BEST OF · SCUBA DIVING FOR BEGINNERS

The 15 Best Scuba Dives for Beginners

141 dives  ·  from $20 a head

The first time is mostly about the instructor and the group size, not the site. These 15 are picked for small ratios, shallow sheltered entries and staff who expect nerves, with prices and the age limits each one works to.

First-Time Scuba Diving in Honolulu + Free Videos - Meeting at Magic Island Lagoon
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First-Time Scuba Diving in Honolulu + Free Videos

1.First-Time Scuba Diving in Honolulu + Free Videos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,123 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $89Our pick

Meet your instructor at Magic Island Lagoon for a safety lesson, gear fitting, and a calm underwater session to about 15 feet. No certification or swimming experience is required, but you must feel comfortable in the water. Guides such as Alex, Nick, Danny, and Rida provide close support and free videos.

“Everyone here was so helpful and very calming since this was my first time and I was very anxious. We got as much of this experience needed and I’m grateful. Thank you for the great service and working with me patiently. Love our experience 💜”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Beginner Scuba Diving with Turtles and Videos, San Juan - What you may see below the surface
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Beginner Scuba Diving with Turtles and Videos, San Juan

2.Beginner Scuba Diving with Turtles and Videos, San Juan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,743 reviews · from $109

Walk into the Caribbean from Escambrón Beach for a beginner scuba session with no certification required. Your instructor explains the gear, practices skills in shallow water, then guides you toward fish, turtles, and an underwater park. Guides may include Jordan, Matt, Andrew, Scott, David, or Daniel. Videos are included.

“They cancelled.on us at the last minute. We were able to book a snorkeling session with another group thankfully. They told us this group did not have the right licenses or permits so that is why they cancelled.”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Intro Diving 2 Stops For Beginners with Pick-up and Lunch - Hurghada - Coral, fish, and the appeal of the Red Sea
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Intro Diving 2 Stops For Beginners with Pick-up and Lunch – Hurghada

3.Intro Diving 2 Stops For Beginners with Pick-up and Lunch – Hurghada

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,146 reviews · from $40

Spend about seven hours at sea with Sea Memories, learning basic scuba skills before two 15-minute underwater descents over Red Sea coral. Your instructor stays close, equipment, lunch, drinks, and hotel transfers are included. Bassiouni and Badr are among the instructors praised for calm, friendly support.

“The boat team were amazing!! Great fun, professional and knowledgeable. Food was really good, drinks on hand all day and the boat was great. We all had a fantastic day and the dining spits were brilliant as was the equipment. Thanks boat team.”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Intro Diving Beginner and Discover Red Sea Underwater - What the morning pickup and marina arrival are like
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Intro Diving Beginner and Discover Red Sea Underwater

4.Intro Diving Beginner and Discover Red Sea Underwater

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,092 reviews · 8 hours · from $61

You’ll learn basic scuba skills with instructors such as Badr, Joo, Shady, or Islam, then visit two Red Sea sites near Hurghada. The 8-hour trip includes hotel pickup, equipment, two short underwater sessions, snorkeling, tea or coffee, and lunch on the boat.

“We had a fantastic time! Friendly staff great for beginners and intermediates alike and a great lunch was provided. I would highly recommend 5 stars - great value ! The reefs spots were beautiful and we even saw an octopus.”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Beginner Scuba Diving Experience with Video Package in Honolulu - Shallow-water practice before going below the surface
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Beginner Scuba Diving Experience with Video Package in Honolulu

5.Beginner Scuba Diving Experience with Video Package in Honolulu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 877 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $77

Learn basic scuba skills with instructor Kyle in Honolulu’s sheltered Magic Island Lagoon. After a safety briefing and shallow-water practice, you’ll spend 20 to 30 minutes below the surface in a group of no more than four, with underwater video included.

“Kyle was absolutely phenomenal and made my first scuba diving experience a very amazing one! Despite some bad weather happening it was one of the best experiences! Highly recommend!”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Mallorca: Discover Scuba Diving for Beginners - The briefing: learning the basics before getting wet
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Mallorca: Discover Scuba Diving for Beginners

6.Mallorca: Discover Scuba Diving for Beginners

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 805 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $176

You’ll learn scuba basics with two PADI instructors in a group of no more than six, then make a guided shore entry in Mallorca’s protected marine reserve. Expect calm practice, a maximum depth of 6 meters, full equipment, transport, insurance, and a PADI Discover Scuba Diving certificate.

