Open Water Diver

The entry-level certification at Divers Diving runs through both PADI Open Water Diver and the FECDAS 1 Estrella track in parallel, so you choose the card you want at enrolment. Classes are based in Platja d'Aro, on the Costa Brava, and the open-water dives take place in the Mediterranean — the same sea you'll keep diving in once you're certified.

The PADI Open Water qualifies you to dive independently anywhere in the world to 18 meters with a buddy. The FECDAS equivalent is the standard credential within the Catalan and Spanish federation system, recognized across Europe and useful if you plan to join a local dive club. Holding both at once is an option many students take here given the dual-agency setup.

La Llosa de Palamós, one of the center's main sites, starts at 10 meters — a realistic depth for open-water training dives with good visibility and diverse marine life. Seeing grouper, moray eels and nudibranchs during your first open-water checkout dives is a reasonable expectation here, not a marketing promise.

The course is taught in Catalan, Spanish, English and French. Minimum age is 10 with parental consent, and you need basic swimming confidence rather than competitive ability. The price of 395€ covers the full course; contact the center for specifics on what materials and dives are included.