• Learn to scuba dive in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef or take an upgrade certification dive course to become a professional scuba diver
• Become a rescue diver, open water diver and be qualified to dive to depths of 30 meters on the amazing Great Barrier Reef in Australia just off Cairns.  
• We have several learn to scuba dive package deals from the budget 4 day learn to dive deal to a 4 and 5 day liveaboard dive boat deal where you can do night dives.

Learn to SCUBA dive in Cairns? Book with one of the most reputable dive schools in Cairns Australia for your Dive Certificate on the Great Barrier Reef! PADI Open Water Course for beginners to a range of courses for more advanced divers, Cairns dive school deals to suit all diver certifications

Come and learn to scuba dive in Cairns or upgrade your diver certifications to professional levels to enable you to work and dive the worlds oceans for a lifetime.

For beginners, the Cairns dive course is a PADI Open Water is where your scuba diving experience will begin.

Options include the budget offering, which runs over two ‘classroom and pool days’, plus two day trips to the outer Great Barrier Reef from Cairns.

On our Cairns dive course day trips we may also include one outer reef day trip on board AquaQuest & a day trip to the Frankland Islands

Or you can choose the Liveaboard Overnight Experience, the Night Diver package, or the Complete SCUBA Package.

The aim of all these options is to have you certified in the safest, most efficient manner, while having a lot of fun.

The Advanced Open Water Course is the next step for beginners as they refine their skills, allowing the diver to dive to a maximum of 30 metres.  

For professional dive courses choose the Rescue Diver Course, Divermaster Course, Instructor Development Course and SCUBA Refresher.  

And if you started your dive training elsewhere and need to complete it, a PADI Open Water SCUBA Referral Course is also available in Cairns.  

Cairns Dive Course - PADI SCUBA Courses, Cairns and Great Barrier Reef

Whether you’ve a learner or you want to pursue a career in diving, we have the perfect Cairns dive course for you.

Depending on what you’re after you’ll spend a mix of time at the Cairns dive facility, undertaking pool and classroom time, as well as time out on the Great Barrier Reef.

Following is an overview of each scuba dive course, who it’s tailored to, the length of each course, and what’s involved. 

Learn to Dive with PADI Open Water Diver Course in Cairns

The PADI Open Water Diver Course is the world’s most popular and widely recognised SCUBA course.

It is a dive course for those who hold no official SCUBA qualifications. 

Option 1: The Budget Dive Course – Four Days in Cairns

Our 4 day budget dive course is designed for the traveller who is short on time.

This includes two days of pool and classroom training during the first half of the course, followed by two day trips out on the Great Barrier Reef.

You will be certified to dive to a depth of 18 metres upon completion of this course. 

Option 2: The Overnight Liveaboard Dive Deal – Four Days and One Night

Another option is the four-day, one-night dive deal package on the liveaboard vessel that cruises out of Cairns.

One of the major attractions of this dive deal package is students will spend a night on the Great Barrier Reef and wake up to the sun rising over the horizon.

Once all the required training is completed you’ll be able to take your first ‘fun dive’ on the last day.

As with the Budget Dive Course you will spend the first two days in the pool and classroom of the Cairns diving facility.

At the end of the dive course you’ll be certified to dive to a depth of 18 metres. 

Option 3: The Night Diver Package – Five Days and Two Nights

This five-day, two-night option is the most popular learn-to-dive option in Cairns.

Following is an outline of the itinerary for this package:

Day One:

Days one and two are held at the Cairns dive facility. You’ll be picked up from your Cairns city accommodation at 9.00am.

At the dive facility your PADI Instructor will take you on a tour and will help you complete the paperwork. 

Your basic medical information will be collected and your BMI will be checked. 

The remainder of the morning will be spent in the classroom, learning the basics of SCUBA theory.

As meals aren’t included in the package it’s recommended you bring a packed lunch. Fridges and microwaves are available for use.

It’s in the afternoon that you’ll be introduced to scuba diving in the purpose-build pool. 

After a small treading-water test the first day is complete.

At about 5.30pm the couresy shuttle will return you to your city accommodation. 

Day Two:

After the 9.00am pick up from your Cairns city accommodation it’s straight into the pool for a swim test.

You’ll need to swim 200m continuously.  It’s then time to get your SCUBA gear on for more time in the pool testing your new skill sets.

There will be a break for lunch after which all students will finish and review the SCUBA theory and to finish off the day you will have a short multiple choice quiz.

At 5.30 pm the shuttle will return you to your city accommodation. 

Day Three:

You’ll be collected at 7.30am from your Cairns accommodation for an early check in at the dive centre.

Any luggage you don’t want to take on board the overnight vessel can be left in the storage facility.

