, the animals we would see and about photography. The diving was beyond fantastic! The boat was very comfortable with amazing staff and delicious food. I have done a lot of dive trips and this ranks up there as probably my favorite! I can't wait to dive with Simon and inside divers again!

I just returned from the GTS/Insider Divers Trip to the Maldives. This trip was much anticipated due to it being postponed due to covid and it was worth the wait! This was the trip of a lifetime. We were given the option of a pre and post trip in addition to the liveaboard and I took advantage of both. The pre trip consisted of 4 tiger shark dives along with 8 other dives where we found thresher sharks and even a few hammerheads! The liveaboard was a dream come true, excellent boat, amazing staff and fantastic guides. We had 3 whalesharks spend the night with our boat, we were able to snorkel with them and it may have been the greatest thing to ever happen to me! For the post trip we visited another island and were able to snorkel with manta rays which was an out of this world experience, soooo many mantas!
Lauren from GTS Simon from Insider Divers were wonderful! They made a great team and absolutely made our trip what it was. I cannot recommend these two groups enough and have future trips already booked with both of them because of the amazing job they did in the Maldives!

Four outstanding dive trips already in my dive log with Simon and Insider Divers, with high hopes of more to come! Simon makes a very complex job of organizing all the moving parts of his trips look easy. These excursions are not for the resort-diver level (thankfully!), so prepare to enjoy an adventure to remember forever! Thanks Simon!