5-Day PADI diving course on the Great Barrier Reef
Comprehensive Training 📚: The course includes two days of pool and classroom instruction in Cairns, followed by a three-day, two-night liveaboard adventure on the Outer Great Barrier Reef.
Diving Opportunities 🤿: Participants can engage in up to nine dives, including four training dives to complete the PADI Open Water Certification and five recreational dives, one of which is a guided night dive.
Exclusive Dive Sites 🌊: Access to 19 exclusive Outer Reef dive sites across Flynn, Thetford, Milln, and Pellowe Reefs, offering diverse marine life encounters such as giant clams, sea turtles, stingrays, reef sharks, and vibrant coral formations.
Purpose-Built Vessels 🚢: Liveaboard experience aboard premium Scubapro dive boats, featuring air-conditioned twin or double cabins, spacious decks, and catered meals, ensuring comfort between dives.
Personalised Instruction 🧑🏫: Participants benefit from having the same instructor throughout the course, ensuring a highly personalised and consistent learning experience.
Who is this trip for? 💁♀️
- Families 👪
- Couples 🧑🤝🧑
- Solo Travellers 🧍
Prerequisites
In order to obtain a PADI Open Water Certification, you will need to meet the following prerequisites;
- Medically fit to dive
- Ability to swim
- At least 10yrs old
⛴️ Australian Liveaboards ⛴️
✨ Need help? Check out our Guide to Liveaboards ✨
Highlights
Get your PADI Open Water dive certification!
2 days of pool and classroom theory
3 days and 2 nights, Learn to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef
Itinerary
PADI diving course itinerary
Day 1 – PADI diving course training centre
08:00: First, complimentary hotel transfer
Available from Cairns City and Northern Beaches hotels/hostels
09:00: Check-in at Pro Dive PADI diving course training centre
09:15: Then, start to learn to scuba dive with your pool training
Noon Lunch break
(Lunch not provided)
13:00: After lunch, time for more pool training
17:00: Finally, return transfer back to your accommodation
Day 2 – PADI training centre
08:00: First, complimentary hotel transfer
Available from Cairns city and Northern Beaches hotels/hostels
09:00: Check-in
09:15: Then, start your pool training
Noon Lunch break
(Lunch not provided)
13:00: After lunch, time for more pool training
16:00: Additionally, you have the opportunity to gear up at the Pro Dive Cairns Retail Shop
17:00: Finally, return transfer back to your accommodation
Day 3 – Great Barrier Reef
06:00: First, complimentary hotel transfer
Available from Cairns city and Northern Beaches hotels/hostels
06:20: Check in at Pro Dive Cairns retail shop
Corner of Shields & Grafton Streets, Cairns City
07:00: Depart Cairns for three days & 2 nights on The Great Barrier Reef
Light breakfast served on board
11:00: Dive 1: training dive
On the Great Barrier Reef
12:30: Lunch
14:30: Dive 2: training dive
16:30: Snorkelling opportunity
18:00: Dinner
19:45: The night dive
Watch the certified divers participating in the first-night dive of the trip
Day 4 – Great Barrier Reef
07:00: Dive 3: training dive
First dive of the day, before breakfast
09:00: Breakfast
11:15: Dive 4: training dive
This will be the last training dive for Open Water certification
12:45: Lunch
15:15: Dive 5
First dive as a newly certified scuba diver
17:45: Dinner
19:30: Dive 6: Finally, enjoy a guided night dive!
Day 5 – Great Barrier Reef
06:30: First, wake up to enjoy your last morning onboard the Scubapro vessel, then it’s Dive 7
Your first dive of the day – a sunrise dive to enjoy the reef waking up.
07:30: Breakfast
09:00: Dive 8
11:00: Dive 9
The last dive of the trip finished by 1200 noon
Noon Lunch – your last lunch on the Great Barrier Reef before returning to Cairns
16:00: Complimentary return transfer
Return transfer to your accommodation
19:30: Finally, join the farewell dinner (optional, additional cost)
Join fellow passengers and crew at a local restaurant for a farewell dinner
Included
PADI Certification Course + Liveaboard Dive Trip
What to bring
What to bring to your PADI diving course
- Day 1 and 2: Towel, swimwear, sunscreen, money for lunch, and dive medical.
- Day 3-5: Overnight bag with comfortable clothing and toiletries, towel, swimwear, sunscreen and a hat.
- Credit card or cash for onboard purchases
How to get there
Please visit the Prodive Cairns retail shop on the corner of Shields and Grafton Streets Cairns the day before your trip departing.
This way, you can organise any equipment and paperwork before departure. The Prodive Cairns shop is open seven days from 9:30 am to 7 pm.
Return transfers from Cairns City accommodation are included in this tour.
Important Information
Padi diving course important Information
Queensland, Australia, has some of the strictest scuba diving rules globally and the safest scuba diving record. All Scuba diving is regulated by the Queensland Government Code of Practice and complies with all regulations, including medical, as is the law.
Furthermore, we recommend that all of our passengers complete our dive medical questionnaire before booking, as some medical conditions, age and/or medications may prevent you from scuba diving. Our mission is always to provide our passengers with the best Great Barrier Reef experience.
Flying after Scuba Diving
It would be best if you did not fly or go to altitude for at least 18 hours after a scuba dive for single no-decompression scuba dive. Furthermore, you should not fly for 24 hours after your last dive for multiple dives.
If you are Skydiving or Hot Air Ballooning, you must wait 24 hours after diving.
We recommend waiting a minimum of 24 hours whenever possible.
Dive Course Required Swim
- Finally, this dive course requires that you swim 200 metres or snorkel 300 metres and tread water/float for 10 minutes.
Please note that at the time of booking, AUD$95.00 per person Environmental management charges & charges will be added. This fee includes a Government Environmental Management Charge of AUD21.00, Port Departure Tax and Administration Charges. This charge applies to all passengers travelling on the 3 Day 2 Night Liveaboard Dive trip and all Dive Courses combining the 3 Day trip. (This fee is subject to change and without notice.)
