Pro Dive Cairns offers one of the most comprehensive Open Water PADI dive Courses on the planet. You’ll find it difficult to find any experienced diver in the world who hasn’t heard of Pro Dive and their incredible reputation. Pro Dive is a world famous dive company that attracts new and experienced divers and snorkellers from all over the globe looking to hone their skills and explore the incredible Great Barrier Reef.
Expect world class training facilities, instructors, and equipment in your first two days as you kick the course off in the classroom with theory and pool sessions. Here, you’ll learn the all-important skills you need in the water. This is followed by a once in a lifetime 3 day, 2 night liveaboard on the Great Barrier Reef aboard a multi-million dollar, purpose built dive boat featuring twin/double cabins, air-conditioning, and free WIFI all for a maximum of 32 passengers.
You’ll have the option to explore some of their 19 exclusive dive and snorkel sites. You won’t dive more than one or two times at the same site either. Included in your trip is everything; all meals, passport photos, dive insurance, 9 dives, and all the equipment you can think of. All meals are freshly prepared on board as part of the all-inclusive course. The experience of combining your dive training with a multi-night liveaboard is like nothing else. Learning really doesn’t get much better than this.
From $1315 + $25 levy 
2 Day Classroom & 3 Day Liveaboard 
The PADI dive course day starts with complimentary hotel transfers. These are available from Cairns City and Northern Beaches hotels/hostels (time varies depending on pickup location, please confirm when booking).
08:30 – You will need to check in at the Pro Dive Cairns training centre, located at 116 Spence Street.
08:45 – The course starts. Your academic training begins in the classroom.
12:30 – Pause for a lunch break (lunch is not provided by Pro Dive this day).
13:30 – Jump back and make a splash with some more pool training. This is where your practical dive training begins.
17:30 – Complimentary return transfer to your accommodation.
07:30 – Complimentary hotel transfers are available from Cairns City and Northern Beaches hotels/hostels.
08:00 – Start with a dive equipment briefing. This will involve a hands-on scuba gear walk through with instructors.
09:15 – Jump into some in pool training.
12:00 – Lunch break (lunch is not provided by Pro Dive this day).
13:15 – After lunch, you will gear up at the Pro Dive Cairns retail shop, where all your dive equipment is then fitted for the liveaboard trip.
14:00 – Your final academic training session and exam.
17:45 – Complimentary return transfer to your accommodation.
06:00 – Complimentary hotel transfers are available from Cairns city and Northern Beaches hotels/hostels.
06:20 – Start the day with check in at the Pro Dive Cairns retail shop; corner of Shields & Grafton Streets, Cairns City.
07:00 – You will then depart Cairns for 3 days & 2 nights on The Great Barrier Reef. At this time, a light breakfast will be served on board.
11:00 – Get ready and embrace your first dive; training dive.
12:30 – Take a break for some lunch.
14:30 – Now jump back in for your second dive; training dive.
16:30 – You will have this time for a snorkelling opportunity.
18:00 – Dinner is served.
19:45 – A chance to observe a night dive. This is where you can watch the certified divers participating in the first night dive of the trip.
07:00 – Third dive of the trip: training dive. This first dive of the day will be done before breakfast.
09:00 – Breakfast is served.
11:15 – Fourth dive of the trip: Training dive. This will be the last training dive for Open Water certification.
12:45 – Lunch is served.
15:15 – Fifth dive of the trip. This is the first dive as a newly certified scuba diver
17:45 – Dinner is served up.
19:30 – Sixth dive of the trip: Night dive, this will be a guided night dive experience for all newly certified divers.
06:30 – Seventh dive of the trip, Your first dive of the day, a beautiful sunrise dive to enjoy the reef waking up.
07:30 – Breakfast is served up.
09:00 – Eighth dive of the trip.
11:00 – Ninth dive of the trip. This will be the last dive of the trip and you will be finished by noon.
12:00 – Lunch is served up. This will be the last lunch on The Great Barrier Reef before returning to Cairns.
16:00 – Complimentary return transfer to your accommodation.
19:30 – Take part in a farewell dinner. Note that this is optional and at an additional cost, but it’s so nice to join fellow passengers and crew at a local restaurant to reminisce about the adventures of the past 5 days.
Courses Commence:
English: Daily except Sunday
German: Tuesdays and Fridays
Japanese: Thursdays
For those customers who speak languages other than those mentioned above we also have PADI textbooks available in a range of other European and Asian languages.
Note: Accommodation transfers are included from Cairns City to Northern Beaches as far as Palm Cove.
All prices are quoted in Australian dollars and include Goods and Services Tax (GST) where applicable.
$90.00 levies payable on arrival.
Important Information:
Prior to commencing your dive course you are required to complete the self-assessment Student Divers Medical Declarations. A positive response to any questions indicates there is a pre-existing condition which may affect your safety while diving and you must consult a medical practitioner, preferably with experience in diving medicine, to obtain a dive medical certificate that states you are medically fit to dive.
To obtain a copy of the form please visit http://www.prodivecairns.com.au/forms
Medical must be complete within 90 days of starting your dive course.
We recommend that you bot fly within 24 hours of your final dive. Your final scheduled dive of the 3-day trip will be complete by 12:00pm.
