Learn to Dive in the Galapagos

Many people learn to dive on holiday, and the Galapagos is a memorable place to do it: even training dives can come with sea lions, turtles and colorful fish. Several dive centers on Santa Cruz offer PADI and SSI courses. This guide explains what it takes to learn to dive in the Galapagos, what an Open Water course involves and how to make the most of your course days.

What an Open Water Course Involves

The entry-level certification, called Open Water Diver by both PADI and SSI, has three parts:

1. Theory: how pressure affects the body, how the equipment works and how to plan safe dives.
2. Confined water training: practicing skills in a pool or calm, shallow water, such as clearing your mask and sharing air.
3. Open water dives: usually four training dives in the sea with an instructor.

Once certified, you can dive with a buddy to the depth limit of your certification. Agencies set minimum ages and require a medical questionnaire; check the current rules with the dive center before you book.

Do the Theory Online First

Both PADI and SSI offer online learning for the theory part. Finishing it before you arrive means you spend your Galapagos days in the water rather than in a classroom. It also helps if your time on the islands is short. Bring your completion record and certification paperwork with you.

What Is Different About Learning in the Galapagos

The Galapagos is not a typical warm, calm training destination. Water is cooler than in much of the Caribbean, and many sites have current. Instructors choose sheltered sites for training, but you should expect to wear a thicker wetsuit and to deal with some swell on boat days. Some people prefer to certify first at home or somewhere warmer and come to the Galapagos ready for fun dives; others enjoy the challenge and the wildlife. Both approaches work. Our Galapagos scuba gear guide explains what to wear in the water.

What a Course Week Looks Like

A typical course spreads over three or four days. The first day often covers theory review and confined-water skills. The next days take you to the open-water training dives, often from a boat. Many dive centers let you add fun dives after certification, so you finish the week diving with sea lions at calm sites. Our list of Galapagos dive shops includes operators in Puerto Ayora that run courses.

After Your Course: Where to Dive Next

New divers should stay with calmer sites at first. North Seymour and other gentle sites near Santa Cruz are good next steps. Sites like Gordon Rocks and the remote northern islands are best left until you have more experience. See our guide to the top 10 Galapagos dive sites for every level of diver, and when you are ready, consider an advanced course.

Already Certified but Out of Practice?

If you have not dived for a while, ask for a refresher before your first fun dive. A short session in calm water to practice skills makes the rest of your trip safer and more enjoyable.

Planning Your Course Trip

Allow time for the course and a buffer before your flight home, because you should not fly too soon after diving. Our Galapagos dive travel guide covers flights and flying after diving, and our Galapagos accommodations page lists hotels within walking distance of the Puerto Ayora dive shops.

Choosing a Course and Instructor

When you compare dive centers, ask how many students each instructor teaches at once, where the confined-water and open-water training takes place, and what the schedule looks like if the weather is poor. Ask what gear is included and whether wetsuits come in your size and in a suitable thickness. Smaller groups give you more attention and more time to practice skills until you feel confident. A good instructor will happily answer these questions and explain the plan before you pay.

What to Bring for Your Course

Most dive centers include all the scuba equipment you need for a course, but a mask that fits your face well makes training much easier, so bring your own if you have one. Pack a warm layer for the boat ride, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen and any seasickness medicine you use. If you wear glasses, ask the dive center about prescription masks before you arrive. Our packing essentials article lists everything else for a Galapagos dive trip.

Related guide: Galapagos dive shops that run courses.