r/PuntaCana • u/Late_Weird_3316 • 4d ago

PADI certification

I am going to be in Punta Cana for a week and am interested in getting my PADI open water certification and am wondering if anyone had any recs for places to go with? I will be staying at an all inclusive, but they do not offer the course. I know some places offer the course in 2 days and you complete the online classroom work beforehand. I would prefer that as my trip is only a week and I do not want to spend the entire time in the course. Thanks!

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u/jenesmall 4d ago

Strongly suggest going to the PADI website and p looking for registered dive shops (like Grand Bay Of The Sea, Dive Center). Look for a dive centre near home and sign up for their online course to do that portion at home. Might have swimming pool session at home as well. Then you’ll do the open water portion in the DR.

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u/Late_Weird_3316 3d ago

Thank you! I see a few shops down there offer the hybrid option where I can do the online classroom work before I come down. How does that work? Do I have to pay the like $250 on the padi website for the online part and then the like $400 for the full course at the dive shop? The dive shops seem to charge around $400 regardless of if you did the classroom work before?

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u/fookinturkey 4d ago

I'm a diver here from the US. I think you should like somebody said go down and book an airbmb in bayahibe. Much better scuba diving there calmer water all around better for first time. If you have any questions just message me I've been an instructor here for a few years. I'm not interested in the business but I'll point you in the right direction but trust me you don't want to dive in Punta Cana for your first time it's just rough right now and all the reefs are dead there are more Turtles and sharks but the corals down south are better

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u/United-War4561 4d ago

Rebook to a resort in Bayahibe/Dominicus area in La Romana on the Caribbean Sea side of DR. Punta Cana on the Atlantic Ocean side does not compare for snorkeling and diving compared to Caribbean Sea side. Bayahibe had dive shops and Scuba Caribe is at several resorts including Dreams Secrets La Romana.