Wah! nick is busyMAN but want student price. I don't think there is a student price for OWD certification. You can approach the dive shop in Church St. They can arrange for the dive course. It is quite expensive too, I think. Getting your theory and course in a pool in Penang first is not a bad idea. You won't be rushed through the course. The finals would most probably done in Pulau Payar as it is the nearest dive spot from Penang. Usually the price depends on the group, the more the cheaper.

haha, it's just a nickname, i'm stil student
btw which is better
all course striaght take at the pulau ?
or
theory course in penang , then just go pulau for finishing？

which is cheaper?

i were told that pulau payar visibility is bad , is it better to take the course at other island?
will the cost in pulau payar cheaper than other island?

Visibility in Pualau Payar is not that bad. Try to go ther during the 8th day or the 23rd day of the Chinese calendar when it is a time we called 'si lau'. It is the time when currents are the slowest. Off course the water is not as good as Redang's or Mabul but the fishes are great. When all this started theories are usually done in classes and first experience in swimming pools where it is safer and more controlled. Nowadays all this were done on-site to save time. Can one diver really absorb all in a span of 2 to 4 days for the theories and first dive? Just ask a few of your OW friends and ask them to calculate the dive table. Even that nowadays so many are equipped with dive computers.

It is your choice on where and how you want to proceed but in my days, the instructor makes the decision. The cheapest in the market that I have seen is about 1K in Tioman, all inclusive but to travel from Penang to Mersing is a headache. How much does dive operators charge in Penang? I do know that alot of dive instructors bring their students to Pulau Payar to finish their certification when the monsoon comes at the year's end.

RM850.00 per person for Open Water Course 4 Day 3 Night at Perhentian Island without meals,accommodation and boat transfer...1K bit expensive..

The 1K is inclusive of accomodation for 4D3N and meals but you have to make your way there. Actually it is RM1050 as said here,

QUOTE(halftothemax @ Apr 23 2011, 10:40 PM)
haa finally i'll be going with 3 more person (4 include me), hope it wont be too crowded My gf is onboard! (last minutes), she suddenly very interested to get OWD cert. She realised how much she would missed out if she cant follow me to dive (mayb she think i would leave her for diving trips,hoho).

BTW, i'll be taking the course from B&J dive centre at tioman island this coming May. Quite cheap i think (rm1050 per pax for full package 4D3N).

Hopefully i'll pass all the test to become OWD!

This post has been edited by etigge: May 2 2011, 10:36 AM

hmmm, right now i'm planning to take full OW course at pulau payar(langkawi dun have right?)
date - between 5 sept to 11 sept

just wanna take the cheapest package, include all the accomodation, transport from penang to pulau payar

of course i need a good instructor as well~

1 more thing to ask
which should i take for the OW ?
PADI or SSI ? what is the different between this 2 ?

This post has been edited by busyman: May 2 2011, 04:37 PM

i did my OWD at East Marine, Langkawi. cost me around 1.3k exclude accommodation, OWD manual. If im not mistake, they also has branch at Penang. Any inquiry u can email Jenny : jennycheah@eastmarine.com.my / 019-4793773.

Im also asked the same question to east marine, differences btwn PADI and SSI, here

"There is no difference between both certifications ....just the name ....like when you go to Oxford University or Cambridge University. The qualification is the same. You benefitted with SSI because you get one extra training dive (total 5 dives) compared to PADI which gives you only 4 training dives."


My instructors are Taro & Abg Oon, they good and patient instructor.

This post has been edited by ArisaAida: May 2 2011, 05:08 PM

then i guess i will take SSI ,
btw u mean u take the course at langkawi? or at pulau payar?

OWD manual compulsory to buy it?
i though SSI no need buy？

Here the detail :
SSI/PADI OPEN-WATER DIVER COURSE
4 DAYS COURSE @ RM 1300 per person (excludes Open-Water Diver Manual)
PADI Student Kit = RM 360 per set (mandatory)
SSI Student Kit = RM 160 per set (optional)

COURSE SCHEDULE, TRAINING SCHEDULE, DURATION
DAY 1 ACADEMIC TRAINING 5 – 6 HOURS

DAY 2 CONFINED WATER TRAINING MIN. 4 HOURS (based on student’s performance)

DAY 3 OPEN-WATER DIVE TRAINING DIVE 1: 30 – 40 mins
Lunch or Surface Interval 1 hour
DIVE 2: 30-40 mins
(2 training dives for PADI certification)
(3 training dives for SSI certification

