A really great store that that knows their equipment and can help you get what you need.

I was recommended to Bamboo Reef by a colleague who is super into free diving and scuba diving. They are the one. That was what she told me. After getting my open water certification with them, I would like to tell you, the folks looking into scuba, that Bamboo Reef is the one.Big shout out to Kory, Katie for their excellent customer service, patience for all my questions about the diving equipment, and Ken, Brian for their diving wisdom. They were totally fine with going overtime on the lessons to ensure that we acquired the needed knowledge for diving.I was quite nervous about the diving exam in Monterey as it would be my first actual ocean dive, but Frank and Mark had made my diving exam a wonderful experience. Besides the valuable tips/techniques they taught me, more importantly, they gave me a boost of confidence and scuba diving overall.I will go back to them to advance my diving skills.

Went here for our first cold water dive. My husband and I are both DMs, but only done tropical dives. This shop is fantastic!! Very professional, knowledgeable, high end/quality equipment rentals, friendly and very enthusiastic about diving. Adam was a wonderful person to dive with, he shared lots of helpful info and made our day great. We will be back ASAP :)

It took me 4 years to write this review. Sometimes you only realize how good a place is after you have experienced other non-good ones. I recommend their classes, products and rental gears.

A Big shout out!! Great dive shop.I just finished my open water diver certification with them and highly recommend this diving school and shop for scuba equipment purchases. Firstly Mark and Bamboo reef crew are welcoming and very helpful in briefing details of every equipment. They have the best prices on gear.I have no idea before starting the course was nervous about taking dive in the cold waters of Monterey but I am glad that my instructor (Mark Stanley) made it comfortable and in-fact joyful from very beginning to end.They have organized schedule and tailored SSI online classes and honestly felt much safer during the pool and ocean diving. Mark throughly made sure we grasped all techniques and aspects of scuba diving. He is so patient and even extended his hand on my request to have an extra pool session before actual ocean dive.Now I check my scuba certification process was an absolute dream which came true

Very friendly staff and good experience dealing with Adam and Kory.I always wanted to get certified for SCUBA but never had the chance to pull the trigger. Just one day at work, my colleague mentioned Bamboo Reef to me and she highly recommended it. I decided to give a try.Everything went smooth until my first ocean session. I did not equalize my ear proper and it hurts a little. The instructor suggested I should wait for a couple of weeks to take the second session. Adam was also totally cool with it. I took my time to rest, then, unfortunately the COVID-19 came with the SIP order.I almost forget I was not certified until November (half a year passed). I called them and they were able to pull my record quickly. No problem at all! They gave me another two ocean session without extra charge! As always, the sessions went smooth and my instructor Kory was super cool. The students have to wear 5mm gloves and still feel a little bit cold. However, Kory was totally fine with bare hand for a two hour dive!Its my first time writing such a long review. I would high recommend them and SCUBA diving has so much fun.

I took the first part of the SSI photography class as a crash course for my new Sealife DC2000 camera before heading off to Fiji. He took me from a complete novice, provided me skills to feel confident taking under water pictures and videos. I surprisingly impressed other experienced photographers on my dive trip and they used a couple of my pictures for their next bulletin! Looking forward to taking additional classes at Bamboo Reef.

My friend and I decided to take the SSI open water diver certification course with Bamboo Reef. This course consisted of:-2 classroom Zoom sessions-2 days of scuba training in their pool-2 days of scuba training in the oceanThe instructors were absolutely amazing! They made the classroom sessions very engaging which helped me easily understand the physics of diving, the diving equipment, and diving safety protocols.The pace of the pool sessions were also very manageable. Our instructor was precise with his lessons and made sure that we were comfortable with trying each exercise. He also contextualized the exercises by described the situations in which we might use the techniques we were practicing.We did the ocean sessions in November so the water was somewhat murky in Monterey Bay (no more than 10ft visibility). Ive heard it is better to go around August for maximum visibility. That being said, the ocean dives were amazing. It is definitely a bit more challenging to have to accommodate for the currents while simultaneously reproducing the exercises we had practiced in the pool, however, the instructors were calm, supportive, and never left me feeling as though I was out of my depth :p. On the last day my friend and I were given the opportunity to go on our own dive together without instructor supervision. This was by far one of the coolest things Ive ever experienced. Its really wild to look down at your computer for the first time and see that youre 40ft under the surface. Also, Ive never seen so many starfish in my life.I would 100% recommend Bamboo Reef for anyone trying to get started with this awe-inspiring sport!

