Sobre o Centro
Duikcentrum Onderwaterwereld, located in Haarlem, Netherlands, is a center dedicated to promoting aquatic activities. It offers Snorkeling courses, providing an accessible introduction to the underwater world for those seeking a first experience without the need for complex equipment.
The center boasts modern facilities, including free WiFi access for its visitors, allowing them to stay connected while enjoying their amenities. Additionally, equipment rental is available, ensuring that clients have everything they need for their activities, whether it's snorkeling or more advanced underwater pursuits.
With a clear focus on fostering enthusiasm for the water, Duikcentrum Onderwaterwereld invites the community to visit its physical store. The establishment encourages participation in various activities, from introductory snorkeling to deeper underwater exploration, and also aims to inspire others with a passion for the sport.
Cursos Disponíveis
5 cursosSnorkeling
The snorkel course at Onderwaterwereld runs in two lessons and ends with an SSI Snorkel Diver certification. It's not a one-off taster — the structure is designed to build real skill that carries over to holiday snorkeling wherever you go next. The shop on Koningstraat 40 in Haarlem is where you start: mask fitting, snorkel selection, fins. Getting the equipment right before you get in the water is a core part of the approach here. The premise the centre works from is simple: comfort produces safety, safety produces relaxation, relaxation produces enjoyment. That sequence drives how the two lessons are structured. By the end of the second session, participants leave with the Snorkel Diver certification and, according to the centre, a noticeably better time in the water on holiday than they would have had otherwise. Private lessons are also available for people who can't make the regular course schedule or have specific requirements. The centre says to get in touch and they'll work out an arrangement. Past participants have noted the difference the personal attention made to their confidence in the water. The snorkel programme doesn't stop at the basic certification. Specialty options extend the curriculum: night snorkeling with an underwater torch, digital underwater photography and video, fish and coral identification, the WTC specialty on waves and currents, and a rescue specialty. Group snorkel holidays run abroad — the site mentions RSDS Marsa Nakari in Egypt as a destination, with boat excursions, night snorkeling and photography sessions during the trip.
UPdate Programma
The refresher programme at Onderwaterwereld runs under several names — Update Programme, opfriscursus, Scuba Review, SSU — but the format is consistent: three pool sessions on Sunday evenings at Sportplaza Groenendaal in Heemstede, for €130 in total. It can be scheduled year-round. The pool address is Sportparklaan 16, 2103 VT Heemstede, with watertijd from 18:00 to 19:00. The course is designed for certified divers who've been out of the water for a year or more and want to feel competent again before a dive trip. Skills deteriorate faster than most divers expect, and arriving at a dive destination uncertain about equipment or basic procedures makes everything harder. Three focused pool sessions at Groenendaal, with the same instructors and facilities used for the SSI course programme, rebuilds the muscle memory and confidence that time out of the water erodes. The Sunday evening slot is practical for people who work during the week. If the regular group is large, additional hours can be arranged. To sign up, contact the centre by phone at 023-5367189 (during shop hours) or by email.
SSI specialty opleidingen
Onderwaterwereld runs the full SSI specialty catalogue for certified divers. The list covers: Perfect Buoyancy, Search & Recovery, Equipment & Techniques, Wreck, Deep, Night, Nitrox, Drysuit, Digital Photography & Video, Boat Diving, Diver Stress & Rescue, Science of Diving, Current Diving, Sidemount, and FullFace. Each specialty builds specific skills and adds a logged dive count toward the SSI progression levels. The progression structure is clear: 2 specialties and 12 dives for Specialty Diver, 4 specialties and 24 dives for Advanced Specialty Diver, 5 specialties and 50 dives for Master Diver. Each step makes you less dependent on a guide or instructor in the water — which is the stated goal of the programme. Every specialty comes with its own kit requirements. Navigation uses a compass, Search & Recovery needs a reel and lift bag, Deep requires a dive computer, Nitrox calls for an EAN analyser, Drysuit is done in a dry suit, Digital Photography needs an underwater strobe. The centre's recommendation throughout is to train and practice in equipment you own rather than borrow. Everything in the specialty list can be tried in the Haarlem shop or tested during pool sessions at Sportplaza Groenendaal in Heemstede before committing to a purchase. Pool sessions for specialty training also run on Sunday evenings at Groenendaal. Planning for specialties and dive trips is visible two months ahead in the SSI app — go to Menu → News & More → Events once you're registered as an SSI diver with Onderwaterwereld.
