Abyss Vanuatu Freeding Trip
Join Abyss Scuba Diving for a seven-night Vanuatu freediving adventure combining warm, clear water, guided reef freediving and relaxed island time. Travel on the same boat as the Abyss scuba group while following a dedicated freediving program around Moso Island, Hat Island and the best-condition local reefs. Enjoy recreational freediving throughout the week, or add the PADI Advanced Freediver course for $499—normally $599—including pre-trip Sydney theory and pool training plus coached open-water sessions in Vanuatu. Qualified scuba divers may also choose two optional scuba dives on the final scheduled boat day, subject to the required interval after freediving.
Availability: In Stock
Small-group Vanuatu trip – scuba divers and freedivers travelling together
Abyss Vanuatu Freediving Week
7 Nights | 5 Shared Boat Days | Guided Reef & Line Freediving | Optional PADI Advanced Freediver
Join Abyss Scuba Diving for a warm-water freediving week around Moso Island, Hat Island, Paul’s Rock and the best-condition local reefs. The trip runs alongside the Abyss scuba program, so friends and partners can share the same accommodation, boat and island experience while following separate, professionally managed in-water programs.
Choose relaxed recreational freediving, add structured technique and line sessions, or upgrade to the PADI Advanced Freediver course. Qualified scuba divers can also request two scuba dives on the final scheduled water day, with scuba deliberately kept until the end of the freediving block.
Daily instructor-led coaching is included for freedivers: an equalisation workshop to refine technique and troubleshoot individual issues, plus a stretching and yoga session to support mobility, relaxation, preparation and recovery.
From $2,595 freediver twin-share, land-only. Secure your place with a $500 deposit.Trip add-on: PADI Advanced Freediver
Digital learning, two pre-trip Sydney training days and three planned Vanuatu open-water sessions.
At a Glance
Trip Length
7 nights / 8 days in twin-share, air-conditioned accommodation.
Water Program
Five shared boat days with up to two planned water periods each day.
Freediving Style
Guided reef freediving, optional line work, technique coaching, photography and exploration.
Daily Equalisation Workshop
Work with your instructor on equalisation technique, preparation and individual troubleshooting.
Daily Stretching & Yoga
Instructor-led mobility, breathing, relaxation and recovery sessions are built into each active freediving day.
Three Activity Streams
Scuba divers, recreational freedivers and PADI Advanced Freediver students.
Training Upgrade
PADI Advanced Freediver: $499 on this trip, RRP $599.
Group Size
Minimum 6 people required. Maximum 12 total guests; course places are limited separately.
Choose How You Want to Dive
Recreational Freediver
Enjoy five boat days of guided reef and optional line freediving without course assessments or performance targets.
- Local reef orientation on Day 2
- Moso Island, Hat Island and best-condition reefs
- Relaxed technique, marine-life and photography sessions
- No Sydney course days or certification assessment
PADI Advanced Freediver
Complete the course through pre-trip Sydney training and a progressive Vanuatu depth program.
- PADI digital learning
- Two Sydney theory/confined-water days
- Three planned Vanuatu open-water sessions
- Day 6 contingency opportunity if required
Freediver + Scuba
Freedive through the main week, then request two scuba dives on Day 6 instead of freediving.
- No scuba on Day 2
- No scuba and freediving on the same day
- Minimum planned separation after Day 5 freediving
- Subject to certification, conditions and prior arrangement
The social trip stays together. Everyone shares the accommodation, boat transfers, surface intervals and afternoons. In the water, each group follows its own briefing, supervision, boundaries and safety plan.
Relaxation, breathing preparation and recovery are built into the week.
Clear-water reef exploration, marine life and photography without a performance focus.
How the Shared Boat Program Works
The trip must work for three groups at once: the scuba team, recreational freedivers and PADI Advanced Freediver students. They may travel on the same boat, but they are not treated as one in-water group.
- Separate leadership: the scuba guide manages the scuba group; the freediving professionals manage the freediving groups.
- Separate operating areas: the freediving buoy and line are positioned away from scuba descent, ascent and pickup routes.
- Advanced course priority: the course line is reserved for assessed training on Days 3–5.
- Flexible sites: when the scuba site is unsuitable for freediving, the freedivers use a nearby sheltered area or run their session sequentially.
- Boat accountability: the skipper confirms every participant is clear and accounted for before the boat moves.
One Activity Mode Per Day
Participants do not combine scuba and freediving on the same day. Qualified crossover participants may scuba on Day 6 only, after the planned freediving block.
Abyss plans a conservative minimum of 18 hours between the final Day 5 freedive and the first Day 6 scuba dive after repetitive or multi-day freediving. The more conservative requirement from current guidance, the instructor or the participant’s dive computer applies.
