FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
If you plan to join us on a dive or want to become a volunteer, you might want to read this.

Q: When is our next dive?
A: Check our Dive with Us page.

Q: How do I sign up for a dive?
A: Check our Dive with Us page.

Q: Can newly certified divers dive at Hantu?
A: Of course!

Q: Do I have to be a certified diver to join your dives?
A: Yes

Q: Does the Hantu Blog provide dive training and certification?
A: No

Q: How many dive masters/guides do we have on our trips?
A: Our dive master/reef guide to diver ratio is 1:2. That means one dive master for every buddy pair! We do this to ensure safety and quality of the dive.

Q: How much do our trips cost?
A: Check our Dive with Us page.

Q: What kind of boat will we be diving from?
A: Because the Hantu Blog does not own its own boat, this depends on our charter, which could be anything from a traditional bum boat to a 24-foot fibreglass craft.

Q: What’s the visibility like at Hantu?
A: Anything from 1-9m.

Q: Can I volunteer as a reef guide if I’m not a dive master?
A: Yes. The Hantu Blog provides training and mentorship for those who wish to volunteer as reef guides. Because the Hantu Blog is a relatively small organisation, we are looking for committed volunteers who can assist us in the long term. We are not able to invest in or train fly-by-night volunteers. Trained reef guides should be committed to volunteer at least 4 times a year.

Volunteers have to go through a training process that comprises three on-the-job-training dives, which will cost $150.00 per dive, excluding equipment rental. The objective is for you to become familiar with the sites we dive and our operational procedures, to help you get a feel of our organisational culture, and to enable our crew to get to know you! There will also be an open-book theory test that quizzes you about the history of our Southern Islands, basic fish and coral physiology, and identification of common reef animals. At the end of this process, a volunteer guide will have to be active for at least four dives within a 12-month period to retain volunteer status.

However, before you start training with us, it will be good if you are able to join us for a dive or 2, where the senior guides are present, to tell you more of what is expected and to access where you are.

If you’re still motivated and stoked after reading the above, email us!

Q: Do I have to know a lot about marine life to join your dives?
A: No. This is an educational trip so we’d be glad to teach you.

Q: Do I have to own a camera to join your dives?
A: No, though everyone’s encouraged to bring their camera if you have one because we see new stuff all the time!

Q: Do I need to own my own gear to join your dives?
A: Not necessarily as the Hantu Blog provides the service of renting gear on your behalf. Rental cost is to be borne by the diver and the diver is subject to the supplier’s T&Cs i.e. damage / lost gear fee. The Hantu Blog does not accept any responsibility for the quality and condition of the equipment provided by its suppliers.

Q: Can I become a volunteer if I am a non-diver?
A: Yes, the Hantu Blog is always looking for non-diver support to help out at its road shows and talks. We are also on the look-out for tech-savvy volunteers to assist with managing and generating our web content. Because the Hantu Blog is a relatively small organisation, we are looking for committed volunteers who can assist us in the long term. We are not able to invest in or train fly-by-night volunteers.

Q: Is The Hantu Blog a registered organisation?
A: Yes! Our work began in 2003 but we were officially registered as an organisation in September 2012!

Q: Is there anything to see at Hantu?
A: Undoubtedly. If you’re asking this question, it means you haven’t read our Blog!

Q: What does The Hantu Blog do?
A: The Hantu Blog runs dive trips as an educational and awareness initiative. We also give school talks, corporate talks, public talks, and hold exhibitions at public venues. Through its activities, the Blog is also able to volunteer data and information to scientific organisations such as the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, the Australian Musuem, the Tropical Marine Sciences Institute, and several independent researchers. The Blog activities have led to a handfull of new discoveries in Singapore waters. The Blog is also a platform for lobbying the preservation of our marine heritage, and a venue to exchange information and facilitate dialogue between policy makers, corporations and other environmental organisations. Check our Blog to read about some of the activities we have done.

Q: What happens to the funds raised by The Hantu Blog?
A: Funds are used to support our electronic media, such as the purchasing of domains, servers and auxillery systems. Funds are also utilised to support logistical costs incurred by volunteers, and to develop educational material for public distribution and awareness generation at our school or public talks, and several road shows that take place throughout the year.

Q: What is The Hantu Blog?
A: The Hantu Blog is a new age NGO that utilises electronic media for education and outreach. Its objective is to raise awareness and create a sustainable future for Singapore’s marine heritage. The Hantu Blog is non-profit and presently runs entirely on volunteer support.

Q: What’s the best season to dive at Hantu?
A: There isn’t a particular season that is best to dive Hantu though March and April are popular months.

Q: Where will our boat depart from?
A: This is dependent on where we charter our boat from.

Q: Who set up The Hantu Blog?
A: The Hantu Blog was founded on 23, March, 2003 by diver and volunteer reef guide, Debby Ng with the help and support of several divers who sacrificed their weekends to help turn this idea into a reality!