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Just got back from our fourth trip with InsiderDivers—this time to Socorro Island. The Nautilus crew was professional and kind. We saw so many incredible things: a whale and her calf (they were near us throughout the whole trip); a sharknado and hammerheads; close encounters with dolphins, mantas, an octopus. We even saw a tiger shark pretty close up. Simon was a great leader on the trip, at all times working to ensure a successful, safe and enjoyable experience. He loves to educate the group with presentations on photography and marine life. This is probably why the groups always include photo-obsessed divers and others on the more experienced side, not to mention many repeat divers. After the trip, we all received a “trip report” video that included underwater footage of what we experienced, beautiful drone shots of the islands and boat and very close-up shots of the humpback whale and her calf breaching. We also received a stunning portfolio of stills and videos from everyone in the group.

What a fantastic experience we had in Palau! This was my second trip with Insider Divers and it delivered again. I absolutely loved the variety of dives we got to experience, and we made some incredible underwater encounters. We learned so much about what we saw both under and above water thanks to Matt and Simon. Simon is very generous with advice and direction, and although I was one of the most junior guests on this trip, I always felt really encouraged by the group of friendly and conscious divers he brought together. I've been back three weeks already, but my mind is still in Palau!

I did a liveaboard trip in Palau in 2024 with Insider Divers and it was AMAZING.

The boat was great: super comfortable rooms, great food, attentive crew.

More importantly, the diving was fantastic! Of course, Palau is known for incredible diving. Also, there was so much Insider Divers did to make sure we got the best of it:
- gave us constant variety: bumphead spawning, currents/hooking, drifts, caverns , blackwater, campfire..
- recruited two of the best local guides
- checked out conditions before each dive and changed plans accordingly to grab what was amazing at the moment

Simon is an incredible photographer, so expect great photos! If you are into photography, he will help you out with tips.

For me (besides the diving), the best part was the people. Insider has a loyal following. Two thirds of the people on my trip had been with them before. Exceptional bunch of people! Super fun, friendly, and funny (also conscious divers).

The approach of Insiders was to treat the entire trip--including flights, diving days before and after the live aboard, group dinners before and after--as part of the experience. This added immensely to the togetherness of the group.

We had such a great time together, we got Simon to agree to arrange a reunion trip in 2026 :).

Just came back from my second trip with Insider Divers, after last years amazing trip to Raja, we went to Palau this time and again, an amazing experience! The Insider Divers professionals helped me a lot to improve my sidemount diving skills and shared their experience with me. Beside diving I learned a lot about the country and it’s history during WW2, which gave a lot of background during our wrack dives. At the end we received amazing pictures which we can share with friends and family. Thanks a lot and looking forward to my next trip with Insider Divers !

Went to Norway for the second time with Insider Divers and it was just as amazing this year as it was last! There is a big emphasis on sustainability and ensuring the wildlife is respected. The trip was organized flawlessly, great experience overall! Would recommend.

This was my first trip with Simon & Insider Divers. The trip was fabulous. Of course being up close & personal with the whales on 2 separate days was the icing on the cake. Simon was super professional, very organized, very welcoming, & extremely helpful with photo editing software. I felt very well taken care of during the trip. The nightly talks on sperm whales were informative & entertaining. He also made sure we had options on dinner locations as well as opportunities to go into town if we so desired. The land tour day was also super fun with beautiful waterfalls & landscapes.
I’ve been on other whale swimming trips, & Simon has been the only one so far that delivers amazing shots of all of us in the water with the whales. He goes above & beyond to make it happen.
I will definitely be booking other trips with Insider Divers!!! Thanks so very much for so many wonderful memories 💕

I am very happy I have decided to book my trip to Norway. I have received support from InsiderDivers during the booking process - team was very understandable. For which I am very grateful. Trip itself was full of WoW and OMG expressions. Guides were working very hard to ensure we will get the experience we all were looking for-
The Bait Ball. And we Did it! Swimming with Orcas is addictive 😅 that's for sure. Equipment was professional as well as the team. Everyone was respectful towards the animals comfort space. Norwegian fjords are stunning and we also managed to see the northern lights. If you are concern about water temperature- don't be. Its warmer than the air. Plus excitment and adrenaline rush keeps you warm. Professional photographer, Tobias and Evan managed to capture memories of a lifetime. My dreams came true. Thank you!

I had a wonderful experience with Simon and the trip leaders. I've done dive trips with photo workshops before, and they've been a mixed bag elsewhere. Here, it all came together: Proper planning (from organisation to season and dive sites), care and hand-selected groups, and most importantly: A schedule jam-packed with diving, workshops, and rubbing shoulders with a great crew of like-minded people.

Diving the same site and getting feedback from Simon, Tobias, and fellow insiders will help anyone who wants to not only have a great time, but also advance their photography. I loved the spirit of "get out there to get a killer shot" – and that this was carried across the itinerary. Proper image reviews, up-to-date software classes, and the pro's insights into composition and overall technique will appeal to beginners or more advanced photographers (like myself) alike.

