Beginner’s Guide to Diving in El Nido, Palawan
Can Beginners Scuba Dive in El Nido?
Absolutely.
You do not need a diving certification to try scuba diving in El Nido.
Beginners can dive under the direct supervision of a qualified diving professional through a Discover Scuba Diving experience.
Your instructor will explain the equipment, teach you the essential skills you need and stay with you throughout your dives.
If you enjoy the experience and want to become a certified diver, you can then complete an Open Water Diver course, which allows you to continue diving at destinations around the world.
Why El Nido Is a Great Place to Learn to Dive
El Nido is best known for its spectacular islands, beaches and limestone cliffs, but some of its most beautiful scenery is actually below the surface.
Bacuit Bay offers numerous dive sites with coral reefs, tropical fish and a variety of underwater landscapes. Because there are dive sites suitable for different experience levels, our dive team can select locations appropriate for beginners based on the conditions on the day.
One of the advantages of learning to dive in El Nido is that diving forms part of the overall island experience. A typical day takes you out into Bacuit Bay, where you’ll travel between beautiful islands and dive sites while enjoying the scenery that has made El Nido one of the Philippines’ best-known destinations.
For many visitors, scuba diving becomes one of the highlights of their stay in Palawan.
Do I Need a Diving Certification?
Discover Scuba Diving is designed for people who want to experience scuba diving without committing immediately to a full certification course.
Before entering the water, your instructor will explain the equipment, basic diving techniques, underwater communication and important safety procedures. You’ll then practise the necessary skills before exploring underwater under the direct supervision of a dive professional.
At Submariner Diving Center, our Discover Scuba Diving experience includes three dives during the day, giving you much more than just a brief introduction to scuba diving.
It’s an excellent choice if you’re visiting El Nido and thinking, “I’d love to try scuba diving, but I’m not sure whether I want to become certified yet.”
Many certified divers began exactly this way.
Open Water Certification
If you already know you want to learn to scuba dive, the Open Water course allows you to become a recognised certified diver.
We provide the online theory before you arrive in El Nido, allowing you to complete the academic portion in your own time. This means that once you arrive, you can concentrate on the practical training and diving.
The diving portion of our Open Water Certification can be completed over two days of diving.
You’ll learn important skills including equipment use, buoyancy control, underwater communication and safe diving procedures, while gaining practical experience under the supervision of your instructor.
Once certified, you’ll be able to continue diving at destinations around the world within the limits of your certification.
What Happens on Your First Scuba Dive?
Feeling excited and perhaps a little nervous before your first scuba dive is completely normal.
Your dive professional will begin by explaining your scuba equipment and how breathing underwater works. You’ll learn several basic signals used to communicate underwater and the simple procedures needed to dive safely.
There is no need to rush.
The objective is to make you comfortable before progressing. Your instructor will stay with you and guide you throughout the experience.
One of the biggest surprises for many beginners is how quickly breathing underwater starts to feel natural. Once you’re comfortable, you can begin enjoying the experience rather than concentrating on the equipment.
Then comes the best part—exploring the underwater world of El Nido.
What Is a Typical Diving Day in El Nido Like?
A diving day is about much more than the time spent underwater.
At Submariner, our dive trips normally depart in the morning and return during the afternoon.
During the day you’ll travel through the spectacular islands of Bacuit Bay, complete your dives and enjoy your surface intervals aboard the boat.
Lunch is provided during the day.
The journey between dive sites is also part of the experience. You’ll see El Nido’s towering limestone cliffs, hidden beaches, tropical islands and beautiful coastline from the water.
For many guests, the boat trip becomes one of their favourite parts of the day.
Beginner-Friendly Dive Sites Around El Nido
El Nido has a range of dive sites suitable for different levels of experience.
Rather than promising one particular dive site in advance, our dive team considers the weather, currents, visibility, diver experience and other conditions when selecting the day’s locations.
This is particularly important for beginners. The objective isn’t simply to visit a famous dive site; it’s to choose locations where you can feel comfortable, practise your diving skills and enjoy being underwater.
As your confidence increases, you’ll be able to experience different underwater environments and begin developing the skills that make scuba diving so enjoyable.
Our local knowledge of Bacuit Bay allows us to select suitable sites based on the conditions and divers joining us each day.
What Marine Life Can Beginners See?
Every dive is different, and wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed. That’s part of what makes scuba diving exciting.
El Nido’s dive sites are home to a wide variety of tropical marine life. Depending on the location and conditions, divers may encounter colourful reef fish, corals, anemones and many other creatures living around the reefs of Bacuit Bay.
Sea turtles can also sometimes be encountered around El Nido’s dive sites.
Beginners often discover that some of the most interesting things underwater aren’t necessarily the largest animals. Your dive professional can help point out smaller marine life that would otherwise be easy to swim past.
The underwater landscape itself is also part of the experience, with reefs and rock formations creating a very different perspective of El Nido.
What Diving Equipment Do I Need?
If you’re trying scuba diving for the first time, you don’t need to go out and buy a complete set of diving equipment.
At Submariner Diving Center, the required scuba equipment is provided for our beginner diving experiences and courses.
Typical equipment includes:
- Mask and snorkel
- Fins
- Wetsuit
- Buoyancy Control Device (BCD)
- Regulator
- Scuba tank
- Weights and weight system
Our team will help select equipment that fits you correctly and explain how everything works before you enter the water.
What Should I Bring on a Diving Day?
You don’t need to travel to El Nido carrying your own scuba equipment to start diving.
