PADI Dive Course – Liveaboard – 5 days
Become a certified diver with this five-day PADI Open Water Dive Course in Cairns, featuring pool and classroom training, then a three-day, two-night liveaboard adventure to 19 exclusive Outer Great Barrier Reef dive sites, including night dives and luxury twin share accommodation.
Key Highlights
- Five-day PADI Open Water dive certification course in Cairns and on the Outer Great Barrier Reef
- Two days of pool and classroom training at a five-star PADI training centre in Cairns city
- Three-day, two-night liveaboard adventure visiting 19 exclusive dive sites on Flynn, Thetford, Milln, and Pellowe Reefs
- Opportunity for up to nine dives, including one guided night dive
- Small group sizes with the same instructor throughout the course
- Experience diverse marine life and excellent visibility year-round
- Accommodation on premium Scubapro dive vessels with air-conditioned cabins and catered meals
What’s included
- PADI Open Water Diver training and certification
- Two days of pool and classroom sessions at a modern Cairns city training centre
- Three-day, two-night liveaboard trip on the Outer Great Barrier Reef
- Access to 19 exclusive dive sites across Flynn, Thetford, Milln, and Pellowe Reefs
- Up to nine dives, including four certification dives and five recreational dives
- Night dive guided by your instructor
- Twin share accommodation in air-conditioned cabins
- Catered meals onboard the dive vessel
Overview
Experience the thrill of learning to scuba dive in Cairns with the five-day PADI Open Water Dive Course, exploring the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. This course is designed for those wanting to become certified divers while discovering the extraordinary underwater world of Australia's most famous reef system.
Your training begins with two days at a five-star PADI training centre in Cairns city, featuring air-conditioned classrooms and the region's deepest four-metre training pools for safe and comfortable skill practice. The centre's central location offers convenience during your initial dive theory and pool sessions.
The adventure continues with a three-day, two-night liveaboard trip to the Outer Great Barrier Reef, where you can complete up to nine dives at 19 exclusive sites around Flynn, Thetford, Milln, and Pellowe Reefs. The first four dives finalise your certification, after which you can participate in guided recreational dives, including a night dive to observe nocturnal sea life.
Throughout the course, you'll benefit from personalised instruction and a high standard of onboard comfort, including air-conditioned twin or double cabins, spacious decks, and freshly prepared meals. Courses start daily except Sunday, providing an accessible and memorable entry into scuba diving.
Commonly asked questions.
The course includes PADI Open Water training, all dive equipment, dive insurance, the PADI Open Water manual, logbook, accommodation aboard the liveaboard, meals during the liveaboard trip, transfers from Cairns City accommodation and 9 dives.
No. This is a beginner PADI Open Water course, so no previous scuba diving experience is required. The first two days are spent learning theory and basic diving skills in the classroom and pool.
The first two days are classroom and pool training in Cairns, followed by three days and two nights on a Great Barrier Reef liveaboard.
The course includes up to 9 dives: four training dives to complete your Open Water certification followed by five recreational dives, including a guided night dive.
Yes. The first four training dives on the Great Barrier Reef complete the practical component of your PADI Open Water certification, subject to successfully completing all course requirements.
The minimum age is 10 years, with no maximum age specified. Participants must also meet the course's medical and swimming requirements.
Yes. You must be able to swim 200 metres or snorkel 300 metres and tread water or float for 10 minutes to participate in the course.
Before starting, all students must complete the Student Diver Medical Declaration. If you answer yes to any of the medical questions, you will need a medical assessment from a qualified doctor confirming that you are fit to dive. The medical must be completed within 90 days of starting the course.
Pro Dive Cairns has access to 19 dive sites across Flynn, Thetford, Milln and Pellowe Reefs, with dive locations selected according to conditions and the course itinerary.
Yes. Pro Dive describes the course as highly personalised, with the same instructor throughout the entire course. The maximum in-water student-to-instructor ratio is 8:1.
The purpose-built liveaboard vessels have air-conditioned twin or double cabins, spacious decks and catered meals. Twin or double-share accommodation is included in the course.
Meals are included while you are aboard the liveaboard. Lunch is not provided on the first two training days, so you need to make your own arrangements for those lunch breaks.
Bring swimwear, a towel, your passport or Australian driver's licence, your travel voucher or course details, your dive medical if required and cash for lunch on the first two training days.
Pro Dive recommends allowing at least 24 hours after your final dive before flying. The last dive finishes around midday on Day 5, so flying from midday the following day is the earliest recommended option.
Additional info by the operator.
- 8:00am - Hotel pickup
- 12.30pm - Lunch Break
- 5:30pm - Hotel Dropoff
- 6:00am - Hotel pickup
- 6:20am - Check in at Pro Dive shop
- 7:00am - Depart Cairns for the Great Barrier Reef
- 11:00am - Dive 1: Open Water training dive
- 12:30pm - Lunch
- 2:30pm - Dive 2: Open Water training dive
- 4:30pm - Snorkelling opportunity
- 6:00pm - Dinner
- 7:00am - Dive 3: Training dive
- 11:15am - Dive 4: Final training dive and certification
- 12:45pm - Lunch
- 3:15pm - Dive 5: First recreational dive
- 5:45pm - Dinner
- 7:30pm - Dive 6: Guided night dive
- 6:30am - Dive 7: Sunrise dive
- 7:30am - Breakfast
- 9:00am - Dive 8
- 11:00am - Dive 9: Final dive
- 12:00pm - Lunch
- 4:00pm - Return transfer to Cairns