Cancellation and Refund Policy (5 Day Learn to Dive only):
You can cancel your Learn to Dive course for any reason up to the end of Day 1 of the course and receive a full refund of all money paid to Pro Dive Cairns. There is no refund for any reason after this time. If you have booked through a travel agent cancellation fees may apply.
Note: This course is a nationally recognised training program and is delivered under partnership arrangements with PADI Asia Pacific (RTO ID 6729).
3 Day/2 Night Liveaboards
(inc Nitrox Advanced, PADI Advanced, PADI/Nitrox Advanced, 3 Day Nitrox package, Refresher Course, Introductory Dives):
Important Information:
Some medical conditions may prevent you from diving. For example asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and heart or lung disease, as well as some other medical conditions. If you are unsure of a particular medical condition please contact us for more information. In the interest of safety we recommend that you not fly for 24 hours after diving. Your final scheduled dive of the 3-day trip will be completed by 12:00pm. Number of dives may vary subject to weather and/or other unforeseen circumstances. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
Cancellation and Refund Policy (3 Day/2 Night Liveabaords only):
You can cancel your dive trip for any reason up to 48 hours prior to departure and receive a full refund of all money paid to Pro Dive Cairns. There is no refund for any reason after this time. If you booked through a travel agent cancellation fees may apply.
PADI COURSES:
All PADI courses require the participant to complete a PADI medical statement. A dive medical may be required and some medical conditions may prevent you from diving.
We recommend that you not fly within 24 hours of your final dive. Your final scheduled dive of the 3-day trip will be complete by 12:00pm.
Refund Policies apply to all dive courses – Please refer to our website for details.
MEDICAL INFORMATION:
Some medical conditions may prevent you from diving. For example asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and heart or lung disease, as well as some other medical conditions. If you are unsure of a particular medical condition please contact us for more information. In the interest of safety we recommend that you not fly for 24 hours after diving. Your final scheduled dive of the 3-day trip will be completed by 12:00pm. Number of dives may vary subject to weather and/or other unforeseen circumstances. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
A lot! Whether you are a diver or a snorkeller, you will be amazed by what the Great Barrier Reef has to offer. There are up to 1500 species of fish, 350 different corals, 400 species of molluscs and 10,000 species of sponges.
Yes, there are sharks in every ocean. A variety of sharks inhabit the Great Barrier Reef. What we most commonly encounter are smaller species which pose no threat to divers or snorkellers. The shark that Australia is infamous for, the Great White Shark, does not exist in Far North Queensland.
Bee stings kill more people than sharks do – but shark attacks make better movies. (Just how cool would Leonardo have looked if he’d been fighting off a bumblebee in The Beach?)
In reality, there are no aquatic animals that routinely attack humans, unless you provoke them by poking them, sticking your hand into their home, or getting too close to one with territorial instincts.
As part of your certification lessons, you’ll learn some common-sense precautions. Most of these, however, are more for the protection of sea creatures than of you. You pose a much larger threat to them than they do to you. (Compare, for example, the number of humans who will eat squid sushi today, versus the number of squid who munch on human sushi – ever!)
There are no camera hire available onboard. However you can hire a camera from Calypso Productions in Cairns.
Technisub stratus full foot fins
Tusa Liberator Masks
Aqualung Wave BCDs
Aqualung Calypso regs with compass and Suunto Zoop computers
5mm Neptune ¾ leg, long arm wetsuits
3mm Neptune/Aqualung hoods (seasonal)
dive light: Aqualung lumen HD or Princeton Tec Torrent LED
An additional fee of $85 per person is payable direct to PRO DIVE Cairns. This fee includes $16.50 Government Environmental Management Charge as well as a Port Departure Tax and administration and Fuel levy.
You can use a Drone while on the 3 day trip with permission of the skipper.
The Queensland dive industry has the best safety statistics of any diving destination worldwide. Dive operators are required to comply with strict government workplace health and safety standards.
The warm waters of Tropical North Queensland are ideal for year round diving.
Water temperature can vary from 22′ to 28′ Celsius (75′ to 85’F).
Summer (Dec-Feb)
Overall great marine life activity with plenty to see
Visibility – Excellent
Water temperature 29?C (85?F)
Generally calm sea conditions
Low to moderate rain – generally at night
Autumn (Mar-May)
Overall great marine life activity with plenty to see
Visibility – Good
Water temperature 25-27?C (80?F)
Calm to moderate sea conditions
Potential moderate rain
Winter (Jun-Aug)
Minke Whales & Humpback Whales
Visibility – Good
Water temperature 22-24?C (70?F)
Moderate sea conditions
Low rainfall
Spring (Sep-Nov)
Humpback Whales & Coral Spawning (Nov)
Visibility – Excellent
Water temperature 25-27?C (80?F)
Generally calm sea conditions
Low rain fall
The Great Barrier Reef is not a deep dive destination. Depths in our dive sites range from 10-25 metres (30-80 feet), with the best diving generally occurring between 10 and 15 metres (30-50 feet). This means there are some amazing sites that stay shallow enough for all certified divers to enjoy, regardless of how advanced your diving certifications may be.
PRO DIVE Cairns can store any additional luggage you may have at their retail shop for your trip duration. Be aware there is limited space on the boat.
Dive in and get inspired by our latest travel blogs