Why you should try Boracay Helmet Diving

Boracay is a great place for water activities and one of the more fun ones is Boracay helmet diving. I had never heard of it, but when Thomas told me about it, it sounded absolutely hilarious! You get to walk on the bottom of the ocean, 5-7 meters below surface, with a glass helmet on and fish swimming around you.

In this post I’ll walk you through everything you should know about Boracay helmet diving based on my own experience.

You’ll find info about safety, how it works and where to book a tour.

Let’s go.

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What is Boracay helmet diving?

Helmet diving is a fun and safe way to explore the sea without having a diving certificate. It’s ideal for both non-divers and non-swimmers from ages 12 to 80!

All the necessary equipment is provided by the operator, so all you have to do is show up, wear the helmet and jump in.

The helmet looks a lot like an old-fashioned diving bell with a hose strapped to it for air supply. The pressure of the water keeps the air trapped inside the helmet.

How does the underwater helmet work?

The diving helmet is similar to a glass held upside down in water; if the open end is kept facing downward, air is trapped underneath it. This is the opposite of how a glass holds water when it’s held upright in air; the collar of lead at the bottom keeps the open end of the helmet pointing down and makes it easy to reach inside and clear your ears or scratch your nose.

Regular air is continually circulated into your diving helmet, so you can breathe normally without the need for a regulator or snorkel in your mouth. Just like when you’re on land, breathing is natural.

You can wear glasses or contacts, as you normally do. 

Is helmet diving Boracay safe?

This is one of the most common questions when it comes to helmet diving Philippines: is it safe?

And yes, it’s safe to helmet dive in the Philippines.

You’ll be able to breathe underwater without any difficulty, as air is continuously circulated into their helmets at a rate of 3 times the amount typically needed for normal breathing. You simply breathe through your nose and mouth without any mouthpieces or extra equipment.

The helmet weighs 11 kg when out of the water and becomes 9 kg lighter when submerged. In case of an emergency, you can be quickly unfastened from the helmet and can ascend directly to the surface.

Also, a diving instructor is with you under water, so you will be in safe hands.

How much is helmet diving in Boracay?

We paid $18.35 for helmet diving Boracay. The trip was so much fun!

You’ll be taken by speed boat ride to Boracay’s stunning dive site and wear an oxygen-pumped helmet. After a safety briefing, you’ll get in the water and explore the wonders of the deep! From sandy sea beds to vibrant coral reefs and colourful exotic fish swimming around.

My experience with helmet diving in Boracay

We booked the tour and went to the beach where the boat was waiting. I was wearing my swimsuit and a sarong.

Before getting in, we had a quick briefing about what was about to happen, how we could communicate with the dive instructor under water and how we equalised (released pressure through the ears).

The dive instructor seemed like he had done this a gazillion times before, but he was still thorough and focused while explaining.

Two other crew members assisted us one by one when we got in the water. As soon as the water hit my shoulders, they gave me the helmet on, while the dive instructor in the water guided me down the ladder. 

The helmet weights 11 kg when it’s out of water but only 2 kg under water.

The underwater dive instructor had a camera and he took a lot of pictures which was included in the price. I just gave him my SD card from my camera and then he returned it to me afterwards. Otherwise they would have delivered the photos to our hotel later on.

There were lots of fish in the water and the dive instructor handed us some bread to attract even more. They got really close and nibbled my hand – it was so much fun!

Read next: The insanely beautiful sunsets in Boracay.

We were under water for about 20 minutes, and if the helmet hadn’t felt so heavy, we would have stayed longer. It was an amazing experience that I would gladly do again, and it’s a great way to check out if you’d like to try diving but doesn’t have a certificate. 

I for one got hooked!

Practical info:

We paid $18.35 per person for the trip and it lasted about 40 minutes in total. We spent 20 minutes under water.

The trip included:

• Boat ride to the site
• 2 PADI dive instructors (one on the boat and one in the water with you)
• Underwater photos and video sent to your phone afterwards
• Helmet dive equipment

Would you ever try helmet diving?

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