PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC)
Become a PADI Instructor in Taganga and inspire future divers worldwide. Build professional teaching skills while starting an exciting dive career abroad!
Note: PADI Instructor Examination and application fees are not included and are paid directly to PADI.
$ 9.000.000
Indicated price only applies to cash payments.
Important
Indicated price is our promotion price which only applies when paying in cash. For card payments, original price applies. To be eligible for the cash discount:
- Reserve your spot with a deposit online
- Upon arriving, pay with cash at the counter
VAT: Colombian residents +19% (not included in price). Foreign tourists are exempt. Cash discount available.
PADI 5 ★ IDC Resort
Professional teaching for all levels
6 languages
English, Spanish, German, Dutch, Italian & French
Small Groups
Personalised teaching with individual focus
Secure credit card payments with Bancolombia's Wompi
PADI IDC AT A GLANCE
| Duration | 20, 25 or 55 days | Certification | PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (after successful IE) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 15, 20 or 50 nights included, depending on package | Minimum age | 18 years |
| Prerequisite | PADI Divemaster or qualifying leadership-level certification | Required dives | 60 logged dives to start; 100 before the Instructor Examination |
| Ideal for | Divemasters ready to become professional PADI Instructors | Training | Pre-IDC preparation, IDC & Instructor Examination |
| Package options | IDC, IDC + MSDT Prep, or IDC + MSDT Prep + Team Teaching | Included extras | EFR Instructor & Enriched Air Nitrox Specialty Instructor training |
| Location | Taganga & Tayrona National Park in Santa Marta, Colombia | Free diving | Up to 7 days of fun diving before the IDC |
| PADI fees | Not included — paid separately to PADI |
Become a PADI Instructor.
Build a Career Doing What You Love.
Turn your passion for scuba diving into a career with the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) at Ocean Lovers Taganga.
Becoming a dive instructor is about much more than passing an exam. It’s about learning how to teach, communicate, manage students and confidently turn your diving knowledge into unforgettable experiences for others.
At Ocean Lovers Taganga, you’ll complete your instructor training in a real PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Dive Resort on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. You’ll train alongside experienced instructors, Divemasters and students while being immersed in the daily life of a working dive center.
Whether your goal is simply to become a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, add Specialty Instructor ratings, or gain real teaching experience before applying for your first job, you can choose the IDC pathway that fits your plans.
Choose Your IDC Package
Why Become a PADI Instructor with Ocean Lovers?
More Than an IDC
Our goal isn’t simply to get you through the Instructor Examination. We want you to leave Ocean Lovers prepared for the realities of working as a dive professional.
You’ll train in an active dive center where courses, fun dives, Divemaster training and daily operations happen around you. This gives your IDC a real-world environment from the beginning.
3-Day Pre-IDC Preparation
Before the official IDC begins, we include three preparation days to refresh important Divemaster-level knowledge and skills.
You’ll review areas such as dive physics, physiology, equipment, decompression theory, rescue skills and the Open Water skill circuit.
It gives you the opportunity to identify and strengthen any areas that need attention before the IDC begins.
Up to 7 Days of Free Fun Diving
Arrive early and enjoy up to one week of free fun diving with the Ocean Lovers team before your IDC.
Use the time to get comfortable in the water again, refresh your skills, meet the team and discover the dive sites around Taganga and Tayrona National Park before your professional training begins.
Learn, Dive & Stay in One Place
Ocean Lovers combines our PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Dive Resort and accommodation in the same property, just steps from the beach in Taganga.
Your shared accommodation during the program is included according to your selected package, allowing you to live, train and dive alongside other professionals and travelers throughout your stay.
Private-room upgrades may also be available at a discounted rate.
Training That Goes Beyond the Classroom
Your IDC combines PADI eLearning with instructor-led workshops and practical teaching sessions.
You’ll learn how to:
- Conduct PADI courses professionally
- Deliver effective knowledge-development presentations
- Demonstrate scuba skills clearly
- Teach in confined and open water
- Identify and correct student problems
- Manage students and groups
- Apply PADI standards and procedures
- Handle real-world teaching situations
- Develop the communication skills expected from a professional instructor
Most importantly, you’ll receive coaching and feedback throughout the process so you understand not only what to teach, but how to become a better teacher.
IDC Requirements
To begin your PADI Instructor Development Course in Colombia, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a PADI Divemaster or hold a qualifying leadership-level certification
- Have been a certified diver for at least 6 months
- Have at least 60 logged dives to begin the IDC
- Have at least 100 logged dives before attending the Instructor
Examination - Have completed EFR Primary and Secondary Care or qualifying CPR/First Aid training within the previous 24 months
- Have a medical statement signed by a physician within the previous 12 months
Not quite at 100 dives yet? Contact us before booking and
we can help you plan your diving before the Instructor Examination.
PADI Fees
Applicable
PADI Instructor Examination, professional application,
instructor-rating and other PADI fees
are separate unless specifically stated as included in your selected
package.
We’ll provide you with a clear breakdown of the applicable PADI fees
before your training so you know exactly what to expect.
Start Your Dive Instructor Career in Colombia
Your IDC is one of the biggest steps in your diving career—so choose somewhere that gives you more than a certification.
At Ocean Lovers Taganga, you’ll prepare thoroughly, train in a supportive international environment, dive the Caribbean coast of Colombia and learn inside a working PADI Instructor Development Dive
Resort.
Choose the pathway that matches your goals:
Come as a Divemaster. Leave ready for the next chapter of your diving career.
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PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC)
Become a PADI Instructor in Taganga and inspire future divers worldwide. Build professional teaching skills while starting an exciting dive career abroad!
Note: PADI Instructor Examination and application fees are not included and are paid directly to PADI.
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