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Satirist Dave Barry once said ‘staying on top of the water is like standing outside the circus tent,’ and with two-thirds of our planet covered in water, there’s a lot of truth to the line.
Today, diving has changed beyond recognition, with over 20 million enthusiasts worldwide and nearly a million newcomers each year, it's now one of the fastest-growing pastimes on Earth. No matter what your age or what you want to achieve, diving offers something for everyone. Come on in, the water's lovely...
Learning to dive is easier than you think
Gone are the days of spending weeks doing theory and pool sessions, before jumping into a deserted quarry to finish your training. Today, learning to dive couldn't be easier. You can go from being someone who has never dived before to being a fully qualified diver in as little as four days (yes, really). It's easy, and even more importantly, it's safe. There are several options available to suit all ages and abilities, whether you're eight or 80 years old.
Taking those first steps with the Open Water Diver certification
The first certification you'll need is the Open Water Diver, which allows you to dive with a buddy to depths of up to 18 metres. There are a number of certification bodies out there, but by far the most popular is PADI (the Professional Association of Diving Instructors). SSI (Scuba Schools International) and BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) are also well-known organisations. The Open Water certification has three main components:
- Theory - you'll need to complete a number of theory training modules to understand the fundamentals of diving. Don't worry, this is extremely straightforward.
- Confined water training - before diving into the ocean, you'll need to complete several sessions in the pool to get used to basic diving techniques.
- Open water training - to achieve the Open Water certification, you'll need to complete four dives in the open water. This allows you to put into practice what you've learned in the theory and confined water sessions.
So, how can you achieve the certification? Read on to discover the different options…
Three ways to learn to dive
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Learn to dive before you go
If you don't want to spend any of your holiday learning to dive, you can become fully qualified at a local dive centre before you travel (ask us if you need help finding one). This means you have more time to dive while away, although it does mean – at least if you live in the UK – that you’ll have to spend some time in cold water…
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Half and half
An increasingly popular option is Open Water Referral, where you complete the theory and confined water dives in the UK, and the open water training abroad. This means you can avoid time spent in a classroom or pool while on holiday, freeing you up to dive in the deep blue. If you’re happy to spend some time in the pool on holiday, you can also choose to do only the online theory before you travel, and complete the confined and open water dives abroad.
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Learn to dive on holiday
If you can spare the time on holiday, this is a fun way to learn, as you’ll likely be part of a small group with the same instructor throughout your training. However, it takes up to four days to complete, so you can expect to spend some time reading textbooks and sitting at the bottom of a pool. While this is all part of the experience, it won’t be ideal for everyone.
Great Places to Learn to Dive
Egypt
Egypt has vast historical and cultural aspects, and also offers world class diving, all within striking distance of Europe.
Great Barrier Reef
Lizard Island, in our opinion the best place from which to dive the Great Barrier Reef, is situated at the northern end of the Reef, is home to little more than a Marine Research Station, a luxury hotel, pristine beaches, and a population of large lizards.
British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands offer great diving and hotels, as well as being home to a world famous wreck-dive, the RMS Rhone.
Gozo
Gozo, Malta's quiet sister, offers great Mediterranean diving, as well as culture, with a collection of charming villages and prehistoric sites to visit; and it's relatively anonymous.
Maldives
The Maldives is a world-class diving destination, particularly if you like diving with big fish. Above the waves you find pure white sand, blue seas and world-class hotels. What's not to like?
Indonesia
Home to some of the best diving on earth, incredible landscapes and world class hotels, Indonesia is one of our favourite countries. There are some 17,000 islands to choose from but we know the very best spots to head to.
Bohol
Excellent diving, 'chocolate hills' and amazing wildlife. What more could you ask for?
Northern Sulawesi
North Sulawesi is home to some of the best macro life on earth as well as some of the most pristine walls in Asia!
Northern Red Sea
Sharm el-Sheikh is an oasis in the desert covered Sinai peninsula, featuring luxurious hotels and world class diving.
Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat just happens to sit right on the bullseye of the Coral Triangle, which is the area of highest marine biodiversity on earth. With more species of fish and coral than anywhere else on our planet, the diving here is jaw-dropping.
St Vincent & The Grenadines
St Vincent and the Grenadines is an archipelago in the Southern Caribbean comprising of 32 islands, including Mustique, Bequia and Petit St Vincent. Endless stretches of white sand. Tick. Gin clear water. Tick. Idyllic island life. Tick. This is a true Caribbean jewel.
Mafia Island
Little known Mafia is one of the only places you are virtually guaranteed whale sharks at the right time of year.
Palawan
Just a short flight from Manila takes you to an extraordinarily beautiful group of islands with amazing resorts, diving and more!
Turks & Caicos
The Turks and Caicos is home to some wonderfully white sand and clear blue seas. Oh, and some very good diving.
Little Cayman
World-class diving and laid back Caribbean charm at its best. This is one of the very best Caribbean diving destinations.
New Britain
Within the coral triangle, the centre of marine biodiversity which has the highest diversity of tropical fish and coral in the world, are the waters of New Britain. Diverse and colourful corals are home to a variety of marine creatures including fish, crustaceans and invertebrates.
Moyo Island
Moyo Island is perfect for those that love wildlife and are looking for some off-the-beaten-track luxury.
Yucatan Peninsula
Superbly varied diving and superb hotels make the Yucatan Peninsula a wonderful place to visit.
Dumaguete and Dauin
Incredible muck diving, beautiful reefs and one of our favourite hotels, this region is an absolute gem.
Southern Red Sea
The southern Red Sea combines what we love about Red Sea diving with a more relaxed and quiet atmosphere, that is to say, not as many people know about it as they do Sharm.
Northern Atolls
Choose the right season and this is the place for mantas and whale sharks.
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is home to the iconic lagoon at Bora Bora and some stunning diving. The biggest draw is arguably large numbers of sharks but there is much more.
Lord Howe Island
Home to the southernmost coral reef in the world, this little known island is a hidden gem.
Other Great Places to Learn to Dive
Learn to Dive Caribbean
Summer and the beach, song and dance, Sipsmith and tonic; some things are just better together, and no truer is the case than learning to dive in the Caribbean.
Learn to Dive Egypt
While the diving in Egypt is suited to every level (making it ideal if you have an advanced buddy), the conditions couldn’t be more perfect for learning to dive.
Learn to Dive Fiji
What better way to start your scuba diving adventure than in the ‘soft coral capital of the world’?
Learn to Dive Maldives
They say you never forget your first dive, and that will certainly be true if you learn to dive in the Maldives.
Learn to Dive Malta and Gozo
If you’d like to learn to dive but don’t want to commit to flying halfway across the world, the tiny Mediterranean island of Gozo is just the ticket.
Learn to Dive Mexico
Budding divers really are spoilt for choice with a huge variety of diving on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Further your diving experience
Why stop at the first certification? There are a number of courses available that can take you from Open Water all the way to instructor (should you fancy a career change). We recommend that you at least obtain an Advanced certificate, as this will allow you to dive to depths of 30 metres. Plus, many of the best dives in the world require this level of certification.
If you want to take it even further, the possibilities are vast. You could become a Rescue Diver or Divemaster if you're most interested in the theory and practice of diving, or you might decide to take speciality courses in areas such as underwater photography or wreck diving.
We're passionate about getting more people to learn to dive and would be delighted to assist you should you want to do so. Leave the planning to us, and we'll organise all your dive training while on our trips, tailored to your schedule and learning needs. If you'd rather complete the theory and pool requirements in the UK before your trip, we can also arrange this. Contact us to discuss your scuba training in more detail.
Popular courses
- Open Water Diver
- Adventure Diver
- Advanced Open Water Diver
- Rescue Diver
- Divemaster
- Instructor
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