SSI Open Water Diver Course
This 3-day private scuba diving course in Siquijor is the first level of certification, teaching you the skills to dive safely and independently with a buddy up to 18 meters.
SSI Open Water Diver Course
The SSI Open Water Diver course is a three-day entry-level scuba certification designed to prepare you for independent diving with a buddy to a maximum depth of 18 meters. Conducted in the crystal-clear waters of Siquijor, this private training experience combines personalized instruction with practical underwater sessions, ensuring you master buoyancy, safety, and confidence. It’s the perfect balance of adventure and skill-building—your first real step into the world of diving freedom.
- Duration: 3 days
- Format: Private course (1:1 or 1:2 ratio)
- Depth limit: 18 meters
- Minimum age: 10 years old
- Includes: SSI e-learning, full gear, certification fee
- Location: San Juan/Siquijor – Siquijor Island
Can You Join This Course?
The SSI Open Water Diver Course is open to almost everyone — we only need to make sure you’re healthy and comfortable in water.
- Minimum age 10 years (under 18 with guardian consent)
- Ability to swim 200 meters continuously and float for 10 minutes
- Good general health — complete the SSI medical form before starting
- Minimum 24 hours surface interval before flying after your last dive
What You’ll Learn
Our approach is built on mastery, not memorization. We train until you own each skill — not until time runs out. Here’s what you’ll walk away with:
- Breathing & buoyancy control that feels effortless
- Perfect trim and finning technique
- Mask clearing and regulator recovery without panic
- Navigation basics and buddy communication
- Emergency ascents and air-sharing procedures
- Low-impact environmental awareness
- Dive planning and decision-making like a pro
Itinerary
We meet at 8:00 AM at our jungle-hill base for introductions and the course briefing. You’ll get familiar with your equipment, learn how pressure affects the body, and understand how control begins with awareness — not speed.
By late morning, we enter shallow, calm water for the confined-water session, focusing on:
- mastering buoyancy control,
- learning emergency drills, and
- practicing buddy procedures that will define how you dive safely and calmly.
At the end of this session, we take a short open-water dive designed to apply what you’ve just learned and refine buoyancy through real movement underwater.
We finish around 4:00 PM — your first step toward true underwater control.
We meet at 8:00 AM directly at the dive site, where we set up our gear and review the essentials from the previous day.
Today’s focus is on two open-water dives, taking everything you’ve learned in confined water into the real environment. We will continue mastering drills learned the day before, mainly focusing on your buoyancy control, trim, and underwater communication, while adapting to new conditions at depths of up to 12 meters.
This is where it starts to feel natural: slow breathing, minimal movement, full awareness.
We wrap up around 3:00 PM, ending the day with a short debrief and setting goals for your final dives.
We meet at 8:00 AM at the dive site for a briefing and gear setup. Before the dives, you’ll learn basic underwater navigation, including compass use and orientation skills that build self-reliance and spatial awareness underwater.
Then we complete Open Water Dives 3 and 4, continuing to refine buoyancy control while focusing on buddy awareness and dive planning. You’ll coordinate with your teammate, share responsibilities, and make real underwater decisions — just like certified divers do.
We finish around 1:00 PM with a debrief, certification review, and your digital SSI Open Water Diver license — the moment you officially earn your independence beneath the surface.
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SSI Open Water Diver Course
Our Divers Review the Course
- “Yves
I did my diving certification with Matt in the Philippines and honestly, he was the best instructor I could have asked for. Always calm, patient, and incredibly professional, yet with a great sense of humor that made every dive enjoyable. I trusted him 100% from day one and felt completely safe throughout the entire course.
What I also really appreciated was that Matt was always up for a chat before or after the dives. Not just about diving, but about life in general. It never felt like just a business interaction; it felt human, relaxed, and genuine.
- “Jaroslav
I completed a three-day diving course with my 12-year-old son on Siquijor Island, and it was an absolute bullseye. Our instructor was Matt — pure professionalism from start to finish.
