Looking for PADI certification school

[BLACKPUPPY]

We're looking for a warm place to get our open water certification in February. We had thought about Roatan as we enjoyed it when we last visited in August. The water temps seem a little low for me in February. Can anyone suggest a warm location with a good dive school???

 

[oly5050user]

Warm location, weather generally stays constant so low chance of lost days due to bad wather,I suggust Bonaire.Buddy Dive Resort. See Augusto there and he will assign an instructor for youy.
Where are you located? I would also think you would be better off completing your academic and confined water (pool) training at home before going there .Gives you more time to actually go diving .

 

[DeputyDan]

If Roatan will be too cold then Bonaire or Curacao is your only viable option in the Carib!

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

Why are you tied to PADI?

 

[oldnotdead]

Maui, hawaii

 

[Peter Guy]

OP -- Depending on where you live, you might want to consider doing your classroom and Confined Water (pool) training at home and then do your OW dives (the "checkout dives" ) while on vacation. This can have two advantages:

a. Don't waste your vacation time in a classroom and/or in a pool learning the basic skills you can learn at home; and

b. Gives you an introduction to the local diving community -- which can be important IF you decide you actually like diving and decide to become a "regular" as opposed to "vacation" diver.

Also, don't worry so much about the water temps in the tropics -- the reality is that almost regardless of the water temp, you WILL get chilled if you are in the water long enough. The cure for that is proper exposure protection -- at least a 3mm wetsuit, or better yet, a 5mm full suit.

 

[Sask Diver]

This might help you out if your set on PADI Find a dive shop, scuba diving shop, dive resort or scuba dive shop

 

[BLACKPUPPY]

We're in Winston Salem / Greensboro, North Carolina. Makes sense to do the classwork here and then get to dive on vacation. Is it better to do the entire program here or does it make sense to do it as a referral on our 1st dive trip? Do you have a suggestion for training in our area?

And no ties to PADI. I was certified about 20 years ago but haven't been diving in 10+. PADI was just my prior certification.

Thanks!

 

[OZE]

We're in Winston Salem / Greensboro, North Carolina. Makes sense to do the classwork here and then get to dive on vacation. Is it better to do the entire program here or does it make sense to do it as a referral on our 1st dive trip? Do you have a suggestion for training in our area?

And no ties to PADI. I was certified about 20 years ago but haven't been diving in 10+. PADI was just my prior certification.

Thanks!

Yeah, this is possible. We had a couple of students who did their courses online and proceeded to the Philippines to do their quizzes, exams and open water dives.

 

[Doc]

I was certified about 20 years ago but haven't been diving in 10+.

Just sign-up for what might be called a SCUBA "Refresher" or "Review" class. No technical need to do a complete re-certification.

You can do this when you get there. I second the thought on Bonaire, it might be a couple of degrees warmer. That little bit can mean a lot for many. At that time of year, Bonaire is fairly well out of the tropical storm belt, even more so than Roatan.