Policies & Terms

A1 Who you are dealing with

"Diving Adventure" is the shared name for three separate Hong Kong companies. When you buy retail goods or book a repair or air fill, you are contracting with Diving Adventure Ltd. When you book a course, a local fun-dive or gear rental, you are contracting with Diving Adventure Education Ltd. When you book an overseas trip, you are contracting with Diving Adventure Travel Ltd. One login and one cart are a convenience for you; each company is responsible only for its own part of your order, not for the others'. All three trade from 5/F, iHome Centre, 369 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay, and share the contact channels in A8.

A2 How a contract forms

Placing an order or making a booking is your offer to buy, not ours to sell. An automatic email only confirms we received it. A contract forms once we confirm your order or booking in writing and your payment is confirmed — until then, we hold the item or slot provisionally and it may still become unavailable. Where a Shop, Diving or Travel section below sets a different rule for that purchase, that section's rule applies instead.

A3 Your account

Keep your account details accurate and your login private. One account is for one person — do not share it to claim tier discounts you would not otherwise get. You are responsible for activity on your account, and we may suspend it if we suspect abuse, shared use or a fraudulent chargeback.

A4 Prices and obvious errors

All prices are in Hong Kong dollars and any fees are shown before you pay at checkout. A listed price or stock level is an invitation to order, not a guaranteed offer. If we find an obvious pricing or stock error before we dispatch your goods or provide the service, we may cancel the order and refund you in full.

A5 Payment and confirmation

Pay by any method shown at checkout at the time of your order — we do not list payment methods here because they change. Orders paid by bank transfer, FPS or PayMe are held provisionally for the window in A5a and released if payment is not confirmed in time. Card payments are processed by licensed payment providers; we do not store your card number. If a card payment is disputed as a chargeback, we may suspend your account until it is resolved.

A5a Payment window

A bank transfer, FPS or PayMe order is held for 24 hours for shop purchases, or 48 hours for dives and courses. If payment is not confirmed within that window, the order or booking is released and the item or slot may go to someone else.

A6 Membership tiers and discounts

Membership tiers are granted under our published criteria and may be reviewed. VIP and Instructor discounts apply to retail goods only, not to courses, fun-dives, rental or trips. An instructor discount needs proof and is verified once. A discount applied in error may be corrected before your order is dispatched or your service provided, or invoiced to you afterwards. Tiers have no cash value and cannot be transferred to another person. See S15 for the separate retail loyalty points scheme.

A7 Promotions, vouchers and gift cards

Unless stated otherwise, one promotion applies per order and promo codes cannot be combined with tier discounts. Vouchers and gift cards have no cash value, expire on the date printed, and a lost or damaged physical card is not replaced.

A8 How we contact you

Email and our official WhatsApp number, 63150412, are the only channels we use for booking and account notices — please read messages sent to you there, especially about weather cancellations. Any other WhatsApp number contacting you claiming to be Diving Adventure is not us.

A9 Changes to these terms

We may update these terms. A new version applies only to orders and bookings made after the date it takes effect — a booking you already made stays governed by the version in force when you made it. We keep a dated archive of earlier versions.

A10 Language

These terms are published in English and Traditional Chinese. If the two versions conflict, the English version prevails.

S1 Product information

Descriptions and specifications are given in good faith, based on information from the manufacturer. Product images and on-screen colours are indicative and may vary slightly from the item you receive. A minor variation that does not affect how the product works or its value is not a fault.

S2 Availability

Stock shown online is indicative. We confirm actual availability when we confirm your order. If we cannot supply an item you ordered, you may cancel that item for a full refund.

S3 Processing and dispatch

We do not promise a fixed dispatch date. We give you an expected dispatch time when we confirm your order — this is an estimate. If it slips, we tell you, and you may choose to wait or cancel that item for a full refund.

S4 Delivery

Delivery methods and fees are shown at checkout. We deliver to Hong Kong addresses only unless stated otherwise. Courier transit times are set by the courier, not by us. Risk in the goods passes to you once the parcel is delivered to the address you gave us. If delivery fails because the address was wrong or you refused it, re-delivery is at your cost. If a parcel is lost in transit, we trace it and then replace or refund it.

S5 Collection in store

We hold an order for collection for 30 days. If it is not collected within that time, we cancel the order and refund you. Bring your order number and ID; you may nominate someone else to collect it for you.

S6 Check on receipt

Please inspect your order and report any damage or shortage within 7 days, with photos. This helps us act quickly — it does not take away any legal right you otherwise have.

