AIDA 3 Freediving Course Phuket — Level 3 Certification
Build on your AIDA 2 skills and go further — 3 days at Kata Beach with SSS Phuket, training to 24-30m depth and 55m dynamic apnea with the island's original freediving school.
- — Max 3 students per instructor
- — Full freediving equipment included
- — Free SSS Phuket t-shirt included
What You Need to Know Before Booking AIDA 3
Who Is AIDA 3 For?
AIDA 3 is our advanced certification — here's how to know if it's the right level for you.
Already Hold Your AIDA 2?
This is the natural next step — build on your AIDA 2 skills and progress to real advanced depth: 24-30m constant weight and 55m dynamic apnea. Most AIDA 2 graduates take this within a few months of certifying.
See Program in Depth →Certified with SSI, PADI or Molchanovs?
AIDA 3 requires an AIDA 2 certification or an equivalent from another agency. If you're already certified at an intermediate level elsewhere, we can run a crossover evaluation — confined water, open water and a written exam — before you join.
See Pricing & Requirements →Ready to Push Past 30m?
Already have solid open-water depth experience up to 30m and want to go further? Most AIDA 3 graduates move on to AIDA 4 for 32m depth and 70m dynamic apnea — check requirements before booking.
See AIDA 4 Course →Already Certified Elsewhere?
Hold a certification with SSI, PADI or Molchanovs already? Compare all four systems and find the right level to cross over into before booking AIDA 3.
Compare Certifications →AIDA 3 Course — Program in Depth
Every AIDA 3 course is led by our in-house AIDA-certified freediving instructors, at a maximum ratio of 3 students per instructor, so you get hands-on, personal attention in the pool and on the boat.
AIDA 3 is where freediving gets serious — advanced depth training that builds directly on your AIDA 2 foundation. Over 3 days you'll refine Frenzel equalization, free-fall technique, and constant weight (CWT) skills in the pool at Chalong, apply them in open water at Kata Reef, then finish with a full-day boat trip to Racha Yai Island, descending on a weighted line to at least 24 meters (the program builds toward 30m). An AIDA 2 certification (or equivalent crossover evaluation) is required to book this course.
Advanced theory covering physiology, barotrauma, buoyancy, and decompression sickness; refined Frenzel equalization; static apnea building toward 2 minutes 45 seconds; and dynamic apnea technique work toward 55 meters with fins, including an introduction to training tables and free-fall positioning.
First open-water depth sessions close to shore: buoy line and free-immersion technique, buddy diving and line signals, and depth-specific rescue skills — surface tow, self-rescue, and simulated blackout rescue — before heading out to Racha Yai.
- 7:30 AMHotel pickup and transfer to Chalong Pier
- 9:00 AMWelcome aboard! Breakfast served on the way to Racha Yai
- 10:00 AMFirst dive — constant weight descent along the line, building toward 30m
- 12:00 PMHot buffet lunch on board, then free time for snorkeling and sunbathing
- 1:00 PMSecond dive — certification depth attempt, constant weight to at least 24m
- 3:00 PMRest and relax — fresh tropical fruit and soft drinks on the way back to Chalong Pier
- 3:30 PMArrive back at Chalong Pier
- 4:00 PMDrop-off at your hotel
- Static apnea: hold your breath face-down in the pool for at least 2 minutes 45 seconds
- Dynamic apnea: swim 55 meters underwater with fins on a single breath
- Constant weight (CWT): descend and ascend along a weighted line to at least 24 meters depth, with the program progressing to 30 meters
- Free-fall technique: learn to relax into the free-fall phase of the descent for a more efficient, effortless dive
- Advanced equalisation: refined Frenzel technique for consistent equalization at greater depth
- Breathing & relaxation: extended breathe-up routines and structured training tables
- Buddy safety & rescue: 50m surface tow, self-rescue with simulated leg cramp, self-rescue with a flooded mask, and simulated blackout rescue from depth
- Open water application: complete at least 4 open water freediving sessions across Kata Reef and Racha Yai
All AIDA 3 equipment is included in your course price — nothing extra to rent or buy.
