PADI Open Water Course
Become a certified scuba diver in Iceland's pristine waters — earn your PADI Open Water and dry-suit certification in three days.
3 days•Languages: English
A three-day PADI Open Water Diver course in Iceland that takes you from beginner to certified diver. Complete your theory online, build skills in the pool, then log four open-water dives. You finish certified to dive worldwide to 18 m — and dry-suit certified to dive Silfra.
Learn to scuba dive in some of the clearest, most dramatic water on the planet. Run by DIVE.IS — Iceland's first and only PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center — the PADI Open Water Diver course takes you from complete beginner to certified diver over three days, working closely with experienced instructors.
You start with the theory online through PADI eLearning (around 12 hours), so you arrive ready to dive in. Day one is a confined-water session in a swimming pool in Hafnarfjörður, where you build core skills and complete a 200 m swim and a 10-minute float. Over days two and three you put those skills into practice across four open-water dives, plus a dry-suit dive, at sites chosen for the day's conditions.
What you'll be able to do
- Plan and carry out dives to 18 m with a certified buddy
- Dive at centres and resorts anywhere in the world
- Continue on to the PADI Advanced Open Water and specialty courses
Because Icelandic water hovers near freezing year-round, the course also earns you a PADI Dry Suit Diver certification — meeting every requirement to dive the legendary Silfra fissure, where you can drift between two continents.
TourID: OWDC
Activity provider: Dive.is by Icelandia
Need to know
The course runs from April to October over three days, with a minimum of 3 students and a maximum of 4 students per instructor.
The price includes the PADI eLearning registration fee (approximately ISK 15,000), which we pay directly to PADI. You will need to study for about 12 hours online before the course begins, and the eLearning must be completed before your pool session.
Safety requirements — participants must:
- Be at least 17 years old (a legal guardian's signature is required for under-18s)
- Be physically fit
- Know how to swim and be comfortable in water
- Be able to communicate in English
- Not be pregnant
- Complete a PADI Medical Statement
Requirements
All diving equipment, including the dry suit, is provided. For comfort under the dry suit we recommend bringing:
- Warm thermal base layers and thick socks
- A hat and gloves to wear between dives
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- Flexible Cancellation
- No Booking Fees
Tour itinerary
What’s included and what to bring on this tour
It’s important to always be prepared for your next adventure in Iceland. See our list of what’s included, and what you should bring or add to your trip
Included
- A PADI-certified instructor
- All diving equipment, including the dry suit
- PADI Open Water eLearning material
Not included
- Remedial classes, if required (can be scheduled at an additional cost)
Tour highlights
Are you wondering about something?
If you're planning a trip to Iceland, it's important to be prepared with the right information. Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you plan your trip
The course runs over three days. You complete the theory online through PADI eLearning (around 12 hours) before you arrive. Day one is a confined-water (pool) session in Hafnarfjörður, including a 200 m swim and a 10-minute float; days two and three are four open-water dives plus one dry-suit dive at sites chosen for the day's conditions.
No. The PADI Open Water Diver course is designed for complete beginners and teaches you everything from scratch. You do need to be comfortable in water and able to swim, as the course includes a 200 m swim and a 10-minute float.
You must be at least 17 years old (a legal guardian's signature is required for under-18s), be physically fit, know how to swim and be comfortable in water, be able to communicate in English, not be pregnant, and complete a PADI Medical Statement.
The course includes a PADI-certified instructor, all diving equipment, the PADI Open Water eLearning material and certification fee, all confined-water sessions and pool rental, all open-water and dry-suit dives, and pick-up and drop-off in the Reykjavík area on all three days.
You earn a PADI Open Water Diver certification, qualifying you to dive to 18 m with a buddy, without direct supervision, anywhere in the world. It is a lifetime certification recognised by any reputable dive centre. You also receive a PADI Dry Suit Diver certification and meet all requirements to dive the Silfra fissure.
Iceland's water stays close to freezing all year, so divers wear dry suits rather than wetsuits to stay warm and dry. Sites like the Silfra fissure require you to be a certified dry suit diver, or to prove recent dry suit experience, before you can dive. This course gives you that certification.
The water at Silfra maintains a stable temperature of 2 – 4°C (35.6 – 39.2°F) throughout the year. So, it’s pretty cold!
However, you will be equipped with dry suits that will keep most of that chill off. Beneath your suit, we recommend wearing thermal layers and warm socks.
Yes. With the PADI referral option you can complete the theory and pool sessions where you live and finish your open-water dives with us in Iceland — or do the theory and pool work in Iceland and complete your open-water dives elsewhere.
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