Learn the Right Way and Safe Way to Freedive in Savusavu
Meet Neelam Rattan. Ms Rattan has managed and run Liquidstate Freediving since October, 2018 in Savusavu. The 35-year-old, was born in Lautoka in 1984 and grew up there in a rural cane farming community.
At the age of 18 Neelam moved to Suva to complete her higher education.
After working for DHL Express in Suva for eight years she decided to persue her dream of exploring the underwater world and became a certified scuba diver. She said her career chose her instead of her choosing it.
“I don’t consider teaching freedving a career, rather a passion.
“I see this as a way of sharing something that I love with the rest of the world and be able to make a living.
“I have always had a love for the ocean and marine life. “I manage and run a Freediving School. My hobbies are spearfishing, swimming, running, fitness etc. “I successfully marketed Lquidstate Freediving overseas and brought tourist from all over the world to specifically freedive in Fiji.
“I guess I can safely say that I have put Fiji on map as a freediving destinations,” she said.
Her curiosity and wanderlust led her to places like Tonga,where she swam with humpback whales, South Australia, where she dived with great white sharks, and Western Australia to dive with sea lions.
During those adventures she started to realise that diving without tanks i.e. on a single breath is the more natural way to experience and interact with the ocean and its inhabitants.
About the business
At the same time Neelam developed her skill and talent as an underwater model for her underwater photographer husband Tobi Bernhard.
In 2018 she went on a three month training programe to the Philippines to aquire her AIDA and PADI freediving instructor qualification and work as a freediving instructor to gain experience and knowledge on how to run a freediving business.
Liquidstate Freediving’, the first dedicated freediving business in Fiji (no scuba diving), and the first freediving school under the International Association for the Development of Apnea umbrella.
Now she teaches people from all walks of life to bring out their potential to dive on a single breath safely.
Freediving has thus effortlessly complimented the culture of fitness and meditation she always had in her life.
About Savusavu Tourism Association
Savusavu has launched an exciting array of special offers for the months of August and September, with a choice of activities both in and out of the water.
Liquidstate Freediving is offering a Discover Freediving day on September 1 at local prices.Her advice to locals who haven’t tried freediving: “Take a freediving course, learn the right way and safe way to freedive.”
Savusavu Tourism Association (STA) has been running a campaign encouraging locals to “Come Overseas to Savusavu” and this is a new collection of special activities.