Integrated Eight-Day Schedule
The final site order remains flexible so the local team can choose the best water each day. This schedule keeps all three activity streams coordinated from the same boat while protecting course time, recreational freediving and safe scuba/freediving separation.
Daily freediver coaching: each active freediving day includes an equalisation workshop and a stretching and yoga session with your instructor, scheduled around boat operations, conditions and recovery needs.
| Day | Scuba Boat Plan | Recreational Freediver Plan | PADI Advanced Freediver Add-on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival and briefing. Port Vila transfer, accommodation check-in and trip orientation. | Combined trip briefing, freediver-specific orientation, equipment check, buddy allocation and rest. No diving. | Course goals, paperwork and equipment review. Confirm completion of pre-trip Sydney training and the Day 6 pathway. |
| 2 | Two easy local reef orientation dives. | Shallow checkout and recreational reef freediving at the two boat stops: weighting, entries, exits, duck-diving, recovery breathing and buddy procedures. No scuba. | Join the freediving orientation, then complete course-specific technique review. This remains a low-intensity, non-performance day. No scuba. |
| 3 | Moso Island or nearby reefs. Two scuba dives. | Guided reef freediving, coral gardens, marine-life observation and photography. A second relaxed session may include another reef, beach or non-assessed line work. | Open Water 1: line system, lanyard, free immersion, constant weight, conservative depth progression, surface protocol and buddy safety. Relaxed reef freediving at the second stop when appropriate. |
| 4 | Paul’s Rock or the best-condition local dive area. | Guided technique and reef day. Optional line work, equalisation practice, efficient finning and photography within each participant’s established ability. | Open Water 2: progressive depth, improved technique, equalisation, turns, safetying and required rescue work. The freediving area may be nearby rather than directly over the scuba site. |
| 5 | Hat Island, reef walls, bommies or suitable swim-throughs. | Scenic reef freediving focused on exploration, marine life and photography. Optional easy line work when staffing and conditions allow. | Open Water 3: consolidation, outstanding skills and performance opportunity. Participants considering Day 6 scuba finish early enough to create the full planned interval. |
| 6 | Final scheduled scuba day. Two dives chosen for the best local conditions. | Freediver-only: a best-of-the-week guided reef or line session. Freediver + scuba: qualified divers may complete the two scuba dives and do no freediving that day. | General freediving, photography or course contingency. Students may request Day 6 scuba only when the course is complete and the interval is confirmed. If course completion is needed, training takes priority. |
| 7 | No-fly day. Village tour, kayaking, relaxing and local exploring. | No deep, repetitive or performance freediving. Enjoy the village tour, pool, kayaks and optional Blue Lagoon, waterfall or local activities. | Course debrief and certification processing for completed students. No deep training. |
| 8 | Breakfast and airport transfer. | Equipment check, check-out and transfer to Port Vila airport with the group. | Same departure program. |
Conditions always decide the final plan. Weather, current, visibility, boat traffic, local advice, student progress and staffing may change the site, sequence or duration of any session. A freediving session is moved, shortened or cancelled when the selected scuba site cannot support a safe freediving operation.
Typical Boat-Day Timing
The program fits around the existing morning double-dive format so all guests return together for relaxed afternoons.
| 6:30–7:00 am | Daily instructor-led stretching and yoga session, adjusted to the day’s training and recovery needs. |
| 7:00 am | Breakfast, hydration and personal preparation. |
| 7:45 am | Combined weather and boat briefing, followed by separate scuba, recreational freediver and course briefings. |
| 8:00 am | Boat departure; exact time set by the local operator. |
| 8:45–10:00 am | First activity window: scuba dive one, Advanced course line session and recreational freediving in designated areas. |
| 10:00–11:00 am | Shared surface interval, snacks, hydration, equipment changes and site movement. |
| 11:00 am–12:15 pm | Second activity window: scuba dive two, relaxed reef freediving, additional coaching or the day’s selected activity. |
| 12:30–1:00 pm | Return to the accommodation. |
| Afternoon | Daily equalisation workshop and technique debrief with your instructor, followed by lunch, pool, kayaking, recovery, local exploring or optional activities. |
Recreational Freediving Highlights
- Moso Island area – coral gardens, clear water, beaches and relaxed tropical freediving.
- Hat Island – reef walls, bommies, ledges and marine-life encounters.
- Best-condition local sites – the skipper and freediving team select water suitable for both safety and enjoyment.
- Line and technique opportunities – optional, non-assessed work when supervision, equipment and conditions permit.
