Hey Donny,
I’m so happy I did my masters course with you. To me, you are a
celebrity in the Freediving world. I really feel like I was taught by
the best of the best.
Your guidance in breath work, yoga, meditation, and diving is
unparralled. To me you are the safest and most knowledgable instructor
on the island, I’m really happy I chose such a safe
and knowledagable freedive instructor. You even went out of your way
to give me some cooking lessons on how to prepare some super tasty and
healthy food. Personal touches like that speak leaps and bounds about
your care and attention.
You also take the best damn photos and videos. I also saw you spend a lot of time behind your computer
making sure that the photos were edited really well. Thanks again for
all the effort, I love all the photos and so do my friends.
You were always very open about sharing the wealth of information you
have accumlated through your readings, podcasts, and trainings.
Whether we were relaxing between dives, taking a walk, or meditating
while the sun set over the ocean; there was always something to learn.
I felt like I was chilling with a freediving jedi master and I was
your dive padawan for 10 days.
The dives were incredible and thanks for taking me to such a wide
variety of dive sites. I loved diving in rainy weather, through
shipwrecks, and off the side of the boat in the deep open ocean. I
absolutely loved the boat diving! The water was so calm and I was
surprised to reach huge depth with such a quick and easy boat ride.
Chilling in the vast ocean like that and relaxing before deep dives
gave me a sense of peace that is hard to describe.
You also structured the whole program very well to allow for rest
days. I always felt like I was ready to hit the water and take what I
had learned to the next level. Learning and applying the advanced
equalization techniques also came to me quickly and easily under your
exceptional guidance. I was hitting personal best depths and the dives
were so much fun.
The yoga teachings as part of the course were worthwhile all on their
own. So having the yoga sessions included in the masters course made
the whole experience very valuable and more than worthwhile in my
opinion. Hopefully I can keep coming back to do yoga and hit the water
with you again.
Thanks again for everything Donny, you are a legend!
Donny is The Guy !!! I was learning with different instructors before and I was very confused , also didn’t feel I was in a good hand at all ….
with Donny I felt completely safe , he knows what he is talking about and what he is doing , he makes things clear and easy to understand , freedive could be an intimidating experience for beginners like me , fortunately Donny is extremely patient and encouraging ! on top of that , there was no compromises when it comes to safety, which I think is very very important .
I’m very glad I did the course with Donny and I’m sure I will go back to practice more with him , highly recommended !!
Donny was awesome. I had an amazing time learning about free diving and then confidently pushing my limits. Donny is an extremely knowledgeable instructor and his main priority is your safety. Thank you Donny for an unforgettable experience!
I just did a four day AIDA 2 course with Donny at Freedive Taiwan. I wish I could say that it was his amazing website and stunning good looks that drove me to take the course with Donny but I found him on Instagram and our diaries serendipitously coincided. Nonetheless, it was an amazing experience.
First the facilities. If you are sleeping there the beds are firm yet comfortable. Though rarely used, there was a brand new split unit fully functioning air conditioner. The sleeping quarters are brand new and are contained in a cute shipping container. Toilet facilities were also clean and brand new. You also have access to kitchen facilities and a refrigerator.
Now for the instruction. Most importantly, Donny, despite hailing from Scotland, speaks perfect English.
Donny was the consummate professional throughout, which is an important attribute to have when safety standards are involved. Donny’s standards are above even that needed to pass the course. Despite being able to take the course over 2 days he insists on doing it over 4 days because he has your utmost safety at the forefront of his mind and you can feel this throughout the course. I have just finished the four-day course and I’m exhausted (a good kind though) It would have been a serious struggle to do it in two days. Donny also insists on small class size. He will take a max of four students. When we were out for the open water part of the course I saw other schools with over ten students (look a bit chaotic to me).
Finally, Donny took video throughout the course to critique the technique after a session and will also give you all the files (bring a usb stick or hard drive) so you can put it on your favorite social media platform.
I can confidently say you are safe hands with Donny and taught the material so it’s easily digestible.
A side bonus, Donny helped arrange for me the ferry tickets and a scooter to use ahead of time as it was a long holiday weekend and he was afraid those would have been booked up quickly. He aims to make your trip as hassle-free as possible.
I did the AIDA2 intensive course on a weekend in July, one on one with Donny! Absolutely enjoyed it! The schedule was tight but perfectly efficient, and I even got to see some sharks on the last day which was an awesome surprise. I highly recommend coming here because Donny is a professional and very serious about his students safety and knowledge. You’ll feel well educated after you finished the course! And Xiao Liuqiu is such a beautiful place, fast to get there too. Don’t miss out thanks Freedive Taiwan!
Donny教練非常專業，他一點也不馬乎要我們所吸收的知識，非常有耐心，每次練習都讓我們挑戰自我，並且不斷的鼓勵，從兩公尺都下潛不去到可以下潛16米深，沒有Donny教練我做不到像今天的成果！
Amazing experience – Donny is very knowledgeable about the sport & was extremely patient with me. Would definitely recommend this course to everyone!
Completing my AIDA2 certification with Donny was a great learning experience, and I highly value the emphasis he places on safety and technique. The level of individual feedback and coaching throughout the course allows the student to develop a good foundation for expanding their freediving skills. Donny also doesn’t shy away from covering theoretical topics in more depth than what is required. Thank you FREEDIVE TAIWAN – I’m already looking forward to AIDA3!
I chose to learn free diving with Donny based on the other reviews and can confirm he is an excellent instructor and a great guy. First and foremost, he puts safety above everything else. It is so critical to build the right habits from the beginning and Donny ensures that this happens. Second, he is very patient and knows how to encourage and help you through the learning process. Finally, he is highly experienced and can tell you exactly what you need to work on to improve your technique. All in all, Donny is an outstanding choice if you are looking to truly learn free diving the proper way.
My partner and I completed our AIDA 2 course with Donny and Freedive Taiwan. I cannot recommend any instructor more highly than Donny. His dedication to helping us learn and practice safe freediving skills was paramount in our ability to learn the correct techniques at our own pace. He was very patient with us and we had so much fun during the course! I will be telling anybody who has interest in freediving that the best and most safe course is in Taiwan with Donny!! He even let me pass after I spilled coffee on him…so sorry about that. We will be back to continue on with AIDA 3 soon!!
I attempted the AIDA2 course with Donny over a weekend in June 2020. Donny is not only a highly knowledgeable and expert freediver but also a patient and encouraging instructor whose methods and demonstrations gave me the best possible opportunity to learn the basics of freediving. I definitely intend to return to him when I decide to continue my freediving education. In addition, the location of Donny’s school on the beautiful island of 小琉球 is an ideal setting for aspiring ocean-loving divers!
Donny was my instructor for the AIDA3 course in July, 2018. I hadn’t taken a course since AIDA2, two years previously, so I was due to step it up. Donny reinforced and helped me improve my overall technique through clear and concise instruction, encouragement and enthusiasm. He’s extremely dedicated to and knowledgeable about everything freediving related. I highly recommend Freedive Taiwan. You’ll get quality instruction, have fun, and without a doubt improve your freediving.
I did my Aida2 course with Donny last year. He’s very knowledgeable about free dive. And has got lots of patience with me
My soul was waxed after completing the course ~thank you, Freedive Taiwan!