REVIEW · LANZAROTE
Open Water Diver Course in Lanzarote
Book on Viator →Operated by Scuba Legends Dive Center Lanzarote · Bookable on Viator
Ready for your first official underwater skills? This 3-day PADI Open Water Diver certification in Lanzarote mixes eLearning, shallow-water practice, and Atlantic open-water sessions near Playa Chica.
I like that you get small-group coaching (up to four people), which means less waiting and more hands-on feedback. I also like that the course handles the hard part up front: scuba equipment is provided, so you don’t scramble for rentals before you even start.
One consideration: your schedule depends on conditions in the Atlantic, so you’ll want a little flexibility if weather forces changes.
In This Review
- Key Things That Make This Course Worth Your Time
- PADI Open Water Diver in Lanzarote: Why This 3-Day Setup Works
- Your Prep Work: PADI eLearning and the Knowledge Development Step
- Confined Water Sessions at Playa Chica: Skill Building Without Panic
- Four Atlantic Open-Water Training Sessions to 18 Metres
- What You’ll See Underwater: Lanzarote Marine Life (Plus Wreck Mentions)
- Instructor Quality and Small-Group Attention: Raúl, Elva, Igor, and More
- Equipment and What’s Included: Less Stress Before Day One
- Price and Value: What $566 Really Covers
- Practical Considerations: Weather, Fitness, and Timing Your Flight
- Who Should Book This Course (and Who Might Reconsider)
- Should You Book? My Call
- FAQ
- How long is the Open Water Diver course in Lanzarote?
- What’s the meeting time and where do we meet?
- Does the course provide scuba equipment?
- Do I need to do PADI eLearning before the course starts?
- What is the maximum depth during training?
- What’s the minimum age, and do I need to be a good swimmer?
- Can I fly soon after the course?
Key Things That Make This Course Worth Your Time
- Max 4 students keeps your instructor’s attention tight and practical
- Equipment included means you arrive ready, not stressed about gear
- PADI eLearning first sets you up with the safety basics before any water work
- Shallow-water skill practice helps you build confidence in a controlled way
- Four Atlantic open-water sessions take you to a maximum of 18 metres
- DAN insurance included, a helpful extra for first-time scuba students
PADI Open Water Diver in Lanzarote: Why This 3-Day Setup Works
If you’re new to scuba, the biggest fear is not the ocean. It’s the unknown. This course reduces that by structuring everything in stages: study, shallow skill-building, then open-water time. You start with the rules and procedures on land, then you prove them in the water.
Lanzarote is a great choice for this kind of “learn the basics for real” course because the focus stays on progression, not on performance. You’ll practice what you need to stay calm, move efficiently, and follow buddy-based safety habits.
The course also stays human-sized. With a maximum of four people, you’re not one face in a crowd. You can expect more direct correction, more chances to ask questions, and less time watching from the edge.
If you're still narrowing it down, here are other tours in Lanzarote we've reviewed.
Your Prep Work: PADI eLearning and the Knowledge Development Step
Before you get wet, you do the Knowledge Development part through PADI eLearning. The estimate is 6 to 8 hours of independent study, broken into five chapters, plus a final exam. It’s not just busywork; it’s where you learn the safety standards you’ll use later.
If you’ve never taken scuba training before, this step matters because it gives you mental structure. You’re not in the ocean trying to guess what everything is for. You’ll already know the basics around buoyancy, breathing control, and safety procedures that you’ll practice during confined water sessions.
One practical note: the course offers discounted access to eLearning through them for €100 instead of the original €216. If you’re counting costs, this is a real line-item to factor into your budget.
Confined Water Sessions at Playa Chica: Skill Building Without Panic
Your training includes confined water sessions, where you learn and master required scuba skills in shallow water. This is the part that separates nervous first-timers from confident open-water students.
You should expect repeated practice of fundamentals until they feel automatic. That usually means you’ll work on buoyancy control, basic equipment handling, and the kind of calm, methodical movements that keep you comfortable. It’s not about doing fancy stuff. It’s about building a repeatable routine.
The location choice also helps. Playa Chica is the anchor point for the experience, and it’s a place where students can learn without the stress of deep exposure. You’ll still be in the Atlantic environment, but the skill work happens where you can recover your confidence quickly.
Four Atlantic Open-Water Training Sessions to 18 Metres
After you complete the shallow-water practice, you move into four open-water sessions. This is where you apply the skills you studied and practiced, while exploring the underwater world.
The course trains you to dive with a certified buddy to a maximum depth of 18 metres. That depth limit is important. It keeps the training within the beginner range and supports safe progression. You’re not being pushed into extremes right away—you’re learning how to operate at a realistic entry level.
Each open-water session is a chance to build comfort with the full scuba routine: descent, breathing control, buoyancy, situational awareness, and surfacing procedures. For many first-timers, the confidence boost comes from repetition. Once your movements feel familiar, the ocean stops being scary and starts being interesting.
What You’ll See Underwater: Lanzarote Marine Life (Plus Wreck Mentions)
This area is known for wildlife that’s hard to forget, even for people who thought they’d see only boring fish. Multiple students connected their open-water experience with serious marine life sightings around Playa Chica.
Reported encounters include creatures like seahorses, stingrays, nudibranchs, starfish, trumpet fish, cuttlefish, and angel sharks. You may also see angel sharks and other larger life depending on conditions. Some students also mention visibility that feels better than expected, which can make early scuba training feel easier because you can read your surroundings.
You’ll also want to keep an open mind about the “bonus” possibilities. Other course experiences with Scuba Legends mention wrecks and a range of rays and sharks. Your open-water course may not promise specific targets, but it’s fair to say the Lanzarote seabed can deliver excitement.
