Trash-Free Thursday
Dive with a purpose
Every Thursday our team heads out and clears whatever rubbish we can find on the reef and in the water.
Want to help? Ask us about joining a cleanup dive.
Ask about cleanup dives
The PADI Open Water Diver is the most widely recognised scuba certification on the planet. It's accepted at over 6,000 PADI dive centres across 183 countries, including the Maldives, Bali and the Red Sea. Once you have it, you can dive almost anywhere.
At FlyingFish in Goa, we deliver the PADI Open Water Diver course with the same 3-phase structure: PADI eLearning theory, 5 confined water pool sessions, and 4 open water certification dives at Grandé Island. The Arabian Sea's warm water and easy marine life make Goa a comfortable place to learn.
PADI uses a three-phase system: knowledge development, confined water training, then open water dives.
Your 4 certification dives take place at Grandé Island — a 30-minute speedboat ride from Novotel Candolim. PADI Instructor-guided throughout.
Coral gardens, moray eels, snappers, parrotfish. The primary training reef — gentle conditions and rich marine life.
British-era vessel thick with soft coral. Resident groupers, blue-spotted stingrays, moray eels. Light-zone penetration possible.
Rocky pinnacle with currents and pelagics. Eagle rays, drift diving. One of Goa's most dynamic dive sites.
Protected bay, very gentle. Nudibranchs, pipefish, seahorses. Ideal for skill-focused dives without current distraction.
Shallow reef for long bottom times. Macro life — nudibranchs, ornate ghost pipefish. Great for photography and hover practice.
Your PADI Open Water Diver cert is a lifetime qualification. Here's what it opens up:
Here's what actually sets us apart.
Pro-grade gear serviced every 100 dives or 6 months, not when it fails. MK25/S620 regulator, Hydros Pro BCD, Aladin Sport dive computer. You train on the same equipment working instructors use.
Your instructor knows where you are underwater at all times. No crowded groups. If a skill needs more practice, you get the time — not the time left over after 8 other students.
We teach both agencies at the same location. You choose which certification fits your future dive plans. We give you honest advice, not a push toward whichever we sell more of.
Proper briefing rooms, clean equipment rinsing stations, structured course schedule. The difference between a dive school and a beach shack matters when you are doing a multi-day certification course.
FlyingFish is certified by both PADI and SSI. If you are deciding between the two, we give you an honest comparison based on your future dive plans — not a sales pitch. Both are taught to the same professional standard.
All three are full scuba licences to 18 m, accepted at dive centres worldwide. Here is how they differ at FlyingFish.
| At FlyingFish, Goa | SDI Open Water Scuba Diver | SSI Open Water Diver | PADI Open Water Diver You are here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price at FlyingFish | |||
| Course price | ₹23,760+ GST ₹11,712 less than PADI | ₹23,760+ GST | ₹35,472+ GST |
| Pay online to book | ₹5,000, rest at the centre | ₹5,000, rest at the centre | ₹10,000, rest at the centre |
| The course | |||
| Ocean dives | 4, no more than 3 a day | 4 | 4 |
| Pool training | Advantage: As many sessions as you need | 5 sessions on our schedule | 5 confined water sessions |
| Max depth | 18 m | 18 m | 18 m |
| Days | 3 to 4 Days | 3 to 4 Days | 3 to 4 Days |
| Minimum age | 10, with parent consent | 10 | 10 |
| Ages 10 to 14 | Advantage: Junior card to 18 m, with a parent, guardian or dive pro | Junior card; ages 10 and 11 stay within 12 m | Junior card; ages 10 and 11 stay within 12 m |
| How you learn | |||
| Theory | SDI eLearning or the manual | SSI eLearning in the MySSI app | PADI eLearning |
| Course materials | Included in our price | Included in our price | Included in our price |
| Dive computer | Advantage: On every dive from day one, an SDI rule | Used on our courses | Computer or dive tables |
| Your card | |||
| Certified to | 18 m with a certified buddy | 18 m with a certified buddy | 18 m with a certified buddy |
| Accepted worldwide | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Expires | Never | Never | Never |
| Next step | SDI Advanced Adventure Diver | SSI Advanced Open Water | PADI Advanced Open Water |
| Book SDI View course | Book SSI View course | Book PADI | |
Facts from each agency's published standards, checked November 2026. Prices per person, GST extra.
Species our divers see on these sites, from the FlyingFish marine life guide.
Every Thursday our team heads out and clears whatever rubbish we can find on the reef and in the water.
Want to help? Ask us about joining a cleanup dive.
Ask about cleanup divesCertified divers get 12 months of unlimited dives at Grande Island for ₹19,800 + GST.
See Dive ClubDon't just take our word for it. Here's what our guests say on Google and TripAdvisor.
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