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PADI is a diver training organization — it writes the standards, course materials, and certification requirements that independent dive centers and instructors follow. It is not a dive shop, and "PADI certified" means a PADI-affiliated instructor or center trained and evaluated you against those standards. If you are deciding how to start, the short answer is: try a Discover Scuba session first if you are unsure, then complete the Open Water Diver course, which is the entry-level certification most dive operators worldwide require.

PADI's role vs. your dive center's role

It helps to separate the two, because beginners often assume they are booking "PADI" directly.

So two people can both hold PADI Open Water Diver certifications earned at different shops, with different instructors, timelines, and costs — the standard is shared, the experience is not.

The typical beginner path

1. Discover Scuba Diving — a supervised try-it session, usually in a pool, with no certification earned. This is the low-commitment way to find out whether you enjoy breathing underwater before paying for a full course.
2. Open Water Diver — the entry-level certification. Most dive operators and trip organizers require this before they will take you on a recreational dive.
3. Advanced Open Water — builds on Open Water with additional dive types and experience.
4. Specialty courses — focused topics you add on as your interests develop.

You do not have to complete these in a single push. Many divers spread them across a season or more.

What the Open Water Diver course actually involves

The course has three components, and all three must be completed:

• Knowledge development — the academics: how pressure affects your body, dive planning, equipment, and safety procedures. This is often done online (eLearning) or through classroom sessions, depending on the center.
• Confined water training — skills practiced in a pool or pool-like conditions, such as clearing a flooded mask, controlling buoyancy, and sharing air.
• Open water dives — the same skills demonstrated in a real open water environment, typically over several dives.

The confined water portion is why a center with an onsite heated indoor pool, like Aquatic Realm Scuba Center in Dayton, Ohio, can run training year-round regardless of local weather.

Choosing between Discover Scuba and full certification

If you already know you want to dive on trips, go straight to Open Water. If you are genuinely unsure, the Discover Scuba session is the cheaper way to answer the question — and it usually counts toward your training if you continue.

What to verify before you book

• Agency recognition — PADI certification is widely recognized, but confirm that the specific shop or trip you plan to use accepts PADI or another recognized agency. Some destinations have their own preferences.
• What's included — ask whether eLearning, rental gear, pool sessions, and open water dives are all in the price, or billed separately. Costs and schedules vary by dive center, so compare local options rather than assuming one standard price.
• Class format — whether the academics are online or in person, and how many students per instructor.
• Refresher options — if you certify and then don't dive for a while, ask about refresher sessions before your next trip.

The practical move: contact a local center, ask what a Discover Scuba session includes and what the full Open Water course would add on top, then decide whether to start small or commit to certification.

Tenerife offers year-round scuba diving from the south of the island, with PADI dive resorts based in areas like Los Abrigos, near Golf del Sur, and easy access to Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos and Las Américas. If you are a beginner, you can start with a PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience or the PADI Open Water course, which certifies you to dive to 18 metres. If you are already certified, you can choose from more than 50 dive sites, boat diving, and continued education courses up to professional level. The right choice depends on where you are staying, whether you need transfers, and what kind of diving you want to do.

Where diving in southern Tenerife happens

The main dive centres cluster around the southern tourist areas, which is also where most visitors stay. A dive centre in Los Abrigos, close to Golf del Sur, sits within reach of Costa del Silencio, Los Cristianos, Las Américas and Adeje.

That location matters for two practical reasons:

• Transfers. Some centres offer free collection from Golf del Sur, Costa del Silencio, Los Cristianos, Las Américas and Adeje, which removes the need for a rental car on dive days.
• Boat diving access. Being based near the coast in the south means boat diving is a standard option rather than a special trip.

If you are staying in the north of the island, expect a longer journey to reach southern dive sites, and confirm pick-up coverage before booking.

What you can actually do: courses by level

Dive centres in Tenerife generally run the full PADI ladder, from a first try-dive to professional training. Match the course to your current certification, not to how many days you have free.

