[Beginner looking for suggestions] Learning to dive in Costa Rica in early June!

[mk2023]

Greetings from Canada!

My friend and I are planning a trip to Costa Rica in early June, and I want to take the opportunity to get scuba certified as it's always been a dream of mine! I have no prior experience.
I did learn that June is the rainy season in Costa Rica, so I'm not sure if it will be worth it (I've heard the Pacific side gets very low visibility)? We are also students so we're on a budget, so if the Open Water course is too pricey I might just get the Scuba Diver course.

Does anyone have any suggestions for good dive areas with affordable courses in CR during this time of year?

Thank you!

 

[Umpman]

To get certified, there is some online work to do plus you need to have a short classroom session to review it. Then you have to demonstrate you can swim and float and do 2 pool sessions (about 3 hours each) where you learn basic skills followed by 4 or 5 (depending on agency) open water dives. The open water dives must be at least 15 minutes each and have to be at a depth of 15-60 feet. You can only do 3 open water dives in a day so it is usually done over 2 days with 2 dives each day. When on a boat, you do a two tank dive, so that is 2 dives.

One option would be to find a local training agency by you to complete your online and classroom work as well as your pool/confined water. Then you can ask for a referral form to complete you Open water while in Costa Rica. That will allow you to get more time in the water in costa rica instead of spending all that time in the classroom and pool. On average, a class will cost you between $400-$600 but you can find it cheaper if they offer group classes. The agency (ie PADI, SSI, SDI) doesn’t matter nearly as much as the instructor and dive shop. They all teach you the same basic skills. A good instructor will be patient and show you many different ways to do the skills. I’m partial to SSI because of the requirements they have to be an instructor but I have taken Open Water classes for all three agencies I mentioned. PADI (my original agency) SDI when I learned to use computers and SSI when my wife was certified.

 

[grassgreen]

Heard good things about Under the Sea Diving in Guanacaste.. professional and reliable outfit...