I flew out from Florida to dive and see some kelp and different wildlife. Rosie was super knowledgeable and pointed out all of the nudibranchs for me to photograph. Halfway through the dive we were visited by some playful sea lions. It was a great experience!!

I had an awesome experience with Bamboo Reef. Their communication and flexibility with helping me schedule a dive tour on a day with good visibility was greatly appreciated. I went out with Rosemary. She was an amazing dive guide, super patient and so fun to spend time with! She is also a marine biologist so she knows her stuff! We saw so many cool sea creatures and she helped me work on my buoyancy which is something I have struggled with in the past. I would highly recommend Bamboo Reef!

Very good diving center, Mark was very helpful and accommodating. We could do our certification in Monterey in a safe way even during the complicated times of covid.

Firstly, they are COVID conscious: They limit the number of people in the shop and classes, everyone has to wear facemasks when its reasonable, sanitize areas and gear, and have adapted some class skills that cannot necessarily be safe (buddy breathing for one).Bamboo Reef is an amazing, professional, and fun outfit. I got recertified after 15 years off from diving and definitely learned more than I had the first time around. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly and most importantly: they absolutely love diving and want you to love it too. They take it very seriously, and wont just pass anyone like some sketchy outfits: they make sure you are fully prepared to start your diving life. They want you to have fun, but they make certain you know what you are doing before they allow you to proceed by working hard to make everything clear and doable. They will make sure you pass by ensuring you know your stuff and will go over knowledge and skills until you are comfortable and confident. They have further classes, equipment rentals, gear for purchase, trips, and guided tours for all your future adventure needs.On a checkout dive I had an accident underwater, completely due to an existing sports injury, and had to bail and needed surface assistance. Thanks to the training I received I was able to indicate to my dive buddy the issue prior to safely ascending to the surface, and signal for help. Our instructor Kory and his assistant were able to safely get me to shore, assist me in getting my gear off, provide minor medical assistance (and they have supplies for emergencies always ready during classes), and furthermore helped understand how I might change some of my movements to avoid a repeat injury. They literally saved me, and then not 30 minutes later rushed down to the beach to help pull out a random diver whom was struggling to get ashore. They are PREPARED, and it is extremely reassuring to know that they know what to do in an emergency and are able to act with speed and assurance. These are the people you want to train you to dive.The employees easy to talk to and seemingly very flexible with dates and such. Theyll work with you to get you diving, whatever you need.

An overdue review - took my SSI Open Water certification class with Bamboo Reef last November. Had a really really great time. Friendly (and patient!) staff, with instructors that show the right balance of pushing you to succeed while also intuiting when students need more practice.One thing to keep in mind - make sure that you take your time to get the right fit when youre buying your equipment. The staff are busy, but will take the time to do proper fits if you ask for it. Equipment exchanges accepted so long as theyve only been tested in the pool.Overall would recommend!

Bamboo Reef was awesome! My wife and I learned how to dive at this center and they were amazing teachers. Some students were a bit slower to learn than others, but the instructors here were amazing and took their time with everybody. No corners were cut, and we feel fully certified and safe in the water with their instruction. The certification dive was also awesome! We saw a lot of stuff and had a great time. Definitely recommend!

I just finished my certification with Bamboo Reef. Spent time with several of the crew, but mainly Kory. The whole experience was super fun and professional which makes learning important and life saving skills a little easier. The ocean diving in Monterey is also well executed, and I look forward to going on some dive trips with Bamboo Reef in the future! Would recommend these guys and gals to anyone.

Incredible experience- the instructors were patient, welcoming, friendly and informed! I would highly recommend if you are looking to get certified or want a fun dive.

Shan at Bamboo reef was amazing. She was super patient with me and my friend while renting a few wetsuits and gave great advice.

Great experience diving with Dennis! We only had 2 divers + our divemaster on our Sunday morning dive for a small group of just 3 divers total.The gear was in great shape - I even got to use a brand new semi-dry suit, which kept me unbelievably warm. Dennis made me feel extra safe. He went above and beyond by double checking our gear, doing detailed dive briefs, and sharing snacks between dives.We dove Monastery, as place Ive wanted to check out for a long time. Water temp was about 48 degrees- chilling, but my entire body was comfortable thanks to Bamboo Reefs amazing gear. We saw a 7ft wolf eel and some gorgeous soft corals, anemones, and jellies. Great experience and will definitely be back!