The PADI Open Water course is the most popular option and is the usual starting point for anyone who wants to keep diving after the holiday. Professional-level training, including Divemaster internships, is also available for those planning to go further.

What to expect underwater

Tenerife's appeal is not a single famous wreck or reef but variety: with over 50 dive sites available to local operators, there is usually something suitable for the day's conditions and the group's experience level. That range is what makes the island work for mixed groups, where one person is on an Open Water course and another is doing advanced dives.

Because conditions and marine life vary by site and season, ask the centre directly what is realistic during your dates rather than relying on generic descriptions.

How to compare dive centres

Use the same criteria for each centre so the comparison is fair:

• Location and transfers. Does it collect from your accommodation, and is that free or paid?
• Boat vs shore diving. Confirm which is included in the price and which costs extra.
• Group size. Smaller groups mean more instructor attention, especially on beginner courses.
• Instructor qualifications. Look for a PADI Dive Resort or centre with clearly stated instructor levels, such as a PADI Master Instructor or MSDT on the team.
• Course range. A centre that runs everything from Discover Scuba Diving to Divemaster can support you if you decide to continue.
• Reviews and reputation. Recent reviews from divers of a similar level to you are more useful than overall star ratings.

Amarilla Divers, for example, describes itself as a multi-award-winning PADI Dive Resort in Los Abrigos with free collection from Golf Del Sur, Costa del Silencio, Los Cristianos, Las Américas and Adeje, over 50 dive sites, and its own PADI Master Instructor and MSDT Instructor. Those are the kinds of specifics to check against other centres rather than accept at face value.

What to confirm before you book

• Certification requirements. Beginner courses need no certification; continued education and dive-site access usually require proof of your current level.
• Equipment. Ask whether rental gear is included or charged separately, and whether it is included in course prices.
• Insurance. Confirm whether dive insurance is required and whether the centre can arrange it.
• Weather contingencies. Ask what happens if a dive is cancelled for conditions, and whether you are rebooked or refunded.
• Prices. Request a current price list rather than assuming website rates are final, and check what each price covers.

A realistic way to plan

If you are new to diving, book a Discover Scuba Diving session or start the Open Water course early in your trip so you have certified dives later in the same holiday. If you are already certified, tell the centre your certification level and recent dive history, then ask which sites and boat trips suit you. Either way, choose a centre that collects from where you are staying, states its group sizes and instructor qualifications, and gives you a clear price list before you commit.

A Divemaster internship is a PADI Divemaster course stretched over weeks or months, during which you complete the same certification requirements as a standard course while working alongside instructors at a dive center. It suits people who want supervised professional experience and time to build confidence, rather than a fast certification. If you only need the certification and already have strong dive skills, a standard course is usually faster and cheaper. If you want to work in the industry, an internship is the more realistic entry route — but only if the center actually gives you professional tasks, not just shop chores.

Internship vs. standard Divemaster course

Both paths lead to the same PADI Divemaster certification. The difference is structure and time.

The certification itself is identical. What you gain from an internship is repetition and exposure — more dives, more students, more real conditions.

What an internship usually involves

A well-run internship rotates you through the center's actual work. Expect a mix of:

• Assisting instructors during PADI courses — setting up and breaking down equipment, supervising students in shallow water, helping with surface management.
• Guiding certified divers on dive sites once your skills and the center's judgment allow it.
• Dive site and boat work — briefings, gear logistics, and learning how a dive operation runs day to day.
• Course requirements — the Divemaster knowledge development, water skills, stamina assessments, and practical assessments.

The value comes from the assisting and guiding. If your days are mostly cleaning gear and answering the phone, the internship is not delivering what it should.

Prerequisites

Before starting a Divemaster program you generally need:

• PADI Rescue Diver certification (or an equivalent from another training agency, which the center may need to verify).
• Emergency First Response (or equivalent CPR/first aid) training within the required recency window.
• A minimum number of logged dives — PADI requires 40 logged dives to start and 60 to certify. Check the current requirement with the center, as numbers can change.
• A medical fitness declaration and a reasonable level of swimming and stamina.

