Diving Courses in Costa Rica

Diving Courses in Costa RicaAs you look forward to your Costa Rica diving vacation, you may be considering taking some diving lessons during your stay. There are numerous diving courses available in Costa Rica, from PADI-certified dive instructors, and there’s no better place to learn than the beautiful oceans full of vibrant sea life off the “Rich Coast,” Costa Rica.

Beginning Courses

If you’ve never been on a dive before and you want to try it out, you might consider a Discover Scuba Course. This course, open to new divers 10 and older, requires approximately one hour to learn the basics of scuba, and then you’ll go on a “discovery” dive in open water, up to 40 feet, with your instructor. After this course you’ll be able to participate in group diving experiences, and if you choose to continue with your scuba diving courses your training will count toward your PADI Open Water Diver certification.

The Scuba Diver course is a little more advanced, and is a component of the Open Water Diver certification. This course consists of one day of classroom and pool instruction, and one day of two dives. This lifelong certification means that you are permitted to dive to a as far down as 40 feet (12 meters) anywhere in the world as long as you’re you have a Professional PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor with you when you dive.

Courses for Independent Diving with a Buddy

For unsupervised diving with a buddy, to become a fully certified diver, you will need to take the PADI Open Water Diver course. You can then dive anywhere in the world without the assistance of a PADI professional, up to 60 feet (20 meters). For the Open Water Diver course you will learn the basic principles of scuba diving either in a classroom, online or by home study. You’ll then spend time in the pool learning your basic skills of scuba diving, and then you’ll go on open water dives for skill refinement and exploration.

The Open Water Diver course takes three to four days to complete and is open to divers over 15 years of age. Divers 10-14 may be certified as Junior Open Water Divers.

If you’ve already completed the classroom instruction and pool work before you reach Costa Rica, you can take one of the Open Water Referral diving courses and complete your open water training for your certification. You will need to take your medical form and the instructor’s referral form to the dive shop to enroll in this course.

Advanced Diving Courses

Interested in going deeper in your diving experiences? Once you complete the Open Water Diver course you can enroll in the Advanced Open Water diving courses. Consisting of five dives over at least two days, this advanced course will teach you deeper diving, the navigation and more. The course includes a deep dive, a navigation dive and three adventure dives suited to your specific interests. Junior Open Water Divers may enroll in Advanced Open Water at age 12; all Open Water Divers are eligible for this course.

Specialty Courses

Once you’ve become a certified diver, you may be interested in more challenges and more experience as a diver. Several diving courses offer additional learning for divers.

PADI Emergency First Response is a one-day course suitable for anyone who wants to learn CPR and first aid. This course is actually not just for the diver but for any person who wants to be more capable in dealing with emergencies.

PADI Rescue Diver course will provide you with challenges and the chance to master them, as well as helping you become a rescue diver. In the advanced diving courses you’ll learn not only how to recognize and manage stress in other divers in the water, but also how to rescue yourself. You’ll get training in rescuing panicked and unresponsive divers, and in emergency equipment and dealing with emergencies. You must be an Advanced Open Water Diver with 20 dives, have current CPR and first aid training, and be 15 years old.

If you have at least a Scuba Diver course under your belt, you can take a Nitrox-Enriched air course and learn to dive with Nitrox for more bottom time and longer, safer dives. And if you’re an Open Water Diver interested in learning how to find your way around in the ocean, you might enjoy the Underwater Navigator diving courses. Advanced Open Water Divers should check out the Deep Diver course for information on how to plan and do safe deep dives (60 feet to 120 feet). If you’re truly advanced, you might consider a long stay in Costa Rica for the purpose of taking PADI Divemaster or Assistant Instructor classes. Whatever your current diving experience, there are diving courses in Costa Rica to meet your needs that will enable you to enjoy the enchanting seascape of Costa Rica beneath the water.

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