If you want to dive, learn at Bamboo Reef (SF).I wish I could give more stars to this team, I honestly cannot think of anything that they could improve... I’ve gone from not liking my face being in water, to being a level 1 Certified Diver.The team couldn’t have been more patient, fun and informative.Thank you so much to the whole team: Mark, Kory, Rebecca, Paddy and Tim. I have had the best time, I cannot stop smiling, and I look forward to continuing to improve.An extra special thanks to Tim, who has been on every dive with me since day one, I owe you a medal!

Highly recommend Bamboo reef to anyone looking to get certified. They focused on a safety and having fun. World recommend Cory for the pool work and the Rebeccas for the open water certification. It was so much fun!

My first cold-water dive was here in Monterey and Im so glad I went with Bamboo Reef! They made booking, paying, and logistics so easy. Jose was a very patient and knowledgeable guide and their gear was next-level! 10/10 would recommend for both great service and amazing dives in the kelp forests.

These folks are really great! Professional and friendly. Dennis, my dive master, was patient and helpful. He really took the time to point out all the critters and vegetation we came across. I would recommend this dive shop to anyone!

I had such a great experience here as a student. The staff at the shop were friendly and helpful, and they were flexible when I needed to change dates. The instructors were also really patient and kind. I would recommend Bamboo Reef to anyone.

Went in for some advice and the guys were so friendly and helpful! Turns out they have a location in Monterey!

This was my son and I’s third dive trip with Bamboo Reef this year. This is a terrific dive shop!The dive guides are professional and enjoy what they are doing. The dive briefings and safety protocols are very good. We rented tanks, regulators, and wet suits. All the equipment was in top shape. They have everything set up when you arrive in the morning so be ready to gear up and go!The shop personnel know the local area and weather patterns very well and can select the best location for visibility and sea conditions. Fantastic experience with this dive shop. We will be heading back again in August!

Awesome Staff, Very professional and friendly. Take something that can be slightly scary/dangerous and make it very fun and safe. Would highly recommend them for any certification that you need.

Got my open water certification here. Kory was an amazing instructor. Safe, fun and professional. Highly recommended.

I had an awesome experience getting scuba certified with Bamboo Reef, both in the pool and in the ocean. All of my instructors (Kory for the pool and Olivia and Tim in the ocean) made me feel safe and were patient in answering all of my questions. Kory was particularly helpful in teaching me proper techniques and alleviating my stress, and Olivia and Tim showed us how awesome scuba diving can be in Monterey. The dives in the ocean gave us a chance to actually just use the equipment after we had passed all of the skills. I am not a great swimmer or scuba diver (yet!) but I left the course feeling ready to do this on my own (with a buddy of course).

I got my Open Water and Nitrox certifications at Bamboo Reef. They have another shop in Monterey, so the process of doing the coursework in SF and the open water dives in Monterey is pretty easy and the instructors at both shops have all been friendly, informative and fun. They have weeknight and weekend classes, so its pretty well tailored to city dwellers who want to get certified. I bought my minimal dive essentials through them, but havent gone in for a fully diving system yet. Overall its a great shop and Im looking forward to checking out some of their fun dives and organized trips.

The instructors were very helpful and showed lots of patience with everyone in the group. They also offer diving trips and specialty classes. They have something for everyone and I felt safe the whole time. Couldnt be happier they are my Dive shop.

I recently got the stress and rescue certification with Bamboo Reef. The instructor was extremelly generous with his time and knowledge, pushing us to improve our skill as much as possible, but keeping the class very fun and entertaining. I feel lucky to have found a place to take my diving skills to the next level. I will came back to Bamboo Reef to keep up my education without hesitation, and I really recommend this place for anybody who wants to learn scuba diving.

Awesome dive shop - friendly, knowledgeable, and quick with solutions.

I have had a great time with everyone at this shop. They make the certification process easy and fun. They worked with me to get me the gear I needed and not just sell me their merchandise. I ended up needing a custom suit and they recommended where to go and did not try to sell me a suit that would not work. I look forward to continuing my SCUBA education through Bamboo Reef.

