Course overview

Become a fully certified diver with the PADI Open Water Diver course in the Galapagos, run from Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Over confined-water sessions and four open-water training dives in sheltered, sea-lion-filled shallows, you earn the world's most recognised certification, qualifying you to dive to 18 metres anywhere. It is the gateway to building the experience needed for the archipelago's famous current sites.

What you’ll learn

• Assemble, check and use full scuba equipment independently
• Master mask clearing, regulator recovery and air-share skills
• Achieve neutral buoyancy and controlled ascents and descents
• Plan dives within recreational limits using tables or a computer
• Respond to common problems and dive with a buddy
• Apply your skills in cool, mildly current-affected Galapagos water

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 10 (Junior Open Water Diver)
• No prior certification required
• Able to swim and float/tread water comfortably
• 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
   Theory & confined water

   Knowledge development and confined-water skill sessions near Puerto Ayora, learning the core skills in calm conditions.
2. Day2
   First open-water dives

   Two training dives to 12 metres in a sheltered Santa Cruz bay, applying your skills with sea lions often nearby.
3. Day3
   Deeper open-water dives

   Two further dives to 18 metres, refining buoyancy and navigation, with turtles and reef fish common.
4. Day4
   Final skills & certification

   Complete remaining skills, sit the final exam and earn your PADI Open Water Diver 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