*Including
FREE
3 INSTRUCTOR
SPECIALTIES
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
EFR INSTRUCTOR & MSDT
PADI IDC in Costa Rica
Rated as one of the best in Central America our PADI Career Development Program has been the starting point for hundreds of dive professionals from around the world for over 20 years !
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Included with our IDC:
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14 Training days
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EFR Instructor Course
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3 Instructor specialties
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FREE Enriched Air Instructor
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FREE PADI Shark AWARE Specialty Instructor
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FREE Oxygen Provider Specialty Instructor
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Discount on shop retail
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FREE T-shirt
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DIVE for LIFE Membership
IDC & IE Dates
All Instructor candidates are taught by our PADI Platinum Course Director and then evaluated by external examiners from PADI at a formal Instructor Examination.
Here in Costa Rica, we offer 5 Instructor Development Courses (IDC) per year. The dates of these IDCs coincide with the dates of the PADI Instructor Examination (IE).
Additional dates can be offered if there is enough interest, please contact us for more details. You find our prices HERE.
IDC Schedule 2024
IDC COURSE : FEB 7 & IE : FEB 22 / 23
IDC COURSE : APR 11 & IE : APR 25 / 26
IDC COURSE : JUN 13 & IE : JUN 28 / 29
IDC COURSE : AUG 29 & IE : SEP 12 / 13
IDC COURSE : NOV 22 & IE : DEC 7 / 8
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Why Rich Coast Diving ?Rich Coast Diving will help you begin your Dream Career as a PADI Professional. Our PRO Courses have been the starting point for hundreds of professionals from around the world. Rich Coast Diving takes pride in the quality and the professionalism of our teaching methods. But also the fun during our courses. Read testimonials of those who have been here recently.
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How do I get There ?Rich Coast Diving is located in the small town of Playas del Coco. You can either fly to the capital of Costa Rica named San Jose (SJO Int'l Airport) and take a shuttle bus to Playas del Coco (5 hours). We can recommend the Interbus shuttle company. For bookings go to www.interbusonline.com Or you can fly to Liberia (Daniel Oduber Int'l Airport) which is less then 40 min from Playas del Coco and from this airport we can arrange your pickup ($50 USD one way).
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AccomodationFor our PRO Candidates we have several accomodation options. Contact us for prices and availability.
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What do I need to Bring ?We highly recommend that you bring your own equipment. If you do not own your own set of equipment yet, you can buy your personal set at our dive shop at a discounted rate or rent it (for divemaster internship only). As a future PADI professional the following items are mandatory and you cannot start you course without them ! We do sell all items with a 20% discount for our PRO participants if you can not bring them from your home country. As per Instructor Manual you need a dive computer, DSMB, compass, knife / divers tool, sound device (wisle).
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What is the best time of the Year ?Our location offers excellent year-round diving opportunities. Visibility changes from day to day so there is no better or worse season for visibility. Water temperature ranges from 23 – 28 Celsius throughout the year so a 3 - 5mm wetsuit is sufficient to keep you comfortably warm under water. Most dive sites are only 10 minutes away and accessible all year. In Costa Rica the seasons are divided between the rainy season (which runs from May to October) and the dry season (which runs November to April). But these seasons do not affect our diving conditions. So any time of the year is great to do your PRO course.
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What is your cancellation policyYou may cancel your reservation by written confirmation to info@richcoastdiving.com up to 14 days before the start of your PRO course and you will receive a full refund. But in case of cancellation with notification within 14 days prior to arrival, your deposit will not be fully refunded (50% of your activities and 100% of the accommodation). Ofcourse we do understand that unexpected circumstances may happen and we can reschedule your course for free up to 14 days before the starting date. However payments made for accommodation reservations will not be refunded.
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Course Price & PADI / EFR FeesBecoming a PADI Pro is not cheap but definitely worth it and we want to make sure that you can plan your budget accordingly by understanding all the costs and fees. You find an overview of the prices and fees on our price list. Do not hesitate to contact us for any questions or concerns you have regarding the costs of the PRO Courses and additional PADI and EFR fees. In short: ​ First there is the cost of the course for the training we provide you to become a PADI Professional. The cost of the course will be paid directly to Rich Coast Diving. Besides the cost of the course there are additional "PADI fees" which will be paid by credit card at the end of the training directly to PADI. As a PADI professional you will have to pay PADI initially to apply to become a member, as well as pay annual membership fees to retain your teaching status with them. ​ For the IDC candidates there are the EFR instructor fees and EFR annual fees. ​ Since PADI and EFR fees change annually please contact us for the latest update on fees.
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How do I pay ?We are flexible and offer different payment options for you comfort. Please contact us for the details. Please note that bank and transfer fees are to be paid by the customer. On arrival you can settle your final payments by credit card or payment in cash (USD/EUR/CRC).
Don't Miss Out on a Career of a Lifetime
After the IDC - Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT)
When you successfully complete the IDC, the next step is to become a Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT).
Most IDC graduates do the MSDT preparation directly after completing the IDC as it only takes 2 days extra.
We include 3 free Instructor Specialties with your IDC (PADI Shark AWARE, Enriched Air and Oxygen Provider).
That means you only need 2 extra Instructor Specialties to be able to apply for the MSDT rating.
If you book the MSDT as add-on to the IDC, you can choose 2 additional specialties from the following options:
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Deep + Fish ID or Dive against Debris, Underwater Navigation.
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Search & Recovery + Fish ID or Dive against Debris or Underwater Navigation
The PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer rating sets you apart as a dive instructor who takes continuing education seriously and is committed to teaching a variety of courses. Which makes you more valuable in the job market.
After you complete the IDC, IE and MSDT you will be a certified instructor able to teach 5 PADI Specialty Courses.
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Once you are certified in 5 specialties you can start teaching and after reaching 25 Specialty certifications
(in any level) you can apply for the PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer rating directly with PADI.
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If you book the IDC with us, we offer the MSDT Preparation package at a reduced rate of $400 USD.
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We offer a very broad range of PADI Specialty Instructor courses depending on your interests.
If you want to book them individually the PADI Specialty Instructor courses start at $150 USD per Specialty.
And the application that you pay to PADI to become a Specialty instructor is $85 USD per Specialty course.
