Home :: Diving :: PADI Course Descriptions

Our resident instructors are able to professionally instruct you to various levels of PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) scuba diver certification, 'the way the world learns to dive'.

The courses we offer are available for all experience levels including absolute beginners!

If you would like to do the popular PADI Open Water Diver course but don't have enough time in Zanzibar, you can do the theoretical part of your course before leaving home and complete the open water dives here.

Please consult the following list to see which course is most suitable for you. There are several more advanced and/or specialty courses that we can offer, but haven't listed. If in doubt, please contact us.

Discover Scuba Diving

• 15 minutes theory
• 1 hour in the pool
• One open water dive - dive usually lasts 40 minutes
• Allows you to dive to 12 meters with an instructor for 2 weeks
• No permanent certification.  Can be used as part of Scuba Diver or Open Water course within one year

Scuba Diver

• Requires 2 days (student should be in the hotel 3-4 days)
• During that time the student must read 3 chapters of the PADI "Open Water" manual - this is done on the student's own time, e.g. while lying on the beach
• Training consists of 3 videos, 3 pool lessons and 2 open water dives
• Over the 2 days there is approximately 3 hours theory, 3 hours pool training and the 2 open water dives.  Each open water dive lasts approximately 40 minutes
• Certificate to dive to 12m with an instructor
• Possible to upgrade to Open Water Diver within one year

Open Water Diver

• Requires 3-5 days (student should be in the hotel 6-7 days)
• See "Scuba Diver" plus the last two chapters of the "Open Water" manual
• 2 more videos, 2 more pool lessons and 2 more open water dives
• Over the 3-5 days there is approximately 5 hours theory, 5 hours pool training and 4 open water dives
• International lifetime certificate.  Upgrade to Advanced Open Water Diver anytime

Advanced Open Water Diver

• Requires 5 dives (student should be in the hotel for at least 3 days)
• Complete knowledge reviews for each relevant chapter in the PADI “Adventures in Diving” Manual
• The 5 dives include Deep and Navigation dives, plus choose from others including Night, Naturalist, Boat and Drift dives, plus many more

Explore our favourite dive sites on an Interactive Map.

Please send PADI course enquiries to info@zanzibarwatersports.com.