Eilat has dozens of dive centers, and a first “intro dive” can cost anywhere from ₪200 to ₪450 and more. On paper they all offer “a first dive with an instructor”. In reality, the difference between 20 minutes and 80 minutes underwater is huge. Here are 8 questions worth asking any dive center before you book.
1. How long will you actually be underwater?
This is the most important question. Some intro dives give you 20–30 minutes in the water; others give you up to 80 minutes underwater. When comparing prices, divide the price by the minutes: a cheap, short dive can cost more per minute.
With us: about 3 hours in total, with up to 80 minutes underwater, to a maximum depth of 6 m. More on this: 3 hours vs 20 minutes — what’s the difference.
2. Is it an official PADI program — and do you get a card?
Ask whether it’s PADI Discover Scuba Diving: an official program with a briefing, skills practice and a real sea dive. You finish with a digital PADI card, and the experience can count as your first step toward a course. More: what Discover Scuba Diving is.
3. Who is the instructor?
Ask who will be in the water with you and how experienced they are. An experienced instructor spots stress early, adjusts the pace and makes your first dive calm.
With us: Dima Trubarev, PADI Course Director with 20 years of teaching experience.
4. Will your group dive together — or be split up?
In many places, when there aren’t enough instructors, the group gets split: four friends become two pairs, each diving with a different instructor, sometimes at different times. The shared experience you came for is lost. Ask in advance whether your whole group will dive together.
With us: your whole group dives together — just you, no strangers and no splitting.
5. Will you wait in line, or dive at the time you booked?
On busy days some places keep you waiting on the beach until an instructor is free. Ask whether your time is guaranteed.
With us: no waiting — we start at the time you booked.
6. Do they ask about your health?
A serious dive center will ask about asthma, diabetes, ears, heart, back and age before the dive. That’s not paperwork — it’s a sign they care about your safety. If nobody asks you anything, that’s a red flag. With asthma, for example, a written medical clearance is required.
7. From what age?
Ask about the minimum age and why. Our first dives start from age 12 — the age when most kids follow the briefing and keep the rules underwater, which makes the experience safer and more enjoyable. See also: diving in Eilat with kids.
8. What does the price include?
Ask whether gear, briefing and guidance are included, and what costs extra.
With us: all gear is included. Underwater photos of your dive are available for an extra charge. Payment on site.
What your first dive looks like with us
We start with a relaxed briefing, then about 30 minutes in shallow water: breathing from the regulator while standing, then short dives where you can stand up with your head above water at any moment. Only when you feel comfortable do we head out to the reef by the Underwater Restaurant in central Eilat — sea turtles, schools of fish and corals growing on the rocks.
Prices: ₪450 per person · ₪800 for 2 · ₪1,110 for 3. Full 2026 price list
FAQ
Do I need experience? No — a first dive is made for people who have never dived.
How long does it take? About 3 hours in total, with up to 80 minutes underwater.
Snorkeling or a first dive? Snorkeling or a Discover Scuba Dive — what’s the difference
Can I continue to a course? Yes — first-dive graduates get ₪250 off the Open Water course. (Open Water course cost in Eilat)
Booking
Message us on WhatsApp: which day, how many of you and your ages — and we’ll get back to you with a time.
