The PADI Open Water course
Open Water Diver is the entry certification and lets you dive to 18 meters (60 feet) with a buddy anywhere in the world. It has three parts. The theory is done online through PADI eLearning, which Cabo Trek estimates at 5 to 10 hours; do it at home before the trip rather than on the terrace. Then come confined water sessions, where you practice skills in shallow water, and four open water dives with an instructor. Cabo Trek runs the in-water part over three days, about 12 hours in total, with five confined sessions and four open water dives, with boat, instructor, gear, water and snacks included.
Cabo Trek quotes the full course on request, so ask for a written price that includes eLearning, gear, park fees and the certification card. Dive Cabo, also on the marina, runs the same course plus a faster track and a referral option, where you do the pool work at home and only the four dives in Cabo.
Discover Scuba: one dive first
If you aren't sure, start with Discover Scuba Diving. After a briefing and skills practice you dive with an instructor to a maximum of 40 feet at Pelican Rock, near Land's End. Cabo Trek listed it in September 2026 at USD 129 for one dive or USD 179 for two in Cabo San Lucas, USD 149 and USD 199 on the Corridor, plus USD 35 for gear. A private session for up to four is USD 599. If you love it, the dive can often count toward Open Water with the same shop.
When to do it and who it suits
Diving runs all year. The water is warmest and clearest from roughly July to November, when a 3 mm wetsuit is plenty; in winter and spring the water cools and visibility can drop, and you will want a thicker suit. The minimum age is 10. Everyone fills in a PADI medical questionnaire, and some conditions and medications need a doctor's sign-off, so print it and see your doctor before you fly if any answer is yes.
Plan the course early in your stay. You shouldn't fly for at least 12 to 18 hours after diving, so don't book dives for your last day. Our diving and snorkeling page covers the local dive sites once you are certified, and certified divers can later join trips to Cabo Pulmo.
Getting there from Villa 1
Both shops are in the Hotel Tesoro building on the marina boardwalk, about a mile from Hacienda Beach Club. It is a 20-minute walk along the beach and the waterfront or a few minutes by taxi, and the boats leave from the docks right outside. Non-divers in your group can snorkel or relax on Médano Beach while you train.
