Some diving centres put fifteen guests behind one guide and call it a tour. We never have. On every Side Diving boat trip, small groups are the standard, and on our flagship Side Underwater Museum trip that means a maximum of three to four divers per instructor — not a paid upgrade, not a lucky day, simply how we run our boats.
And when even that feels like too much company — a proposal you have been planning for months, an anniversary, a family that wants the sea to itself — a fully private charter or dive can often be arranged on request, subject to availability. Message us on WhatsApp, tell us the occasion, and we will confirm what is possible for your date.
As with all our trips, you reserve free of charge online and pay on the day, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Small Groups Are Our Standard, Not an Upsell
The single biggest factor in how a dive day feels is not the boat, the weather or even the fish — it is how many people share your instructor. With three or four divers per instructor, nobody waits in a queue on the dive line, nobody gets hurried through their equipment fitting, and nobody feels like a number. Your instructor learns your name before you get wet, watches your breathing on the surface, and stays within arm's reach for the whole dive.
Small groups are the standard on every one of our five boat diving trips — Side, Kumköy, Kemer, Antalya and Alanya — and on the flagship Side Underwater Museum trip that means three to four divers per instructor. For beginners it means a first dive taken at your pace: a gentle morning dive at 5–8 metres for 15–25 minutes, then a deeper afternoon dive to 12–13 metres once you have found your calm. For certified divers it means an instructor who actually has time to point out the octopus hiding in plain sight, and to sign and stamp your logbook properly at the end of the day.
Small groups also change the atmosphere on board. Lunch is freshly prepared and eaten together, the sun deck never feels crowded, and by the afternoon dive the boat feels less like a tour and more like a day out with friends who happen to have tanks on their backs. If you have ever come home from a group excursion feeling processed rather than hosted, this is the difference we set out to build — and it is included in the standard price of every trip.
Fully Private Charters and Dives — Often Possible on Request
Beyond our small-group standard, a fully private diving day can often be arranged on request, subject to availability: your own instructor, your own schedule, and — if you wish — a boat reserved entirely for your party. These are tailor-made, so there is no fixed price list. The cost depends on your group size, the departure base, the season and how much of the day you would like to make your own.
Because every private day is different, we quote each one individually. The honest way to do this is a short conversation, not a booking form: send us an enquiry or message us on WhatsApp, tell us your dates, who is coming and what you have in mind, and we will come back with a clear, no-obligation proposal. We will also tell you honestly when a private charter is not worth the money — for a solo traveller who simply wants quiet diving, our standard 3–4 diver groups often deliver ninety percent of the experience at the normal trip price.
What stays the same on a private day is everything that makes our trips work: two guided dives with all professional equipment included, freshly prepared lunch on board, free two-way hotel transfer, full passenger and diving insurance, and a proper safety briefing before anyone enters the water. You are paying for privacy and flexibility — never for a different standard of care.
Certified divers can plan both dives around their experience level within our trip limits, and we sign and stamp logbooks as always. If you are curious about going further, CMAS certification courses are available on request — ask us and we will explain the path.
Couples, Families and Special Occasions
Most requests for private diving come from three kinds of guests — and each gets a slightly different day.
Couples often want the flagship experience: a private dive over the sunken sculptures on our Side Underwater Museum trip, where hand-feeding clouds of exotic fish between the exhibits feels made for two. If there is a ring involved, tell us in advance — we are very good at keeping secrets and at making sure the moment is not shared with strangers.
Families are usually mixed: one or two people who want to dive, and others who would rather stay dry. This is exactly what our boats are built for. Non-divers and non-swimmers join as boat visitors at a reduced rate — they snorkel, stretch out on the sun deck, and share the freshly prepared lunch while the divers are below. Nobody is left at the hotel, and nobody pays a diver's price to sunbathe.
Celebrations — birthdays, anniversaries, graduations — simply need telling us. A private or semi-private day gives you room to make it yours, and because you reserve free and pay on the day, planning ahead costs nothing.
Whatever the occasion, beginners remain welcome with no licence needed, and the same small-group instructor attention applies to every diver in your party, first-timer or veteran alike. The only planning we ask of you is timing: popular summer dates fill first, so the earlier you tell us about your occasion, the more freely we can shape the boat, the base and the rhythm of the day around it.
How to Arrange Your Private Day
Booking a standard small-group place is simple: choose a trip, reserve free online, and pay on the day in cash or by card, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Morning pickup from your hotel and return transfer are included on every trip, from Side to Alanya — see all five boat diving trips and our current prices.
For a private charter or private dive, start with an enquiry rather than a booking. Tell us four things: your preferred date, your departure area, how many divers and how many boat visitors are coming, and the occasion if there is one. We will reply with a tailored proposal and an exact price — and once you confirm, the same fair terms apply: no prepayment demanded online, and clear cancellation conditions agreed before you commit.
A few honest notes to set expectations. Private days depend on boat availability, which is tighter in high summer — the earlier you ask, the more we can shape the day around you. Health rules are the same as on every trip: diving is not suitable during pregnancy or with severe asthma, heart or respiratory conditions, and you should not fly within 24 hours of your last dive. And whatever you arrange, bring only your swimsuit, towel, sunscreen and sunglasses — every piece of diving equipment is already on the boat, serviced and waiting. If you are a certified diver, add your logbook to that short list, so your private dives are signed and stamped like any others.
Ready when you are: get in touch and tell us what you are celebrating.
