You can learn to dive Ambergris Caye’s stretch of barrier reef in just a few days. White Sands Dive Shop sits on the beach in San Pedro, overlooking the largest barrier reef in this hemisphere, and the island is only a 15-minute flight from the Belize International Airport. A full Open Water course fits inside a week’s vacation.
This guide is for first-time divers, nervous swimmers, families and certified divers who want their next card. It covers every PADI course we teach, how long each takes and what to do before you fly.
How long does it take to learn to dive on Ambergris Caye?
Quick answer: You can learn to dive on Ambergris Caye with a PADI course at White Sands Dive Shop, a 5 Star PADI facility in San Pedro. A try dive takes part of a day, full Open Water certification takes 3-4 days, and if you finish the theory and pool work at home, referral dives take two half days.
Scuba lessons on Ambergris Caye: which course fits you
The right course depends on your days, your goals and how much you can study before you travel.
| Course | Best for | What you do | Time to allow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover SCUBA Diving | Curious beginners with one free day | Basic knowledge, a pool session with gear, one open water dive | Part of a day |
| Open Water Diver | Anyone who wants a lifetime certification | Five classes plus four open water dives | 3-4 days |
| Open Water for eLearning completion | Travelers who study online before the trip | Pool sessions and four open water training dives | 3-4 days |
| Open Water Referral | Students who did theory and pool work at home | Four open water dives to finish the course | Two half days |
| Scuba Diver to Open Water upgrade | Holders of the PADI Scuba Diver card | Chapters 4 and 5 plus two open water training dives | Two days |
| SCUBA Refresher | Certified divers who have been out of the water | Pool skills review, a dive in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, a Shark Ray Alley snorkel | Part of a day |
For fees on every course, see the current course prices on our Water Sports page. Each course also has its own guide, starting with the PADI Open Water course on Ambergris Caye and the Discover Scuba Diving try dive in San Pedro.
How long does it take to get scuba certified in Belize?
It depends on how much you finish before you land. PADI splits certification into three parts: knowledge development, skill practice in confined water such as a pool, and four open water dives. You can do all three with us, or split them between home and the island.
Everything on the island: 3-4 days
Our Open Water Diver course runs five classes on gear selection and preparation, underwater life, dive planning, basic oceanography, diving physics and maladies. You then make four open water dives. Allow 3-4 days, and leave a buffer in case weather moves a dive.
Study online first, then train with us
With PADI eLearning you read, watch videos and take quizzes at your own pace at home. Sign up through PADI eLearning affiliated with White Sands Dive Shop, because our eLearning prices are based on people who affiliate with us at sign up. You then come to us for the pool sessions and training dives.
Referral: two half days
If a dive center at home has already taken you through the theory and pool work, you can be referred to Elbert to finish with four open water dives in warm Caribbean water. The guide to PADI eLearning and open water referral dives in Belize explains the paperwork and timing.
What you need before your first scuba lesson
You don’t need to be an athlete, but PADI sets a few entry standards for the Open Water Diver course. Check them before you book.
- Age: at least 10. Divers aged 10 to 14 earn a Junior Open Water Diver card, which becomes a standard card at 15.
- Swimming: a 200 meter or yard swim without stopping, or 300 with mask, fins and snorkel. There is no time limit.
- Floating: float or tread water for 10 minutes without aids.
- Health: a standard medical questionnaire. If it flags a condition, you need a doctor’s sign-off before any in-water training, so get that at home.
If you are nervous, tell us when you book. Past students who arrived anxious have written about how Elbert put them at ease.
Where you train: the reef off San Pedro
Your open water dives take place on the barrier reef just off the island. The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage listing describes it as the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, inscribed by UNESCO in 1996. Over 500 species of fish have been recorded in the reserve system.
Our local dive and snorkel trips leave at 9:00, and we pick you up at the dock of your hotel. Refresher students dive with the instructor in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, and Discover Scuba divers may dive the Marine Reserve with a certified divemaster at depths up to 40 feet. Read more about the reserve in our Hol Chan Marine Reserve dive guide, or see daily diving on Ambergris Caye for certified divers.
After Open Water: the next PADI courses
Once you are certified, you can keep training with the same instructor. Each step builds on the last, and the professional levels lead all the way to teaching.
- Advanced Open Water: five specialty dives. Night, Deep and Navigation are required, plus two electives from Naturalist, Drift, Boat Diver, Multilevel or Photography. See the Advanced Open Water course on Ambergris Caye.
- Enriched Air (Nitrox): for certified divers aged 12 or older. About 3 hours of online study, then a practical session and two reef dives on Nitrox 32.
- Rescue Diver: 12 rescue scenarios and a multiple choice test. Allow 3 days.
- Emergency First Response: CPR and first aid, taught separately or together.
- Master Diver and specialties: five specialty certifications lead to the highest recreational rating.
- Divemaster, Assistant Instructor and IDC: the professional path. Assistant Instructor takes four days and the Instructor Development Course takes 10 days.
Coming back after a long break instead? Start with the scuba refresher course on Ambergris Caye before you rejoin regular reef trips.
Courses in this guide
Who teaches your scuba lessons in San Pedro
White Sands Dive Shop is owned and operated by Elbert Greer, a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, which means he helps train new PADI instructors as well as beginners. The shop is a 5 Star PADI Dive Facility, a PADI International Resort Association member and licensed by the Belize Tourism Board. Read more about Elbert Greer, PADI instructor.
Vivake K. Bhalla put it this way: “Elbert Greer was an outstanding instructor with a lot of experience and useful tips. He was very friendly and fun, but equally very strict about safety– perfect balance for and instructor.” You can read more letters from Elbert’s dive students in their own words.
Learn to dive Ambergris Caye: your questions answered
Can I get scuba certified on Ambergris Caye?
Yes. White Sands Dive Shop teaches the full PADI Open Water Diver course in San Pedro, with five classes and four open water dives over 3-4 days.
How long does it take to get scuba certified in Belize?
Allow 3-4 days for the full Open Water course on the island. If you complete the theory and pool training at home, referral dives with us take two half days.
Can I try scuba diving without getting certified?
Yes. Discover SCUBA Diving covers basic knowledge, a pool session with gear and one open water dive, with no certification needed.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer to learn to dive?
No, but PADI asks you to swim 200 meters or yards without stopping, or 300 with mask, fins and snorkel, and to float for 10 minutes.
What is the youngest age to learn to dive?
PADI’s minimum age for the Open Water Diver course is 10. Divers aged 10 to 14 earn a Junior Open Water Diver card that upgrades at 15.
Plan your scuba lessons with Elbert
Tell us your travel dates, how many people are learning and which course interests you, and we will suggest a schedule. Email elbertgreer@fastmail.fm or call 011 (501) 226 2405.