You’ll need to take the luggage you want to bring with you for your overnight stay onto the daytrip vessel in a soft bag.

After check in is complete you’ll be taken to the Cairns Marlin Marina to board your boat.  

During the 90-minute trip to the Outer Great Barrier Reef you will be briefed on the day’s itinerary.

Once out on the Great Barrier Reef you will don your dive gear, conduct the SCUBA safety procedures and enter the water for the first of the two open water training dives. 

You will then be transferred to the liveaboard vessel after your tropical buffet lunch at approx. 2.30pm.

Dinner will be served aboard this evening and if the conditions are favourable you may even be able to participate in a night dive.

Days Four and Five:

Wake up to the sight of the sun rising over the Coral Sea as you look out to the Great Barrier Reef.

Before lunch you’ll gear up for two more training dives and that’s it, you’re now a certified PADI SCUBA diver.  

After lunch you’ll go on your first pleasure dive and in the evening you’ll have another chance to participate in a night dive.  

Day Five is nothing but pleasure dives.  After lunch it’s time to pack up as the transfer vessel is scheduled for a mid-afternoon pick-up to take you on the 90 minute ride back to Cairns.

You’ll be taken back to your city accommodation via the dive facility to pick up your stored luggage if needed. 

Option 4: The Complete SCUBA Dive Package

With nine training dives and four leisure dives you will rack up a lot of diving experience in a short amount of time. Plus, in addition to being able to dive to 18 metres this Complete SCUBA Package will also see you walk away with the certification to dive to depths of 30 metres.

Some of the best dive experiences require you to go deeper so it’s definitely worth the investment if you want to get the most out of your new-found skill.   

Of the total six days’ duration of the course, only the first two will be spent at the Cairns city facility in the classroom and pool, as with the Night Diver Package.

The remaining time will be spent out on the Great Barrier Reef aboard the liveaboard vessel.

You’ll wake up to the sun rising over the reef and will also experience two night dives.

PADI Open Water SCUBA Referral Course

Thanks to the PADI referral system, even if you have completed only part of your dive training elsewhere, you can finish it off on the Great Barrier Reef with our Referral Course.

You must provide the following documentation as proof of what you have completed:

PADI Referral form (must be less than 12 months old)
Completed self-assessed medical declaration form

From there it’s a choice of three different options for completing the course:

Two Day Trips to the Outer Great Barrier Reef. You will return to Cairns each afternoon. This includes four training dives and one fun dive.

A Two-Day/One-Night Liveaboard Trip. You will stay one night on the Liveaboard boat and return to Cairns the following day. This includes four training dives and one fun dive.

A Three-Day/Two-Night Liveaboard Trip: Includes four training dives and five fun dives, including one night dive. 

PADI Advanced Open Water SCUBA Diver Course

This course is about advancing the skills you learnt in the Open Water SCUBA Diver Certification. At the end of this course you will be a more experienced and confident diver, able to dive to depths of 30 meters.

No classroom or pool time is required. The small amount of academic work required involves reading the relevant chapters in the PADI Adventures in Diving Manual and completing the knowledge reviews at the end of each chapter.

The minimum practical experience required for completing your PADI Advanced Open Water course is two days and one night. This will give you five training dives and two fun dives.

A three-day, two-night option is also available, which will give you five training dives and six fun dives.

Or you can spend even more time on the liveaboard dive boat. Speak to one of our consultants who can easily arrange this for you.  

PADI Rescue Diver Course

The PADI rescue diver course is about broadening your perspective to help others avoid harm and is divided into three sections: knowledge development, skill development and practical application.

The course will run over four or five days and you will learn to sharpen your observation skills, prevent and manage problems and help others prevent problems.

If you do not hold a valid First Aid certification you will complete the PADI Emergency First Response (EFR) course on the first day. 

Itinerary: Day One and Two
Day One:

Pick up from Cairns city accommodation at 9.00am.
The first day will be spent in the classroom if you do not hold a current First Aid certification.
It is recommended you bring a packed lunch as lunch is not included. Fridges and microwaves are available.
The afternoon will be spent on theory for the PADI Rescue Diver course.
Pick up at 5.00pm to take you back to your city accommodation.

Day Two:

As per day one, pick up at 9.00am then it’s straight into finishing off the theory and sitting the final exam.
Pool sessions start at mid-morning.
After lunch the activities will focus on fine-tuning the rescue skills in preparation for the open water section of the course.
Transfer back to hotel at 5.00pm. 

Day Three

This is where the fun really begins; training dives out on the Great Barrier Reef!

7.30am pick up from Cairns city accommodation. Check in luggage you do not wish to take on the liveaboard vessel into the dive facility before heading to the Marina. You’ll be required to take the luggage you do want to take overnight with you.
After boarding the fast transfer vessel that will be your day trip vessel for day one, your instructor will brief you during the 90-minute journey to the reef.
The first dive is a fun dive followed by a tropical buffet lunch.
After lunch the rescue training will start in the water.

