Bamboo Reef Dive Center - Monterey

11/17/2025

UPDATE! Monterey Dates:
Thursday 10am to 6pm
Friday Closed
Saturday 10am to 6pm
Sunday 10am to 6pm

Announcing our closing sale on ALL items from 30-50% OFF - This includes special deals on rental equipment (tanks, weights, regs, wetsuits)

San Francisco:
Monday - Wednesday 10am to 6pm

Monterey:
Thursday - Saturday 10am to 6pm

11/03/2025

After over 64 years of serving the Bay Area and Monterey diving communities, Bamboo Reef is closing its doors.

It has been our profound honor and joy to be a part of your adventures and guiding you through the water. Since 1961, we've equipped divers, certified countless students, and shared in the wonder of the underwater world. The memories we've helped create are the legacy are what we are most proud of.

To everyone who has shared in our journey we extend our deepest gratitude for being a part of our story.

Important Information for Current Customers:
If you have pending gear service, classes, or other inquiries, please contact us directly via email at [email protected]

Thank you for the memories. It has been a wonderful dive.

The Bamboo Reef Team

07/28/2025

Congratulations to our new Open Water Divers. Conditions were awesome this weekend. It was a lake at San Carlos Beach, the water temperature was 60oF on the surface and about 53oF below 25 feet. Just another beautiful day in Monterey.

05/27/2025

Congratulations to our new Open Water Divers! It was a beautiful weekend in Monterey. Ocean conditions were very nice with calm surface and great vis underwater. The sea lions were also enjoying their calamari festival, squid bits were all over the bottom at San Carlos Beach and lazy sea lions sleeping off the nighttime feasting. Great fun for everyone!

05/12/2025

Congratulations to our new Open Water Divers. It was a really nice weekend in Monterey. The sea lions are still hanging out close to San Carlos Beach so we had numerous close encounter. The otters did not want to be left out and came in close to check us out. Topside it was very nice, underwater was a bit hazy but also warm on Saturday, 60oF. Our last dive on Sunday was much better vis, but also a bit chilly, 53oF. Everyone did great!

04/28/2025

Congratulations to our new Open Water Divers. Conditions in Monterey were very nice. Flat calm surface and 20 - 25 feet of visibility. The squid are in laying eggs so we had sea lions all around and buzzing everyone underwater. A sea otter hopped onto a near by float and put on a show for the group. A really nice weekend to be in Monterey Bay. Everyone did great and off to nice warm water.

04/15/2025

New Divers! Congratulations to our new Open Water Divers. It was a fun weekend at San Carlos Beach. Monterey challenged the groups with energetic entries and exits and surge at the dive site. Sunday’s conditions were better although you had to get below 30’ for the vis to open up. Everyone met the challenged and did great. They are off now to nice tropical locations. Another awesome group of divers.

03/31/2025

Congratulations to our new Open Water Divers. It was another fun weekend in Monterey. Saturday’s first dive was a bit challenging. The entry and exit as a bit energetic and there was a good surge at the dive site. They all earned their Monterey Diver badge. Conditions calmed down and continued to improve. Sunday’s dives were awesome. Everyone did great and they are all off to explore the four corners of the underwater world.

02/21/2025

Are you passionate about diving and a local Bay Area SCUBA Instructor? We’re looking for enthusiastic divers to join our team of SCUBA Instructors!

Teach:
- Open Water Classes
- Advanced & Specialty Classes
- 2 Stores to teach out of (San Francisco & Monterey)!

Whether you're an experienced instructor or just starting your journey, we would love to have you.

Email us today to learn more or apply directly in Monterey!

SDI Crossover Required

02/21/2025

Join our freediving classes where we will teach you the fundamentals of holding your breath, equalization techniques, and freediving down to depth.

Most students average a 3:00+ breath hold and feel comfortable diving between 30' - 45' after the course.

Don't miss out on our upcoming Freediving classes for March!
Classes are only $550.00 for professional level instruction!

02/17/2025

Sunday was Bamboo Reef's Fun Dive aboard the Beach Hopper 2. Conditions were better than reports from the previous few days. We dove Metridium Mountain and Cabrillo off Hopkins Research Station. Vis was 20-30 feet and a bit hazy in spots, but still very nice. Metridium Mountain had a lot of Ling Cod and Cowrie shells. Sean found us a Wolf eel at the end of the dive which made it just a perfect dive. Next Dive was at Cabrillo where we were greeted by Otters, Harbor Seals and a couple of Sea Lions for our surface interval. Such a joy to dive in the kelp forest, it was very fishy, and fun being buzzed by harbor seals. Another great day diving Monterey.
Join us on March 16 for another Fun Boat Dive. Sign up either through the web site or call the shop.

02/14/2025

Freedive Article of the week:
https://www.tdisdi.com/pfi-diver-news/safety-versus-performance-in-freediving/
Classes:
https://www.bambooreef.com/monterey-freediving

One of the most crucial skills is weight-checking—ensuring enough weight for diving while avoiding excess to prevent accidents and fatigue.