5 stars – and looking forward to the next trip!

This was my first ever overseas dive trip and photography workshop. I was super nervous but the boys made me feel very at ease. This trip was very well organized with the itinerary full of planned dives and workshops. Simon and Tobias were full of knowledge and always approachable for advice. My only regret was not asking more questions...

My wife and I have both been taking UW photos for years and while getting better, thought we would try and step up our game. We heard about Inside Divers course and since we love Macro Photography we thought we would give it a chance. I have taken other courses in the past that gave me the basics that I have been living by those lessons for many years. Taking the Inside Divers course was a step above any classes thing we have done before – much more than just the basics, focusing more on really getting a picture that would knock someone’s socks off, being creative, and learning how to create award winning photos. We learned and were able to focus in water on so many things that will really step up our level of UW photography. The out of water classes and evening critique of pictures was extremely helpful. Simon and Tobias were outstanding teachers, the classes well organized, prepared for, and run, the information delivered invaluable, and the facilities that were chosen at NAD Lembeh were outstanding. As an added bonus, we met some really quality people and some excellent photographers in the class and will continue these relationships and diving with some of them going forward.

I am looking at UW pictures now in a completely different light and it is really helping me visualize and take a much better UW pictures. I am excited about continuing to take all of this knowledge and perfecting it in my normal diving and upcoming Inside Diver classes. I would highly recommend these classes to anyone who really wants to step up their game taking UW pictures.

Insiders Divers provides the best of the best for diving adventures. I have been diving with Simon and his company for the last 5 years and everytime the service and quality if trips. The communication and customer service are exceptional. The ease of booking and have every little detail taken care of for me so all I have to do is show up is on point and makes traveling so much less of a hassle. The diving spots that are picked give us the best possible outcomes allowing us to see as much animal life as possible and the on- land expeditions are the icing on the cake. The boats and resorts picked are top notch. The company has proven time and time again they care about us the customers and making sure we all have the best experience and vacation possible. It's honestly the only company I trust because I know I will have an amazing trip with amazing people.

I had always heard about how wonderful diving in Komodo is so decided to finally do it. Booked my trip with Insider Divers on the Amira.
I have to say it was an amazing experience. The trip was very well organised on a beautiful boat with a kind and professional crew. I truly enjoyed meeting the other divers on the trip which made dinners and in between dives as fun as being underwater. Have to say I learned a lot - underwater and above water. Pauline did a great job sharing information about all the beautiful things we were seeing - in particular the mantas. I highly recommend!

“I recently went on a Liveaboard diving trip organised by Insider Divers in Komodo Island and had an amazing experience. The staff was incredibly professional and made sure that everything was taken care of. They were knowledgeable about the area and the dive sites, which made the trip even more enjoyable. I would highly recommend Insider Diver to anyone looking for a great diving experience in Komodo Island.”

I just returned from Lembeh, Indonesia where I attended a spectacular week long Insider Divers Photography Workshop. In this workshop we learned so many techniques on shooting, composition, editing, lighting, snooting, creative shots, submitting for competitions and more. The diving was fantastic but the special attention Insider Divers provides on top, especially, in this case, for photography really helped me step up my technique and the quality of my shots. The other attendees on the trip were also fantastic people; all so helpful and fun to be around. Everyone was helpful toward each other, even swapping equipment amongst ourselves so we can all try different gear/equipment to up our photography. I always learn a lot and come out with expectations exceeded when I join an Insider Divers trip.

Just got back from my second adventure with Insider Divers, and I’m already itching to book another one! But seriously, do I even need to explain why?

The Macro Photography Workshop in Lembeh was an absolute mind-blower for photography enthusiasts and critter nerd like myself! It wasn't just a holiday; it was a full-blown photography boot camp that took my skills and confidence to new heights.

Simon Lorenz and Tobias Friedrich, our photography maestros, orchestrated a symphony of lectures on underwater photography, composition, lighting, and those mind-boggling techniques for capturing the tiniest of critters in all their glory.

This might sound wrong, but I loved 6:30 AM lectures that set your creative gears in motion, followed by two long morning dives to immediately put your newfound knowledge into action. Imagine Tobias or Simon, underwater gurus extraordinaire, swimming over to help you achieve that perfect shot you've been dreaming of!

But that's not all! The evening gatherings, aptly dubbed "image review," were absolute game-changers. I got invaluable feedback on my photos and got to see the world of these alien looking critters through the lenses of my fellow 'insiders.'

Spending a week in the company of these underwater photography masters, with the chance to bombard them with questions throughout the day, was nothing short of priceless. My underwater images have been dragged by the ears to a whole new level, and I'm seriously contemplating proudly displaying some of my work in my living room.

Insider Divers – you've done it again! I can't wait to dive back into the deep blue with you for my next epic adventure!