Ask the center to confirm exactly which certifications and dive counts they accept, and whether they can help you complete any missing steps before the internship starts.

Costs and what is usually included

Pricing is not published on the Amarilla Divers site, so treat cost as something to confirm directly. When you ask, get a written breakdown of:

• The Divemaster course or internship fee itself.
• PADI materials and certification fees — often charged separately.
• What is bundled in — some centers include dives, equipment rental, accommodation, or local transfers. Amarilla Divers, for example, states it offers free collection from Golf Del Sur, Costa Del Silencio, Los Cristianos, Las Americas and Adeje, which matters if you are staying outside Los Abrigos.
• What is not included — food, flights, insurance, and any dives beyond the course minimum.

Be cautious of any internship that charges a fee and also relies on you as unpaid regular staff. A legitimate internship is a training program with a defined end point.

Questions to ask before you book

These separate a real internship from cheap labor:

1. How many instructors will I work with, and what is the typical student-to-instructor ratio? Small ratios mean more hands-on time for you.
2. How many dives will I actually do, and how many will I assist on? Get a number, not a promise.
3. What tasks will I be doing on a normal day? If the answer is mostly shop work, walk away.
4. Who supervises me, and how is my progress assessed? There should be a named instructor and a schedule.
5. What happens if I finish early or fall behind? Ask about flexibility on duration.
6. Is there a path to work afterward? Some centers hire from their own interns; ask whether that has happened before.
7. What is the refund or transfer policy? Conditions vary and are worth knowing before paying.

Judging whether it leads to real professional experience

The clearest signal is whether former interns went on to work as Divemasters or instructors. Ask the center for examples, and check independent reviews — Amarilla Divers, for instance, is described on its site as a multi-award-winning PADI Dive Resort with its own PADI Master Instructor and MSDT Instructor on staff, and its TripAdvisor reviews mention experienced dive guides. That kind of staffing and reputation is a reasonable starting point, but it does not replace asking the questions above.

Red flags:

• No clear schedule or defined tasks.
• You are the only person doing equipment and cleaning work with no instructor time.
• The center cannot tell you how many dives you will complete.
• Pressure to pay in full before you have seen the program outline.

A practical next step

Contact the center directly with the question list above, ask for a written program outline and cost breakdown, and confirm the current PADI dive-count and certification requirements before committing. If the answers are specific and the internship includes regular instructor contact and real diving, it is likely worth it. If they are vague, keep looking.

Scuba diving lets you breathe underwater using a tank of compressed air, so you can explore reefs, wrecks, and marine life for extended periods rather than holding your breath. Getting started usually means one of two paths: a supervised "try dive" with no certification required, or a full entry-level certification course that qualifies you to dive independently with a buddy. The right choice depends on whether you want a one-time experience or a lifelong activity. This guide covers what's involved, how certification works, and how to pick a dive center — using a Tenerife operator, Amarilla Divers, as a concrete example of how these programs are typically structured.

What scuba diving actually involves

Scuba stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Unlike snorkeling, you carry your own air supply, which lets you stay under longer and go deeper.

The core equipment:

• Mask and fins — for vision and propulsion
• Regulator — the mouthpiece assembly that delivers air from the tank at ambient pressure
• Buoyancy compensator (BCD) — an inflatable vest that lets you control whether you float, sink, or hover
• Cylinder (tank) — holds compressed air
• Wetsuit or drysuit — thermal protection; water conducts heat away from your body far faster than air
• Weights and a dive computer or gauges — for descent control and tracking depth, time, and air

Most of this is provided by the dive center on courses and guided dives, so you don't need to buy gear to start.

Beginner options: try dive vs. certification

There are two common entry points, and they serve different goals.

