Scuba in Portugal

Portugal blends Europe's best Atlantic surf with sunny coast and islands. Surf and kitesurf from Nazaré to Peniche, sail, snorkel and paddleboard the Algarve and Madeira, climb limestone, kayak rivers and trail-run levadas. Mild and welcoming, with instructors and centres on Adventuro along the coast and islands.

Overview

The first breath is the strange bit. Your body is fairly sure this is a mistake. Give it a minute and it stops complaining, and then you are floating about underwater wondering why you waited so long.

Diving has a reputation for being difficult and a bit exclusive. It is neither. A Discover Scuba session has you breathing underwater in a pool or a calm bay on your first try, no experience required. The skill worth learning is buoyancy, and it comes from your breathing, not your fins. Get that sorted and an Open Water qualification opens up dive sites, and dive buddies, more or less everywhere.

Whatever your level, the instructors on adventuro keep you calm and sort out the rest. Everyone underwater today was a nervous beginner once. Most will happily admit it.

FAQs

Yes. You should be comfortable in water and able to swim a short way unaided. You do not need to be quick, just relaxed.

It has an excellent safety record, and that is no accident. The training is built around a few simple habits: keep breathing, never hold your breath, come up slowly, and dive with a buddy.

No. A Discover Scuba session lets a complete beginner breathe underwater under direct instructor supervision, with no certification at all.

The main agencies are PADI, SSI, BSAC, SDI and RAID. Most people start with an Open Water course, then add Advanced and specialty ratings later.

Buoyancy is the skill people fret about, and it is simpler than it sounds. You control your depth with your breathing, not your arms. Breathe in and you drift up, breathe out and you sink. Once it clicks you stop swimming and start gliding, and you feel quietly smug about it.

Try-dives stay shallow, a few metres at most. An Open Water course usually qualifies you to around 18 metres, with deeper diving unlocked as you progress.

Yes. Soft contacts are fine, or you can have a mask made to your prescription. Just mention it to your instructor first.

A wetsuit or drysuit sorts that out, matched to the water. In warm seas a thin wetsuit is plenty.

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Whatever your level, the instructors on adventuro keep you calm and sort out the rest. Everyone underwater today was a nervous beginner once. Most will happily admit it.