SSI Open Water Diver
The SSI Open Water Diver course at Onderwaterwereld runs in two configurations. The full course — six pool sessions and six open water dives, all done in the Netherlands — leads to a complete certification. Pool sessions take place on Sunday evenings at Sportplaza Groenendaal in Heemstede, watertijd from 18:00 to 19:00. Open water training moves to Groenendaal and Vinkeveen, both Dutch inland sites, during the outdoor season from May through September. The referral option splits the training differently: pool sessions and digital theory in Haarlem, then the open water dives at your holiday destination. Onderwaterwereld handles the SSI certification paperwork. That means you can start the theory at any point in the year, work through the pool component during the winter months, and complete the open water dives on a dive holiday when conditions suit you. Advanced courses then continue back in Haarlem. Learning to dive in the Netherlands means learning in cold water with limited visibility — conditions that are demanding compared to the tropics. The centre's position is that this makes for a more capable diver. If you can manage buoyancy and equipment in Dutch inland sites, the adjustment to warm, clear water on holiday is an easy one. Buying a complete set of dive equipment from the shop comes with the Open Water training free. The argument is straightforward: divers who learn in gear they own — mask, wetsuit, BCD, regulator — know how everything fits and functions, maintain it properly, and build experience more consistently. The shop stocks Mares, Aqualung, Scubapro, Suunto, Dragonsub, Oceanic, Sealife, and EMS across a range of configurations from lightweight travel setups to heavier wreck-diving gear.
Professional traject (Dive Guide t/m Open Water Instructeur)
The professional pathway at Onderwaterwereld runs from Dive Guide through to Open Water Instructor, with distinct roles at each step. The Dive Guide leads recreational divers underwater. The Dive Master assists instructors during pool sessions. The Assistant Instructor teaches. The Training Specialist and Open Water Instructor hold the full teaching credential within SSI. The centre's emphasis on the professional track is preparation rather than qualification. A professional is expected to arrive at the water with backup equipment, a first aid kit, and oxygen ready before the recreational group enters. That standard — treating the safety margin as the professional's personal responsibility rather than the centre's — runs through how the programme is framed. For divers who've built up significant logged experience and want to bring others into the sport, the pathway is structured and progressive. Each step builds on the previous one, and the combination of Haarlem pool sessions and Dutch open water sites at Groenendaal and Vinkeveen provides the controlled conditions needed to develop teaching and leadership skills in water that doesn't give you much margin for error.
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What people ask before booking
All courses — snorkeling, recreational diving and professional training — run through SSI. Certifications are issued by SSI and are internationally recognised.
Pool training happens at Sportplaza Groenendaal in Heemstede, Sportparklaan 16, 2103 VT. Sessions run on Sunday evenings with watertijd from 18:00 to 19:00. Enter via the rear of the building; parking is on the right side as you face the main entrance.
Yes. The referral option lets you complete pool sessions and digital theory in Haarlem, then do the required open water dives at your holiday destination. Onderwaterwereld handles the SSI certification paperwork, and follow-on courses can continue back in the Netherlands.
Open water training takes place at Groenendaal and Vinkeveen, and the outdoor season runs from May through September. Pool-based training and digital theory can be started year-round.
The Update Programme — also called opfriscursus or SSU — costs €130 for three pool sessions. It runs year-round on Sunday evenings at Sportplaza Groenendaal and is designed for certified divers who've been out of the water for a period and want to rebuild confidence before a dive trip.
The shop at Koningstraat 40 in Haarlem stocks Mares, Aqualung, Scubapro, Suunto, Dragonsub, Oceanic, Sealife, and EMS. Buying a complete dive equipment set from the shop includes the Open Water Diver training free of charge.
Courses are taught in Dutch. The SSI digital theory manuals for fish and coral identification specialties are available in English only.
Yes. The site lists group snorkel holidays abroad, with a mention of a trip to RSDS Marsa Nakari in Egypt. Weekly day trips and weekend trips for divers are also listed. Personal coaching for families or small groups travelling together is available on request.