Additional information

PADI Open Water Diver course

The most popular and sought after entry level certification course in the world - The PADI Open Water Diver Certification!

The  PADI Open Water certification and training program teaches you to become a competent diver under the conditions that you are trained for. It typically runs for just 3 in-water training days and if you meet all the course performance requirement, our instructors will certify you to dive independently to a maximum of 18 meters. Getting certified is lifetime achievement so it means that you can sign up to a fun or leisure dives anywhere in the world without.

To take the course, you do not need to have any prior experience scuba diving. Because this is designed as an entry level program, you can be totally inexperienced as this is what the course is intended to train you. You just need to know how to swim and float, and we will test your swimming skills by letting you swim for 200 meters and float for 10 minutes without using any floatation device to aid you.

Kids can join too. If they are 10 years older, they can sign up as Junior Open Water divers.

To know or learn more about this course, you can click "+" to collapse the topic or section.

Other supplemental information:

Sample Schedule

This is a general schedule of the course. This offers a general idea of how your training is structured. The course is performance-based so your instructor may introduce changes depending on some unforeseen variables.

Day 1 (9am to 2pm)

  • Administrative paperworks (including collection of your eRecords)
  • Orientation
  • Confined water trainings 1 to 3
  • Open water dives 1 & 2
  • Flexible skills
  • Water-skills assessments (swim, float, skin dive, etc)
  • Lectures

Day 2 (9am to 2 pm)

  • Confined water trainings 4 to 5
  • Open water dives 3 & 4
  • Flexible skills
  • Skills remediation
  • Closing

Reminder:

Do not forget to bring your eRecord, your medical certificate (when applicable), swim wear (rashguards, board shorts, swimsuits, etc), set of dry clothes, lunch and transportation money. Wetsuit, boots and towels will be provided for use onsite.

Where we train?
Unless otherwise arranged or specified, training will be conducted at the house reef of Kontiki Marina, Mactan, Cebu. Just drop by our center inside the resort so we can get the documents started and get you all sorted out.

Scheduling

Remedial Training

Because sometimes things happen unexpectedly or beyond your control, in the event that you cannot meet the minimum requirements for earning certification or completing a portion of your training to move forward to certification, in 2 days, you may choose to:

  • extend your training days and conduct remedial sessions to satisfactorily fulfill all performance requirements for the course. The cost of remedial training per day is P3,500 PHP, excluding the rental of specialized equipment listed, but not limited to underwater camera, strobes, oxygen analyzers, etc.
  • get certified as PADI Scuba Diver; or
  • arrange for another center, instructor to complete the remainder of the required performance requirements to earn your certification

Class Size

We are committed to low training ratios and does not over-book its classes.

Our commitment to the highest level of quality training and safety is our number one goal. Therefore, when you schedule a class, confined, or open water training session, you are prohibiting another customer from booking or reserving that spot.

Scheduling

Once you schedule your class, confined, and/or open water training sessions, you may reschedule your training sessions as long as you notify us a week before your scheduled booking with no additional penalties.

In other words, any and every change in schedules made after the 1 week window shall be subject to P2,500 PHP rescheduling / rebooking fee provided that the notification of such change is done not later than 24 hours before the commencement of the booking date, otherwise, the booking is deemed cancelled by the customer.

Rescheduling

Rescheduling or rebooking is only permitted within six (6) months from the initial booking date so plan your trip accordingly.

Booking / Deposit

Online Booking

We recommend advance booking of at least 3 days before the start of the in-water training. A booking is only considered confirmed upon payment of the required deposit so please give yourself enough time to get your eLearning completed. Shortly after you booked your spot, you will get your personalized access to the eLearning material. There is a required payment of at least 40% as deposit to confirm your booking. Balance is payable and due on the first day of the training. A pass on of 5% processing fees for payments made through Credit Card & PayPal via the on-site credit card terminal when paying your course balances.

Payment Modes

We accept credit card payments via PayPal, Bank Transfers, or Cash in PHP and USD only.

Other considerations

Our location is a tourist destination so access to ATMs, Banks, and Money Changer establishments is very accessible in our area. However, when transacting for instance, there can be a daily withdrawal limits imposed by your banks on foreign countries, or similarly, unfavorable exchange rates from money changers. There is also risks of getting swindled or robbed so be very mindful.

Open Water Diver (Premium)

From: 21,000

Come and learn scuba diving in Mactan, Cebu, Philippines where you are assured of genuine instructors teaching your courses.

After the completion of your Open Water Diver Certification, you may join fun dives up to a maximum of 18m in conditions that you are trained for or better.

You may select add-ons to customize your booking like having your underwater vidoes, or even making your class exclusive and private with a higher level instructor or instructor trainer like an IDC Staff, Master Instructor, and Course Director.

This package includes

  • Intimate class
  • 2 training days (in-water)
  • Extra day of remedial training when necessary
  • online theory (eLearning)
  • use of gear for the duration of the training
  • tanks, weights, instruction and certification
  • Generic Logbook
  • Hotel pickup/dropoff within 10km from our center
  • Lite lunch
  • FREE Dive Insurance while you are in training
  • add-ons may be selected for total flexibility

Not included, are

  • Accommodation
  • Additional fun dives may be selected

What to learn?

The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of three main phases, they are as follows:

  • Knowledge Development ( independent study using your digital manual accessible via your browser or with the use of the PADI Library App on Android or IOS) to understand basic principles of scuba diving;
  • Confined Water Dives to learn basic scuba skills; and
  • Open Water Dives to use your skills and explore!

This course is designed to be completed in 2 to 3 in-water training days. It is important that you complete your independent study prior to the start of your training with us otherwise, you will not be allowed to join the scheduled training until online theory and course videos are completed.

Let us know in the notes if you have food allergies so we adjust accordingly.