Certifications12 Oct 2023-5 min read
Discover Scuba Diving: Begin to Think Like a Fish
Discover Scuba Diving is a perfect starting point. Lets cover all your questions and what to expect during the course
Discover Scuba Diving is PADI's taster session for people who have never breathed underwater on purpose. You are not signing up for a full certification. You are trying scuba in a pool or calm, shallow water with a PADI Professional beside you the whole time.
Most sessions start with a short briefing on how the kit works and what to do if something feels wrong. You practise a few basic skills in water shallow enough to stand in, then either stay there or, if you are comfortable and conditions allow, make a supervised open water dive. Depth stays modest: typically up to 6 metres in a pool and up to 12 metres on an optional open water dive.
It is a low-commitment way to find out whether you like diving before you book a full Open Water Diver course. Many centres run it in an afternoon. If you enjoy it, the experience can count toward Open Water training when you continue within the timeframe your centre allows.
Guides and stories related to this certification.
Discover Scuba Diving is a perfect starting point. Lets cover all your questions and what to expect during the course
Confused about where to start your scuba journey or what the next step after open water is? We answer all your questions here.
Discover Scuba Diving is an experience, not a certification course. There is no exam and no pass-or-fail grading.
Quick answers about this qualification. For anything else, use live chat or browse bookable activities below.
Find activitiesIt is a supervised introductory scuba experience for people with no prior dive training. A PADI Professional stays with you in a pool or calm-water environment while you try breathing underwater and learn a few basic skills.
It is not a certification. Think of it as a taster before you decide whether to book a full course.
No. Discover Scuba Diving is designed for complete beginners. You should be comfortable in water and medically fit to dive, but you do not need any previous scuba training.
Leave a comment when you book if you have never snorkelled or feel nervous. Centres can allow extra shallow time.
Yes, when run by a qualified PADI Professional to PADI standards. You start in shallow, controlled water and your instructor stays in direct contact throughout.
You are never expected to do anything you are uncomfortable with. Saying you want to stop or stay shallow is always fine.
In a pool or equivalent confined site, depth is typically up to 6 metres. If your centre offers an optional open water dive and you are comfortable, the maximum is 12 metres under direct supervision.
Many first-time participants stay shallower than the maximum. Your instructor adjusts depth to how you feel on the day.
Most sessions run for a few hours, including briefing, kit fitting and in-water time. Versions with an optional open water dive may take longer or run across two short sessions.
Check the listing for exact timing. Arrive a little early for paperwork and kit sizing.
No. You do not receive a scuba certification card from Discover Scuba Diving alone. You cannot dive independently with a buddy afterward.
If you enjoy it, you can continue to Open Water Diver or Scuba Diver. Some skills from Discover Scuba may credit toward those courses if you continue within the period your centre allows.
Ten years old with PADI. Some centres set a higher age limit or require a parent or guardian on site for younger participants.
Leave a comment when you book if you are arranging a session for a child so the centre can confirm their policy.
Swimwear, a towel and any personal toiletries you need after the pool. Centres provide scuba kit for the session.
Bring glasses or contact-lens supplies if you need them for the briefing. A rash vest under a hire wetsuit is optional but comfortable.
You must complete a diver medical questionnaire before any in-water activity. Conditions affecting breathing, ears, heart or fitness may need physician clearance.
Answer honestly. Instructors would rather reschedule than take a risk. Leave a comment when you book if you are unsure whether you need a doctor's sign-off.
Very normal. Many people who become keen divers started exactly here. Your instructor introduces the mask and regulator slowly, often in water shallow enough to stand in.
You control the pace. If you only want to try breathing on the surface or in kneeling depth, that is still a valid Discover Scuba session. Leave a comment when you book if you want a centre used to nervous first-timers.
adventuro lists PADI centres running Discover Scuba Diving in pools, quarries and holiday destinations. Compare whether an open water dive is included and what kit hire costs.
UK pool tasters are a sensible way to try diving before a holiday course. Abroad, the same PADI standards apply even when the water is warmer.
From £ 100
Hampshire and Isle of Wight, United Kingdom
From € 75
Tenerife, Spain
From £ 45
Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, United Kingdom
From € 85
Madeira, Portugal
From € 85
Madeira, Portugal
From € 50
Sardegna (Sardinia), Italy