Just recently I have visited the capital of critters, Lembeh Strait in North Sulawesi. The trip was organized by Insider Divers. Usually I am to lazy to write review, but this trip is worth to share my experience. The trip was accompanied by two world class and award winning photographs, Simon Lorenz and Tobias Friedrich. I am basically an newby in uw photography and I was a bit unsure to join this „club“. But what should I say, Simon and Tobias mad it a great experience for everybody. For them your current skills doesn’t matter, they pick you up where you are. It’s a perfect mix between learning and review session, close practice under water and of course diving and lots of fun. Last not least the Resort (NAD Lembeh) with their perfect guides rounded everything up. Thx for this great experience, I can’t wait to join Insider Divers the next time. Trip for the big guys in 25 already booked 😉

I recently took an Underwater Photography workshop to the Lembeh Islands with Insider Divers. I am still learning underwater photography, and I was apprehensive about joining the workshop given that I'm a novice photographer but I am so glad I did!

The workshop was led by Simon Lorenz and Tobias Friedrich, two award-winning underwater photographers. They were both incredibly knowledgeable and patient, and they made sure that everyone in the group, regardless of their experience level, got the most out of the workshop. The group was small and friendly and this made it easy to get individual attention from the instructors, and it was also a lot of fun to get to know the other photographers in the group.

Each day, we had two sessions on different aspects of underwater photography. We covered everything from the basics of composition and exposure to more advanced techniques like snoot lighting and artificial backgrounds. We also had time to practice our skills on the 3/4 daily dives. The Lembeh Islands are home to some of the most amazing critters in the world, and we saw all sorts of amazing creatures, including pygmy frogfish, a whole variety of octopus and my fav 'Shawn the Sheep' Nudi !!!

At the end of each day, we had a photo review session. This was my favorite part of the workshop! Simon and Tobias would go through everyone's photos and give us feedback on what we were doing well and what we could improve on. This was incredibly helpful in learning how to improve my own photography.The overall planning of the trip and the care taken by Simon and the team at NAD Lembeh was fantastic. I felt like I was in good hands at all times.

This was my first trip with Insider Divers, but it certainly won't be my last. I am already booked for another trip in 2025!

The significant difference between the workshop Simon and Tobias organize and the others I have attended, is unlike the others that treat it as a “Holiday” for the participants and the staff, Simon’s workshop is focused on participants learning and improving their skill sets. This is done by daily workshops and multiple daily dives. In addition to the presentations, photo critiques, both instructors seek you out during the dives to review your photos, camera settings, etc and offer suggestions for improvement. The bottom line is the workshop is organized and taught by 2 World Class Professional Photographer and is geared towards the serious photography student. This workshop was held at NAD Lembeh Resort, an idyllic location with excellent accommodations and staff. The 1:2 ratio for dive masters to divers was outstanding and allowed all divers to capture numerous photos.

Just got back from diving in Tubbataha aboard the Solitude One. Had a fantastic time. As always, everything was well organized, leaving us to do nothing but arrive there and enjoy the diving. We did 4 dives per day with 4-6 people in each group. In the evenings, Simon gave talks (attendance optional) about sharks, whales, how to use Lightroom and how to improve your underwater photography and posing skills. I enjoyed the extra info about our diving location and the different creatures we could expect to see. My partner and I are relatively new to diving and only go on 1-2 trips a year, so we especially appreciate Simon’s knowledge and choosing of the best dive sites and best boats/crews. It takes all the guesswork out of planning a dive trip. Getting ready to click the button for our fourth trip with them because why go with anyone else?

Did my first Insider Divers trip with Simon to Tubbataha this May 2023. From the minute I showed interest in a dive trip, Simon was incredibly helpful giving me info on different boats and locations' time of year regardless if he had trips going there. It was by chance that it worked out we went on his Insider Divers trip to Tubbataha - and I'm grateful for those stars aligning.

Simon took care of all the organizational admin, gave flight suggestions, packing tips, brought the group together on a whatsapp group to start the pre-trip banter and also helped me personally with endless questions on new wetsuit purchases and my gear.

On the trip he was an excellent leader, photographer, buoyancy and trim coach, workshop giver and honestly went above and beyond the entire time on charter. The true value add is the extra workshops on the marine life, photography (taking, editing and posing!) and his extensive knowledge on all things scuba and his willingness to share this and engage with the guests. He navigated the nuance between being our trip leader with the liveaboard operator's own cruise leader and dive team with professionalism and inclusivity, as well as inclusive to a couple other guests on board who were not in our group. I learnt so much on this trip - more than I expected to walk away with. Even though the pelagics didn't come to our Tubbataha party, the trip was still excellent - definitely due to the fact we were there with the Insider Divers magic. Now to download and post my folder of professional dive pics!

Simon also has a following of great humans as your fellow dive buddies. Whether you come solo or with partners or friends, this group was very inclusive and friendly.

Insider Divers chose an excellent scuba LOB operator - Solitude One was a treat (reviewed them separately on TripAdvisor) - so I have faith in the operators used on the Insider Divers trips. I will definitely use Insider Divers again - saved their trip schedule to my favourites bar.