- Low-volume freediving mask
- Long free-diving fins
- Snorkel
- Wetsuit (tropical-weight, for pool and boat days)
- Weight belt, sized to you
- Lanyard for depth line safety
- Nose clip (introduced for no-mask training)
- AIDA digital course manual
- Minimum age: 18 years old, or 16–17 with written consent from a parent or legal guardian (AIDA requirement)
- Prerequisite: AIDA 2 certification is required to book AIDA 3. Certified with another agency at an equivalent level? We can run a crossover evaluation instead — confirm eligibility before booking
- Avoid scuba diving in the 24 hours before your course (residual nitrogen risk)
- Eat a light meal 2–3 hours before pool or boat sessions — don't dive on a full or empty stomach
- Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, and a reusable water bottle
- Hotel pickup is included for the Racha Yai boat day (Kata, Karon, Chalong, Rawai, Kamala areas)
Your Open Water Day: Racha Yai Island
About an hour by boat from Chalong Pier, Racha Yai's calm, clear bays are exactly why we use it for your AIDA 3 open water sessions — sheltered conditions with a fixed dive line, ideal for building real depth without fighting current.
Racha Yai's bays are naturally sheltered from currents and swell, with visibility regularly reaching 15–20 metres — ideal conditions for building certified depth without fighting the elements.
AIDA 3 pushes your buoy line diving further — your instructor sets the line, spots every dive, and helps you build toward your certification depth of at least 24 metres, with the program progressing to 30 metres safely and gradually.
Expect vibrant hard and soft corals, clownfish, and parrotfish — and with a bit of luck, a turtle gliding past while you're on the line.
See the full hour-by-hour boat day schedule in the Program in Depth section above.
AIDA 3 Pricing & What's Included
One straightforward course: 3 days combining pool training, open water practice at Kata Reef, and a full boat day at Racha Yai Island.
- ✔ Day 1: Pool training — advanced theory, Frenzel equalization, static & dynamic apnea
- ✔ Day 2: Kata Reef open water — buoy line, free immersion, rescue skills
- ✔ Day 3: Full-day Racha Yai boat trip, 2 open water dives to 24-30m
- ✔ Official AIDA 3 Advanced Freediver Certification
- ✔ AIDA digital course manual
- ✔ Complete equipment rental
- ✔ Hotel transfer (Patong, Karon, Kata, Rawai, Chalong)
- ✔ Breakfast & lunch on boat day
- 🎁 Free SSS Phuket T-shirt included
- 📋 Requires AIDA 2 certification or equivalent crossover evaluation
Meet the Team Behind Your AIDA 3 Certification
Every AIDA 3 course is led by a real, named freediving instructor — not a rotating cast of seasonal hires.
Constantin
AIDA Instructor & AIDA Judge
Freediving
Leonie
AIDA Freediving Instructor
English · German · Spanish
Florian
Molchanovs/SSI Dive & Freedive Instructor
English · French
Val
Molchanovs Freediving Instructor
English · Russian
See Our Pool & Racha Yai Training in Action
Real photos from our Chalong pool and Racha Yai boat days — the same facilities used across every AIDA level.
What Our AIDA 3 Freedivers Say
"I did a free diving course both Aida 2 and Aida 3 with Ruddy. He is very knowledgeable, calm during the session. The session make me really comfortable during my dives."
"We saw a huge variety of beautiful fish, moray eels, and the absolute highlight was spotting a turtle. It truly was one of the best days of our lives."
"My instructor Pomme was amazing and highly recommended. The water was clear and we saw a lot of coral and marine life. If and when I come back to Phuket, I will be doing this trip again."
"Quality of instructors was superb. There was one instructor for every two or three students. Convenient hotel pickup, well-planned logistics."
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need AIDA 2 before taking AIDA 3?
What's the difference between AIDA 2 and AIDA 3?
What is the best time of year for freediving in Phuket?
How many students per instructor?
What depth will I reach during the course?
How is the AIDA 3 course structured?
Can I do the course if I struggle to equalise at depth?
What should I bring to the course?
Is freediving safe at AIDA 3 depths?
Can I do the course alone, or do I need a buddy?
What happens if I don't pass a skill on the first attempt?
Do you offer private courses?
What's the water temperature like in Phuket?
Find Us at Kata Beach
- Address: 184/1 Koktanod Road, Kata Beach, Phuket 83100
- Hours: Open 8am–8pm, daily
- WhatsApp: +66 895 869 920
- Email: info@sssphuket.com
- WeChat: sssphuketjean · Telegram: +66 90 176 673
- ✔ Free cancellation up to 48 hours before your course starts — course fee refunded in full. Online certification materials are non-refundable once issued
- ✔ TripAdvisor Hall of Fame since 2014 · 2025 Viator Experience Award
- ✔ Questions before booking? WhatsApp us — replies within a few hours, 8am–8pm daily
Reserve Your AIDA 3 Course