Friendly and helpful shop. Very welcoming. We did a guided dive at Breakeater. Emily was our guide. Emily was super helpful and friendly. She did a great job. Thank you for taking us on our first cold water dive!

Total 5 star experience! Very knowledgeable and super friendly staff. I believe they are the best dive shop in the city. I just finished the OWD certification with them in April 2017. What a great experience!

Great team. Knowledgeable and friendly. Full service shop. Great fun dives every month.

I got my open water SCUBA certification with Bamboo Reef and I really appreciated how professional the instructors were! They were very knowledgeable, patient, and made me feel safe throughout the training.

I took the Open Water Diver certification class with Mark Stanley through this shop and recently completed my five required dives in Monterey. I had a great experience and I would highly recommend this shop and this course to anyone looking to get certified.The class itself was fun, useful, and appropriately priced. They follow the SSI program, and I feel like I had a far better experience than my friends had with PADI certifications. I was not nervous about going in the water, but the program built up to it slowly. This would be perfect for anyone apprehensive about SCUBA without being too slow for someone eager to get going.On the checkout dives, I was initially nervous about the cold water in Monterey, but the semi-dry suit I was given fit perfectly and kept me perfectly warm throughout the weekend. Mark did an awesome job leading our group, explaining the plan for each dive, and pointing out cool critters. I felt safe, relaxed, and in control the entire time, and I had a great dive experience.I cannot recommend this shop highly enough, and Im excited to go diving again in Monterey, or on one of their many other trips to dive sites around the world.

Went with Dennis diving cannery row what a wonderful experience, wonderful young man courteous helpful and made my day very pleasurable. Would recommend all my friends diving with bamboo reef dive shop.5 stars 🌟 and

Was awesome to be able to find prescription lenses for myself right here at the shop without having to order anything. will be back for sure

The open water certification with Bamboo Reef is ok. The instructors are great, but it’s pricey and requires a time commitment.The class itself costs about $500, but they also require you to buy mask, snorkel, fins, booties and gloves which costs $200 - $400. You also needed to rent a car and book a hotel in Monterey for the ocean dive, which costs another $300. You can get certified in Hawaii for much cheaper.It also takes two full weekends to get certified. Since they put you in a class with 10 people, all of the skills take a while to complete. Private lessons are much quicker, but also more expensive.

Friendly and helpful staff, and no high-pressure sales pitches like at some other places. I was able to return an item without any hassles.

Did our advanced open water certification here and Bret our guide and the whole operation were top notch - high quality rental gear, super knowledgeable, friendly staff! You cant go wrong with Bamboo Reef!

Got my upgrade credits and pool dives for Padi Suba diver to Padi open water here.Gary Gardner, my coach, was just amazing!! He went out of his way to ensure that I have no issues with my Documents for open water dives at Catalina!!Thanks Gary!! Really appreciate your help, highly recommend him as your instructor.Mark, was very responsive at the office. Just absolutely amazing team!

Friendly and efficient. Made for local stuff, so selection was limited for warm water, but still got what I needed

Took freediving lessons with Brian Stanley as primary instructor and John Prins as his Co instructor. Both are very relaxed and chill and allowed us time to get comfortable with building our confidence and skills with taking one breath underwater. It’s fun and glad to have both as our instructors! Looking forward to doing freediving adventures with Bamboo Reef!

Great Instructors and knowledgeable store staff that provide awesome service and really work to make you feel comfortable.

Got certified here. The staff are friendly and I thoroughly recommend them. They have a pool on-site for some of your training and then you do your final dives in Monterey.

Friendly staff, good selection (if pricey), great instructors.

Terrible customer service. Unconcerned with customer effort going to Monterey by cancelling without directly contacting me other than vmail. They could not be bothered to text or call a second time. After leaving several messages with this company they never took initiative to contact me. Untrustworthy and shady in their customer relations. Use at your own risk.

The people in the store were very friendly and helpful, and not pushy. They didnt have room left in the classes that fit our schedule, but they were happy to give recommendations to other bay area dive shops.

Great local dive shop in San Francisco. Super friendly.

Patty makes your open water class an absolute blast!

Best shop in SF!

Great service, classes, support.

Everything was great! Very well organized In addition, if you go from Spain, Monterey is something totally different in terms of diving. The water is very very cold, but the underwater landscape is amazing