S7 Faulty or not as described

If a product is faulty or not as described, we will repair it, replace it or refund you — you deal with us, not the manufacturer. Keep your proof of purchase. Return shipping for a genuine fault is on us. This does not cover a fault caused by misuse, lack of servicing, or normal wear and tear.

S8 Manufacturer warranty

This is on top of your rights under S7. Each brand's own warranty terms also apply. Life-support equipment — regulators, BCDs and dive computers — may need to be registered and serviced annually to keep its warranty valid. We help you make a claim.

S9 Change of mind

Hong Kong law does not give you a right to return goods just because you changed your mind — this is our own policy. Within 7 days of receiving a non-special-order item, unused, with tags and original packaging intact, we offer an exchange or store credit; return shipping is on you. This does not apply to a worn wetsuit or boots, a mouthpiece, snorkel or mask that has been used, an activated dive computer, opened software, a special order, or a sale item.

S10 Sizing and fit

If you buy online, choose your size using the manufacturer's size chart. In store, our staff can advise you. A fit issue on an eligible item is handled as an exchange under S9.

S11 Special orders and non-stock items

Special orders are paid in full when ordered. Once placed with our supplier they cannot be cancelled, and S3's option to cancel for a delay does not apply. The lead time we give you is an estimate. If the supplier cannot supply, we refund in full.

S12 Life-support equipment

Read the manual, use the equipment only within your training, and have it serviced as the manufacturer requires. We are not responsible for injury or loss caused by misusing equipment or using equipment that has not been properly serviced, except where we caused it through our own negligence.

S13 Servicing and repairs

You get a receipt when you drop off equipment for servicing. We diagnose first and give you a quote before any work above HK$500. Parts may need ordering, so turnaround is an estimate, not a fixed date. You can stop the work and collect your item at any time, paying only for work already done. If it is not collected within 90 days of our written notice, we deal with it under the Disposal of Uncollected Goods Ordinance (Cap. 319); a storage fee applies after 30 days, at the rate shown on your receipt.

S14 Air fills and cylinder services

Your cylinder must be within its test date and appear visually sound before we fill it — we may refuse to fill one that is not. Testing follows the applicable standard, and a cylinder that fails a test is not filled.

S15 Loyalty points

Diving Adventure Ltd runs a separate points scheme for retail shopping — a different system from the VIP and Instructor pricelist tiers in A6, run as its own loyalty programme. You earn 1 point for every HK$200 spent on retail purchases and redeem points at 1 point = HK$1, in steps of HK$10 to HK$500. Points do not expire, and are earned and redeemed on retail purchases only — not on courses, fun-dives, rental or trips. Your balance is shown in your account.

D1 Scope and provider

Fun-dives, courses, pool sessions and guided dives are provided by Diving Adventure Education Ltd, following PADI standards.

D2 Booking and confirmation

A booking is provisional until your payment is confirmed or you apply a valid coupon or credit. Online booking closes at the cut-off shown on each event's page — usually 18:00, two days before. The minimum number for a departure is shown on its event page. A booking is "confirmed" once we send you confirmation, and a departure is "going" once we confirm it by that cut-off. We may change a cut-off or minimum number for a specific event for operational reasons.

D3 Certification and prerequisites

We never stop you from booking because of your certification level, but we do check it before you enter the water. You must hold, and show us, a valid certification from a recognised agency (PADI, BSAC, NAUI, SSI, SDI, CMAS or equivalent) at the level the dive or course requires — for a fun-dive, the minimum is Open Water Diver or equivalent. If you cannot show it on the day, we may refuse to let you dive and treat it as a no-show. Course prerequisites follow PADI's standards.

D4 Medical fitness and disclosure

You must complete the PADI medical statement before any in-water activity. A "yes" answer to any question needs a doctor's clearance first. You must tell us about any change in your health before you dive. You bear the consequences of failing to declare your health conditions honestly. No diving is allowed under the influence of alcohol or drugs or if you are pregnant.

D5 Age and guardians

PADI's published minimum age applies to each programme. A participant under 18 needs a parent or guardian to counter-sign every required form and be contactable during the activity.

D6 Release and assumption of risk

Before you enter the water, you sign the PADI Liability Release and Assumption of Risk Agreement (individual or group form). Signing it means you accept the risks that come with diving itself. It does not take away any right the law says we cannot exclude — see L1.

D7 Conduct and the right to refuse or stop

The instructor, divemaster or boat captain's decision on safety is final. We may refuse or stop your participation for intoxication, unsafe behaviour, ignoring the briefing, or diving beyond your certification or the agreed dive plan; if we remove you, there is no refund. Damage you cause to our boat or equipment is charged to you at repair cost.

