GMC and New Club Reefs: Guide to Scuba Diving in Qatar

Did you know that scuba diving improves mental health? If you need more convincing to try scuba diving, the Gulf has one of the hottest, saltiest waters in the world, meaning you’ll be able to view unique species that have adapted to extreme local conditions. Most of the centers have a one-day course that helps you cover the diving basics, practice in an enclosed space, and then explore open waters.

GMC Reef

GMC Reef is in Mesaieed, approximately an hour’s drive from Doha. It is a man-made reef built in 2018, home to various marine species, including blue angel fish, sergeant majors, groupers, batfish, barracuda, spangled emperor, towbar sea bream, needlefish, jellyfish, cuttlefish, and crabs. 

At the bottom, you'll find four sunken cars you can explore, visible from depths of four to twelve meters.

New Club Reef

New Club Reef is around 300 m from the GMC Reef. At the bottom, you’ll find bicycles, concrete reef-balls, big tank pipes, and blocks. 

This reef is deeper than GMC as its length reaches eighteen meters. Almost all objects can be found at depths of twelve to sixteen meters. Due to its proximity to the previous site, marine life is the same.

Barge

The Barge features a shipwreck that was intentionally sunk, located about 300 meters from the shore. This reef is in Mesaieed as well, close to the two previous ones. The upper part of the wreck is twelve meters deep, and its lowest part goes all the way to nineteen meters. Certified wreck divers are allowed to enter the ship.

All diving centers in Qatar have the same prerequisites: you must be at least ten years old and able to swim comfortably. Furthermore, you have to be in good physical health to participate in any in-water activities. 

For children under the age of ten, there are specialized junior courses.

Poseidon Dive Center

Leading PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) 5 Star IDC center in Qatar, Poseidon Dive Center, has been teaching and certifying courses since 2010. It’s located in the Hilton Hotel and offers both scuba and free diving lessons for all experience levels. 

Their Try Diving program is brief and specifically designed for tourists, and it's available to individuals and groups. Fee includes diving gear and equipment during the session, certificate, professional diving insurance, underwater photography during the course, as well as soft drinks. There are three types of Try Diving courses available: the Sealine Beach one, which includes a sea dive of around 30 minutes for QAR 500, Hilton Doha Pool, which is a quick program on diving basics priced at QAR 500. Lastly, you can book private lessons at your accommodation’s pool for QAR 400.

In addition to this course, Poseidon Center offers more extensive diving packages, including the Scuba Diving Lady lessons for QAR 900, as well as Scuba Diver and Open Water courses with classroom lessons, available from QAR 1,100.

Alghais Diving Center

The Alghais Diving Center provides training from beginner to professional levels, as well as specialty training, technical diving, sidemount diving, and freediving. You can find it at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. 

They also have the Try diving option, which includes a quick presentation followed by a 30-40 minute swimming pool session at the Ritz-Carlton Marina. Once you have mastered the basics, you will go into the open water in the Banana Island for a 20-30-minute dive. This dive won’t be deeper than six meters, but you’ll still be able to view some friendly fish species such as hammour and angelfish. This course is QAR 700.

Moreover, the Center offers specialized programs, including wreck diving, as well as scuba and open-water diving with certifications. Pricing for more extensive lessons differs based on the course type, experience, and materials. 

Deep Blue Diving Center

The newest Qatari diving center, Deep Blue Diving, is located on the Sealine Beach, and in addition to diving lessons, it offers accommodation options for a full experience. 

This center also has the Try Scuba Dive course for tourists. It’s conducted in small groups of four people and consists of a theoretical part covering the basics, followed by a test dive in shallow water at the Sealine Beach. After that, participants are ready for a real dive in open water, no more than twelve meters deep. It's priced at QAR 200.

For more seasoned divers, the center offers advanced lessons, from Fun Dive to Divemaster. They are available from QAR 2,000.

Nomadik Hub 

The Nomadik Hub, established by married diving enthusiasts, is located in the Old Doha Port. A one-day scuba diving course is available as part of the Discover Scuba Dive program and features a theoretical introductory part, a dive in the training pool, and a final dive in the open water. 

Nomadik Hub also offers lessons for more experienced divers, such as PADI Night Diver and PADI Rescue Diver. For pricing and booking, fill out the contact form on the website or call +974 5521 8191.

Pearl Divers Center

Founded by Guinness World record holder, Mr. Samir Al Awam, Pearl Divers Center is one of the oldest organizations in Qatar, established in 1987. The facility is located on Al Mirqab Al Jadeed Street and has a spacious shopping area and a dedicated space for rental and maintenance/repair of the scuba diving gear.

Pearl Divers’ introductory Discover Scuba Diving program lasts for three hours and involves a 30-minute theoretical instruction on the diving basics and equipment. It's accompanied by a dive in a pool or confined water, as a preparatory step for the real diving experience: an open water dive to a maximum depth of ten meters. 

For more experienced divers, the center offers specialized courses such as Adventure Diver, Digital Underwater Photographer, and Master Scuba Diver. For price details, fill in the contact form on the website or call +974 4444 9553.

Qatar has two main seasons: winter (from October to April) and summer (from May to September). In theory, both are suitable for scuba diving. During winter, temperatures vary from 14°C to 25°C, and the water is calm, with good visibility and favorable diving conditions. The occasional rainfall and stronger winds could affect diving conditions, especially in terms of visibility, so always check the weather before diving.

On the other hand, summers are very hot, and temperatures go from 30°C to 42/43 °C. If you choose summertime for diving, make sure you are well-hydrated and opt for early morning options to avoid heat peaks.

The Gulf water is saltier than most seas, meaning you may be more buoyant. Therefore, even if you’ve tried scuba diving before, it’s best to consult professionals and check whether your weights need to be adjusted for this saline level. 

From April to August, the Gulf is the home of one of the world’s largest whale shark congregations. So, check the latest shark sightings before booking a dive. 

Also, bring a torch for diving during the day. It will help you light up shaded areas, especially around wrecks, and spot colorful underwater life. 

Lastly, if you’re visiting Qatar from August to October or in February, try to book the dive during New Moon or when the moon is less visible. You may be able to experience the bioluminescence of plankton blooms, especially around mangrove dive sites.