IslaScuba.com: an independent guide to the islands divers travel to, from the Caribbean to the Coral Triangle.
New divers are learning to control their buoyancy, clear their mask, read their gauges and stay relaxed, all at the same time. The easier the conditions, the more attention they have left to enjoy the dive. When you compare islands, look for:
None of this means beginners should only dive easy sites forever. It just means your first ten or twenty dives will go better somewhere forgiving. Once you are comfortable, you can move on to the current dives and deep walls covered in our region guides.
Our shortlist
The sheltered west coast has calm water most of the year, and the reef starts a few meters from shore. You can enter from the beach, follow a gentle slope and turn back whenever you like, which takes a lot of pressure off. Shore diving with a buddy builds skills quickly.
Grand Cayman has many dive centers, shallow reefs, clear water and the shallow sandbar at Stingray City, which also suits snorkelers. It is easy to reach from the United States, and there is a lot to do on land.
Utila is one of the best-known places in the Caribbean to take a low-cost course, with a relaxed, backpacker feel. Roatán has more resorts and a wider choice of easy reef dives close to shore.
This small island in the Gulf of Thailand certifies large numbers of new divers each year. Sheltered bays, warm water and many schools keep prices competitive. Choose a school with small groups rather than just the lowest price.
Tulamben's Liberty wreck starts in shallow water a short swim from the beach, and Amed nearby has gentle reefs. Bali also has strong-current sites such as Nusa Penida, so tell your dive center you are new and they will choose sites to match.
Maui has easy shore dives along its west and south coasts and boat trips to Molokini crater. Turtles are common, the water is clear, and there is plenty for non-divers to do.
The usual first certification is called Open Water Diver, offered by agencies such as PADI and SSI. It has three parts: knowledge development (often done online before you travel), confined-water skill sessions in a pool or a calm shallow area, and four open-water training dives in the sea. Most people finish in three to four days.
Once certified, Open Water divers are qualified to dive to 18 meters (60 feet) with a buddy. Children can usually start a junior course from age 10, with a shallower depth limit for the youngest divers. Before the course you will fill in a medical questionnaire, and some conditions need a doctor's sign-off.
Many people save time on vacation by doing the theory at home, then finishing the dives on the island. Some do the pool sessions at a local dive shop before they travel and arrive ready for the open-water dives.
If you are not sure diving is for you, most island dive centers offer a supervised try dive. PADI calls it Discover Scuba Diving. After a short briefing and a few skills in shallow water, you make a shallow dive with an instructor close by. It does not count as a certification, but parts of it may count toward a full course.
Some of the world's most famous dives are not good first dives. Strong current dives in Komodo or the Maldives channels, deep walls, open-ocean shark dives in the Galápagos and wreck penetration in Chuuk Lagoon all call for experience and further training. Read our Pacific island scuba diving and Indian Ocean island scuba diving guides when you are ready for the next step, and our Caribbean island scuba diving guide for more easy islands.
For flights, insurance and what to pack, see the island dive trip planning guide.
Questions
You need basic water skills. Open Water courses include a swim test and a float or tread-water test, and you do not need to be fast. Being relaxed in the water matters more than speed.
An Open Water Diver certification qualifies you to dive to 18 meters (60 feet). An Advanced Open Water course takes you to 30 meters (100 feet).
Both work. Learning on the island means all your training dives are in warm, clear water. Doing the theory and pool sessions at home leaves more vacation time for diving.