Boracay: Scuba Diving Lesson & Reef Dives with PADI Instructor

4.97

(128 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

Hands pressing my mask down, I could smell the faint rubber and salt — not the most glamorous start, but it made me laugh. Our guide, Mark, grinned and checked everyone’s straps again. He’d already told us twice to “just breathe slow,” which sounded easy until you’re actually kneeling in that shallow turquoise water off White Beach, staring at your own reflection in the surface. The sun was sharp on our backs. I caught myself glancing at the other beginners — one guy looked like he was about to bolt, honestly.

I didn’t expect how quiet it would get under there. You’d think it would be loud with bubbles or something, but it’s just this soft whoosh in your ears and then everything else fades out. Mark tapped his tank with a little metal stick — apparently that’s how you get someone’s attention underwater — and pointed out these tiny electric-blue fish darting around a chunk of coral. I tried to say “wow” through my regulator (not possible), so I just gave him a thumbs up instead. The sand felt cool where we knelt for practice drills, but when we finally swam out for the open water dive by boat, my heart was thumping so hard I could almost hear it.

The second dive was different — deeper water, more space to float. There was this moment when a school of yellow fish flickered past and I forgot for a second that I was even nervous at all. Mark kept checking on us, making these goofy hand signs to keep things light. Coming back up felt weirdly emotional; maybe because you realize how much you miss regular air after breathing through a tube for half an hour? Or maybe just because you did something new and didn’t mess it up too badly. Anyway, if you’re curious about scuba diving in Boracay but not sure about jumping straight into a full course, this is probably the best way to try it out.