Instructor Quality and Small-Group Attention: Raúl, Elva, Igor, and More
In a first-course setting, the instructor isn’t a detail. It’s the whole experience. And here, the pattern in the feedback is clear: instructors are patient, calm, and focused on safety without killing the fun.
Raúl gets repeated praise for being professional and attentive, with a teaching style that helped students feel safe and supported. Several students specifically mention that he’s patient and clear, and that he creates confidence before going underwater.
Elva also shows up in the reviews as someone who can calm stressed beginners and keep training enjoyable. Igor is described as making people feel safe both on the surface and underwater, with the skills and confidence to keep you steady. Other names you may meet include Adrian, Adri, Chantal/Chantel, Grace, Tanya, and Elva again—so you likely won’t feel left with a random instructor and no continuity.
The strongest theme is simple: you’re not thrown in. Your instructor checks that you understand, answers in plain terms, and helps you build the right response patterns in the water. That’s what you want from an entry-level course.
Equipment and What’s Included: Less Stress Before Day One
One of the biggest value points is that scuba equipment is provided. For many first-time students, gear rental is a hidden hassle: sizing, missing pieces, and last-minute uncertainty.
Here, you’re set up so you can focus on learning. That means less time hunting for rentals and more time getting comfortable with your kit with proper guidance before it matters.
The course also includes refreshments and a small snack during the experience. It’s a small detail, but it helps on early mornings when you’re preparing your body for learning and physical effort.
You’ll also get DAN insurance included. That’s not a guarantee that everything goes perfectly, but it’s a comfort factor when you’re doing your first scuba training.
Price and Value: What $566 Really Covers
$566 per person isn’t cheap, but it also isn’t just a ticket to a random outing. You’re paying for a structured PADI pathway, instructor time, equipment, and insurance, plus the training progression that takes you from classroom prep into controlled skills practice and real open-water application.
Here’s where the value starts to add up for first-timers:
- PADI certification path: knowledge sessions, skill training, and required open-water sessions
- Gear included: you avoid rental costs and the stress of mismatched equipment
- Small groups: up to four students means instructor attention isn’t spread thin
- DAN insurance included: a meaningful extra for peace of mind
- Discounted PADI eLearning option: €100 through the provider versus €216 normally
If you were planning to piece things together yourself, the combined costs often get messy fast. This package is the cleaner route, especially if you’re doing your first course and want fewer variables.
Practical Considerations: Weather, Fitness, and Timing Your Flight
Scuba training is weather-dependent, so the course includes a weather contingency. If conditions are poor, you’ll be offered an alternative date or a full refund. That’s the key thing to remember: you’re learning in the ocean, so you’re also living with the ocean’s mood.
You also need to be medically fit for scuba. You’ll complete a health questionnaire prior to diving, and certain conditions (like asthma or heart problems, based on what’s listed) may prevent you from diving. If you have any medical concerns, check early rather than hoping training day will work out.
You should also be a confident swimmer and fit to dive, and the minimum age is 10 years. The course is designed for people 10+ who can handle the physical side of being underwater and learning safe procedures.
One timing detail matters if you travel by plane: flying within 12 to 18 hours after your underwater sessions is not recommended. If your schedule is tight, plan a buffer day so your body has time to settle.
Meeting point-wise, you start at 8:15 am at C. Bajamar, 2, 35510 Tías, Las Palmas, Spain, and the activity ends back at the meeting point. The location is also described as near public transportation, which helps if you’re not driving.
Who Should Book This Course (and Who Might Reconsider)
Book this if you want a true entry-level scuba credential with a structured learning path and a higher-touch teaching approach. If you like the idea of getting taught in stages—study first, shallow skill work second, then open-water sessions—this course fits that mindset.
It also suits people who want better odds of comfort in the water. Multiple instructors are praised for keeping students calm, safe, and confident before and during training. That’s especially helpful if you’re anxious about the first time you put on gear and go underwater.
Consider other options if you know you won’t be able to handle schedule changes due to weather, or if you suspect medical issues might block participation. The health questionnaire step is non-negotiable, and you don’t want to arrive only to be told you can’t proceed.
Should You Book? My Call
I’d book this course if you want a beginner program that takes safety and skill progression seriously without turning learning into a dry checklist. The small group size, gear included, and consistent praise for instructor patience are the big reasons it looks like strong value.
It’s also a smart choice in Lanzarote if your goal is to learn with real underwater conditions and then continue exploring afterward. If you’re thinking, I can do this, then this course gives you a clear path—and instructors who seem built for first-timers.
FAQ
How long is the Open Water Diver course in Lanzarote?
It runs for about 3 days.
What’s the meeting time and where do we meet?
The start time is 8:15 am at C. Bajamar, 2, 35510 Tías, Las Palmas, Spain. The experience ends back at the meeting point.
Does the course provide scuba equipment?
Yes. Dive/scuba equipment is included, so you don’t need to source your own gear.
Do I need to do PADI eLearning before the course starts?
Yes. You complete PADI eLearning (estimated 6 to 8 hours) covering five chapters and a final exam before the course begins.
What is the maximum depth during training?
You’ll be trained to a maximum depth of 18 metres, with diving done alongside a certified buddy.
What’s the minimum age, and do I need to be a good swimmer?
Minimum age is 10 years, and you should be a comfortable swimmer and fit to dive. You’ll also need to be medically fit for scuba and complete a health questionnaire.
Can I fly soon after the course?
Flying within 12 to 18 hours after your underwater sessions is not recommended.
