When you're looking for a dive course to start with, the options may feel overwhelming. There are several agencies, course titles and options, and course prices seem to vary wildly. Below are some questions you should be asking when selecting a scuba course. All specifics are from PADI system of diver education, but are largely applicable to other agencies as well.

 

 

Does the course lead to a certification?

What you sometimes see somewhat misleadingly referred to as "resort courses" are try-out programs - such as Discover Scuba Diving/Intro Scuba, etc. They are experience programs that allow you to try diving, but do not certify you as a scuba diver. You may get a wall certificate showing that you have scuba dived, but you won't be a certified diver after such a program regardless how many times you repeat it.

 

 

What is included in the course price?

If you are offered a course considerably cheaper than what others are quoting, you may be missing something. Pay attention to what the course price actually includes.

 

 

Are manuals and other course materials included?

PADI standards require that you have your own copy of the PADI Open Water Diver Manual. While not so common practice in Hong Kong, it is very common elsewhere to see course prices quoted without any materials. You are then expected to purchase them separately. The course materials are fairly pricy.

 

 

Are you expected to have done PADI eLearning or similar self-study program on your own (and pay extra for) before the course?

There are different ways to complete the academic part of the course. Some shops use exclusively PADI eLearning and may or may not include it in the course price.

 

 

How much time is allocated to pool practice?

This is where several dive shops unfortunately cut corners to reduce costs.

 

You learn the scuba diving skills in a swimming pool (or in clear, calm and shallow water in the sea, but Hong Kong waters rarely offer the clarity). It takes roughly a minimum of six hours to go through the confined water (pool) program for any group larger than two participants, often more than that. Anything less and corners were cut: you didn't go through the whole program and didn't do some skills you should have, and you are now missing something. You definitely did not have enough pool time. If that is the case "you don't know what you don't know", and in scuba diving what you don't know may hurt you.

 

If you are doing a one-on-one course and you nail all skills immediately, you may be able to complete the pool portion slightly quicker.

 

 

Are open water dives included or do you have to pay extra for those?

Again, not so common in Hong Kong with entry level courses, but you see this elsewhere: after paying the course fee, you are hit with dive site entrance fees, boat charges, tank rentals, etc. for your open water dives. So what's out.

 

 

Do you need to buy gear before the course?

Many shops require students to purchase personal equipment before the class. These may include mask&snorkel, fins&booties and possibly exposure suit as well. We've even encountered shops that require you to purchase weights. You don't necessarily need to buy any equipment when you do your Open Water course with Pro-Diver Development.

 

 

Is equipment rental included?

And what equipment is included. To scuba dive you need at minimum:

 

• Mask&snorkel

• BCD

• Regulators package (first stage, two second stages)

• SPG (air gauge)

• Depth gauge)

• Fins (and possibly booties)

• Exposure suit (wet suit or dry suit)

• Tank(s)

• Weights (& weightbelt)

 

Pro-Diver Development's Open Water course includes rental of all standard scuba equipment you need during your course. The only exception is prescriptive masks: those we cannot unfortunately provide for rental.

 

 

Is the certification fee included?

PADI charges a processing fee for PADI certifications. Certification fee may also be referred to as PIC which stands for Positive Identification Card in PADI Speak and is a form we send to PADI after you have successfully completed your course. The certification fee is included in our Open Water course fee.

 

As of January 1, 2015, PADI eLearning/Touch Open Water programs purchased directly from PADI also include the certification fee.

 

 

How big are the groups?

This is not where bigger is better. The smaller the group, the more personalized the training is and less time you hover around waiting. Our group sizes are small: a group course can be started with just two participants.

 

Most courses run with 2-3 participants. Maximum numbers we use are six (6) in the swimming pool (a rare case), and four (4) in open water per instructor.

 

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