DAY 4 OPEN-WATER DIVE TRAINING DIVE 1: 30 – 40 mins
Lunch or Surface Interval 1 hour
DIVE 2: 30-40 mins

ITEMS INCLUDED IN COURSE
REGISTRATION : Student C-Card
HOTEL TRANSFERS : Daily coach transfers Hotel/Training Centre/Hotel in Langkawi
BOAT TRANSFERS : Boat trip Langkawi to Pulau Payar Marine Park x 2 days (during open-water training)
MARINE PARK FEES : 2 days (during open-water training)
GOVERNMENT LEVY : 2 days (during open-water training)
INSURANCE : 2 days (during open-water training)
MEALS : Lunch on Day 3 & Day 4 only
EQUIPMENT : Use of scuba equipment during training


Day 1 and Day 2 --> at Langkawi Royal Yacht
Day 3 and Day 4 ---> at Pulau Payar

This post has been edited by ArisaAida: May 2 2011, 07:49 PM

look so familiar~
this is from east marine right?

RM1300, include transportation from penang to there? accomodation? meal ? boat transfer?

YES, it from east marine..I just copy paste the package that they have email to me when i did my OWD.

ITEMS INCLUDED IN COURSE
REGISTRATION : Student C-Card
HOTEL TRANSFERS : Daily coach transfers Hotel/Training Centre/Hotel in Langkawi
BOAT TRANSFERS : Boat trip Langkawi to Pulau Payar Marine Park x 2 days (during open-water training)
MARINE PARK FEES : 2 days (during open-water training)
GOVERNMENT LEVY : 2 days (during open-water training)
INSURANCE : 2 days (during open-water training)
MEALS : Lunch on Day 3 & Day 4 only
EQUIPMENT : Use of scuba equipment during training

others, EXCLUDE

This post has been edited by ArisaAida: May 2 2011, 09:19 PM

This friday i will go to tioman to finish my OW course will be there for 2 days

Hi all boss and taiko~ do u guy got any contact for taking padi open water @ tioman ~ include all.

do pm me the contact thx

I've recently bought the coupon from Groups More, Rm990 for PADI certification, and 3D 2N at Pulau Perhentian. Is that a good deal? Was reading through the thread, the PADI manual is compulsory to buy? I'm going under Flora Bay. Hope they're good.

Any need for my own equipment like own mask and stuff like that? or the rental's good enough?

This post has been edited by TAGreptiles: May 4 2011, 02:44 PM

I'm looking the same either.. =) hoping to go within this 2 months

i'm looking for pulau payar ~~ any recommendation?
the course provide by east marine is too expensive~

I doubt you will get the prices like those in Terengganu/Pahang Island.

Maybe you can find dive instructors from Penang and take your course from him. Take the theory in Penang and have your final dives in Pulau Payar. They do have boats that can do that from Penang. Last time the dive shop in Jalan Tanjong Tokong used to have a boat ( a Gulf Craft 32 footer that takes dive expeditions to P.Payar). I forgot what the outfit is called but I know the boss 's name is Jeffrey. I think it was Blue Marlin or something. If not contact the dive shop in Jalan Gereja and they can put you in touch with some instructors.

---

Added on May 5, 2011, 7:23 amThey do provide mask and snorkel. The snorkel is usually unused anyway in dives. The last time when I was still diving I like to have my own set of regulator and octopus. I think it is just me because I feel queesy about the mouth piece. I rather have a set on my own but you can't expect dive operators to change the mouth piece after every dive. The fins are also quite personal, therefore I had my own set with booties.

Those days, you can get BCDs at only RM600 at The China Emporium but Tusa's (which is my favourite) price is always maintained. Yah! those were the days when everything was still affordable.

This post has been edited by etigge: May 5 2011, 07:23 AM

I just comeback from tioman taking my OWD course, i stay in Salang Indah Resort, i take my course at Fisherman Dive Centre under DI Mazlan.

To learn, you don't have to get your own equipment first.
Scuba equipment isn't a cheap, you have to find out what type you like first before you go ahead and buy them. Different types have their own pro and cons.

East Marine is reputable 5 star dive center if not mistaken, they cater more to foreigners. It is more on the high priced side.

Diving at Langkawi is expensive, because of the boat ride to the island, I can't remember what island it is.