D8 Weather and sea condition cancellation by us

We postpone a dive at Typhoon Signal 3 or above, Red or Black Rainstorm Warning, or whenever the captain or instructor judges it unsafe. You get a dive coupon under D21, or a rebooking — never a cash refund, because you still get the full value back for a later date. See the Outing safety page for the full threshold table.

D9 Cancellation by us for other reasons

If we cancel because minimum numbers were not met, or the boat or instructor is unavailable, we rebook you or give you a dive coupon. We give you a cash refund only if we cannot offer you a new date within 90 days.

D10 Cancellation and rescheduling by you

More than 2 working days before your activity, you can reschedule free of charge. From then until departure, cancelling gets you a dive coupon only. A no-show or a cancellation on the day is forfeited and cannot be rebooked. For a documented reason such as illness with a doctor's note, we may use our discretion to treat it more leniently; this is a discretion we may apply, not a right you can insist on.

D11 Departure and lateness

Boats depart at the confirmed time. Arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes early. Missing the boat is treated as a no-show. We may delay departure for safety reasons, and that is not a cancellation.

D12 Itinerary and site changes

The captain may change the dive site, order or drop-off point for safety or conditions on the day. We do not refund you because of a site change.

D13 Lunch

Lunch is included only when 10 or more divers are on board that day. If fewer, lunch is not provided and no refund is given for it — this is a pre-disclosed condition, not something that happens after you have already booked.

D14 Supervision

A fun-dive is not guided unless you book a guide. You dive with a buddy, within your own training. You can hire a divemaster or instructor to guide you at our published rate.

D15 Rental gear and own gear

The only difference between our "with gear" and "own gear" prices is whether we supply the equipment. We inspect rental gear before we issue it, and you should check it yourself before you use it. Late return is charged at the daily rental rate for each day late; damage beyond normal wear and tear will be charged at repair cost; loss is charged at replacement costs — the per-item list is at the counter. If you bring your own gear, it must be properly serviced, and we may refuse to let you use gear we consider unsafe.

D16 Personal belongings

You are responsible for your own belongings on the boat, at the pool, and at the shop. We are not responsible for loss or damage to them, except where it was caused by our own negligence.

D17 PADI materials and fees

eLearning codes, manuals, and PADI processing or certification fees are paid to PADI, or are treated as used once issued or opened. They are not refundable once issued or opened, and are deducted from any refund or credit we give you.

D18 Course validity and extra sessions

Complete your course within 12 months of your first session. A missed or extra session is rebooked at the published fee. A referral (finishing elsewhere and coming back) is available, at cost.

D19 Course cancellation and reschedule

If you cancel before your first session, we offer a credit, a reschedule, or both — any refund amount is at our discretion, less any PADI materials or fees already issued under D17. Once you have started, there is no refund; we may credit unused sessions at our discretion. If we cancel or reschedule, D9 applies.

D20 Certification is earned

PADI certification depends on you meeting the required performance standards; your instructor decides whether you have met them. Paying for a course does not by itself entitle you to a certification card.

D21 Fun-dive coupons

A fun-dive coupon or account dive coupon — including a dive coupon issued under D8 — is usable with Diving Adventure Education Ltd only, needs full payment before it was issued, and does not carry a cash value. Gear and no-gear programme coupons are valid 5 years; flash-sale coupons are valid 6 months. They are non-refundable except as D9 provides, may be transferred to another person, and cannot be combined with other offers. A lost or damaged physical coupon card is not replaced. Weather-cancelled dives do not shorten a coupon's or credit's validity.

D22 Dive insurance

Dive insurance is not included in the price. We strongly recommend insurance cover such as DAN or an equivalent, especially for anyone diving beyond recreational limits.

D23 Who decides, and by when

A boat departure is called by 06:00 on the day by the duty instructor, and you get a message either way. A pool or classroom session is called by 17:00 the evening before wherever the forecast allows it.

Outing safety

Training and diving have separate rules, because a pool session under signal 3 is a different decision from a boat leaving the pier.

Signal or warning	Boat dive	Pool session	Classroom session
Typhoon signal 1	Runs.	Runs	Runs
Typhoon signal 3	Cancelled. Dive coupons returned same day.	Runs unless the pool closes	Runs
Typhoon signal 8 or above	Cancelled	Cancelled	Moves online
Amber rainstorm	Runs. Decision by 06:00.	Runs	Runs
Red or black rainstorm	Cancelled	Cancelled	Moves online
Thunderstorm warning	Skipper decides. Usually delayed, not cancelled.	Runs	Runs

The table sets out Diving Adventure's activity arrangements. Warning signal images: Hong Kong Observatory.

