Dive guide · PADI COURSES & CERTIFICATION
Open Water takes three to four days and costs less in Thailand and Egypt than almost anywhere else. These 15 courses are compared on days, class size, how much pool time is involved and what the price actually includes.
Learn scuba basics with iDive Barcelona in a small group of no more than six. You’ll spend about 35 minutes learning equipment and hand signals, then enter from the beach at your own pace. Instructors such as Pau, Alex, Hugo, and Wanda are praised for calm guidance, while photos and videos give you a lasting souvenir.
“It was great. The only things that got wrong was that I didn't got the photos and videos. Sad.”
Spend three to four days learning scuba skills with Pyramids Diving Center in Sharm el Sheikh. You will complete five theory sessions, five confined-water sessions, and four Red Sea sessions with a PADI professional. Instructors including Amr, Mena, and Mohammed Abdelkarim are noted for calm, patient teaching. Equipment, transport, lunch, and soft drinks are included.
“Great experience getting out PADI Advanced Open Water Certification with Rahma. Sharm El-Sheik is absolutely stunning. I would strongly suggest skipping the shore diving the first day and have the boat dive the two days”
Try scuba in Tossa de Mar with SuperDive’s PADI instructors, beginning with a 40-minute lesson before a gentle shore entry at Mar Menuda Beach. Expect up to an hour underwater, with guides such as Pep, Eric, Harry, and Eva helping you spot seahorses, octopus, cuttlefish, and fish. Your photos and video are included.
“A lot of love and gratitude to our wonderful instructors, Harry and Pepe. It was our first time scuba diving, and we loved every moment of the experience. Harry was professional, friendly, and incredibly patient, taking the time to calmly explain the entire process and answer all our questions. He made us feel completely at ease before we even entered the water. Some members of our group didn’t know how to swim and were understandably anxious before the dive, but both Harry and Pepe reassured them, calmed their nerves, and guided them with confidence. Pepe even held one of my friend's hand until she was comfortable on her own. Their…”
Travel from Phuket to Koh Racha Yai for two guided open-water scuba sessions with a certified instructor. Pomme, Tiger, Ootdy, Nim, and other guides are praised for calm coaching, clear briefings, and help with nerves. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, equipment, insurance, and selected hotel transfers are included.
“First time scuba diving and our diving instructors were very knowledgeable and super welcoming. It was an amazing experience and we will definitely be coming back for more.”
Spend 2.5 hours learning scuba basics with Petros and the CRETANDIVERS team in Agia Pelagia. After a calm, multilingual lesson and safety practice, you’ll make a supervised open-water session in clear bay waters, reaching no more than six meters. Small groups, full equipment, and hotel pickup make this a friendly first step.
“It was great and safe, the instructors were great and helped to defeat ure fears. Definitely going to come back!”
Meet Aqua Marine Dive Center at Saga Haven Marina for a short scuba lesson, equipment practice, and a first open-ocean descent with a PADI-certified instructor. Groups are limited to four students per instructor. Afterward, snorkel, enjoy snacks and drinks, or pay extra for a second scuba descent.
“Anna, Wolfgang and Quinton were great. The dives were fine and a great experience for my teens. Our issue with the experience was the continued non-stop talk of Jeffrey Epstein and Pedophile Island. This is were the dives took place and that's fine but all the pedophile talk was inappropriate.”
Meet your Scubanana instructor at Radazul Marina for a three-hour PADI try-dive. You’ll learn basic skills on land, use supplied equipment, and enter the sea with close personal guidance. Instructors such as Ryan and Elias are praised for calm, clear teaching. The experience suits first-timers aged 10 and older.
“The staff were very friendly, accommodating and yet professional. Ryan was extremely knowledgeable, took into account our levels of experience and gave excellent instruction. This college professor gives an A plus!”
From Haleiwa Harbor, Hawaii Adventure Diving takes you into open water for about 45 minutes near sharks and other marine life. The two-hour trip includes a safety briefing, snorkel gear, a safety diver, and underwater photos and video. Crew members such as Ronnie, Stacey, Terry, and Meagan have helped make the outing calm, informative, and well organized.