At 2.30pm you’ll be transferred to our liveaboard vessel where training will continue.
Dinner on board, followed by a night dive if you’re keen. The bar is open until 10.30pm but keep in mind the morning will be busy with in-water training.  RSA restrictions apply.

Day Four:

All training will be finished in the morning after breakfast.
The four-day participants will be transferred to the fast transfer vessel at 2.30pm. After arriving in Cairns you’ll be taken to your accommodation via the dive facility to collect the rest of your luggage.

If you’ve booked in for the five-day package you’ll have another chance for a dive in the afternoon.
After dinner you’ll have a chance to jump in the water again, followed by dinner and then a night dive.

Day Five:

This morning you have time for three fun dives. Enjoy!
Be ready for the transfer vessel at 2.30pm.
You will be transferred to your city accommodation once back in Cairns. 

SCUBA Diving Refresher Course

If it's been a while since your last dive and you want to refresh your skills before going on a dive trip, refresher courses help with this.

These courses are split into 2 components:

Pool session where you will familiarise yourself with SCUBA equipment and practice your skills under the supervision of a PADI professional. This will run in the morning from 9.00 – 12 midday approximately.

Theory refresher which focuses theory, specifically dive planning and the use of dive tables. This will take place in the afternoon.

You can choose to do either the morning or afternoon session, or both. 

See more Cairns and Great Barrier Reef scuba diving course options. 

Tour Languages Offered

• French
• German
• Japanese
• Spanish

Departs From

Cairns

Departure Time

• 9.00 am pick up on Classroom Days
• 7.45 am pick up on Reef Days

Pickup Locations

Cairns

Destinations

Great Barrier Reef

Months of Operation

January - December

Days of Operation

Monday, Thursday

Duration

4 Days

Available for Purchase / Hire

• Camera Hire
• Photo purchase

Fitness Level Required

Medium

IN-WATER RESTRICTIONS

Scuba Diving Restrictions

• Certain medical conditions and medications may preclude some people from scuba diving.
• Participation is subject to a medical questionnaire completed on board with the tour operator
• Minimum age for scuba diving is 12 years.
• Flying after scuba diving: a wait of 12 hours is recommended after one dive, 18 hour after 2 dives and at least 24 hours after multiple dives, before ascending to an altitude of 300 metres or greater.

Read more about Diving Safety on the Great Barrier Reef.

Additional Information

• *Please note there are regulations about flying or going to altitude after diving.
• Currently the rules state that for a single no decompression dive, you should not fly/go to altitude for at least 12 hours.
• For multiple dives you should not fly/go to altitude for at least 18 hours.
• Deep Sea Divers Den recommends waiting a minimum 24 hours whenever possible.
• These are guidelines only, there is no guarantee that these recommendations will prevent decompression sickness.
• Currently there are no guidelines regarding diving after flying.
• *Altitude is 300m/1000ft above sea level.
• This includes going to the Atherton Tablelands, so be careful when you are booking tours to follow your dive course/trip.
• *Under normal circumstances, you should be out of the water on your last dive at 12pm (midday), this should help with organising any travel plans you have after your dive trip with us.
•  
• Cancellation/Rescheduling Policy:Deep Sea Divers Den reserves the right to change vessel, dive locations and price without notice. Please note Deep Sea Divers Den must receive at least 48 hours notice from you when choosing to cancel / reschedule a reservation. Cancellation refunds are not given within 48 hours notice. This includes factors beyond your control including medical problems, airline delays, bad weather, etc. - “Competition and Consumer Act 2010". Travel insurance is highly recommended. 
• Cancellation Fees: PADI Open Water Manual for a student who has written in it is $132. Day 1. Cancellation fee $200. Day 2. Cancellation fee $288.
• *If Student fails medical they have a choice regarding the course manual: they may return the manual in AS NEW condition (for a full refund) or retain the manual, in which case the refund will be reduced by AU$95.
• **Multilingual staff available on board but not guaranteed**

Eco Certifications

Dive Medical ($75 if required), 2x Passport Photo, Hat, Towel, Swimsuit, Sunscreen, Sunglasses

• If Student fails medical they have a choice regarding the course manual: they may return the manual in AS NEW condition (for a full refund) or retain the manual, in which case the refund will be reduced by AU$115.00.
• DAY 1‐ Failed Medical*; Full refund. Cancellation for any other reason a charge of AUD$160.00
• DAY 2‐ AUD$230 cancellation fee.
• AFTER DAY 2 ‐ No refund will be given.
• Day trip Course Schedules can NOT be altered