“It was my first time and I really enjoyed the experience!”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Funchal: Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners - The 45-minute briefing makes the difference
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Funchal: Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners

7.Funchal: Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 715 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $53

Start at Madeira Divepoint inside the Pestana Carlton with a safety lesson and pool practice led by a multilingual PADI instructor. Then choose the ocean option for a guided visit to a private reef, where you may see colorful fish, starfish, sea urchins, rays, and octopus.

“instructors are very friendly, patient and multilingual. Could have asked for anything more.”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Tenerife: Beginner's Dive at a Spot with Turtle Sightings - Starting at Puerto Colón with a clear safety briefing
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Tenerife: Beginner’s Dive at a Spot with Turtle Sightings

8.Tenerife: Beginner’s Dive at a Spot with Turtle Sightings

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 627 reviews · 2 hours · from $82

Meet Zero Gravity Tenerife at Puerto Colón for a beginner scuba session capped at 10 meters. After a 30-minute briefing, ride by speedboat to a sheltered bay, where one instructor handles every two clients. Look for rays, octopus, moray eels, and turtles, then snorkel if time allows.

“I had never been in the ocean before, so diving was a first time experience. I was so nervous however one of the professional divers stayed with me the entire time and allowed me to do the activity within my comfort zone. They were all very reassuring and so kind to me. If you are a first timer like me I would 100% recommend this, you get to see so many different fish under the sea in their natural habitat. Literally my only negative comment would be that it is misleading regarding the turtles, this is more of a general dive with the possibility of seeing a sea turtle, other…”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Santorini: Scuba Diving Experience in Caldera for Beginners - Meeting the team in Emporio
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Santorini: Scuba Diving Experience in Caldera for Beginners

9.Santorini: Scuba Diving Experience in Caldera for Beginners

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 597 reviews · 3 hours · from $106

Meet Alex, Irini, or another Santorini Scuba Academy instructor in Emporio for a small-group beginner scuba session. Learn equipment, safety, and hand signals before exploring a volcanic reef in the caldera for about 45 minutes. Gear, water, and a snack are included.

“The team was great they were always on highest alert and caution so that everyone was safe they were very educational it was a great experience all around with a perfect team would recommend to everyone”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Scuba Diving Full Day Boat Trip for beginners With Lunch & Transfer – Hurghada - Morning pickup from your Hurghada hotel
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Scuba Diving Full Day Boat Trip for beginners With Lunch & Transfer – Hurghada

10.Scuba Diving Full Day Boat Trip for beginners With Lunch & Transfer – Hurghada

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 580 reviews · from $24Best value

Set out from Hurghada for an eight-hour Red Sea boat trip with two scuba stops, beginner-friendly instruction, onboard lunch, drinks, equipment, and hotel transfers. Guides including Sultan, Mustafa, Hossum, Osama, and Mimo are praised for patient support, though site timing and gear quality can vary.

“Absolutely amazing boat trip, we were a family of 5. So many involved in making sure all in the group got diving from the boat. The patience shown to me (a non swimmer) to ensure I dived was second to none. My 16 year old boys loved it and my 12 year old daughter did something she didn't think she could. The highlight of our holiday. Needs a generous tip.”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners in Gran Canaria - What the underwater session is like
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Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners in Gran Canaria

11.Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners in Gran Canaria

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 561 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $107

Spend about three hours learning scuba basics, practicing in shallow water, then exploring Gran Canaria’s coast with a PADI instructor. Groups never exceed four, and guides such as Mike, Veronica, Miguel, Jessica, and Adriana are praised for calm, patient instruction.

“Brutal experience. The instructor explains the instructions very well and helps and guides you during the dive. Highly recommended.Auto-translated”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Heraklion: Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners _Beach - Getting Fitted With Full Equipment
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Heraklion: Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners _Beach

12.Heraklion: Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners _Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 549 reviews · 3 - 6 hours · from $81

At Mononaftis Beach in Agia Pelagia, you learn scuba basics through a 30-minute digital lesson before entering the bay with a certified instructor. Expect full equipment, a 45-minute underwater session, shallow water, fish, rock formations, and optional hotel transport.

