Course overview

The SSI Open Water Diver course in Bohol Panglao is your entry into scuba, certifying you to dive with a buddy to 18 metres worldwide. You learn through the flexible SSI digital system, building your skills in the calm shallows off Alona Beach before exploring Panglao's warm reefs, where turtles and schooling tropical fish are a common sight.

What you’ll learn

• Set up and use scuba equipment with confidence
• Perform core skills like mask clearing and regulator retrieval
• Achieve neutral buoyancy for comfortable diving
• Plan dives with a computer and dive within limits
• Use hand signals and the buddy system safely
• Manage minor underwater problems calmly

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 10 (with SSI Scuba Diver) or 15+ for full certification
• No prior diving experience or certification required
• Comfortable swimming and floating in water
• Diver medical questionnaire (physician sign-off if a condition is flagged)

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
   Digital theory and gear

   Work through the SSI digital theory and learn to set up and check your scuba equipment.
2. Day2
   Confined water

   Practise essential skills in the calm shallows off Alona Beach until they become second nature.
3. Day3
   First open-water dives

   Complete your first open-water training dives on a sheltered Panglao reef.
4. Day4
   Final dives and review

   Finish the remaining open-water dives and complete the final assessment to certify.

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 Bohol Panglao.

Frequently asked questions