Scuba Diving Certification Levels

Scuba Courses for Beginners

Are you ready to become a certified diver and add some excitement to your life? If so, great adventures can start right here.

Exploring exotic destinations and interacting with aquatic animals are some of the benefits of getting a scuba diving certification.

It's super easy to get started. You can choose to enroll online for most PADI scuba courses, and then jump in the water for a few days to finish the training.

Scuba Discovery Program

Have you got an urge to explore the underwater world? If so, you can learn all the basic safety steps in diving without getting a scuba certification.

The Discover Scuba Diving course is the quickest and the easiest way to try an introductory plunge in shallow water.

Important: Another section explains more about the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program limits, such as the minimum age requirements and the maximum depth restrictions.

Diving Courses for Children

In fact, the youngest age for kids to go scuba diving is eight years old. So, how do parents know if their child is ready for scuba lessons?

One way is to enroll them in one of the PADI programs for kids (e.g. Bubblemaker, Seal Team). Children have a natural curiosity for adventure and most youngsters enjoy learning new skills.

2 Day Scuba Diving Course

There are several advantages in taking scuba courses one step at a time. So, because the Scuba Diver course is a subset, some of the benefits that suit beginners are:

• Only needing a few days to become a certified diver*.
• Having a qualified dive guide when you go scuba diving.
• Diving in shallow water (the maximum depth allowed for this certification is 12 metres/40 feet).
• Not having to pay upfront for the full qualification.

As a result, completing the PADI Scuba Diver certification means you would be part way to becoming an Open Water Diver.

PADI Scuba Diver Upgrade

The Scuba Diver rating does not result in a "full" diving qualification. So, it does not allow you to dive without professional supervision.

However, if you continue your education and complete the upgrade from PADI Scuba Diver to Open Water you would be able to dive with another qualified diver to a maximum of eighteen (18) metres (60 feet).

Open Water Diver Course

The first complete certification level in scuba is the Open Water Diver. This is a course where you learn how to scuba dive with the attentive tuition of a trained instructor.

The PADI Open Water Diver course concludes with four dives in an open water environment (e.g. a freshwater lake or ocean). After a successful completion, you will have knowledge about basic diving principles and entry level dive skills.

Online Scuba Certifications

Sign up for a digital scuba session (e.g. with PADI eLearning® programs) and learn to scuba dive online while working at your own pace.

Note: The Internet was still in its infancy when 'Scuba Steve' was learning how to become a scuba instructor back in 2002. Nowadays, the dive industry uses mobile devices and web browsers to deliver education online and offline.

PADI Dive Referral

Taking advantage of the PADI Open Water Referral means there's no need to choose between getting certified at home, or when you take scuba diving vacation in Thailand.

Snorkeling Tours in Pattaya

Pattaya is often viewed as the 'uncut' entertainment destination for holidaymakers heading to Thailand. Even so, you can try snorkeling in Pattaya and escape the mayhem.

We visit the near and far island chains on a daily basis (weather permitting). No previous snorkeling skills are required and we welcome solo travelers, families with children, and all age groups.

Scuba and Snorkel Package

Snorkelers sometimes get excited about submerging deeper down below the surface. The Pattaya snorkel and scuba package offers a way to get up close and personal to coral reefs and tropical fishes.

Note: Check out our snorkeling blog articles with expert safety tips and useful information for anyone who enjoys swimming with a snorkel.

PADI Freediving Courses

Freediving is growing, and more divers are expanding on the basic principles of breathhold techniques to explore life in deep blue water.

The beginners guide to freediving is the ideal section to learn which courses are available, what gear you need, and the safety rules to follow when you first start free-diving.

CPR and First Aid Course

Do you know what to do if there is a serious diving accident? The Emergency First Response® training is an invaluable certification for handling a range of life-threatening emergencies.

You can learn:

• About the Lifeguard Course in Thailand (e.g. with Scuba Schools International)
• How to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
• The correct procedures for using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Note: Please check the courses price list for further details and contact us by email to make a booking or to send an enquiry.

Dive Courses for Qualified Divers

Once you get a qualification, learning new diving skills is exhilarating. Browse through the list of advanced scuba courses below and find one that 'floats your boat'.

Adventures in Diving program

Working alongside your scuba instructor will improve your skills and help you gain extra confidence. So, why not enjoy more of what diving offers?

You need to complete three (3) of the specialist adventures listed in the PADI Adventure Diver course to earn the certification.

Advanced Open Water Course

There is no shortcut to advancing your dive skills. But, every specialty dive that you complete counts toward the specialty diver certifications.

Among the most popular choices that certified divers make when taking the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification course are:

• Deep Diver
• Digital Underwater Photography
• Enriched Air Nitrox
• Night Diver
• Peak Performance Buoyancy
• Underwater Navigation
• Wreck Diver

Rescue Diver Certification Course

Without a doubt, diving habits change for the better after completing the PADI Rescue Diver course. It's the most serious fun you'll have in diving!

Tip: Did you ever wonder what separates a safe diver from a dangerous one? Check out the Dos and Don'ts in scuba diving and you may be shocked to find that you are also displaying some of scuba's bad habits.

Specialty Diving for Adventurers

Many diver certifications - found in the PADI Specialty Courses List - are available with digital eLearning™ options. They are listed alphabetically from A to Z so you will find it super simple to choose your favourite adventure.

The online facility makes it easier to enhance underwater exploration. In fact, three of the popular specialty courses that do not require any in-water dives are:

• Coral Reef Conservation
• Project AWARE
• Enriched Air Nitrox (EANx)

PADI Master Scuba Diver™

You can join a well-respected and superior group by completing the Master Scuba Diver rating. Yet, less than 2% of divers will actually achieve it and get the coveted badge.

PADI Fun Diving Package [1 Day]

Each day, the boat sets sail bound for the most popular capsized artificial ruins (e.g. the HTMS Khram and HTMS Kut shipwrecks).

Later, we drop anchor near to gardens of encrusted hard and soft coral formations (usually in shallow water near the beach).

When you follow our expert leaders with knowledge of Thailand dive sites, your fun dive trip might include a swim with sharks and sea turtles.

Add some hot tropical sunshine, bath-like warm water, and you have a spectacular fun day out scuba diving in Thailand for around $100.

You will get:

• At least two (2) dives led by one of the Private Scuba dive guides around the coral islands and sunken wrecks. The resort dive package takes place around some of the best destinations for scuba diving in south-east Asia.
• Free rental of modern scuba equipment (digital underwater camera equipment is usually available for hire*).
• Transfers to and from your hotel (within city limits), buffet-style food, free soft drinks, and afternoon snacks served on board.

Note: The PADI ReActivate™ Scuba Refresher Program is for divers who have been inactive from diving or feel a little rusty with the basic scuba skills and diving knowledge. Check the special discount scuba diving packages offered during the low season if you have time to complete multiple courses.

Becoming a PADI Professional

Do you want to be a PADI® Divemaster or an Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) and earn a living from diving while traveling the world?

You may even decide to turn your exhaustive enthusiasm for teaching into a fully fledged career by starting up and running a successful scuba diving business.

If you decide to stay in one spot you can become a local diving expert. We know from personal experience, working in a dive shop, at a resort, or on diving liveaboards in Thailand is a rewarding career.

And... you get paid for doing something that you love!

Professional Level Scuba Courses

Living the dream may be cliché, but the reasons for taking PADI professional level courses (Divemaster, Scuba Instructor) are not misplaced or uncommon.

Note: The short video [3:19 seconds] presented by PADI® highlights why you should Go Pro and how a life-changing experience may only be moments away.