PADI Discover Scuba Diving (try dive)

A supervised introduction, typically a short briefing plus a shallow-water session with an instructor. No certification results, and you can't dive independently afterward. It's the right choice if you're unsure whether you'll enjoy it or you only have a day to spare.

PADI Open Water Diver (entry certification)

The standard entry-level certification. According to Amarilla Divers, the Open Water course is "recognised world wide and will allow you to dive to 18 Meters after certification." It typically combines knowledge development, confined-water skills practice, and open-water dives. Once certified, you can dive with a buddy without an instructor present, and the certification is generally accepted internationally.

How to decide: choose the try dive if you want a low-commitment sample; choose Open Water if you intend to dive again, travel to dive destinations, or continue to advanced training.

The typical path from first dive to certification

While exact sequencing varies by operator, the general progression looks like this:

1. Enquiry and booking — contact the center, confirm course dates, and ask what's included (gear, materials, certification fee).
2. Medical screening — complete a health questionnaire. Certain conditions (heart, lung, ear, or seizure-related) may require a physician's sign-off before you can dive.
3. Knowledge development — study the theory, now often via eLearning before you arrive.
4. Confined-water training — practice core skills (regulator recovery, mask clearing, buoyancy control) in a pool or shallow, calm water.
5. Open-water dives — apply those skills in the sea or a lake, usually four dives for Open Water.
6. Certification — on successful completion, you receive your certification card, often issued digitally.

Verification: ask the center to confirm in writing what the course fee covers and what depth and conditions you'll be certified for. After certification, you can verify your status through the certifying agency's system.

How to choose a dive center

The center you train with affects both your safety and your experience. Use the same criteria to compare any operator:

As an example of how one operator presents itself: Amarilla Divers describes itself as a "multi AWARD winning Dive Resort" in Los Abrigos, in the south of Tenerife, and states it offers free collection from Golf Del Sur, Costa Del Silencio, Los Cristianos, Las Americas, and Adeje. It lists PADI courses from Discover Scuba Diving up to professional levels, says it has "over 50 scuba dive sites," and notes it has a PADI Master Instructor and PADI MSDT Instructor on staff. It also offers Divemaster internships for those going professional. These are the operator's own claims — treat them as a starting point for your own verification, not as independent endorsement.

A customer review quoted on the site (Hobarts, March 2017) describes the center as "very friendly & experienced" and names a dive guide as "the best dive guide I have had." Reviews like this are useful for gauging tone and consistency, but check recent reviews across platforms before booking.

Safety and health considerations

Diving is generally safe when done within training limits, but a few points are non-negotiable:

• Never dive with a cold, congestion, or ear problems. Equalizing pressure is difficult when you're congested, and forcing it can cause injury.
• Complete the medical questionnaire honestly. If a condition is flagged, get the required physician clearance before diving.
• Follow your certification depth limits. Open Water is typically 18 meters; deeper diving requires further training.
• Ascend slowly and never hold your breath on ascent — expanding air needs to escape.
• Dive within your training and comfort level, and don't let a guide or buddy pressure you past it.
• Check your insurance. Standard travel insurance often excludes diving; confirm coverage or buy dive-specific insurance.

Continuing after certification

Once certified, the common next steps are PADI Advanced Open Water (which extends your depth limit and introduces specialties like navigation and deep diving), Rescue Diver, and specialty courses. For those who want to work in the industry, the Divemaster level is the first professional rating — Amarilla Divers, for instance, lists Divemaster internships among its offerings, which typically combine training with assisting instructors.

Quick decision guide

• Just want to try it once? Book a Discover Scuba Diving session.
• Plan to dive on future trips? Go straight to Open Water certification.
• Already certified and want more depth or skills? Look at Advanced Open Water or specialties.
• Want to work in diving? Research Divemaster internships and confirm what's included (training, dives, duration, and any costs).

Whichever path you choose, confirm the details in writing with the center before you commit, and prioritize a center that answers your safety questions clearly.