Bizarre new tourist activity people are travelling the world for

When Sydney woman Maxine McLaughlin tells people she is a professional mermaid, people think she is joking.

When Maxine McLaughlin tells people her job is a professional mermaid she is often met with very confused faces.

But yes, the 28-year-old from Sydney really does get paid to freedive in the ocean dressed as a mermaid. And she teaches others to do the same.

“They think that I’m just explaining that I’m a water person as a joke,” she told news.com.au. “I normally have to explain, ‘No this is an actual thing. I am a mermaid instructor. I’m a mermaid.’”

However, she believes a couple of years down the track, people won’t be so shocked.

“I have taught people who have come from Florida, I’ve taught people from Hawaii, I’ve taught people from France, I’ve taught people from Italy. South Africa as well,” she said of the growing interest in the unconventional activity.

Mermaiding is an underwater sport gaining popularity. Picture: Supplied

Ms McLaughlin, who had long been into freediving and had previously used a competition monofin, came across mermaiding herself about five years ago when she saw a group of women on a beach in the Caribbean with mermaid tails.

Then two years ago, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) launched its mermaiding courses to become certified in the sport.

Ms McLaughlin teaches these courses and says just about anyone over the age of six can participate.

PADI mermaid instructor Maxine McLaughlin. Picture: Supplied

But while it’s good fun, she says being a mermaid is also serious business.

“If you pop a costume on, it’s not a toy,” she said. “Mermaiding is a sport in the end. It needs to be treated with that respect because if you don’t know how to get out of your costume then you can get into trouble.”

The courses also teach people how to respect and protect marine life, which is a big part of the mermaiding community.

You can become a PADI-certified mermaid by taking a course. Picture: Supplied

Australians currently have the opportunity to win a trip to New Zealand, where they can do the quirky underwater course to become a certified PADI mermaid.

PADI has teamed up with Tourism New Zealand to offer the prize, which also includes flights and accommodation.

Australians have the opportunity to win a trip to New Zealand to become certified mermaids. Picture: Supplied

Ms McLaughlin said Australians seemed to overlook our neighbour for diving experiences but she could confirm the underwater display there was “mind-blowing”.

“Poor Knights Islands in New Zealand is one the best places I’ve dived in my whole life and I’ve been diving across the world. I couldn’t recommend it enough,” she said.

“It is our closest country and often Australians will travel far away to go diving and I don’t think we’ve realised we actually have a diving paradise on our doorstep in New Zealand.”

Poor Knights Islands off the north coast of New Zealand is one of Maxine McLaughlin’s favourite places to dive in the world. Picture: Supplied

Ms McLaughlin believes one of the best parts of mermaiding is getting to discover how different the sights are at popular spots around the world.

“New Zealand is volcanic and so is Hawaii but New Zealand is colder water than Hawaii. You assume they have similar systems, but they actually don’t,” she said.

“They’ve got the biggest sea cave in the world which is absolutely awesome.”

New Zealand has 44 marine reserves, which have been established with the goal of protecting the wildlife and habitats within them. Any visitors are prohibited from damaging or removing any part of a marine reserve.

Almost any one above the age of six can learn to become a mermaid. Picture: Supplied

Ms McLaughlin believes people have been mermaiding in “niche, secret, hidden away groups”

for decades but in the last two years it has become a lot more accessible, bringing a community together.

She is trying to connect the “ocean protectors” via her new Facebook group Aussie Sirens and Sea People.

Welcoming anyone who “resonates with the ocean”, the group organises beach clean-ups, group swims and offers community education.

For more information about Tourism New Zealand and PADI’s competition, visit www.newzealand.com/au/campaign/mermaids-win.