Passport:

​If you do not have, or have not applied for your passport and are planning to join a trip, sooner than later is best. Passport delivery since 2020 has taken as long as several months to receive. You can order a passport at your local post office. Standard service (is supposed to) take 4-6 weeks, while expedited service is much faster but also more expensive. If you already have your passport it must have at least 6 months of validity from the day you arrive in Bali or it needs to be renewed. If you do not have 6 months of passport validity you will be refused entry to Indonesia.  

Bali Tourist Visa:

All trip participants must bring $40 cash to purchase a one-month tourist visa on arrival in Bali.

Accommodations:
All accommodations in Bali are clean yet modest. In Tianyar and Nusa Lembongan students will stay in bungalows designed for western visitors. Upon arrival in Bali we will stay in the beach resort town of Canggu. Roommates will be arranged based on your preferences and in consultation with chaperones and Padma staff.

Electronics:
There is little time for playing on screens during a Padma trip. That being said, be sure to have a camera or phone to take pictures throughout the trip. Feel free to bring GoPros and camera drones if you want. With a simple power converter (ask the omniscient Google for options) all US chargers can be used on your trip. Trip leaders will have local cellphones for your use if needed and to communicate with families back home. Smartphone apps such as WhatsApp, and WeChat offer free international voice messaging, and calling from anywhere with internet access. Trip leaders' and chaperones' primary international means of communication is through WhatsApp.   
   
Meals & Water 
Most meals are eaten together at reputable restaurants, or prepared by chefs at our accommodations. A special focus on hygienic, nutrient rich, and clean food is our goal to help avoid any gastrointestinal issue during the trip. We are careful to provide, and remind trip members to only drink, clean water. With abundant activity and the often humid and warm locations of our trips, it is important to drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration. Although we strive to provide ample food, many trip members also bring snacks from home. There are also opportunities for trip members to explore local restaurants on their own. 

Alcohol & Drugs
Padma maintains a zero tolerance policy on illicit drug use, and it will not be tolerated. Depending on the severity of the incident, trip members may be immediately expelled from the trip at their family's expense. In many countries and areas we travel, trip members are legally allowed to drink alcohol. On such trips, trip members are allowed to drink alcohol responsibly unless parents/guardians inform us otherwise. No drunkenness, inappropriate, or disrespectful behavior is allowed and if it occurs, trip members may lose privileges or be sent home if Padma trip leaders conclude the situation warrants expulsion.

Disciplinary Policy:
Padma Organization reserves the right to expel any trip participant from the trip at Padma trip leaders' discretion. This trip is not a party. Padma trips are intended as an opportunity for students to serve others while representing themselves, their school, Padma, and the United States as cultural ambassadors. Any behavior that disrupts this purpose, brings danger to themselves, or other trip members, along with any illegal activity are not allowed. The family of any student expelled from the trip is responsible for all costs to bring their student home.  A first warning and removal of privileges will be given for minor offences, while larger incidents may result in immediate trip expulsion.   

The itinerary below is a sample. Each trip itinerary may look a little different depending on variables such as the the cost and arrival date of flights at the time of purchase. Trip members will receive an itinerary specific to their trip after flights have been booked.  

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Day 1: Depart US airport for Indonesia

Day 2: Arrive at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali. Padma staff will be waiting at the airport to meet you and take you to accommodations in Sanur.

Day 3: After breakfast in Sanur, head to Bali Conservation Dive Center (BCD) in Tulamben, arriving by lunch. In the evening, the Ecological Monitoring Program (EMP) begins.

Day 4-7: For the next few days, we dive twice daily. Each dive focuses on concepts and activities related to the EMP, coral restoration, and nudibranch ecology and identification.

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Day 8: Catch the ferry to Gili Air, a tropical paradise you will remember for the rest of your life. After learning about shark and sea turtle ecology and conservation, the evening is yours to take in a sunset and swim in the ocean or pool.

Day 9-11: Our days will be spent scuba diving and working on CD certifications, including one day on neighboring Gili Trawangan.

Day 12: Hop back on the ferry for Bali and spend the evening in Sanur. Trip members will have the opportunity to check out the famous Night Market, where they can sample an array of authentic local foods.

Day 13: Hang out in Sanur and take a kiteboarding or surf lesson. Students often love to spend the day shopping for souvenirs before heading to the airport in the evening.

Day 14: Arrive home with all your pictures, memories, and new life-long friends!

Medical Considerations

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Medical staff are part of every trip. Based on the medical forms submitted as part of each trip member's application, a Padma medical staff member will contact every participant who may require an individualized medical plan. Each student is provided travelers medical, emergency, and evacuation insurance. Any medical, psychological or physical conditions that might impact a student's trip participation must be communicated to your Padma trip leadership before your trip. Prescription medications must be brought with you as availability is not guaranteed during trips. Trip members must be capable of administering their own prescriptions/medication without the help or supervision of Padma staff or other adults.  If you wish to purchase international medical insurance to cover any additional costs in the event of an emergency, contact your Padma trip leader for recommendations. Here are a few:

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• ​World Nomads

• Allianz

• AIG Travel Guard

Vaccinations:

There are currently no required vaccines to travel to Bali and it is up to parents and students to decide what vaccines to get. We recommend consulting the CDC website for suggestions on vaccines and details on additional travel information on Bali. Here is a link to the CDC's Indonesia travel information: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/indonesia

Recommended for all trip members:

To be up-to-date on COVID vaccinations and routine vaccines such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.

Trip members can cancel for any reason up to sixty (60) days before their trip, and receive a 50% refund of all paid tuition, less the $200 non-refundable deposit. Cancellations made less than 60 days prior to the trip cannot be guaranteed a refund. In case trip members are unable to join a trip due to medical or emergency related reasons, a full refund may be considered at the discretion of Padma staff. If trips must be canceled due to unexpected travel restrictions, or for any reason such as a natural disaster, social unrest, etc., full refunds will be offered, pending refunds from trip partner companies and organizations, contractors, and third party vendors.

Water Safety:

​During your trip, there will be opportunities to swim, snorkel, scuba dive, and surf in the ocean, or swim in rivers and lakes. Currents, sudden depth changes, riptides, large waves, sharp reefs, stings and bites are some of the inherent risks we will face. Trip participants are never to swim alone and careful consideration of individual swimming ability and experience must always be considered.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria:

​CDE trips includes outdoor and/or physically strenuous activities in various environments including extensive dive times and boat time. Trip members must be SCUBA certified prior to this trip, and be able to tolerate long periods of time on a boat without severe motion sickness. Under instruction, trip members must also be cable of carrying and handling not only their own SCUBA equipment, but equipment required for the specific certification/trainings, and be capable of completing or participating in the specific activities of this trip.