Pro Dive Cairns 5 Day Learn to Dive Course (2 Days Classroom + 3 Day/2Night Liveaboard)

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A five-day PADI Open Water course: two days of pool and classroom training in Cairns, then three days and two nights on an outer Great Barrier Reef liveaboard to become a certified diver.

Days

5 days, 2 nights on board

Age

10 and over

Group size

Small group, max 18

Start / finish

Cairns / Cairns

Return

See itinerary for details

Accommodation

2 nights on a liveaboard dive boat, in air-conditioned twin or double cabins

Transport

Transfers from Cairns city accommodation
Liveaboard dive boat to the outer reef

Meals

All meals on board, buffet style, with tea and coffee

Route

Map of Pro Dive Cairns 5 Day Learn to Dive Course (2 Days Classroom + 3 Day/2Night Liveaboard)

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Included experiences

Cairns — 2 days of pool and classroom training
Outer Great Barrier Reef — 4 training dives
Flynn, Thetford, Milln and Pellowe Reefs — 5 recreational dives
Night dive with your instructor
PADI Open Water certification

Pro Dive Cairns 5 Day Learn to Dive Course (2 Days Classroom + 3 Day/2Night Liveaboard)

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Itinerary

Map

DAY 1: CLASSROOM AND POOL IN CAIRNS

Your course starts with an early pick-up from your Cairns city hotel to the Pro Dive Cairns training centre at 116 Spence Street, in the middle of town. The morning is in an air-conditioned classroom learning how pressure, air and your body behave underwater. Lunch is your own, in the cafés nearby. In the afternoon you get into the training centre's heated pools, four metres deep, and take your first breaths underwater with your instructor, the same one who will take you all the way to certification. You're back at your hotel by early evening.

Overnight: Cairns

DAY 2: POOL SKILLS AND THE EXAM

A second day in Cairns builds on the first. After an equipment briefing you spend the morning in the pool practising the skills you'll use on the reef: clearing your mask, sharing air, and floating still in mid-water. After lunch you're fitted for your reef gear at the Pro Dive shop on Shields and Grafton Streets, then sit the last theory session and the exam. You're dropped back at your hotel in the evening. Pack tonight, because tomorrow's pick-up is around 6am.

Overnight: Cairns

DAY 3: CAIRNS TO THE OUTER REEF

Pick-up from your Cairns city hotel is around 6am, check-in is at the Pro Dive shop on Grafton and Shields Streets, and the boat leaves Cairns at 7am with a light breakfast on board. The run out takes about four hours. The Great Barrier Reef stretches some 2,300 km down the Queensland coast, World Heritage-listed since 1981. You make your first two open water training dives with your instructor, in the late morning and mid-afternoon, then there's time to snorkel before dinner. After dark you watch the certified divers head off on their night dive. Rest well.

Overnight: On board the liveaboard, on the outer reef

DAY 4: CERTIFIED ON THE REEF

Your third training dive comes before breakfast and the fourth late in the morning. Pass it and you're a certified PADI Open Water diver. The afternoon dive is your first as a qualified diver, and after dinner comes a guided night dive with your instructor. After dark the reef changes shift. Parrotfish sleep wrapped in a bubble of their own mucus, turtles doze under ledges, and painted lobsters and reef crabs come out to feed. Milln Reef in particular is a favourite for night dives.

Overnight: On board the liveaboard, on the outer reef

THE REEFS: FLYNN, MILLN, THETFORD AND PELLOWE

Where you dive is the skipper's call, made each day from 19 sites on four reefs to suit the weather, tides and currents. Flynn Reef is a maze of walls, overhangs and swim-throughs, with sites such as Gordon's Mooring and Coral Gardens. Milln Reef has the Swimming Pools, where schools of diagonal-banded sweetlips hang in the current, and Whale Bommie, which drops past 20 metres. Thetford Reef is known for its bommies and giant clams, which can grow past a metre across and live for over a century. Small Pellowe Reef sits near the edge of the continental shelf, so chevron barracuda and big open-water fish turn up more often there.

