3-Day RAID Open Water Diver Course in Kota Kinabalu

Three days underwater in Borneo's marine park, learning to dive from the start.

A 3-day RAID Open Water 30 Diver Course in Kota Kinabalu teaches you to dive from scratch in the local marine park. The course includes full diving equipment, RAID materials, boat transfers from DBKK Jetty each day, three lunches and park fees. You'll complete online pre-study before arrival and work in small groups with a live guide. Children from age 10 are welcome, and you need to be fit and able to swim.

The experience

Want to explore underwater but have never dived before? This 3-day course takes you from zero to certified diver. You'll spend each day on one of two 33-foot trimaran boats, heading out to the local marine park where the water holds the kind of marine life that makes the trip worth the three days. The course is built around learning in the water itself, not lectures on land, so you move through skills and depth as you're ready. Before you arrive, you'll complete online pre-study at home, which means your time on the boats focuses on practice and discovery instead of theory.

Each day runs the same rhythm: you collect from DBKK Jetty in the morning, spend your hours in the water, and return by afternoon. Lunch and drinking water come with you. The boats are small enough that groups stay tight, and your guide speaks English, Chinese or Malay depending on who's in your group. You'll need to bring your passport number, date of birth, height, weight and shoe size before the course starts, along with any dietary needs: the operator uses these details to fit your gear and plan meals. Full diving equipment is included, so you show up ready to learn.

The course is open to anyone from age 10 who can swim and is in reasonable health. Those under 18 need an adult with them. If you have spinal injuries, are pregnant, or have heart concerns, this one isn't the fit. Get in touch with the operator to talk through your situation. Everyone else who's moderately fit will find three days on the water manageable, and by the end you'll have a RAID certification that opens diving anywhere in the world.

What’s included

• RAID Open Water 30 course materials and full diving equipment.
• boat transfers from DBKK Jetty each day.
• dive permit and marine park fees.
• three lunches and drinking water across the three days.
• small group instruction with a live guide in English, Chinese or Malay.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (18 to 88 years) · Child (10 to 17 years) · Under 10: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish, Chinese and Malay

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “Meet at 08:45hrs at DBKK Jetty in Kota Kinabalu. It is within easy walking distance of the city centre. Meet our Crew in front of the ‘DBKK Jetty Counter’ poster on the jetty building.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Borneo Dream Travel Tours Sdn Bhd

Is this one for you?The boats leave from DBKK Jetty each morning, and public transport reaches it, so you don't need a rental car or a hotel with a shuttle. That's what makes this course work if you're staying elsewhere in Kota Kinabalu or arriving without a vehicle.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Chinese and Malay.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (10 to 17 years). Under 10: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What does the RAID Open Water 30 course actually teach me?

The course teaches you to dive from the beginning: how to breathe underwater, manage buoyancy, read your gauges and handle the basic skills that keep you safe. You learn by doing it in the water with your guide, not by sitting through lectures, and you move through deeper dives as your confidence builds across the three days.

Do I need to know how to dive already, or is this really for beginners?

This is a beginner course. You need to be able to swim and be in reasonable health, but you don't need any diving experience. The online pre-study you complete at home covers the theory, so your time on the boats is all hands-on learning.

What's the marine life like in the local park where we dive?

The local marine park around Kota Kinabalu holds plenty of marine life worth seeing: the operator describes it as packed with underwater life you'll discover during your dives. The exact species and visibility depend on the day and the season, but the park is set up as a dive site because there's something to see.

How do I get to the boats each day if I don't have a car?

You collect from DBKK Jetty each morning and return there each afternoon. Public transportation options are available nearby the jetty, so you can reach it without a rental car or a taxi if you're staying in central Kota Kinabalu.

What happens if I'm under 18?

Children from age 10 can take the course, but anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult throughout the three days. The adult doesn't have to be diving. They just need to be there with you.

What do I need to bring or arrange before the course starts?

You'll need to complete the online pre-study before you arrive, and provide your full name, passport number, nationality, date of birth, height, weight, shoe size and any dietary requirements. Everything else (equipment, materials, boat transfers, meals and park fees) is included.