Course overview

The PADI Rescue Diver course transforms you into a more aware, capable diver who can prevent and manage problems in the water, set in the warm reefs of Baa Atoll in the Maldives. Across scenario-based dives near Dharavandhoo you practise self-rescue, assisting tired or panicked divers and managing a diver emergency. It is widely regarded as the most rewarding course in the PADI system.

What you’ll learn

• Recognise and prevent dive problems before they escalate
• Perform self-rescue and manage stress and fatigue
• Assist panicked divers at the surface and underwater
• Search for and surface an unresponsive diver
• Provide in-water rescue breaths and manage an exit
• Run an emergency-management plan and accident scenario

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 12 (Junior Rescue Diver)
• PADI Adventure Diver or Advanced Open Water Diver
• Emergency First Response (CPR and first aid) within the last 24 months
• Diver medical clearance signed by a physician

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 & EFR check

   Knowledge development, accident-management planning and confirmation of current first-aid training.
2. Day2
   Rescue skills

   Practise the core rescue exercises - tired diver, panicked diver, missing diver - in shallow water.
3. Day3
   Scenarios & certification

   Run full unresponsive-diver and emergency scenarios on the reefs near Dharavandhoo, then certify.

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 Baa Atoll.

Frequently asked questions