Submariner Diving Center provides the scuba equipment required for your diving experience. We also provide lunch during our normal dive day.
You should bring comfortable swimwear, sun protection and any personal items you would normally take for a day on the water.
Most importantly, arrive ready to relax, learn and enjoy your first underwater adventure.
If you have any medical condition or are unsure whether you are medically suitable for scuba diving, tell the dive centre before your diving day so the appropriate requirements can be discussed with you.
Is Scuba Diving Safe for Beginners?
It’s natural to feel slightly nervous before your first dive. Breathing underwater is something you’ve never experienced before, so some apprehension is perfectly understandable.
Scuba diving, however, is taught progressively.
You don’t simply put on a tank and jump into deep water. Your dive professional explains the equipment, teaches the necessary techniques and gives you time to become comfortable.
Learning to breathe slowly and relax is an important part of your first experience.
Your instructor is there to guide you, monitor you and help if you’re unsure about anything. There is no prize for being the fastest person into the water.
For many beginners, the nervousness disappears surprisingly quickly and is replaced by excitement once they begin seeing the reef and marine life around them.
Discover Scuba Diving or Open Water Certification?
Not sure which one to choose?
Choose Discover Scuba Diving if:
You want to experience scuba diving without committing to a full certification course.
It’s a great option if you’re visiting El Nido and simply want to discover what being underwater is like.
Choose Open Water Certification if:
You already think scuba diving is something you want to continue doing.
Becoming certified gives you much greater freedom to dive in El Nido and other destinations around the world.
Completing the online theory before arriving also means more of your holiday can be spent actually diving rather than sitting in a classroom.
Can Couples and Families Learn to Dive Together?
Yes, and learning together can make the experience even more memorable.
We regularly welcome couples, families and groups of friends with different levels of diving experience.
One person might already be certified while another has never dived before.
Depending on certification levels and the type of diving being undertaken, we can help work out the most appropriate way for everyone to enjoy their time in El Nido.
For families, age and training requirements also apply, so it’s worth contacting the dive centre beforehand if children or teenagers will be diving.
What If My Partner Doesn’t Dive?
This is very common.
Not everyone visiting El Nido wants to scuba dive.
Depending on the trip being arranged, non-diving partners or family members may be able to enjoy snorkelling and the scenery of Bacuit Bay while the divers are underwater.
For families or small groups wanting more flexibility, a private diving charter can also be an excellent option because the day can be planned around the group rather than a larger shared diving trip.
When Is the Best Time to Dive in El Nido?
Diving is available throughout much of the year, but conditions in El Nido can vary with the seasons and daily weather.
Visibility, currents and surface conditions can also change from one dive site to another.
Rather than choosing a dive site purely because you’ve seen it online, speak with the local dive team.
They are seeing the conditions regularly and can recommend the most appropriate locations for your experience level on the day.
Where Should I Stay When Diving in El Nido?
Stay and dive from the same beachfront location. The Beach House is located with Submariner Diving Center in El Nido town, making it easy to wake up, have breakfast and head straight out for your diving day. It’s a convenient option for guests who want their accommodation and diving organised in one location.
Why Choose Submariner Diving Center?
Choosing your dive centre is particularly important when you’re learning to dive for the first time.
Submariner Diving Center is based directly on the beachfront in El Nido and has been diving the waters around Bacuit Bay for more than 15 years.
Our experienced PADI and SSI dive team works with everyone from complete beginners taking their first breath underwater to experienced certified divers exploring El Nido.
Being a well-established local dive centre also means our team understands the local dive sites and changing conditions around Bacuit Bay.
Most importantly, beginners shouldn’t feel rushed. We want your first experience underwater to be safe, relaxed and enjoyable.
Whether you simply want to try scuba diving for a day or leave El Nido as a certified Open Water diver, our team can help you choose the right option.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beginner Diving in El Nido
Can I scuba dive if I’ve never done it before?
Yes. A Discover Scuba Diving experience allows beginners to experience scuba diving under professional supervision without already holding a diving certification.
Do I need to know how to swim?
Swimming ability and comfort in the water are important, particularly for certification courses. Contact the dive centre if you’re unsure about the requirements for the diving experience you’re considering.
How many dives can I do as a beginner?
At Submariner, our Discover Scuba Diving experience includes three dives during the day.
How long does Open Water certification take?
The online theory can be completed before you arrive. The practical in-water portion of our Open Water course can then be completed over two days of diving.
Is diving equipment included?
Yes. The required diving equipment is included with our beginner diving experiences and courses.
Is lunch included?
Yes, lunch is included on our full-day diving trips.
Can I see turtles?
Turtles are found around El Nido and are one of the animals divers hope to encounter, but wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed.
Can certified and non-certified divers travel together?
Yes. We regularly have couples, families and friends with different levels of diving experience. Contact us and we can recommend the most suitable arrangement for your group.
Ready for Your First Dive in El Nido?
Your first scuba dive is something you’ll probably remember for the rest of your life.
There’s a special moment when you descend beneath the surface, realise you’re comfortably breathing underwater and look around at a world you’ve previously only seen from above.
And El Nido is a spectacular place to experience it.
Whether you want to try scuba diving for a day or leave El Nido as a certified Open Water diver, the Submariner Diving Center team can help you choose the right experience.
Come and discover El Nido from a completely different perspective — underwater.
Book Your El Nido Diving Experience
Discover Scuba Diving | Open Water Certification | Fun Diving | Private Diving Charters
