This page exists for a practical reason: people book a dive, then message on the morning asking where exactly to go.
So here is where we are and what happens when you arrive.
Where the centre is
SEALS Diving Center — inside Mövenpick Hotel Beirut, Raouché seafront, Beirut, Lebanon.
The location is not incidental. Raouché is where Beirut's coastline has its best structure — the limestone sea stacks above water continue below it as arches, cuts and boulder fields. Operating from this stretch means the city's shore and near-shore diving starts effectively at the door, and the boat does not have to travel far to reach anything.
From here:
| Destination | Approximate travel |
|---|---|
| Raouché rock formations | Minutes |
| Shark Point | Short boat run south |
| The Souffleur, off Khaldé | Short boat run south |
| Jounieh and the Alice B | ~30–45 min by road, then boat |
| Batroun | ~1 hour by road, then boat |
Finding us on your first visit
The centre is inside the hotel complex on the seafront. If it is your first time, message us before you set off — we will tell you exactly which entrance to use and where to park, which is faster than any written directions.
Parking. Ask when you book. Raouché parking varies with the day and the season and we will tell you the current situation rather than guessing here.
Arriving by taxi or ride app. Mövenpick Hotel Beirut is a recognised destination; drivers know it.
Staying at the hotel. You have the shortest walk of anyone. Ask at reception.
Not staying at the hotel. That is entirely fine — the centre serves Beirut residents, visitors staying elsewhere and people back for the summer. Most of our divers are not hotel guests.
What happens when you arrive
If it is your first dive ever
- Paperwork — a medical questionnaire and a liability form. Around twenty minutes. Answer the questionnaire honestly; it exists to catch conditions that interact badly with pressure. What's on it
- Briefing — breathing, equalising, mask clearing, hand signals, and the one absolute rule: never hold your breath
- Kitting up — everything is provided and fitted here
- Shallow water — practice in water you can stand up in, for as long as you need
- The dive — 20–40 minutes, instructor within arm's reach throughout
About three hours in total. The minute-by-minute version.
If you are certified
- Sign in, show your certification card and logbook
- Tell us your recent diving — how many dives in the last year, and at what depths. This is what we use to match you to a site, so an accurate answer gets you a better dive
- Kit up and check
- Board, briefing, dive
If you are doing a course
The schedule is built around you and the weather, and we will have agreed it in advance. Do the online theory before your first in-water day — it is the single best thing you can do to protect your schedule against a weather day.
What to bring
Bring
- Swimsuit and towel
- Water — more than you think
- Sun protection, especially a hat
- Certification card and logbook, if you have them
- Prescription information if you wear glasses — mention it when booking so a corrective mask can be arranged
- Something to eat if it is a two-dive day
Do not worry about
- Equipment. All of it is provided
- Being a strong swimmer. The real requirement
- Being nervous. Tell us and the session runs differently, for the better
Booking
Message us on WhatsApp with:
- What you want — try-dive, fun dive, or a course
- Your dates, and how flexible they are
- Your certification level and recent dives, if certified
- Your flight date, if you are visiting — there is a recommended interval between diving and flying and we will build the schedule around it
We will come back with what is actually running and what we would put you on.
What we teach
SEALS is an SSI and NAUI training centre. Both are internationally recognised, and certifications from either are accepted by dive operators worldwide.
The honest comparison between agencies — including where they genuinely differ — is in SSI vs PADI vs NAUI, and the full course ladder is in every diving course we run.
If you are still deciding
The wider picture of what diving from this city involves is in scuba diving in Beirut, and what is actually underwater on this coast is in what you'll actually see underwater in Lebanon.
