Worldwide · PADI COURSES
Getting certified on holiday means warm water and a reef for your qualifying dives. The 15 courses below are priced, with how many days each takes and which ones let you do the theory online first.
Learn scuba basics in Barcelona during a two-hour beginner session with a certified instructor. You will spend about 35 minutes learning equipment and hand signals, then enter from the beach at your own pace. Small groups of up to six, multilingual guides, and underwater photos or video make this a friendly first step.
“It was a beautiful experience. Fernando made it quite memorable.”
Train with a PADI professional in Sharm el Sheikh over three to four days. You’ll complete five theory sessions, five confined-water sessions, and four Red Sea sessions, with equipment, meals, transfers, and soft drinks included. Instructors such as Amr, Mena, and Mohamed Abdelkarim are known for patient, reassuring teaching.
“Hany, Amir, Mustafa Nafea and Hussan, were amazing guides! You can tell how much experience they had and you knew you were in safe hands at all times! Mustafa took me around the coral and whilst snorkeling he is great at what he does!! WOW what an amazing experience!! Would love to do this again!!!”
Join SuperDive Tossa de Mar for a 150-minute PADI Try Dive at Mar Menuda Beach. You’ll learn equipment and hand signals, ride 10 minutes by van, then spend 45 to 60 minutes underwater with an instructor such as Pep, Eric, Harry, or Eva nearby. Seahorses, octopus, cuttlefish, and video footage may be part of your Costa Brava experience.
“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…”
Start early at Chalong Pier, meet a certified instructor such as Pomme, Tiger, Ootdy, or Nim, and board a shared boat for Koh Racha Yai. After breakfast and instruction, you’ll complete two 45 to 50-minute open-water scuba sessions with close guidance. Lunch, equipment, snacks, insurance, and select Phuket transfers are included.
“Very good experience, had a very informative instructor and all the boat crew were friendly and welcoming”
Learn scuba basics with PADI instructor Petros and the Cretandivers team, then make a calm, supervised open-water descent in Agia Pelagia Bay. You receive equipment, practice time, multilingual instruction, and personal attention in groups of up to six. Hotel pickup is available from selected Crete resorts, while photos and HD video cost extra.
“Can't recommend this enough. Petros and his team were super friendly, welcoming and very accommodating. The diving it's self was incredible and we felt safe and looked after at all times. I struggled with some of the basics at first but the team were brilliant at looking after me and helping me master the basics without me holding up the rest of the group. Scuba diving is an amazing experience and this beginners course with this team is the perfect way to get started or just get a taster. Thank you Petros & co for an incredible day.”
Meet Aqua Marine Dive Center at Saga Haven Marina for a beginner scuba lesson, equipment briefing, and your first open-ocean scuba session. A PADI-certified instructor works with no more than four students, then you can snorkel or pay for a second scuba session. Water, soft drinks, and snacks are included.
“Dave, Steph, Hymie were excellent 👌. Took us to great spot. Would definitely recommend to others. Thank you guys again 😁”
Meet your English-speaking Scubanana instructor at Radazul for a three-hour PADI try-dive. You’ll learn basic skills on land, use supplied equipment, and enter the water with personal guidance. Ryan and Elias are among the instructors praised for calm, clear teaching. Minimum age is 10.
“It was an amazing experience! It was my first time and everything was just super professional and friendly at the same time! I do recommend them.”
From Haleiwa Harbor, you’ll cruise to open water with a crew of marine biologists, safety divers, and photographers. After a shark-safety briefing, you’ll snorkel and swim near Galapagos sharks and other marine life for about 45 minutes. Small groups, usually no more than six, make it personal.
“I did the shark dive with Hawaii Adventure Diving, and it was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. I was nervous at first, but Annika, Stacy, and Terry were incredible. They made safety the priority and educated us about shark behavior in a way that completely shifted my mindset from fear to respect. The moment we entered the water, the adrenaline hit — but it quickly turned into awe. We were surrounded by Galapagos sharks gliding gracefully around us, and at one point, even had a tiger shark swim by to check us out. Seeing these powerful animals in their natural environment was surreal and empowering. By…”
Spend about three hours learning scuba basics with SuperDive Tossa, then enter the water with an instructor such as Guille, Sergei, Hector, or Imma. Expect a safety briefing, close supervision, marine life, and souvenir photos and videos. The session starts and ends at Carrer Lope Mateo, 1.
“We had a great time on this tour! It was our first times doing scuba, and were nervous going into it. Our instructors Guille and Sergei were very helpful and made us feel safe. We saw a lot of fish, an octopus, and a couple of seahorses. Would recommend this to others and would do this again. Thank you for an awesome experience.”
Train with Nemo Diving Center at Palm Jumeirah on a flexible three-day PADI Open Water course. You’ll complete forms, equipment fitting, confined-water skills, and four open-water sessions. Instructors including Abdel, Hasan, and Mostafa can help you arrange weekday or weekend training, with e-learning available before or during the course for an extra 370 AED.
“Fantastic few days learning to dive with the Nemo Diving Centre with some very experienced instructors (especially Hasan) who were incredibly patient and attentive throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed learning new skills as the instructors foRead more”
Learn scuba skills with La Bombona Diving in Koh Tao through classroom lessons, pool training, and four supervised ocean sessions. The school teaches in several languages, keeps groups small, and provides equipment and course materials. Instructors including George, James, Nico, Rafa, and Ponxi have received especially strong praise for calm, patient teaching.
“Had an amazing experience and an fantastic instructor!! (Julian is the best🤪). I recommend everyone who wants to dive in Koh Toa, to have your experience by this company”
Meet Sea Spirit at Hotel Naxos Beach at 8:00 am, prepare your gear, then cruise to Isola Bella for two guided underwater outings with experienced instructors such as Swann, Filipi, Carmelo, and Julien. Certified participants get equipment, boat transport, fruit, drinks, Sicilian wine, and almond biscuits, while snorkelers and first-timers can join selected sessions.
“One of the most professional dive centers I’ve ever been with!”
Start with PADI safety instruction and shallow-pool practice in San Jose del Cabo, then board a 45-foot boat for a 30-minute ocean session near Pelican Rock and El Arco. Small groups, close instructor support, snacks, and onboard bathroom access make this a practical first scuba outing. Equipment, transport, and dock fees cost extra.
“Such a great trip! Thank you for the great class, practice in the pool, and then careful guidance as we did our dive.”
Meet the yellow compass-marked boat near Palapa Bar in San Antonio for a beginner-friendly PADI Discover Scuba session. After a 25-minute online lesson and onboard briefing, you’ll explore to 8 meters with an instructor for about 30 minutes. Gear, insurance, drinks, and snorkeling time are included. Ages 10 and up.
“You can have a perfect time in the sea nice instructor nice view which you never had in your life I strongly recommend this activity”
Learn the PADI Open Water course in Kenting over three days, with a coach-to-student ratio of 1:3, English instruction on request, Suunto ZOOP computers, lunch, and four sea sessions. Taiwan Dive Center supplies scuba equipment, insurance, and an underwater camera for the final sessions. You must be at least 10 and medically fit.
“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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