Short answer: a full PADI Open Water Diver course in Eilat starts from ₪1,800, and the final price depends mainly on whether you learn in a small group or one-to-one, and whether you add the Advanced course on top. Below is exactly what that money buys you, what can move the number up or down, and how to make sure you’re comparing like with like.
What’s included in the price
The Open Water Diver course is the world’s most popular scuba certification, and it’s designed to take you from zero to a licensed diver who can dive independently (with a buddy) to 18 metres. The ₪1,800 starting price is a complete package — nothing essential is left off to be added later. It covers:
- Full scuba equipment for the whole course.
- Learning materials in your language, including the PADI eLearning theory — so the online knowledge section is already part of the price, not a separate add-on.
- Your PADI certification and card at the end.
- Entry to the dive sites where you train.
When you compare offers elsewhere, check that all of this is in the price rather than tacked on afterwards.
What the course actually involves
This isn’t a box-ticking course — it’s built around real time in the water. You’ll complete three confined-water dives and six open-water dives. PADI only requires four open-water dives to certify — we include two bonus dives on top, so you get more real diving for your money.
Most of your training happens at our home site, the Underwater Restaurant — a calm, shallow reef that’s ideal for learning. The two bonus dives then take you further afield, to the Turkish Boat wreck and the Mul HaYam site, so you finish the course having already dived beyond the training reef.
Above all, this course is built around one thing: total control of your buoyancy. Hovering weightless, exactly where you want to be, is the best feeling in diving — and it’s the single skill that keeps you both safe and comfortable underwater at the same time. Master it here, and every dive after this one is calmer, easier and more fun. If you want to dive safely and actually enjoy it, come learn with us.
Who actually teaches you
This is the part that doesn’t show up in a price tag but matters most. At Trubarev Dive Co. you’re taught personally by an instructor with 20 years of diving experience — not handed off to an assistant, and not lost in a crowd. Every student gets real, one-on-one attention from someone who has spent two decades on these exact reefs. That’s what turns a certification into genuine confidence in the water.
Why the price varies
The reason you’ll see a range rather than one fixed number comes down to how you learn and how far you want to go:
- ₪1,800 — Open Water Diver, small group. The most affordable way to certify, per person, learning alongside a few others.
- ₪2,600 — Open Water + Advanced package, per person in a group. Get certified and go straight into your Advanced course, which opens up deeper and more varied dives — the best value if you already know you want to keep going.
- ₪3,500 — private, one-to-one Open Water. A fully private Open Water Diver course with the instructor’s undivided attention and a pace set entirely by you. Worth it if you’re nervous, short on time, or simply want the fastest route to confident diving.
How long does it take?
Plan for 5 days for the Open Water Diver course. If you finish the theory online before you travel, you arrive ready to dive and spend those days in the water rather than in front of a screen. If you take the Open Water + Advanced route together, allow about 7 days for both. There’s no prior experience required, and the course is open from age 12 — it’s genuinely built for complete beginners.
Is it worth it — and is Eilat a good place to learn?
Eilat is one of the best places in the world to learn. The Red Sea here is warm and calm year-round, with visibility of 10–20 metres, and every dive site is reachable from the shore — no long, seasick boat rides while you’re still finding your feet. You learn on real coral reefs full of life, and the certification is recognised worldwide, so it works everywhere you dive next.
If you’re not sure you’re ready to commit to the full course, a Discover Scuba dive lets you try diving first with an instructor — and if you go on to certify, it’s a natural first step. Once you’re certified, the Open Water course opens the door to most of Eilat’s reefs; the deeper, more advanced sites come with your next card, Advanced Open Water.
What you’ll be diving on
Your training reefs are the same calm, colourful sites we recommend to every new diver — the shallow reef of the Coral Beach reserve, and gentle sites like the Underwater Restaurant. (If you want to see where certification can take you next, our guide to the best dive sites in Eilat walks through the whole coast, from beginner reefs to deep wrecks.)
Ready to get certified?
A full PADI Open Water course in Eilat starts from ₪1,800, includes your training, equipment, materials and certification, and takes 5 days — taught personally by an instructor with 20 years of experience. Message us on WhatsApp at +972 53-431-3418 or visit trubarev.com to check dates and lock in your course.
