A PADI Open Water Diver course on Pulau Weh costs from USD 290 and takes 3 to 4 days. The minimum age is 10 (Junior) or 15 for the full certification. The price covers PADI eLearning, confined-water training, four open-water dives at sites like Rubiah Sea Garden, full gear rental, boat fees, and your certification card.
What you get for USD 290
I am Rangga Saputra, a PADI and SSI instructor working out of Gapang Beach on Pulau Weh. I have guided and taught here for 12 years, running students through Batee Tokong, The Canyon, and the gentle reefs around Rubiah Island. The course I teach is the standard PADI Open Water Diver programme, which is the entry-level certification recognised by dive centres worldwide. Once you pass, you can rent gear, fill tanks, and join guided dives anywhere on the planet, no further training required.
The price on Pulau Weh sits in the IDR 4.0 to 4.5 million band, which works out to roughly USD 290 depending on the exchange rate and your group size. Solo students pay a little more; couples and small groups of three or four pay less per head. Your course fee includes everything you actually need: digital theory through PADI eLearning, all confined-water skill sessions, four open-water training dives, full scuba equipment rental (BCD, regulator, tank, weights, wetsuit, mask, fins), boat transport to the training sites, and the PADI processing and certification eCard fee. There are no surprise extras at the end. Ready to book a date? Chat on WhatsApp and I will hold a slot.
How the 3 to 4 days are structured
Most students finish in three full days, sometimes stretching to four if the sea is rough or you want extra time on a skill. If you complete the PADI eLearning theory online before you arrive, you free up the first morning for water time instead of sitting with a manual.
Day one: theory and confined water
We confirm your knowledge from the five eLearning sections, then move into confined water. PADI requires five confined-water segments, which I usually group into two or three relaxed sessions in the sheltered shallows off Gapang Beach. This is where you learn to clear your mask, recover a regulator, control your buoyancy, and breathe slowly without any current or depth to worry about.
Days two and three: four open-water dives
The core of the certification is four open-water training dives, spread across at least two days. We do these from shore or by boat at calmer sites such as Rubiah Sea Garden and Limbo Gapang, repeating the skills you practised in confined water but now in the real ocean. By your fourth dive you are swimming reefs, checking your air, and navigating with a buddy on your own.
Prerequisites and minimum age
You do not need any prior diving experience, but you do need to be a competent swimmer. PADI standards require you to swim 200 metres continuously (any stroke, no time limit) or 300 metres with mask, fins, and snorkel, plus float or tread water for 10 minutes. I run this swim assessment on the first day in the calm bay.
You also complete a PADI Medical Statement before getting in the water. If you answer yes to any condition on the questionnaire (asthma, heart issues, recent surgery, certain medications), you will need a doctor to sign you off first, so sort that out before you travel if it applies to you. Non-swimmers cannot be certified as Open Water Divers because they will not pass the swim and float tests, but you are welcome to join a guided fun dive or Discover Scuba experience instead.
The full PADI Open Water Diver card is for ages 15 and up. Children aged 10 to 14 can take the Junior Open Water Diver course, which carries shallower depth limits and supervision rules. Junior divers aged 10 to 11 are limited to 12 metres with a parent or PADI professional; from 12 they can dive to 18 metres with a certified adult.
What your certification lets you do
An adult PADI Open Water Diver is qualified to dive to a maximum of 18 metres (60 feet) with a buddy, in conditions similar to those you trained in. That depth opens up the majority of Pulau Weh’s reef dives. The Sophie Rickmers wreck sits past 50 metres and is strictly technical territory, well beyond Open Water limits, but it gives you something to aim for once you continue your training. If you want to push deeper and explore the signature current sites, the Advanced Open Water course is the natural next step, and you can do that here too once you are certified. For more on what the island offers, see our Pulau Weh diving guide.
Where you will train and dive
Training dives happen at the calm, forgiving sites so you can focus on skills rather than fighting conditions. The standouts for beginners are:
- Rubiah Sea Garden — a sheltered, shallow reef in front of Rubiah Island near Iboih, packed with reef fish and ideal for first open-water dives.
- Limbo Gapang — an easy site right off Gapang Beach with shallow sandy and reef sections, perfect for early training.
- Pantee Peunateung — a reef slope reached by boat, calm enough for later training dives.
Once you hold your card, the island’s character sites are within reach with the right experience and a guide. Batee Tokong is a seamount that pulls in big fish and strong currents. The Canyon drops through dramatic rock formations. Arus Balee is named for its current (“arus”) and rewards you with schooling fish. These are the dives that make people come back to Pulau Weh year after year.
Best time to come
Pulau Weh is diveable year-round, but the best conditions run from roughly February or March through to November. December and January bring more rain and occasional rough seas, which can knock down visibility and make boat dives uncomfortable. Water temperature stays warm all year at around 28 to 30 degrees Celsius, so a 3mm shorty or full wetsuit is plenty. Visibility is typically 15 to 30 metres, often hitting 20 to 30 metres at the offshore sites on calm, dry-season days.
How to get to Pulau Weh
Fly into Banda Aceh, then take a taxi (20 to 30 minutes from the airport) to the Ulee Lheue ferry terminal on the coast. From there, the Express Bahari fast ferry crosses to Balohan harbour on Pulau Weh in about 45 to 60 minutes. There are usually two departures a day, commonly around 10:00 and 16:00. If you land in Banda Aceh before 08:00 you can catch the morning ferry; before 14:30 gets you the afternoon one. The slow car ferry covers the same route in about 1.5 to 2 hours. From Balohan, a local car to Gapang Beach or Iboih takes another 30 to 45 minutes. Full directions are in our how to get to Pulau Weh guide.
If your trip later takes you across Indonesia, the same skills you learn here transfer straight to a Komodo liveaboard dive charter, where manta rays and pristine walls await certified divers.
Book your PADI Open Water course
Prices start from USD 290 for the full 3 to 4 day course, all gear and certification included. Tell me your dates and how many divers, and I will confirm availability and answer any questions about fitness, medicals, or logistics. Chat on WhatsApp to lock in your course.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the PADI Open Water course on Pulau Weh?
The course costs from USD 290, which falls in the IDR 4.0 to 4.5 million band. The exact figure depends on the exchange rate and your group size, with solo students paying slightly more and groups of three or four paying less per person. The price includes eLearning, confined-water training, four open-water dives, full gear rental, boat fees, and your PADI certification.
How many days does it take?
Three to four days. Most students finish in three full days. If you complete the PADI eLearning theory online before arriving, you spend more of that time in the water. The schedule can stretch to four days if the sea is rough or you want extra practice on a skill.
What is the minimum age to learn to dive here?
The full PADI Open Water Diver certification is for ages 15 and up. Children aged 10 to 14 can take the Junior Open Water Diver course, which has shallower depth limits and requires supervision from a parent or PADI professional.
Do I need to be able to swim?
Yes. PADI requires you to swim 200 metres continuously (or 300 metres with mask, fins, and snorkel) and to float or tread water for 10 minutes. I assess this on the first day in the calm bay. Non-swimmers cannot be certified but can still join a guided fun dive or Discover Scuba session.
How deep can I dive after the course?
An adult PADI Open Water Diver is certified to a maximum depth of 18 metres (60 feet) with a buddy. This covers most of Pulau Weh’s reef dives. To go deeper and tackle the stronger current sites, the Advanced Open Water course is the next step.