Perhentian Islands PADI Open Water Course

The Perhentian Islands are one of the most popular places in Malaysia to learn to dive, and for good reason. The water is warm, visibility is often good, the currents at the training sites are gentle, and the reefs close to the islands are full of life. The PADI Open Water Diver course, the most widely recognised entry-level certification in the world, takes around three days here and combines theory, skills practice in shallow water and four open water dives.

On the first day, you complete the theory, either in a classroom or through PADI's online learning before you arrive, which leaves more time in the water. In the afternoon, you practise basic skills in shallow, calm water: breathing from the regulator, clearing your mask, controlling your buoyancy and what to do if something goes wrong. Your instructor works with a maximum of four students, so there is plenty of individual attention.

On the second and third days, you make four open water dives, each building on the last. The first dives are on shallow reefs close to the islands, where you practise the skills you learned in the pool or lagoon. The later dives go a little deeper, up to a maximum of eighteen metres, and focus on navigation, buoyancy and simply enjoying the reef. Turtles, reef fish, rays and occasionally blacktip reef sharks are common sights, and many students remember their first turtle long after they have forgotten the theory.

At the end of the course, you receive your PADI Open Water Diver certification, which allows you to dive with a buddy to eighteen metres anywhere in the world.

The course runs during the islands' season, roughly from March to October. From around November to February, the northeast monsoon brings rough seas, and most dive schools close. The water temperature during the season is typically between 28 and 30 degrees.

To take the course, you need to be able to swim and to complete a medical questionnaire; some conditions require a doctor's approval before diving. You should not fly within eighteen hours of your last dive, so plan your departure accordingly.

Course materials, four open water dives, all equipment, the certification fee and three nights of beach accommodation are included. Meals and the ferry from Kuala Besut are not included.

Choosing a good dive school matters. The schools we work with are PADI-accredited, maintain their equipment carefully and keep student groups small. If you are already certified, the same schools offer fun dives and advanced courses.