Course overview

Earn the world's most recognised entry-level certification with the PADI Open Water Diver course at Sipadan, training on the calm, turtle-rich house reefs off Mabul Island. Over confined-water sessions and four open-water dives you master the core scuba skills that let you dive anywhere to 18 metres, with the walls of Sipadan waiting once you are certified. No prior experience is needed to begin.

What you’ll learn

• Assemble, use and maintain scuba equipment
• Breathe and move comfortably underwater
• Clear your mask, recover your regulator and manage air
• Achieve and control neutral buoyancy
• Plan dives with tables or a computer within no-decompression limits
• Handle common problems and dive safely with a buddy

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 10 (Junior Open Water Diver) or 15
• No prior certification required
• Able to swim and be comfortable in the water
• Basic health questionnaire (medical clearance if any condition applies)

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
   Theory and confined water

   Knowledge-development sections and confined-water skill practice on the shallow Mabul house reef.
2. Day2
   First open-water dives

   Two open-water training dives on the Mabul reef applying your core skills among turtles and reef fish.
3. Day3
   Final dives and certification

   Two more open-water dives, the final exam and your Open Water Diver certification.

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 Sipadan.

Frequently asked questions