SSI Open Water Diver Course in Mactan, Cebu
The SSI Open Water Diver course is where your life as a scuba diver begins. At FEEL DEEP in Lapu-Lapu City, our SSI instructors have been teaching scuba diving in Mactan since 2007, and this is the course we teach most. When you finish, you will be a certified diver, ready to dive with a buddy anywhere in the world.
Course at a glance
Price: ₱18,000 per person
Duration: 2 to 3 days, 9am to 4pm
Certification: SSI Open Water Diver, internationally recognized and valid for life
Maximum depth after certification: 18 metres, diving with a buddy
Where: FEEL DEEP at The Mactan Newtown Beach, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu
Booking: WhatsApp +63 977 810 8917
What is included
Your ₱18,000 course fee covers:
Your SSI dive instructor
Course materials (SSI digital learning)
Full dive gear
Tanks and weights
Marine fees
Your SSI Open Water Diver certification, valid for diving anywhere in the world
There are no hidden equipment charges. Just bring swimwear, a towel and reef-friendly sunscreen.
What you will learn
The course has three parts.
1. Academics. You study the theory through SSI digital learning: how pressure affects your body, how your equipment works, how to plan a safe dive and how to look after the reef.
2. Pool or confined-water training. In calm, shallow water your instructor shows you each skill and you practise until you are comfortable: breathing from the regulator, clearing your mask, controlling your buoyancy, sharing air with a buddy and handling simple problems underwater.
3. Open water dives at the Mactan reefs. You then put your new skills into practice on real dives around Mactan, with your instructor at your side. Mactan's sheltered reefs, warm water and good visibility make it one of the most comfortable places in the Philippines to learn scuba diving.
How the 2 to 3 days work
Each day runs from 9am to 4pm. A typical course looks like this:
Day 1: Meet your instructor, check the theory, fit your gear and complete your pool or confined-water training.
Day 2: Open water training dives at a Mactan reef, practising your skills in the sea.
Day 3 (if needed): Finish your remaining open water dives and skills, then complete your certification.
Some students finish in 2 days, others prefer to take 3. Your instructor will set the pace with you, because a calm and confident diver is a safe diver.
Who can join
You do not need any diving experience.
Ask us on WhatsApp if you have any health questions before booking.
Not sure if diving is for you? Start with Try Scuba from ₱2,500 and continue to Open Water later.
Where your training dives happen
Your instructor chooses the training site on the day, based on the weather and current, so you always learn in the calmest conditions. Mactan has sheltered reefs that start shallow and slope gently, which is ideal for new divers. Calm mornings usually bring the best visibility. Expect to see colourful reef fish, corals and, with a little luck, a turtle on your very first dives.
Why learn scuba diving in Mactan
Mactan is right next to Mactan-Cebu International Airport, so you can fly in and start your course without a long transfer. The water is usually around 27 to 30°C all year, so a thin wetsuit is enough. And once you are certified, some of the best dive sites in Cebu are on your doorstep: Hilutungan and Nalusuan marine sanctuaries, Talima on Olango Island and the Marine Station sardines. See our Mactan Dive Sites guide.
Why FEEL DEEP
SSI dive center in Mactan since 2007
Patient SSI instructors who teach in English
5 locations across Mactan, including The Mactan Newtown Beach, Savoy, Belmont, Palm Beach Resort and The Beach Park-HADSAN
One clear price with gear, materials, marine fees and certification included
After your Open Water course
Keep going with the SSI Advanced Adventurer course (₱18,000): deep diving to 30 metres, navigation, buoyancy and more. Or join our fun dives for certified divers. See all courses and prices.
Book your SSI Open Water course in Mactan
Message us on WhatsApp at +63 977 810 8917 with your preferred dates and the number of students. We will confirm your instructor and start time.
