Course overview

Become a more capable, confident diver with the PADI Rescue Diver certification, run from Khao Lak near the Similan Islands. You practise self-rescue, problem prevention and real rescue scenarios on the calm local reefs, gaining the skills that prepare you for guided diving in the moderate currents of the Andaman's national-park sites and for the professional Divemaster path.

What you’ll learn

• Recognise and prevent diver stress and problems before they escalate
• Perform self-rescue and tired-diver tows
• Manage panicked divers at the surface and underwater
• Search for and surface an unresponsive diver
• Deliver in-water rescue breaths and exit techniques
• Plan and run an emergency-management scenario

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 12 (Junior Rescue Diver) / 15 for Rescue Diver
• PADI Adventure Diver or Advanced Open Water (with navigation dive)
• Current EFR primary and secondary care training within 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 & self-rescue

   Complete knowledge reviews and practise self-rescue and problem recognition in confined water near Khao Lak.
2. Day2
   Rescue skills

   Work through the ten rescue exercises, including tired-diver tows and unresponsive-diver recovery, on the local reef.
3. Day3
   Scenarios & certification

   Run full rescue scenarios, complete the emergency-management exercise and earn the Rescue Diver rating.

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 Similan Islands.

Frequently asked questions