Weekday Course
TUEPool
WEDOcean 1–2
THUOcean 3–4
Three consecutive days. Best for people who work weekends, are studying, or have a flexible schedule.
Find weekday dates
PADI · Sydney · Eastern Suburbs
PADI Open Water CourseLearn to dive in Sydney.
Get scuba certified in three full days: four ocean dives, a heated 50m pool, and a maximum of five students per group.
- From
- $895 AUD
- Duration
- 3 days + eLearning
- Group size
- Max 5 students
- Certification
- Valid for life
01
Only Platinum 5★ IDC in NSWPADI's highest centre rating.
02
Max 5 students per classMore water time, faster progress.
03
3 full days, not 2Confidence over checklists.
04
Rated Excellent · 1,100+ reviewsVerified by Trustindex.
The course
Start with the Open Water Course
The PADI Open Water Diver course is the world's most popular and widely recognised entry-level scuba diving certification. It qualifies you to dive to 18 metres anywhere in the world, and the certification never expires.
At Dive Centre Bondi we believe in genuine quality. Small groups, longer dives, real instructor time. You'll finish feeling ready for the ocean, not just technically certified.
How it works
From your couch to the open ocean in five steps.
A clear, paced journey. Theory at home, then three full days in the water with a PADI instructor.
PADI eLearning
Complete the theory online before Day 1. Most students finish in 8–10 hours over a few evenings. No prior experience required.
Online8–10 hrsSelf-pacedPool Skills
Your first breath underwater. We use a heated 50m pool, with plenty of room to practice, learn the kit, and master every core skill in a relaxed, controlled environment.
50m heated poolBondiEquipment provided
First Ocean Dives
We head to Camp Cove in Watson's Bay, a sheltered, calm site with excellent conditions. Two dives, taking your new skills into the open ocean for the first time.
Camp Cove2 divesSheltered bay
Deeper & Dive Planning
Two more ocean dives at Gordon's Bay, North Bondi or another Eastern Suburbs site (chosen for the day's conditions). You'll go deeper and learn to plan your own dives.
Gordon's BayNorth BondiDive planning
Certified to 18m
PADI Open Water Diver: recognised in 180+ countries, never expires. Aged 12–14? You'll receive PADI Junior Open Water, which certifies to 18m and is dived with a certified adult. It upgrades automatically to full Open Water at 15.
18m depth180+ countriesNever expires
Two ways to fit it in
Pick the schedule that suits your life.
Weekend Course
SAT/SUNPool
One week to absorb
SATOcean 1–2
SUNOcean 3–4
Pool day on a Saturday in summer or a Sunday the rest of the year, then four ocean dives the following weekend. Built for people busy with work or studies during the week.
Find weekend datesWhere you'll dive
Sydney's Eastern Suburbs reefs.
Every site is chosen for the day's conditions and the best chance of marine-life encounters. Our instructors know these reefs intimately.
- Day 2
Camp Cove
Watson's Bay. Sheltered, calm, great viz. Your first ocean dives.
- Day 3
Gordon's Bay
Underwater nature trail. Cuttlefish, gropers, weedy seadragons.
- Day 3
North Bondi
Rocky reef minutes from the centre. Octopus, blue gropers.
- After
Bushrangers Bay
Dive with grey nurse sharks once you're certified.
What our students say
Rated excellent across 1,100+ reviews.
Private course
Built around your schedule.
From $1,995.
For busy lifestyles or anyone who'd prefer one-on-one instruction. Set your own pace, your own days, and your own goals.
Pool sessions run on Tuesdays or Saturdays; ocean dives on the days that suit you best.
Started elsewhere?
Continue your certification with us.
Already begun your PADI Open Water at another dive centre, or only need part of the course? Choose the option that matches where you're up to.
- Day 1 only$495
Confined water & theory
Complete Day 1 with us (confined water skills and all your theory), then continue your ocean dives at another centre.
- Ocean dives only$495
All four ocean dives
Already completed Day 1 elsewhere? Join us for all four ocean dives to complete your Open Water certification.
with existing PADI eLearning - Final dives$330
Dives 3 & 4 / Upgrade
Done confined water and dives 1–2 elsewhere? Or upgrading from PADI Scuba Diver to Open Water Diver? We'll get you over the finish line.
with existing PADI eLearning
Scuba certification
Getting your scuba licence in Sydney.
