PADI Open Water Diver Course in Malta – St George’s Bay (St Julian’s)

If scuba diving has ever appealed to you, this is the one – the PADI Open Water Diver course is the world’s most recognised scuba certification, and Starfish Diving is perfectly placed to make it easy.

We’re based in St George’s Bay, St Julian’s – right by the main hotel area – so you can learn to dive in Malta without spending your holiday commuting all over the island. The water is warm, visibility is usually excellent, and the training is structured, supportive, and genuinely good fun.

Quick highlights

• Learn to dive with the world’s most recognised certification
• Train with enthusiastic, experienced instructors
• Sea sessions run right outside our dive centre in St George’s Bay
• Ideal for beginners staying in St Julian’s / Paceville / Sliema

What you’ll do on the course

The PADI Open Water course is a mix of:

• Knowledge development (via eLearning)
• Skill sessions (learning core scuba skills step-by-step)
• Open water dives (real diving in Malta’s sea)

Everything builds logically – you’ll never be thrown in the deep end (unless it’s on purpose and you’re ready for it).

What you can do after you’re certified

After completing the course, you’ll be qualified to:

• Dive to 18 metres
• Dive with a buddy independently*
• Join fun dives and continue training worldwide

* Local note: Maltese diving regulations require Advanced Open Water to dive independently in Malta without a dive centre. We’ll explain exactly how it works locally during your course so there are no surprises.

Course duration

Most divers complete the course in 3–4 days, depending on:

• Your schedule
• Weather/sea conditions
• How you progress through skills (we keep it relaxed but standards-based)

Requirements

To join:

• Minimum age 15
  • Ages 10–14 can take the PADI Junior Open Water course
• Comfortable in water (you don’t need to be an athlete)
• Swim 200m continuously (any stroke, no time limit)
• Float or tread water for 10 minutes

What’s included

• Essential equipment hire
• Instructor fees
• Land transport to dive sites (when required)
• PADI certification processing
• DAN insurance

What to bring

• Swimsuit
• Towel
• Water
• A change of dry clothes

Quick heads-up – if we drive to sites, no wet clothes in vehicles, so dry kit makes life smoother.

Learning materials

PADI Open Water Diver eLearning (not included in the course price – please see the options above)

When you sign up, we’ll email you a code so you can start immediately.

Want to see more of Malta underwater?

If you’re already here for a week and you want the full “Malta diver” experience, consider doing:

PADI Open Water + Advanced Open Water together

You’ll get a significant discount and a much wider range of dive sites around the islands.

Book your PADI Open Water Course

Contact the Centre Today

FAQs