PADI Open Water Diver Course in Tulum

Ready to become a certified scuba diver?

The PADI Open Water Diver course is the world’s most recognised scuba certification and your first step toward exploring the underwater world with confidence.

Whether you dream of diving coral reefs, exploring cenotes in Tulum, or finally learning to scuba dive, this course opens the door to a lifetime of adventure.

At Flying Fish Tulum, we teach in small groups with experienced instructors who take the time to help complete beginners feel confident and comfortable underwater — no experience is necessary.

From $9,900 MXN per person

3-day course + Complete beginner friendly + PADI certification included

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Never Dived Before? That's completely normal.

Most people start the Open Water course with zero experience.


You don’t need to know anything about scuba diving before you begin, and it’s completely normal to feel nervous at first.


Our instructors teach step by step, giving you plenty of time to build confidence and feel comfortable in the water. Everyone learns at a different pace, and we’re here to make the experience enjoyable, supportive, and rewarding from start to finish.


Many divers arrive feeling unsure — and leave wondering why they didn’t start sooner.

Why Get Certified in Tulum

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Experience Reefs & Cenotes

One of the most unique things about learning to dive in Tulum is experiencing both Caribbean reef diving and beginner-friendly cenote environments like Casa Cenote - giving you a memorable introduction to different styles of diving.

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Expert Local Instructors

Many of our instructors and guides have years of experience diving in the Riviera Maya, with advanced cave and technical diving training. Their calm, supportive approach helps new divers feel comfortable and confident underwater.

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Start Diving Right Away

Once certified, you won't have to wait to use your new skills. You’ll already be in one of the best places in the world for cenote diving, with opportunities to continue building confidence in beginner-friendly cenotes like Dos Ojos and Car Wash.

What you need to know

Who is this for?

  • Minimum Age
    Participants must be at least 10 years old.

  • Basic Swimming Ability

    You’ll need to comfortably swim 200 metres and tread water for 10 minutes.

  • Complete Beginners

    No prior experience is necessary

  • Health Requirements
    Before diving, everyone completes a short medical questionnaire to make sure scuba diving is suitable and safe for them.

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What to expect

Your Open Water Diver course combines online learning, practical skills, and open water dives over three days.

Typical course structure:

  • Day 1 – Learn the Foundations
    Begin learning key scuba skills and build confidence underwater in the calm, clear conditions of Casa Cenote.

  • Day 2 – Continue Practising & Diving
    Complete your remaining skills and gain more experience during additional dives in beginner-friendly conditions.

  • Day 3 – Put It All Together
    Complete your final training dives on the Caribbean reef and finish your PADI Open Water certification.

PADI e-learning can be completed before or during the course and usually takes around 8–10 hours.

What's included?

Everything you need to complete your Open Water Diver certification - with no hidden extras.

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PADI e-Learning access

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All necessary dive equipment

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All cenote entrance and boat fees

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Round-trip transport from our dive shop

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Lunch, snacks, fruit and water

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PADI certification and e-Card

What Happens After Certification?

Once certified, a whole new world opens up.


You'll be qualified to dive up to 18 meters (60 feet) anywhere in the world and can immediately start joining fun dives - including reef and cenote dives here in Tulum.

For many new divers, this is when the adventure really begins.

Many divers choose to continue with the PADI Advanced Open Water course to build confidence, improve skills, and unlock deeper cenote dives like Angelita and El Pit.

You'll leave the course feeling not only certified, but feeling more confident, more capable, and ready to explore the underwater world.

Ready to Become a Certified Diver?

Learning to scuba dive is something many people talk about for years — and never quite get around to.


If you’ve been thinking about it, this is your sign.

Start your scuba journey in Tulum with experienced instructors and small groups designed to help you feel comfortable underwater.

$9,900 MXN per person

(Based on a minimum of 2 people / maximum group size of 4)

PADI Open Water Course FAQs

What depth can I dive to as a PADI Open Water Diver?

After certification, PADI Open Water Divers can dive to a maximum of 18 meters (60 feet) with a buddy.

How many dives are included in the Open Water course?

The course includes four open water training dives where you practice the skills you learned in confined water training.

Do I need to complete the course all at once?

No. The PADI Open Water Diver course is flexible and can be completed in different ways depending on your schedule.

Many students compete the PADI e-learning before arriving in Tulum. This allows you to finish the classroom portion at home so you can focus on the confined water training and open water dives when you're here.

If you've already started your course elsewhere, we can usually arrange Open Water referral dives so you can complete your certification with us.

If you're short on time, another option is the PADI Scuba Diver certification, which requires fewer training dives and can be upgraded later to the full Open Water Diver certification.

What happens if the ocean conditions aren't suitable for the reef dives?

The final two dives of the PADI Open Water course are normally completed on the local reef in Tulum, where you'll experience real ocean diving, including entering the water from a dive boat and exploring the marine life on the reef.

If ocean conditions are not suitable, we can usually complete the training dives in one of the beautiful open cenotes near Tulum, where the water is calm and visibility incredible.


If you prefer to complete your training dives on the reef and the conditions do not improve during your stay in Tulum, another option is to finish the course as a PADI Scuba Diver and upgrade to the full Open Water Diver certification at a later date.

We'll always discuss the options with you and make sure you still have a fantastic diving experience.

Can I go cenote diving after completing the Open Water course?

Yes — many newly certified divers go on to experience beginner-friendly cenote dives such as Casa Cenote and Dos Ojos.

Some deeper cenotes, including Angelita and El Pit, may require additional experience or the PADI Advanced Open Water course.

If there is a question that we haven't answered, please reach out!