Course overview

Earn your first professional rating with the SSI Divemaster certification on Ambergris Caye, mentored by working dive staff on the Belize Barrier Reef. Through real guiding experience at sites such as Hol Chan Marine Reserve you develop the leadership and judgement to supervise certified divers across this world-class Caribbean reef.

What you’ll learn

• Guide and supervise certified divers in open water
• Assist SSI instructors with students during training
• Plan, brief and manage dives and dive sites
• Demonstrate core skills to professional standard
• Handle problems and lead emergency assistance
• Apply diving science to real-world dive leadership

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 18
• SSI Advanced Adventurer or equivalent certification
• SSI Diver Stress & Rescue (or equivalent rescue training)
• Current first-aid and CPR certification
• Logged dives per SSI standard (typically 40+ to begin)
• 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
   Academics & science

   Complete SSI digital academics and the science-of-diving component.
2. Day2
   Water skills

   Stamina and water-skills assessments in the calm shallows inside the reef.
3. Day3
   Guiding practicals

   Map and guide certified divers at Hol Chan and nearby reef under supervision.
4. Day4
   Leadership & assessment

   Assist on a course, run emergency scenarios and finish final evaluations.

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 Ambergris Caye.

Frequently asked questions