Frequently Asked Questions

Answer: Yes, PADI provides PADI Advanced Open Water Course through eLearning, which enables individuals to finish their knowledge development part of the course online at their own pace. Individuals are still required to take the five adventure dives under the guidance of a certified PADI instructor at a resort or dive center. The choice of opting for eLearning can be a flexible and convenient option for completing the course, particularly if one has a limited period of time or wishes to get over with their knowledge development part prior to their arrival on the dive spot.

Yes, children who have completed the PADI Bubblemaker program can participate in other PADI scuba diving courses. However, they must meet the age and skill requirements for the course.

The PADI Digital Underwater Photographer course typically takes one to two days to complete, depending on the dive center and the individual student's pace.

The cost of diving at Pilot Reef varies depending on what you need from the dive. Generally, for beginners and non-swimmers, the cost per dive is around INR 4500 - INR 7000. The price is usually part of a package that includes a short training (mostly including the rules you’d have to follow under the water), a boat ride to the diving spot, and an instructor who will be with you throughout your dive. You can also have videos and photos taken of you during the dive, the cost of which will determine the price of your package. While the boat ride and the instructor are mandatory, you can opt out of the videos and photos if you want. If you know how to swim and want to get a beginner scuba certification, you’ll have to pay anything between INR 6500 to INR 20,000 depending on how much time you want to give to the training and what kind of dives you want to include. The cost will also be impacted by the number of dives you take. Experienced divers can pay INR 4000 to 6500 per dive, although the cost may be more or less depending on the season and the diving centre.

Answer: The answer is no. Even though being proficient in swimming can turn out to be greatly helpful for scuba diving, one does not necessarily have to be an expert in swimming in order to take the PADI Advanced Open Water Course. The course is entirely focused on diving knowledge and skills and you will usually be utilizing fins along with other equipment to pass through the water. Nonetheless, you must be comfortable in the water and be able to swim for short lengths if required.

Parents/Guardians are usually allowed to accompany their children during the PADI Bubblemaker program. However, this may vary depending on the dive center and instructor.

To enroll in the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer course, you must be at least 10 years old and be a certified open-water diver or have an equivalent certification from another training organization.

Pilot Reef is just 5 km away from Havelock Island, so you can reach your diving spot in around 10-15 minutes. To reach Havelock Island, you’d first have to reach Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. You can take a flight to the Veer Savarkar International Airport at Port Blair and thereafter take a ferry from the capital’s government jetty to Havelock Island. You can enjoy a splendid view of the deep blue sea at just INR 300-INR 500 which is the fare of the ferry ride. Since Havelock is around 70 km away from Port Blair, it may take you 2-3 hours to reach your destination.

Answer: While both PADI Rescue Diver Course and the PADI Advanced Open Water Course are scuba diving certification courses, the two are focused on varying areas of diving. The latter is created to aid certified divers to obtain more skills and experience in various areas of diving, like underwater navigation and deep diving. Contrary to this, the first is focused on developing emergency response techniques and rescue skills, like undertaking rescue scenarios, administering first aid, and identifying and responding to diving accidents. Essentially, the PADI Rescue Diver Course is known to be a more advanced course as compared to the PADI Advanced Open Water Course.

The maximum depth for the PADI Bubblemaker program is 2 meters (6 feet). This is to ensure the safety of the children and provide a comfortable learning experience.