With great patience and calm, he guided us through the entire course, taking care of every detail and, most importantly, our safety. My son was thrilled — and I felt that we were in excellent hands.
If you’re looking for a reliable and experienced instructor who knows how to work with both children and adults — I wholeheartedly recommend Matt!
- “Marc
I completed a three-day diving course with my 12-year-old son on Siquijor Island, and it was an absolute bullseye. Our instructor was Matt — pure professionalism from start to finish.
With great patience and calm, he guided us through the entire course, taking care of every detail and, most importantly, our safety. My son was thrilled — and I felt that we were in excellent hands.
If you’re looking for a reliable and experienced instructor who knows how to work with both children and adults — I wholeheartedly recommend Matt!
- “Daniel
Full professionalism and a fantastic experience! The Open Water Diver course was perfectly organized and conducted very thoroughly by the Scubarebels instructor. Great atmosphere and full support at every stage of the course — both the theoretical and practical parts. The instructors’ passion for diving is contagious, making you want to dive more and more 🙂 I feel confident underwater — thank you!
I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to start their diving adventure. - “Maxx
Matt is a great guy. I did my OWD course with him and have zero regrets. His teaching style is relaxed but incredibly knowledgeable—everything is detailed and thoroughly explained. He genuinely wants you to leave feeling confident in your diving abilities, and it’s amazing to see your confidence grow with each dive. Totally worth the extra money he charges vs the other places in town, it was personal and relaxing.
Not Sure About Certification? Try Scuba Diving First!
If you’re not ready to commit to a full certification yet, the SSI Try Scuba diving experience is the perfect way to test the waters. You’ll learn basic breathing and buoyancy skills and get a real taste of diving — safely, privately, and at your own pace.
SSI Try Scuba
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a strong swimmer?
No — basic comfort in water is enough. You’ll swim 200 m and float 10 min during training.
Is this license recognized worldwide?
Yes. SSI certification is accepted globally just like PADI.
Can I wear contact lenses?
Soft contacts are fine underwater.
Can I do the course with a friend or partner?
Yes — up to two students per instructor. It’s still private, just shared with someone you know.
What if I have a medical condition?
We’ll send you an SSI medical questionnaire before starting. If you answer “yes” to any item, you’ll need a brief doctor’s clearance. We can guide you on that process.
What if I need more time to master the skills?
That’s totally fine. You can add an extra session or day if needed — mastery is more important than time. Our focus is quality training, not fast certifications.
What’s included in the price?
Everything you need: SSI e-learning, full equipment, certification fees, and personalized instruction.
Do I need to finish the e-learning before arriving?
You’ll receive access to your SSI digital materials after booking. You can complete the theory online at your own pace — even on your phone — before we start the water sessions.
Can I continue diving after I get certified?
Absolutely. Once certified, you can join our Private Fun Dives around Siquijor or continue with your Advanced Adventurer Course to explore deeper sites and new environments.
And because you trained with us, you’re part of the Scubarebels family — that means you’ll receive a lifetime 10% discount on all future fun dives and courses with us.
What if the weather is bad?
If the sea conditions are unsafe on the San Juan side of the island, we have alternative dive sites on the opposite coast around Siquijor where conditions are often calmer.
We’ll reschedule only if the sea is unsuitable for safe diving — your safety always comes first.
Rain itself isn’t a problem as long as the sea remains calm and visibility allows for a safe, enjoyable dive.
Why Do the Course with Scubarebels?
Because we don’t do production-line diving. Every student here gets private, tailored instruction — no crowds, no shortcuts, no ticking boxes. While others rush through skills, we slow down, repeat, and perfect until you feel complete control underwater. You won’t just leave with a certification card. You’ll leave with skill, confidence, and awareness that most divers never get.
That’s the difference. That’s the rebellion. Evolve or repeat.
What's Next?
You’ve earned your certification — now it’s time to evolve.
Keep diving, explore deeper sites, or sharpen your skills through advanced training.
The journey doesn’t end here; it is just the beggining.