Scuba diving PADI courses in Santa Maria, Azores

Activity Snapshot

Fitness level: Occasionally sporty
Duration: from 3 hrs to 4-7 days
Spoken languages: Portuguese, English, French
Minimum age: From 10 years-old and up
Cancellation policy: moderate More info
Opening seasons:
  • J
  • F
  • M
  • A
  • M
  • J
  • J
  • A
  • S
  • O
  • N
  • D

Activity description

Haliotis Santa Maria proposes a range of courses to help you become a PADI certified scuba diver, enabling you to dive autonomously anywhere in the world.

Haliotis will always take you to the best scuba diving spots around Santa Maria - all spots are exceptionally beautiful and located near the city, they are accessed using a boat.

Haliotis Santa Maria proposes 4 different PADI courses:
- PADI Discover Scuba diving
- PADI Scuba Diver
- PADI Open water diver
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver

PADI: Professional Association of Diving Instructors® PADI is the world’s leading scuba diver training organisation

Please note that the PADI Discover Scuba diving is only an initiation and doesn't allow you to dive alone.

Offers

1
Discover Scuba Diving
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This course consists of 1 briefing and 1 scuba dive.

Have you always wondered what it’s like to breathe underwater? If you want to try scuba diving, but aren’t quite ready to take the plunge into a certification course, then Discover Scuba Diving is for you!

PADI dive centres offer this programme either in a pool, off a beach or from a dive boat - with Haliotis Santa Maria you'll complete it at exclusive spots around the island. You'll meet at the Haliotis Dive Centre and then make your way to the spots via boat.

While not a scuba certification course, Discover Scuba Diving is a quick and easy introduction to what it takes to explore the underwater world.

You learn the basic safety guidelines and pick up the skills needed to dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Professional.

You'll have a theory development session, which will be followed by two scuba dives around at amazing spots around Santa Maria.

Objectives

- Learn how to prep your gear
- Learn to move around underwater with your equipment
- Find out what it’s like to breathe underwater
- Pick up the key skills that you’ll use during your scuba dives
- Have fun exploring the underwater world

Activity requirements

All participants under 18 must provide written parental consent. 

Please note that you must bring a medical certificate from your GP dated within the last 3 months stating that you are allowed to practice this activity.

Special terms

Please note that you cannot fly for 24 hours after your last scuba dive.

Sensation Level:

Adventurous

Fitness level:

Occasionally sporty

Duration:

3 hrs

Minimum age:

From 10 years-old and up

Meeting point:

Haliotis - Santa Maria Rua Cruz Teixeira, Hotel Colombo, 9580-473 Vila Do Porto

Included:
  • All necessary scuba diving gear
  • Bottled water & snacks
  • Insurance
  • Participation card
  • Instructor
2
Scuba Diver
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This course consists of 3 theory lessons, 3 pool lessons and 2 open water dives.

The diving centre will take you to the best diving spots around Santa Maria Island that can be accessed by boats.

Objectives

- Dive down to a depth of 12 metres (maximum) under the watchful eye of your PADI certified instructor
- Have fun exploring the underwater world

Activity requirements

Minimum age: 10 years

All participants under 18 must provide written parental consent. 

You need to be able to swimming autonomously and need to be in good physical health.

No prior experience with scuba diving is required, but you can try it first through the Discover Scuba Diving programme.

Please note that you must bring a medical certificate from your GP dated within the last 3 months stating that you are allowed to practice this activity.

Special terms

Please note that you cannot fly for 24 hours after your last scuba dive.

Sensation Level:

Adventurous

Fitness level:

Occasionally sporty

Duration:

2-3 days

Meeting point:

Haliotis - Santa Maria Rua Cruz Teixeira, Hotel Colombo, 9580-473 Vila Do Porto

Included:
  • All necessary scuba diving gear
  • Bottled water & snacks
  • Insurance
  • PADI certificate
  • PADI manual & chart
3
Open Water Diver
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This course consists of 5 e-learning lessons followed by a test and an exam at the e-learning platform, 5 pool lessons and 4 open water dives.

Worldwide recognised first-level scuba certification. This course is ideal for those who want to start diving on a regular basis. This is the most recognised diving education course.

Once you have successfully completed the course you will get a certificate enabling you to dive down independently to a depth of 18 metres.

The diving centre will take you to the best diving spots around Santa Maria Island that can be accessed by boats.

You will learn the fundamental aspects of scuba diving:
- Prepping and looking after the gear
- Specific scuba techniques
- Buddy system
- Planning dives
- Underwater navigation
- Problem management

Objectives

- Dive down to a depth of 18 metres (maximum) under the watchful eye of your PADI certified instructor
- Have fun exploring the underwater world

Activity requirements

All participants under 18 must provide written parental consent. 

You need to be able to swimming autonomously and need to be in good physical health.

No prior experience with scuba diving is required, but you can try it first through the Discover Scuba Diving programme.

Please note that you must bring a medical certificate from your GP dated within the last 3 months stating that you are allowed to practice this activity.

Special terms

Please note that you cannot fly for 24 hours after your last scuba dive.

Sensation Level:

Adventurous

Fitness level:

Occasionally sporty

Duration:

4-7 days

Meeting point:

Haliotis - Santa Maria Rua Cruz Teixeira, Hotel Colombo, 9580-473 Vila Do Porto

Included:
  • All necessary scuba diving gear
  • Bottled water & snacks
  • Insurance
  • PADI certificate
  • PADI manual & chart
4
Advanced Open Water Diver
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This is an advanced scuba diver course ideal for those of you who are willing to dive in more demanding situations down to a depth of 30 metres.

Each dive will be followed by a knowledge review.

The diving centre will take you to the best diving spots around Santa Maria Island that can be accessed by boats.

This course consists of 5 adventure dives and are usually chosen from the following list:
- Deep Dive
- Underwater Navigation
- Peak Performance Buoyancy
- Wreck Dive
- Search & Recovery

Objectives

- Dive down to a depth of 30 metres (maximum) under the watchful eye of your PADI certified instructor
- Have fun exploring the underwater world

Activity requirements

Minimum age: 10 years

All participants under 18 must provide written parental consent. 

You need to be able to swimming autonomously and need to be in good physical health.

All participants must have complete the Open Water course.

Please note that you must bring a medical certificate from your GP dated within the last 3 months stating that you are allowed to practice this activity.

Special terms

Please note that you cannot fly for 24 hours after your last scuba dive.

Sensation Level:

Adventurous

Fitness level:

Occasionally sporty

Duration:

2-3 days

Meeting point:

Haliotis - Santa Maria Rua Cruz Teixeira, Hotel Colombo, 9580-473 Vila Do Porto

Included:
  • All necessary scuba diving gear
  • Bottled water & snacks
  • Insurance
  • PADI certificate
  • PADI manual & chart
100% secure payments
by credit card or Paypal

Meeting point

Haliotis - Santa Maria Rua Cruz Teixeira, Hotel Colombo, 9580-473 Vila Do Porto Get directions

Cancellation policy

Cancellation 10 days or more prior to the agreed activity date
You will be automatically refunded for the full amount for the activity
10 days
Cancellation between 4 and 10 days prior to the agreed activity date
You are entitled to a 50% refund
4 days
Cancellation 4 days or later prior to the agreed activity date
No refund will be possible
Weather Guarantee
Regardless of the date, if the activity is cancelled due to bad weather conditions, you will be offered a refund or the chance to reschedule