DAY 5: SUNRISE DIVE AND BACK TO CAIRNS

A sunrise dive starts the last day, then breakfast and two more dives, with the final one finished by about midday. After lunch the boat heads back to Cairns, a town that began in 1876 as a port for the goldfields inland, and you're dropped at your city hotel around 4pm. If you want one more evening with the people you've dived with, there's an optional farewell dinner at a local restaurant, for an extra cost.

Map

Good to know

Meeting point: Pro Dive Cairns, 116 Spence Street, Cairns.
Minimum age: 10. There is no maximum age.
Swimming: You need to be able to swim 200 metres or snorkel 300 metres, and tread water or float for 10 minutes.
Dive medical: Before the course you complete a Student Diver Medical Declaration. A yes to any question means you need a dive medical certificate from a doctor first, at your own cost. Both must be done within 90 days of the course starting.
Flying: Don't fly within 24 hours of diving — the earliest is midday on the day after the course ends.
Dietary needs: A limited range of dietary needs can be catered for; tell us when you book.

What to bring

Overnight bag with comfortable clothes and toiletries
Towel and swimwear
Sunscreen and hat
Snacks that don't need refrigeration, if you are gluten intolerant or vegan
Your own drink bottle — filtered chilled water is on board, no bottled water

What is included

9 dives — 4 training dives and 5 recreational dives, including one night dive
PADI Open Water certification
PADI Open Water manual and dive log book
2 passport photos
All dive and snorkel equipment, including dive computer, wetsuit and torch
Corrective lens mask if needed
Dive insurance
Transfers from Cairns city accommodation
Accommodation, bed linen and meals on board
Buffet-style meals, with unlimited tea, coffee and Milo

Not included

Environmental Management Charge, paid at check-in ($95 until 31 March 2026, $100 from 1 April 2026)
Fuel surcharge of $25 per person, paid at check-in
Underwater camera hire
Pick-up from the Northern Beaches (extra cost)
Soft drinks, juice and chocolate bars on board

FAQ

Preparing for the trip

Do I need travel insurance?

Insurance is important in protecting visitors from loss or damange of goods, medical problems, cancelation by passengers or other casualties. Its highly recommended. Some tours on this website require you to have travel insurance. If you are Australian then it is not necessary.

Where can I get more information about this trip?

If you find that this tour page doesn't answer all your questions, then please get in contact with us! Our passionate team are always available to answer any queries you may have.

What immunisations do I need?

For the latest information on immunisations, we strongly recommend you or contact the Travellers Medical and Vaccination Centre (www.traveldoctor.com.au) to discuss health requirements for your trip. They will advise you about appropriate inoculations.

Do I need to take any medical supplies?

It is not necessary to bring any medical supplies other than any personal items you may require. Each tour carries a first aid box, and the tour guides are all certified in First Aid.

Will I be able to use my mobile whilst on tour?

You can use your mobile while touring in Australia or New Zealand, but coverage may be limited in remote areas. For best connectivity, consider purchasing a local SIM card or an international roaming plan.

How fit do I need to be?

These tours are designed to be fun, informative and active, and can be enjoyed by anyone with a moderate degree of fitness and agility. Travellers should be comfortable with hiking or walking up to 5km each day.

What should I pack?

Depending on where in Australia or New Zealand you decide to visit, your luggage will vary. For exact information please visit the "What to bring" section of each tour page.

Private tours and families

Is it possible to travel in a private group?

If you are looking for a private tour based on one of these trips, please contact us directly and we may be able to help. Over the years we have worked with families, groups of friends, schools, clubs and charities to put together the perfect trip.

Booking the trip

How far in advance do I need to book my tour?

As a rule of thumb, try to book at least 2 weeks prior to departure, this will usually get you a seat on the date you want. That being said, we cannot guarantee that spaces will be available at the time of your booking so, if you can, book as soon as possible. Bookings can still be made right up until the departure date of the tour if seats are available. If you know when you'd like to travel, please contact us and we will let you know if you need to book soon or if you have time.

Do I have to book this tour online?

Definitely not. Our website is designed to make is easy and convenient for you to schedule your tour. However we understand sometimes its nice to talk to someone directly. So by all means give us a call and we can organise your trip over the phone.