- Photography and exploration – sessions are not built around maximum depth.
What This Option Is Not
- No eLearning or Sydney course days
- No static or dynamic assessment
- No required depth
- No rescue-skill assessment
- No certification outcome
Dedicated buoy, line and buddy procedures keep the freediving program organised.
Warm-water reefs make room for technique, exploration and relaxed marine-life encounters.
Optional Add-on: PADI Advanced Freediver Course
Special trip price: $499
Normally $599 – save $100 when added to the Abyss Vanuatu Freediving Week by prior arrangement.
The PADI Advanced Freediver course is the next step for PADI Freedivers who want to refine relaxation, static and dynamic apnea, deeper free immersion and constant-weight technique, plus more advanced buddy and rescue procedures.
Before Vanuatu: Sydney Training
- Digital learning: complete before the in-person sessions.
- Sydney Day 1: theory review, breathing, stretching, relaxation and confined-water static apnea.
- Sydney Day 2: dynamic apnea, equalisation planning, buddy procedures, rescue skills and Vanuatu preparation.
In Vanuatu: Open Water
- Daily: instructor-led equalisation workshop plus stretching and yoga session.
- Day 3: Open Water 1 – technique, safety and depth orientation.
- Day 4: Open Water 2 – progressive depth and rescue work.
- Day 5: Open Water 3 – consolidation and performance opportunity.
- Day 6: contingency only when weather or student progress requires it.
Entry Requirements
- Minimum age 15
- PADI Freediver or qualifying equivalent certification
- Completed medical and course paperwork
- Current CPR and first-aid training within the previous 24 months is recommended
What the $499 Add-on Includes
- PADI digital learning and certification processing
- Two pre-trip Sydney theory/confined-water training days
- Three planned coached open-water sessions in Vanuatu
- Course buoy, line, lanyard and safety equipment
- Instructor coaching, debriefing and course contingency planning
Certification is performance-based. Attendance does not guarantee certification. Students must safely and comfortably meet the required knowledge, confined-water, open-water, buddy, rescue and performance objectives. Additional training may be required when conditions or individual progress prevent completion during the scheduled program.
For students aged 15–17, the published performance goals are adjusted to 2:00 static apnea, 40 m dynamic apnea and 15 m constant weight, with a 20 m maximum depth. See the PADI Advanced Freediver course information.
The Vanuatu Experience
From arrival in Port Vila, the trip is designed to feel easy. Return airport transfers are included, the accommodation has an ocean outlook and pool, and the morning water program leaves time for island life in the afternoon.
Depending on the departure and local conditions, afternoons may include kayaking, pool time, a village tour, local exploring, Blue Lagoon or waterfall visits, or simply recovery and relaxation.
Island Time Between Sessions
- Relax by the pool
- Use the resort kayaks
- Join the included village tour
- Explore locally, including an optional Blue Lagoon visit when available
- Join the daily equalisation workshop with your instructor
- Take part in the daily instructor-led stretching and yoga session
Oceanfront downtime between morning water sessions.
Warm water, island scenery and time to explore above and below the surface.
Trip Details
Trip Snapshot
- Destination: Vanuatu
- Duration: 7 nights / 8 days
- Boat program: five scheduled boat days
- Accommodation: twin-share, air-conditioned
- Price: from $2,595 freediver twin-share, land-only
- Deposit: $500 per person
- Balance: due 60 days before departure
- Group: minimum 6, maximum 12 total guests
Base Freediver Package Includes
- 7 nights twin-share accommodation with air-conditioning
- Five shared boat days and the planned recreational freediving program
- Daily equalisation workshop with your instructor
- Daily instructor-led stretching and yoga session
- Dedicated freediving briefing, buddy and operating procedures
- Return airport transfer to the accommodation
- Continental breakfast and between-session snacks
- Use of resort kayaks and the included village tour
- Abyss pre-trip support and practical travel preparation
Good to Know Before You Book
Freediver Requirements
- Recognised freediver certification or Abyss approval based on recent training and experience
- Comfortable boat and open-water freediving experience recommended
- Medical fitness and all required forms completed before travel
- Ability to follow an active buddy system and the day’s site limits
- Recent practice recommended; an optional refresher may be arranged before departure
Additional Costs to Budget For
- International flights to and from Port Vila
- Travel insurance covering the exact freediving and scuba activities planned, overseas treatment, cancellation and emergency evacuation
- Lunches, dinners and drinks unless stated otherwise for a departure
- Freediving or scuba equipment hire
- Any Day 6 scuba-specific charge or equipment package confirmed before booking
- Optional excursions, local contributions and personal spending
Please do not book flights until Abyss has confirmed your place and confirmed that the departure is proceeding.