T1 Enquiry and quotation

We do not sell trips through the online cart. We send you a written quotation, valid for the period stated on it. A contract forms once you accept the quotation in writing and we receive the initial deposit stated in the quotation.

T2 Price components and surcharges

The quoted price includes what is listed on your quotation. Airline fuel or tax surcharges, government fees and exchange-rate movements may change the price at any time before we issue your balance invoice; the balance invoice is the final price.

T3 Payment terms

Your quotation states whether full payment or a deposit is due on acceptance, and the balance date, normally one month before departure. Once any part of your payment has been used to issue a flight ticket in your name, that portion is non-refundable.

T4 Balance

If your quotation states a balance, it is due by the date shown on it, normally one month before departure. If it is not paid by then, we treat it as a cancellation by you, and the amount already paid is forfeited.

T5 Cancellation by you

Before the balance is due, your deposit is forfeited. After the balance is paid, no refund of cash will be given. Where the airline or resort allows it, we can substitute another traveller's name, at their change cost.

T6 Cancellation by us

If we cancel because minimum numbers were not reached by the date on your quotation, a supplier fails us, or force majeure occurs, we offer you a transfer to another departure or a full refund of everything you paid us.

T7 Itinerary changes

Dive sites, boats and the standard of hotel may change to one of similar standard. Weather-affected days are not refundable. The local dive operator and resort decide what is safe on site.

T8 Passports, visas, health entry rules

Your passport, visa and any health entry requirements are your own responsibility. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date. Being refused boarding or entry is treated as a cancellation by you.

T9 Travel and dive insurance

Travel and dive insurance is a condition of booking. It must cover diving to the depth of your trip, medical evacuation, and trip cancellation.

T10 Third-party suppliers

Airlines, resorts, liveaboards and local operators are independent businesses, and their own conditions bind you too. For anything they do or fail to do, our liability is limited to what we can recover from them, except where the law says we cannot limit it.

T11 Certification, fitness, conduct on trips

D3, D4, D6 and D7 apply on trips too. The local operator may also refuse to let you dive. If you are removed from a trip, it is at your own cost and there is no refund.

T12 Licensing

Diving Adventure Travel Ltd is licensed under the Travel Industry Ordinance (Cap. 634), licence number 352605, and contributes to the Travel Industry Compensation Fund.

L1 Our liability

Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for the terms the Sale of Goods Ordinance and the Supply of Services (Implied Terms) Ordinance imply into your purchase. We are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, such as lost earnings or your own travel costs. For everything else, the most we will pay you for a purchase is the amount you paid for it.

L2 Your responsibility to us

You cover a claim a third party brings against us because you broke these terms or because of your own conduct during a dive or trip. This does not go further than that.

L3 Force majeure

Neither of us is responsible for a typhoon, storm, pandemic restriction, government order, port closure, strike or supplier failure outside our control. Either of us may cancel because of one, and the remedy is as set out in D8, D9 or T6.

L4 Photos and video

We take photos and video during dives, courses and trips. Before we use an image that identifies you in our marketing, we ask you to opt in on the release form; you can withdraw that consent for future use at any time. You may not sell an image of our staff or other customers without their consent.

L5 Privacy

We handle your personal data under our Privacy Policy and the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486). Medical statements are treated as sensitive data and kept only for as long as PADI requires.

L5a Course sign-up information

Before your first training session we ask course students for body measurements (weight, height, shoe size) to prepare rental gear that fits, and for an emergency contact so we can reach someone quickly if needed while you're in the water. This information is seen only by the shop staff who prepare your gear and the instructor teaching your course, and we keep it for five years after your last course with us.

L6 Website content

Content on this website belongs to us or is used under licence, for your personal use only.

L7 Governing law and courts

Hong Kong law governs these terms, and the Hong Kong courts have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute — though the Small Claims Tribunal remains available to you regardless.

L8 Other legal terms

If any part of these terms is found invalid, the rest stays in force. We do not waive our rights by being slow to act on a breach. A person who is not a party to these terms cannot enforce them, except that our staff and the three Diving Adventure companies may rely on L1 and D6 under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Ordinance (Cap. 623).

L9 Complaints

Email us or message our official WhatsApp number with your complaint. We acknowledge it within a stated time — that is an acknowledgement, not a promise of the outcome — and this does not limit your legal rights.