PADI Open Water Diver Course: Get Your Scuba License in Vietnam
Becoming a certified scuba diver is a life-changing experience, and there is no better place to start than with the team that introduced PADI to Vietnam. The PADI Open Water Diver course is the world’s most popular and widely recognized scuba certification. At Rainbow Divers, we have spent nearly three decades perfecting our training methods to ensure you don’t just "pass a course," but become a confident, safe, and competent diver for life.
Why Learn to Dive with Vietnam's PADI Flagship?
As the country's first PADI Dive Center, our safety standards and teaching quality are second to none. We understand that your first time underwater can be intimidating, which is why we focus on small student-to-instructor ratios and a relaxed, patient pace. Our instructors are " Real Divers " they are experts at turning nervous beginners into underwater explorers.
What to Expect: Your 3-Day Path to Certification
The course is divided into three logical phases designed to build your skills progressively.
Phase 1: Knowledge Development
We value your vacation time. Through PADI eLearning, you can complete all your theory, videos, and quizzes online at home before you even arrive in Vietnam. This means you can spend your time at the beach rather than in a classroom.
Phase 2: Confined Water (Pool) Training
Your first breaths underwater will take place in a controlled, calm environment—either a swimming pool or a shallow, protected bay. Here, you will practice essential scuba skills like mask clearing and regulator recovery until they become second nature.
Phase 3: Open Water Ocean Dives
This is the highlight of the course. You will complete four dives in the ocean—usually at the stunning Hon Mun Marine Park in Nha Trang or the peaceful waters of Whale Island. Under the direct supervision of your instructor, you will explore the reefs while demonstrating the skills you’ve learned. Upon completion, you will be certified to dive up to 18 meters with a buddy, anywhere in the world!
Start Today with PADI eLearning (Theory)
At Rainbow Divers, we make it easy to start your adventure. Whether you are staying in the bustling city of Saigon or the coastal paradise of Nha Trang, we offer flexible scheduling to fit your travel plans. When you train with us, you are joining a 27-year legacy of excellence and a global community of ocean lovers.
Start your PADI journey here with the
There are 3 sections to the Course:
THEORY
Can be scheduled in Saigon or Nha Trang
This comprises 5 short videos, each about 45 minutes. They each cover diving theory, Pool training + Ocean diving. Then you'll take a couple of Quizzes and a final exam.
Alternatively, you can opt to study online directly with PADI
CONFINED WATER
TRAINING
Can be conducted in a Swimming Pool
or anywhere with swimming pool-like conditions
This is where you master the diving skills that you've seen and had explained in the classroom or online
Can be scheduled in Saigon or Nha Trang
OCEAN DIVING
You'll then make 4 dives with your Instructor
in Nha Trang or on Whale Island
Each dive will include some of the diving skills you mastered in the Pool.
The rest of the time is spent actually being a diver!
It's AWESOME!
CERTIFICATION
After you've completed your course, we'll help you log your dives on the PADI App and run through the Fish ID Books, reminding you of what we saw during our dives.
You are immediately certified with PADI on their Worldwide database so can now go explore the underwater world. Or why not stay 2 more days and complete your PADI ADVANCED COURSE
5 Dives including: Buoyancy, Navigation, Nitrox, Deep (to 30m), Rescue