There's no government-issued scuba licence in Australia. What most people call a diving licence is a certification card, and the PADI Open Water Diver certification is recognised by dive centres in more than 180 countries.
It's the first scuba diving course you take: online theory, lessons in the pool, then four ocean dives with a PADI instructor. Once you're certified you can rent equipment, get your tanks filled and plan dives with a buddy to 18 metres, in conditions similar to the ones you trained in. The certification never expires.
At Dive Centre Bondi, PADI Open Water lessons run over three full days in small groups of no more than five students. Already started your training somewhere else? You can finish your certification with us.
Before you book
Prerequisites.
- 01Aged 12+We teach from 12. PADI allows 10 and 11, so we're happy to meet younger kids and check they fit our wetsuits and can carry the gear. Parent/guardian consent required for under-18s.
- 02Medically fitComplete a PADI Medical Statement before the course. If anything is flagged, get clearance from a doctor.
- 03Swim 200mAny stroke, no time limit.
- 04Float 10 minTread water or float for ten minutes, any method.
Questions
Everything else.
Three days gives you a night between sessions for the skills to settle, longer and more relaxed dives, and more one-on-one time with your instructor. Most people find the second day is where diving stops feeling like a task list and starts feeling natural. That is the muscle memory and confidence we want you leaving with.
Absolutely. It's designed for people who have never dived before. Theory online at home, then pool practice, then the ocean. You never enter open water until you're comfortable with every skill.
PADI's minimum age is 10, but we usually teach from 12 because the scuba equipment can be quite heavy for younger children. If your child is 10 or 11, we're happy to meet them first to see whether they fit our wetsuits and can carry the gear themselves, and we'll help where we can. 10–11-year-olds certify as PADI Junior Open Water Divers to 12m and dive with a parent, guardian or PADI Professional; 12–14-year-olds certify to 18m and dive with a certified adult. Under-18s need parent or guardian consent.
Our PADI Open Water course is $895. That includes PADI eLearning, three days of instruction, four ocean dives, all scuba equipment (BCD, regulator, tank, weights and a 7mm wetsuit), and your certification fees and card. The only extras are personal-fit items: hire a mask and snorkel for $25 and boots and fins for $25, or buy your own in our Bondi shop with a 10% student discount. Private courses start from $1,995.
Most students finish the PADI eLearning in 8–10 hours over a few evenings at home. Then it's three full days with us: one pool day and two ocean days. On the weekday course that's Tuesday to Thursday; the weekend course is spread over two weekends.
Yes. In summer our weekend course starts on a Saturday for the pool day; the rest of the year it starts on a Sunday. Either way, you return the following weekend (Saturday and Sunday) for your four ocean dives.
Our meeting point is Dive Centre Bondi, 198 Bondi Road, Bondi (open in Google Maps).
Sydney's water sits around 18°C in winter and 23°C in summer. That's why the course includes a 7mm wetsuit, which keeps you warm enough to relax and focus on your skills all year round.
PADI Open Water Diver, recognised in over 180 countries, valid for life. 12–14-year-olds receive PADI Junior Open Water, which certifies to 18m and is dived with a certified adult; it upgrades automatically to full Open Water at age 15.
Join our guided shore dives across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, or book a boat trip to Bushrangers Bay for grey nurse sharks. When you're ready, the PADI Advanced Open Water course takes you to 30m.
Diving has an excellent safety record when taught and practised correctly. We run small groups, modern well-maintained equipment, and qualified PADI instructors on every session, following PADI's industry-leading training standards.
Group courses run as a single scheduled block, because gaps cause students to lose skills and momentum. If your schedule makes the standard format difficult, we can arrange a private course tailored to your availability.
Free if it's more than 7 days before your course starts. Inside 7 days there's a $100 transfer fee.
All scuba equipment is included: BCD, regulator, tank, weights and 7mm wetsuit. The only items not provided are mask, snorkel, boots and fins (personal-fit items). Buy in our Bondi shop or hire on the day.
Contact lenses are fine under a dive mask. We sell prescription-lens masks in our Bondi shop. Let our team know in advance and we'll help you sort it out.
Yes, we love it when students bring friends along to learn together. Ask our team about current referral options when you book.
Ready when you are
Your first breath underwater
is closer than you think.
Dive Centre Bondi · Eastern Suburbs, Sydney · PADI Platinum 5★ IDC
PADI Open Water · SydneyFrom $895 · 3 days · Max 5 students
Book now