“Perfect for beginners who want to try diving. We had a great time there.”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Red Sea Diving Trip from Hurghada: Beginner to Advanced Divers - How certified participants fit into the day
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Red Sea Diving Trip from Hurghada: Beginner to Advanced Divers

13.Red Sea Diving Trip from Hurghada: Beginner to Advanced Divers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 530 reviews · from $69

Spend about seven hours aboard a Hurghada boat, visiting two Red Sea sites for guided underwater sessions suited to beginners and certified participants. Equipment, lunch, drinks, and hotel transfers are included. Instructors such as Abdo, Hady, Boudi, and Hamdy are praised for calm, careful instruction.

“The trip was great, diving was very easy for beginners and we got to see a beautiful coral reef. Our guide Mohammed Ali was with us all the time, making sure we’re doing ok. Very recommended!”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Funchal: Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners - The 45-minute briefing makes the difference
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Funchal: Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners

14.Funchal: Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 494 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $53

Learn scuba basics with Azul Diving Madeira, practice in a pool, then spend up to 45 minutes on a protected Funchal reef at 12 meters. Guides such as Rafa, Esme, Roberto, and Theo work closely with beginners, and you receive a participation certificate afterward.

“That was really cool experience! Our diving guide took really good care of us. We were there as a bigger group, there was few diving with us. That was my first time but I was really chilled and not stressed at all because all rules was really good explained. I can recommend!”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Tenerife First Time Scuba Dive – Turtle Habitat, Small Groups - The first underwater minutes are the real test
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Tenerife First Time Scuba Dive – Turtle Habitat, Small Groups

15.Tenerife First Time Scuba Dive – Turtle Habitat, Small Groups

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 456 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Start at Puerto Colon with a safety lesson, gear fitting, and a short boat ride. A PADI instructor guides your 25 to 30 minute scuba session to a maximum of 7 meters, followed by 30 minutes of snorkeling. Turtles are possible but never guaranteed.

“Absolutely phenomenal! Our booking had 6 people, which equalled out to 2 people to an instructor. Each instructor was so accommodating to the different languages, needs and skill sets of each individual, in a friendly and approachable manner. They take photos under the water using their cameras but available to buy then after you’ve viewed them (after you’re back at the meeting point). Overall can’t fault this experience at all. Thank you so much for having us and showing us a good experience! Lucy and Kate”

Dates and spaces →The full review

Just written up in Scuba Diving for Beginners

★ 5.0Puerto Morelos: Scuba Diving for Beginners – 2 DivesFrom $1865
★ 4.4Punta Cana: Discover Scuba Diving Experience for BeginnersFrom $952
★ 4.9Puerto del Carmen: Try Scuba Diving for BeginnersFrom $9483
★ 4.8Museo Atlantico: Diving Class for Non-Certified DiversFrom $17621
★ 5.0Protaras: Discover Scuba Diving (For Beginners)From $1177
★ 4.9Mykonos: Scuba Diving Mini Program for BeginnersFrom $18846
★ 4.9Porto-Vecchio: beginner diving in the Cerbicale Islands in the reserveFrom $17118
★ 5.0Madeira, Ponta São Lourenço: Scuba Diving for BeginnersFrom $5321
★ 5.0Playa del Carmen: Discovery Scuba Diving – Non CertifiedFrom $1862
★ 4.8Try Scuba Diving in Racha Yai/noi: 2 Dives for Non-CertifiedFrom $15711
★ 5.0Pattaya: Snorkeling or Beginner Scuba Diving Tour with lunchFrom $836
★ 4.7Paraty: Discovery Scuba Diving Experience for BeginnersFrom $1506
★ 4.6Panama City Beach: Beginners Scuba Diving TourFrom $9923
★ 5.0PADI Scuba Diving Program for Beginners in PeloponesseFrom $1173
★ 4.8Oahu: Beginner SCUBA Dive at Electric BeachFrom $17510

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