Non-Divers, Solo Travellers & Rooms
Non-Diving Partners
Non-diving partners are welcome and save $1,000 off the diver package.
Solo Travellers
Solo guests are welcome. Abyss will do its best to match suitable twin-share travellers where possible.
Single Supplement
The single supplement is $110 per night, subject to availability.
Explore with Care
Vanuatu’s reefs are central to the experience. Abyss promotes no-touch freediving, careful weighting, controlled entries, responsible photography and respect for marine life and local communities. Recreational freedivers remain within the site boundaries and do not automatically follow scuba divers into caverns, overhangs or swim-throughs.
Camera & Gear Friendly
Bring a well-fitting mask, snorkel, freediving fins, suitable wetsuit, weight system and freedive computer if you own them. Arrange rental equipment well before departure. Qualified crossover participants should also bring proof of scuba certification and confirm equipment needs in advance.
Ready to Join the Abyss Vanuatu Freediving Week?
Places are limited across the shared scuba and freediving boat. Secure the base trip with a $500 deposit, then add the PADI Advanced Freediver course for $499 if you want structured training and certification.
Enquire now about the Vanuatu Freediving WeekRecreational freediver?
Join the guided reef and line program without course assessments or performance targets.
Ready to advance?
Add PADI Advanced Freediver for $499, normally $599, with Sydney and Vanuatu training.
Also scuba certified?
Ask about switching to two scuba dives on Day 6, subject to the interval and final boat plan.
Travel insurance is required and must cover the exact freediving and scuba activities selected, overseas medical treatment, cancellation and emergency evacuation.
Contact Abyss Scuba Diving
Phone: (02) 9583 9662
Email: dive@abyss.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the main questions to answer before joining the shared scuba and freediving departure.
Is the base trip a freediving course?
No. The base option is a guided recreational freediving trip with reef exploration, optional line work and technique coaching. It has no formal assessments, performance targets or certification outcome.
Are the daily equalisation, stretching and yoga sessions included?
Yes. Each active freediving day includes an instructor-led equalisation workshop and a stretching and yoga session. Exact timing may move around the boat schedule, weather, group needs and recovery requirements.
How much is the PADI Advanced Freediver add-on?
The special trip price is $499, normally $599. It includes PADI digital learning, two pre-trip Sydney theory/confined-water days, three planned Vanuatu open-water sessions and certification processing.
What do I need to start the Advanced Freediver course?
You must be at least 15 and hold PADI Freediver or a qualifying equivalent certification. CPR and first-aid training completed within the previous 24 months is recommended. Medical and course paperwork must be completed before training.
Do freedivers scuba on Day 2?
No. Day 2 is the local-reef orientation and recreational freediving day for both recreational freedivers and Advanced course students. Any optional scuba is left until Day 6.
Can I scuba during the trip?
Qualified scuba divers may request the two Day 6 scuba dives instead of freediving. This is by prior arrangement and depends on certification, the actual freedive finish time, the planned separation interval, conditions and the boat program.
Can I scuba and freedive on the same day?
No. The proposed operating plan uses one activity mode per participant per day. A participant who scuba dives on Day 6 does not freedive at either boat stop.
How can scuba divers and two freediving groups use one boat?
The groups share transport and surface intervals but receive separate briefings, leadership and water areas. The freediving line is kept clear of scuba routes and boat traffic. When a site cannot safely support simultaneous operations, the freediving session moves nearby or runs sequentially.
Is PADI Advanced Freediver certification guaranteed?
No. PADI certification is performance-based. All required knowledge, confined-water, open-water, safety, rescue and performance objectives must be completed. Day 6 can be used as a contingency, but extra training may still be required.
What meals are included?
Continental breakfast and between-session snacks are included. Lunches, dinners and drinks are not included unless stated for a specific departure.
Is equipment hire included?
Bring your own freediving equipment or pre-book rental. Course line and safety equipment are included with the Advanced add-on. Scuba equipment and any Day 6 scuba-specific inclusions are confirmed before booking.
How many people are required?
A minimum of 6 people is required for the trip to proceed, with a maximum of 12 total guests. The number of recreational and Advanced freediver places depends on qualified staffing and boat capacity.
Should I book flights now?
Please wait until Abyss confirms your place and confirms that the trip is proceeding. International flights are not included in the land-only package.
Travelling primarily as a scuba diver? See the existing Abyss Vanuatu Dive Trips page.
Make Memories Above and Below the Surface
Places are limited for this small-group shared-boat Vanuatu week. Book early and confirm your preferred pathway before departure.
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