Course overview

Earn an entry-level qualification quickly with the PADI Scuba Diver course out of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Over a couple of days you complete confined-water training and supervised open-water dives in sheltered Galapagos shallows frequented by sea lions and turtles, gaining a recognised rating that lets you dive with a PADI professional. It's a shorter alternative to the full Open Water Diver course.

What you’ll learn

• Set up and use basic scuba equipment
• Breathe, equalise and descend under control
• Clear your mask and recover your regulator
• Hold buoyancy and move efficiently underwater
• Dive safely alongside a PADI professional within limits

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 10 (Junior Scuba Diver)
• No prior certification required
• Basic comfort and ability in water
• Diver medical questionnaire completed beforehand

What's included · What's not

Probability of sightings · month-by-month

What you're likely to see each month, based on historic operator logs.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1
   Skills & first dive

   Knowledge development and confined-water skills, then a first supervised open-water dive in a sheltered Santa Cruz bay.
2. Day2
   Second open-water dive

   A second supervised open-water dive applying your skills, with sea lions and turtles often present, completing certification.

Verified through iDive

Every partner school in the iDive network is vetted on safety, instructor credentials, equipment standards and student feedback. Talk to a iDive dive pro on WhatsApp for current availability and reviews specific to Galapagos.

Frequently asked questions