Course overview

Try scuba for the first time with the PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience out of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Under the direct supervision of a PADI professional, you learn the basics and make a shallow dive in a calm, sheltered Galapagos bay where sea lions and turtles are regular visitors. It is the easiest way to breathe underwater in one of the world's most famous marine reserves.

What you’ll learn

• Breathe comfortably underwater on scuba
• Use a mask, fins, regulator and BCD with guidance
• Equalise and descend gently in shallow water
• Clear your mask and recover your regulator
• Move and communicate underwater with your instructor

Prerequisites

• No prior experience or certification required
• No swimming certification required, but basic comfort in water helps
• Minimum age 10
• Reasonable health; a brief medical questionnaire is completed beforehand

What's included · What's not

Not included? Sort the rest of your trip

Flights and accommodation aren’t part of the course price, here’s how to book them around your dates.

Probability of sightings · month-by-month

What you're likely to see each month, based on historic operator logs.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1
   First breaths underwater

   Equipment and safety briefing, shallow-water skill practice, then a guided shallow dive in a sheltered Santa Cruz bay with sea lions and turtles often nearby.

Verified through iDive

Every partner school in the iDive network is vetted on safety, instructor credentials, equipment standards and student feedback. Talk to a iDive dive pro on WhatsApp for current availability and reviews specific to Galapagos.

Frequently asked questions