Updated on: Wednesday November 19, 2008

If you would like to learn to dive in one of the most beautiful places in the world, it's very reasonably priced and easy.  Australia and in particular Queensland, have some of the strictest diving policies and regulations in the world and it is because of this that accidents from scuba diving in Queensland are amongst the lowest in the world.

We have put all four major companies on our website for you to have a look at.  In our opinion, they all follow the same standards and regulations as set by diving bodies PADI and SSI.  The only thing separating them is their Great Barrier Reef locations and their overnight boats.  It's up to you.  

One thing is for sure that after you have done your course, you won't be able to keep out of the water!  and the more diving you do, the more you learn to control your breathing and the longer you can stay down enjoying the experience even more.

All courses run to the same schedule

Day 1 - Pool and theory

Day 2 - Pool and theory

Day 3 - Out to the reef.  2 open water dives

Day 4 - 4 dives including a night dive

Day 5 - 3 dives.  Return to Cairns

Scuba Diving courses range from budget priced to 5 star.  

All dive companies have further education courses if you are really interested in diving.  Extra courses are the Advanced Course, Rescue Dive Course, Dive master (or Dive Con) courses, and then onto Instructor courses.  Read on and choose the one that you think is right for you.

Please note that a dive medical will have to be conducted once in Cairns, either on the first day of your course or before you begin your course.  This is an extra charge and if the medical is failed a full refund of your course cost is available.  Reef tax is also extra at the applicable rate

For a map of the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns, please see maps

The Diver's Den                           

Day 1 consists of doing a half day of theory, and then a half day in the swimming pool. Some people are a little worried that they would find it difficult to remember all of the techniques and safety requirements, but after day one, You will really know that there is little worry about.  It was really quite simple and definitely straight forward You do have to have the ability to swim 200 metres unaided, but it doesn't matter how you swim, doggy paddle if you want to!  You will also have to tread water for ten minutes,

Day 2 also consists of half a day of pool and half a day of theory.  They give you a book to read and it's really interesting, and something a lot of people will finish in one night.  It's not hard, but you do need to know what's in it.

Day 3 is the start of your adventure. Deeps Sea Divers Den use many different reefs and they chose the best ones on the day.  First up you hop on the boat and head out to one of the reefs.  At our first stop, you will have to do a snorkel dive...very, very simple, but required.

Then you will head off to meet up with our home for the next two nights, the Ocean Quest, a comfortable and roomy purpose built dive boat!!  A little time to settle in, then it will be time to begin your open water diving.

Normally on the day you will do two more dives, and should make you sleep well that night!  It's very comfortable accommodation, however no sooner will you feel like you just got into bed than you have to get up for your first dive on your fourth day.

Day 4 begins with an early morning dive which you will find both peaceful and beautiful.  You may just come across a turtle lying on the sand on the bottom of the ocean and then just lay there and watched it for quite a while.  Then it will be back to doing some more of your course.

After the second dive that day you will be officially certified as open water divers!  It will now be time for the fun stuff!!!

Two more dives on the fourth day, one of them being a night dive.  What a great experience!  You might be  thinking right now 'No Way!', and it is scary to start off with, but once you are in the water and down on the bottom, your whole outlook will change.  The reef is alive with fish, and the colours of the coral are so much more vivid when they have a direct light source. 

Day 5 dawns and it's time for another early morning dive.  However, because you are certified, you can choose to not do it if you wish and have a lay in.  But if you choose that, just think about what you're missing out on.

There is also another dive before you will  head home, and this is definitely an experience you will remember for a long time.

Certification courses begin daily.

CDC                        

Provides the cheapest learn to dive courses in Cairns and runs to the standards of PADI.

The dive pool is heated and the classrooms air-conditioned.  The reefs that are visited for the open water dives are Milne, Moore and Euston Reefs, the southern Cairns reefs (refer to reef map for locations).  The Liveaboard vessel also remains out on the Great Barrier Reef all of the time and provides you  with comfortable overnight accommodation and their fast transfer boat will take you out there and back.

The scuba diving courses begin every day of the week and they have multi-lingual instructors and manuals in almost every language you can imagine.  CDC will also provide you with a prescription mask (if required) at no extra charge, making it a very cheap way to achieve your certification.

Courses begin daily.

Down Under

Internationally recognized as one of the Worlds leading dive training companies certifying over 6000 dive students per year. It has one of the largest and finest 5 star Diver Training Facilities in the world and offers the latest in dive equipment, technology and expert instruction from multi lingual Dive instructors.
         

Open Water - Learn to Dive Courses

• Air conditioned classrooms

• The latest audio visual teaching aids

• One of the largest purpose built dive pools in the Southern Hemisphere

• Largest and best 5 star training facility in Cairns

• State of the art compressors and an attractive retail outlet with a wide selection of diving and snorkelling gear as well as resort wear

• Instruction by experienced highly trained instructors.

• Course materials are also available in most languages to cater for multi-cultural client base

• Learn to Dive courses commence daily (except Christmas Day and New Years day)

• Exclusive moorings on the true edge of the Great Barrier Reef

• Sailing to a new Outer Reef location daily

• Lock-up excess luggage storage available at Down Under Dive Shop

• 5 Star PADI Gold Certificate (2 x passport photos $5)

• The dive school opened a new premise very early in the Year 2000 and it is the largest SSI dive school in Australia.

Courses begin daily.