Crystal blue water, white sandy beaches, ocean thriving with life, sun and temperatures of 30 C (86 F) the whole year round. Doesn’t it sound like paradise? Add some mantas, whale sharks and dolphins, and you have a genuine picture of Maldives.
After the COVID pandemic started, many dive centers around the world closed up or focused on local diving. Plenty of divers suspended their dreams of becoming dive professionals, PADI Divemasters and PADI Instructors, thinking that in those days everything is closed or that they won’t get a job after completing PADI dive pro training. The good news is that’s not actually the whole picture.
If you dream about coral reefs, diving in a short wetsuit or even just rush guard, teaching scuba diving and introducing turtles, sharks and mantas to your students, Maldives is a perfect place. Plus, it’s the country is currently open to tourists.
Here are 7 reasons Maldives is a fantastic place to become a PADI Instructor.
1. The Diving is Spectacular
There is no doubt that Maldives is one of the top diving destinations in the world. Every diver dreams about diving among beautiful, colorful reefs in the Indian Ocean at least once in their life.
During any given dive, you won’t know where to look as there might be a school of 6 eagle rays passing above your head while at the same time 8 black and white tip reef sharks are swimming just below you (true story from my last dive). You might be passing my manta cleaning station or be lucky enough to spot an oceanic manta on a channel dive. How amazing it would be to swim with a whale shark in Ari Atoll and show it to your student? That’s not to mention the pelagic big fish, like tunas. Turtles, sting rays, mantis shrimp, eels, and way more can be spotted at most of the dive sites. You will basically feel like you are in an aquarium swimming into schools of fish.
With strong current in channels come big fish. Imagine watching a show of sharks, snappers, jacks, groupers while becoming a PADI Instructor in the Maldives!
2. Surface Interval with a Coconut
Don’t white sandy beaches surrounded by palm trees sound good for surface interval or a pleasant environment to study dive theory? Instead of just reading about tides, currents and waves, you will be actually observing and experiencing them while diving. And, the closest dive site from your classroom will be a 5-minute walk away.
Forget about warm clothes, just pack your flip-flops, t-shirts and shorts. Year-round temperatures oscillate between 28-30 C (82-86 F).
3. Train with the Best PADI Course Directors
The PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) is not an Open Water Diver course, where many divers just walk into a random dive shop and spend 3 days doing a course. While deciding on a dive career, it’s important to do some research and be trained by the best crew. Maldives offers 3 stationary PADI Course Directors and a few coming in regularly. Some of them are regularly given Gold and Platinum training awards by PADI.
4. Learn from the Best
Who can teach you about Maldives and local dive sites better than local dive masters? You will get to know and become friends with many of them. Some of them will be your fellow PADI Instructor candidates, who you will meet during your IDC.
5. Choice of Accommodation
You can choose to either spend 2 weeks in a Maldivian resort or on a local island.
Resorts will offer you a high standard of accommodation, delicious food from the hotel restaurant and a bar with drinks at any time in the evening to relax after whole day in the water or classroom.
For those with lower budget, local islands are a perfect choice. You will have a chance to submerge yourself in local culture, cuisine and life in the Maldives.
6. Job Opportunities
Another benefit of becoming a PADI Instructor in Maldives is having a better understanding of local diving and higher chances of getting a job in paradise. As Maldives is currently accepting many tourists from all around the world, instructor jobs at resorts are in high. Most employers provide free accommodation, food, a work permit and a competitive salary.
I’m currently on my second contract in Maldives, and never in my life have I lived in a place where I would literally walk 3 min from my bed to the coral reef.
7. Marine Scientists’ Paradise
The Maldives is also a great place for PADI Pros who have a marine science background. Many resorts hire marine biologists to run their marine projects, which may include (but are not limited to): coral restoration, beach and reef cleanups, marine talks to the resort guests, data collection, and educational projects for kids.
Not a PADI Divemaster Yet?
Maldives is not only for dive instructors. You can find many dive centers in Male or on local islands where you can train to become PADI Divemaster and proceed in your career towards being a dive instructor.
Difficult times don’t mean you can’t dive or get your dream job. Maldives should be your next destination. It’s safe and open for tourists nowadays, and the Ministry of Health has introduced safety recommendations for tourists, locals and resort staff.
You can read more about safety and COVID-19 regulations here.
If that didn’t encourage you to come to Maldives to start your dive career here, then I don’t know what would.
See you in Maldives. Happy bubbles!
Written by Martyna Skura, PADI AmbassaDiver
Born and raised in Poland, Martyna has spent the last ten years traveling and working overseas in more than 8 countries – with just 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of luggage. She’s now living in the Maldives and is working towards becoming a PADI Master Scuba Instructor. She creates content for her YouTube channel, social media channels, and recently published a book about her adventures around the world, above and below the surface.
