PADI Open Water Course

Learn to dive like a professional in the Machalilla marine reserve in this PADI Open Water course in Puerto López. You can choose from two different levels, depending on your previous experience.

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The marine reserve of Machalilla National Park is suitable for scuba diving enthusiasts. The PADI Open Water course in Puerto López offers a chance to learn underwater movement and exploration.

PADI Open Water Course

The PADI Open Water course comprises three parts, which can be completed in 2 or 3 days based on your choice of classroom or distance learning.

Day 1

The first part includes a theoretical lesson on diving principles, available face-to-face or as distance learning. For the latter, materials will be provided for home study, with attendance required on the second day for practical lessons.

Day 2

The second day involves diving in confined waters, followed by lunch on your own. Afterward, participants will dive in the open sea with two dives up to 12 meters (40 feet) to build confidence for independent diving.

Day 3

The final day includes two additional open water dives to explore Puerto López's marine environment. Participants will receive a PADI Open Water certificate upon completion.

PADI Advanced Open Water Course

The PADI Advanced Open Water course allows extending dive depth limits to 30 meters (98 feet) and enhancing skills from the previous PADI course.

This course consists of five dives: one Deep Adventure Dive, one Underwater Navigator Adventure Dive, and three additional dives chosen from:

Aware Fish IDDrift DiverPeak Performance BuoyancySearch and Recovery DiverUnderwater NaturalistUnderwater PhotographerUnderwater Videographer

Upon completion, participants receive a temporary PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification card, valid globally, with the permanent card mailed weeks later.