Certifications & courses
Diving courses and certifications in Alanya
Every certified diver started with one supervised breath underwater. This section explains the internationally recognised pathway — PADI and CMAS, step by step — and says plainly what we can and cannot arrange for you here.
The honest summary first
Our instructors are PADI-certified, and the certification courses we organise ourselves are CMAS courses, arranged on request from our own boat. We do not publish a course price, because a course is several days of an instructor's time and the right price depends on your starting level, your dates and how many of you there are — quoting one number would mean inventing one. Tell us your goal and you get a personal plan with a fixed price before you commit to anything.
Most guests do not start with a course at all. They start with the beginner dive — 2 guided dives, no licence, an instructor beside you — and decide afterwards whether they want a card. That order is the right one.
How the pathway works, whichever logo is on the card
Recreational diving certification everywhere follows the same steps. The names differ between PADI and CMAS; the substance does not.
- Try-dive (Discover Scuba Diving) — a supervised experience dive with no exam and no certification. Our beginner dive is this.
- Entry-level certification — PADI Open Water Diver or CMAS One Star: theory, confined-water skills, open-water training dives; qualifies you to dive with a buddy to about 18–20 m.
- Advanced — PADI Advanced Open Water or CMAS Two Star: deeper diving, navigation and specialised skills under instruction.
- Rescue — PADI Rescue Diver or CMAS Three Star pathway: managing problems, self-rescue and assisting other divers; usually paired with a first-aid course.
- Specialties and professional levels — deep, wreck, night, nitrox and others, then Divemaster and instructor levels for those who want to work in diving.
What certification unlocks on this coast
The beginner ceiling on our boats is about 13 m in open water beside an instructor. A certified diver dives around 30 m on standard dives, and suitably qualified divers can dive the deep sites to 60 m by agreement with the team. The overhangs, ledges and swim-throughs beneath the castle are certified-diver terrain; cave penetration needs overhead-environment training on top.
Official terminology, used correctly
Throughout these pages, course names are the agencies' own — Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver, CMAS One, Two and Three Star — and the requirements described are the agencies' published standards. We do not display any agency's logo: no authorisation document is on record here, and a logo is a claim.
Not sure where you stand? Describe your experience and we will tell you which step is yours.
Discover Scuba Diving: the first step
The supervised try-dive that every certification pathway starts with. Our beginner dive is exactly this.
Read more →Open Water Diver: the entry-level certification
The entry-level certification: theory, confined water, open-water dives, and the freedom it gives you.
Read more →Advanced Open Water Diver: going deeper, properly
Deeper diving, navigation and specialised skills under instruction — the second certification.
Read more →Rescue Diver: preventing and managing problems
Self-rescue, assisting other divers and managing incidents — the course experienced divers rate highest.
Read more →Specialty courses and professional development
Deep, nitrox, night and other specialties, then Divemaster and instructor: the pathway after Rescue.
Read more →CMAS courses: the certifications we organise
The CMAS star system explained, and the courses we arrange in Alanya on request.
Read more →FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I get certified during my holiday in Alanya?
Possibly — an entry-level course takes several days. Message us with your dates and starting level and we will say honestly whether it fits, and at what price.
Do you teach PADI courses?
Our instructors are PADI-certified; the courses we organise ourselves are CMAS courses, on request. Ask us about your goal and we will tell you exactly what we can offer.
Is a try-dive a course?
No. It is a supervised experience dive with no exam and no card. It is the best way to find out whether you want the course.
Not answered here? Ask us on WhatsApp
Alanya Diving
Ready to see Alanya from below?
Beginner diving 45 € · certified divers 75 € · pay on the day · free cancellation up to 24 hours before.