The Certificate of scuba

The Certificate of scuba 

The most basic scuba diving course is called Open Water Scuba Diver Course. The certificate is issued by a number of different agencies. The most popular are PADI, SSI, SDI, NAUI, BSAC (primarily in UK), and CMAS (Europe).

It doesn't really matter which agency you go with, because the standards for the basic certifcate are pretty much the same across the board. A lot of people go with PADI because there are more dive shops affiliated with PADI then with the other agencies.In a dive destination like Bali, you can do the course in four days. Most dive shops there have full time instructors and ready access to a pool and open water dive sites suitable for beginner divers.

If you do the course with your local dive shop, you might have to work out your course schedule according to the availability of the shop's instructor and the availability of the pool and open water dive sites. This might take a couple of weeks.

Alternatively, you can do what's called a Referral Course.This means you do the classroom and pool sessions back home with your local dive shop and complete the open water sessions over two day with a different dive shop in Bali.
Or, you can also do PADI Online E-learning Course, in which you will study the theory portion of the course at home through PADI's website and complete the confined and open water sessions over three days in Bali.
Another option would be to do PADI Discover Scuba. This is not a certification course, more like a trial session.

Typically, you show up at the dive shop and they will show you how to put on and use the equipment and they will assign an instructor to dive with you. First session will be in a confined water (usually pool) environment and then you will do the second session in open water (sea).Maximum depth for Discover Scuba is 12m (40ft). The instructor/dive master will stay very close to you throughout the dive, basically holding your hand.

You can do the Discover Scuba in about 3-4 hours. Excluding travel time to the dive sites, lunch, etc. The whole thing usually takes between half or a full day.
The advantages of doing Discover Scuba is that you can experience scuba diving with minimum time and effort and should you decide you don't like scuba, you have not paid for the full course.

The disadvantages would be that you only get some basic knowledge and skills. Also, you don't get a certificate. The next time you want to dive, you can only do it under the same Discover Scuba program. This will also limit the sites you can dive in to the shallower and easier sites.You also need to make sure you book Discover Scuba with a responsible and professional dive shop. Be certain that the person taking you on a Discover Scuba is a certified dive instructor, not just a dive guide. Also confirm that you will be taken only to shallow and calm open water sites.

Personally, I would suggest that you take the basic Open Water Diver Course. If you are reasonably fit and comfortable in the water you can complete the course. PADI only requires that you can swim 200 yards continuously and float for 10 minutes.
I would also suggest that you either complete it at home or do the Referral Course. This way you won't spend any vacation time in Bali in a classroom.

Once you get that certificate you will basically be able to dive anywhere in the world with a buddy, without the direct supervision of an instructor. Of course you are suppose to dive only in conditions you are trained in. Meaning you shouldn't be doing any ice diving with just the basic Open Water Diver Certificate.

PADI Certificate,