“The crew were super knowledgeable and friendly. I felt safe at all times. I would do this again! Make sure you are a good swimmer with snorkel experience.”
Meet SuperDive Tossa for a three-hour beginner scuba session led by guides including Guille, Sergei, Hector, Imma, and others. You’ll get a safety briefing, equipment, insurance, and close support underwater. Expect a small group of up to eight, marine life such as fish and octopus, and souvenir photos and videos.
“To do again it was beautiful the instructors was perfect super understanding and guides us directly if there would be a problem the monitors were Hoda and Eric it was perfectAuto-translated”
Spend three flexible days learning scuba skills with Nemo Diving Center in Dubai. You will complete paperwork, equipment fitting, confined-water practice, and four open-water sessions. Instructors including Abdel, Hasan, and Mostafa are praised for patience and care. Online study costs 370 AED extra and can be completed before arrival or between sessions.
“The staff members at Nemo were very friendly and welcoming. Being a traveller (from Australia), little things like hospitality and a small smile matters to me to make me feel comfortable. My trainer Abdel was patient and helped me hoRead more”
Learn scuba skills at La Bombona Diving in Koh Tao through classroom work, a supervised pool session, and four ocean sessions. The multilingual team may include instructors such as George, Nico, James, or Koldo. Classes are limited to four people, and all equipment and course materials are supplied.
“We completed our RAID openwater and advanced certification with James and Armand from LBD this week. We had an absolutely fantastic time, so much so that we ended up staying to complete another five dives. James is incredibly experiRead more”
Join Sea Spirit, a PADI 5-star resort, for two guided scuba sessions around Taormina’s Isola Bella Marine Park. You’ll meet at Hotel Naxos Beach at 8:00 am, travel by boat from Giardini Naxos, and enjoy gear, transfers, fruit, drinks, wine, and almond biscuits. Certified divers, try-scuba participants, and snorkelers can join the six-hour outing.
“I did 10 dives in early Sept with Sea Spirit instructors Filipi, Carmelo and Swann. Fantastic experience all round. Clear communication with Cilla from the office for planning my dives. Good equipment sanitized every day, clear routines and instructions on the boat and during dive briefings; yummy Sicilian snacks and epic soundtrack during the navigations. Felt safe prior to and during my dives with this crew. The guys from Sea Spirit are very experienced divers, very professional and supportive. They have the best knowledge about local dives sites, adapting to weather conditions fast and know where to find the best wildlife underwater. Any issues that arise they manage it gracefully…”
Start with PADI safety instruction and practice in a shallow pool before boarding a 45-foot boat for a 30-minute ocean session near Pelican Rock and El Arco. The small-group format, nearby instructors, bathroom onboard, snacks, and water make this a practical first scuba experience in Los Cabos. Extra fees apply.
“The best beginner's dive experience ever! They really care about preparing you before your ocean dive. You train in a tank before you actually go to your dive site. The details that they put into it is far more than I've seen with other companies. We had 10 people in our dive and there was an experienced diver with each person. My two daughters had a blast!”
Spend 3.5 hours aboard a yellow double-decker boat from San Antonio, learning basic scuba skills before a supervised session to 8 meters. PADI instructors, including team members such as Nacho, Cristian, and Marcello, guide first-timers in English or Spanish. Snorkel from the boat, watch for octopuses and fish, and use the supplied gear throughout.
“People were very pleasant and really wanted us to enjoy the trip. All the kit is on the boat. We were given wetsuits etc. And had very pleasant dive. They divided us into groups and took us a dive relevant to experience and ability. Excellent value for money.”
Spend three days at Taiwan Dive Center in Hengchun learning scuba skills from PADI instructors, with English teaching available, a 1:3 coach-to-student ratio, equipment, lunch, insurance, and underwater photos included. Training moves from confined water to four sea sessions, with certification issued on the final afternoon.
“Excellent experience doing Advanced Open Water course. Highly knowledgable and passionate staff fluent in English. I was impressed by the excellent facilities and optimal location. I will be back to dive more with TDC”
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