Course overview

Earn your first dive-professional rating with the SSI Divemaster course on Maafushi, guiding certified divers across the Maldives' South Malé Atoll. From a budget local island with a calm house reef and day-boat access to sites like Maafushi Corner and Kandooma Thila, you build leadership skills, dive knowledge and stamina in warm 27-30°C water. The SSI Divemaster rating qualifies you to supervise divers and is the stepping stone toward instructor training.

What you’ll learn

• Guide and supervise certified divers on atoll and reef dives
• Assist instructors with student divers during training
• Demonstrate core dive skills to professional standard
• Apply SSI dive theory across physics, physiology and equipment
• Plan dives and deliver clear site and current briefings
• Manage diver groups and respond to in-water problems

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 18
• SSI Advanced Adventurer or equivalent certification
• SSI Diver Stress & Rescue and a current first-aid / CPR rating
• At least 40 logged dives to begin (SSI professional requirements apply)
• 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 & assessment

   Dive-theory study via the SSI app, plus water-skills and stamina assessments on the house reef.
2. Day2
   Skill demonstration

   Polish core skills to demonstration quality and practise the rescue exercise.
3. Day3
   Guiding workshops

   Lead dives and run briefings on atoll sites such as Banana Reef and Kandooma Thila.
4. Day4
   Leadership internship

   Guide certified divers and assist students on Maafushi Corner under instructor supervision.
5. Day5
   Final evaluation

   Complete leadership scenarios and the final professional assessment to 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 Maafushi.

Frequently asked questions