If I book more than one tour can I get a discount?

Absolutely! If you are booking multiple tours then we may be able to offer you a discount. Send us an email at info@lostinaustralia.org and let us know what you thinking of doing and we can put together a price for you.Also, be sure to look out for monthly specials on tours. We often have some great bargains.

Does the tour price include flights?

No. Tour prices do not include any travel arrangements other than for the duration of the tour itself. If you need assistance with booking flights or buses our travel team and certainly help - Just ask!

How do I know when a tour is available?

You can check the departure dates of tours by using our calendar on the top right hand corner of the tour page. This will tell you what days the tour departs. For availability of seats please contact us directly at info@lostinaustralia.org or call us.

If I make a deposit only, when will I need to pay the balance?

Balance on tours need to be paid at least 30 days prior to departure. Failure to do so could result is the cancellation of your seat with a fee charged. If you need more time to clear your balance then let us know ASAP and arrangements can be made.

Who travels with us

Is it ok to travel alone on one of these tours?

Plenty of travellers book these tours on their own. Solo travellers are very much welcomed and encouraged. During your outback adventure you'll meet new and interesting people and forge relationships that last a lifetime.Solo travellers will usually share a room with a travelling companion of the same sex, but even if you do get your own room you won't be charged extra. On camping tours there are generally enough tents available that you can have your own if you choose to.For more information please contact us directly.

Cost and Fees

Do I need to tip the guide?

If you had an amazing time on tour and wish to tip your guide, that is completely up to you. Tipping is not customary in Australia and is not at all expected.

Will I need additional money?

Travellers are advised to bring some cash, as ATMs and banks can be few and far between in the remote parts of the trip. It is handy to have some extra cash, as the tour does stop by local shops and cafes.

Are there any hidden fees I need to know about?

Our tour prices are completely transparent. There are no additional fees involved that are not included in the overall tour price shown. If you wish to do optional activities such as helicopter rides or wildlife safaris, then an extra cost may be needed. However, this will always be made clear at the time of your booking.

What does Paid Locally mean?

Some tours require you to pay national park fees directly, in cash, to the tour guide on the morning of departure. Rest assured this will be subtracted from the tour price when reserving your tour.

Whilst on tour

Can I book extra accommodation for the start and end of the tour?

We know our country inside and out and would be happy to give you good recommodations. Please contact us for recommendations.

Where do I meet the tour?

For pick-up times and locations, please check the "Start/Finish" section directly under the itinerary, which lists every pick-up point and its time.There is a lot of information there to help you plan your flights and arrival.Please review it carefully, as pick-ups can vary from tour to tour.

Reviews

5.0

Based on 4 reviews

Verified from

Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.

How we collect and publish reviews

Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour. Some longer trips are made up of shorter tours we also sell, run back to back — where a review was written about one of those legs, the review says so.

Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.

Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.

(5/5)

I did the five-day open water course with three days on the liveaboard and it was magical. Emma was a phenomenal instructor, the dive guides were great, chef Ana catered for lots of dietary needs, and Captain Layton kept us laughing and safe in rough weather.

Kathryn Holtkamp Verified· Travelled 29th July 2026

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(5/5)

My 10-year-old daughter Zoe did the five-day open water course and the staff were amazing from reception to the boat. Lucy was an awesome teacher, skipper Sotoshi ran things perfectly and dive supervisor Mick helped Zoe out of the water. She got to see turtles, clownfish and a reef shark and loved it.

Marta Verified· Travelled 24th July 2023

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(5/5)

I'd always wanted to dive the Great Barrier Reef, and the instructors were always there to help. The classroom and pool sessions get you ready, then the three days and two nights on the boat were just dive, eat and sleep, with good food and amazing diving. So worth it.

Tracey Verified· Travelled 15th December 2013

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(5/5)

They picked us up for training, and the instructors were experienced and knew the reef well. Out on the reef we saw turtles, clownfish, rays, eels and harmless sharks, and once certified we did a night dive too. The food was good and plentiful, and I enjoyed it so much I've booked three more days and my advanced course.

Anonymous Verified· Travelled 3rd September 2012

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