PADI Basic Freediver Course Phuket — Level 1 Certification
Your first official PADI certification — 2 days at Kata Beach with SSS Phuket, the island's original freediving school and only 4-system training center.
- — Max 3 students per instructor
- — Full freediving equipment included
- — Free SSS Phuket t-shirt (2-day course)
What You Need to Know Before Booking PADI Basic Freediver
Who Is PADI Basic Freediver For?
PADI Basic Freediver is our entry-level PADI course — here's how to know if it's the right starting point for you.
New to Freediving
Never freedived before? No experience needed. The 2-day PADI Basic Freediver course (฿7,900) takes you from zero to your first official certification, starting with pool skills before moving to open water at Racha Yai.
See Course Details →Want a Real, Recognized Certification
This isn't a one-off taster — it's an actual PADI certification, valid worldwide, and the required first step before you can progress to PADI Freediver, Advanced Freediver, or Master Freediver.
See What's Included →Comfortable in the Water Already
Confident swimmer, snorkeler, or scuba diver? You'll likely find the pool and confined-water skills straightforward, and can look ahead to PADI Freediver right after certifying here.
See PADI Freediver Course →Already Certified Elsewhere?
Hold a certification with AIDA, SSI or Molchanovs already? PADI Basic Freediver isn't for you — compare all four systems and find the right level to cross over into.
Compare Certifications →PADI Basic Freediver Course — Program in Depth
Every PADI Basic Freediver course is led by our in-house PADI-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.
PADI Basic Freediver is your first official PADI freediving certification — a structured 2-day introduction to breath-hold diving. The course is split into a theory section via PADI Freediver Touch (covering what happens in your body under pressure and how to improve your apnea skills) and a practical section: static and dynamic apnea technique in confined water, applied in open water on a day trip to Racha Yai island, with rescue technique also covered. No prior experience or scuba certification is required — just adequate swimming skills.
Theory session via PADI Freediver Touch, followed by confined-water practice: static apnea and dynamic apnea with fins, plus rescue technique, coached one-on-one by your instructor.
- 7:30 AMHotel pickup and transfer (Patong, Karon, Kata, Chalong)
- 9:00 AMWelcome aboard! Breakfast served on the way to Racha Yai
- 10:00 AMFirst open-water dive, applying your confined-water skills
- 12:00 PMLunch on board, then free time for snorkeling and sunbathing
- 1:00 PMSecond dive
- 3:00 PMRest and relax on the way back to Chalong Pier
- 3:30 PMArrive back at Chalong Pier
- 4:00 PMDrop-off at your hotel
- Static apnea: introductory breath-hold technique, face-down in the pool
- Dynamic apnea: underwater swimming technique with fins on a single breath
- Equalisation technique: Frenzel/Valsalva basics for descending without ear pain
- Breathing & relaxation: pre-dive breathe-up routines to slow your heart rate and conserve oxygen
- Rescue technique: buddy safety, surface protocols, and recovery breathing
- Open water application: apply your confined-water skills on a real open water dive at Racha Yai
All PADI Basic Freediver 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 day)
- Weight belt, sized to you
- PADI digital course manual (Freediver Touch)
- Minimum age: 12 years old (PADI official requirement). Younger divers aged 8+ can join our PADI Skin Diver course instead — ask us for details
- Swimming ability: adequate swimming skills and good physical health required — no prior snorkeling, skin diving, or freediving experience needed
- 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 (Patong, Karon, Kata, