Course overview

Earn your first professional rating as an SSI Divemaster in Hikkaduwa, on Sri Lanka's south coast. Guiding and assisting on the warm house reef and coral gardens, you develop the leadership, planning and supervision skills to lead certified divers and support instructors. You finish certified to work as a dive professional wherever SSI is recognised.

What you’ll learn

• Plan, brief and lead certified divers in open water
• Map and assess local dive sites for guiding
• Demonstrate dive skills to professional standard
• Support an instructor during training programmes
• Manage dive logistics, risk and emergency response
• Apply dive science to advise and assist other divers

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 18
• SSI Advanced Adventurer or equivalent
• SSI Diver Stress & Rescue (or equivalent rescue rating)
• Current CPR, first aid and oxygen-provider training
• At least 40 logged dives
• 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
   Orientation & theory

   Programme briefing, digital dive-science study and the divemaster role.
2. Day2
   Watermanship & stamina

   Swim, float and rescue-tow assessments plus equipment skills.
3. Day3
   Skills workshop

   Refine demonstration-quality dive skills in confined water.
4. Day4
   Guiding & site assessment

   Assess and lead dives on Hikkaduwa's reefs and coral gardens.
5. Day5
   Course practicum

   Assist an SSI instructor with students in confined and open water.
6. Day6
   Assessment & certification

   Final assessments and certification as an SSI Divemaster.

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 Hikkaduwa.

Frequently asked questions