Intro Scuba Diving at Catalina Islands: 2 Open Water Dives

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.91 (239 reviews) 96% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/8

Duration5h

GroupUp to 2

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Breathe underwater, see sharks and rays, no certification needed

An introductory scuba diving course at Catalina Islands and North Island in Costa Rica for divers without certification. You learn basic skills with a PADI professional in confined water, then complete two open water dives in warm Guanacaste waters while searching for sharks, rays, octopus and other marine life. Hotel pickup and all diving equipment are included; the 5-hour program is geared for first-timers.

The Experience

What does it feel like to breathe underwater? This course answers that without requiring you to commit to full certification. A PADI professional walks you through the basic skills and abilities you need—how to use the equipment, how to stay calm, how to move in the water—all in confined water first, where there's no current and nowhere to drift. Once you're comfortable, you move to the open water dives at Catalina Islands and North Island, where the real exploration begins.

The two dives are where the day opens up. You're searching for sharks, rays, octopus and the variety of marine species that live in these waters. Depending on the season, you might even hear humpback whales singing underwater as they pass through Flamingo Bay. The guide stays with you the whole time, and the boat carries snacks—ice tea, water, seasonal fruits, cookies—so you're not managing hunger between dives. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for selected areas, which means the logistics of getting to the coast are already handled.

You won't walk away with a PADI certification card, but you will know whether diving is something you want to pursue further. Many people use this course as a test run before investing in the full Open Water Diver certification. The equipment—wetsuit, tank, regulator, mask, fins—stays with you for both dives, so there's no fumbling between sites. If you want an underwater camera or a diving computer to track your depth, those are available to add at checkout.

What’s included

All diving equipment (wetsuit, tank, regulator, mask and fins).
a PADI professional guide in English or Spanish.
two open water dives at Catalina Islands and North Island.
snacks on the boat including ice tea, water, seasonal fruits and cookies.
hotel pickup and drop-off for selected areas.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Pacific Coast Dive Center

Is this one for you?This is a shared-group course led by a PADI instructor, so you're learning alongside other first-timers rather than diving solo. It suits anyone who wants to try scuba without the time and cost of full certification, or who wants to know whether diving is worth pursuing before signing up for the longer course.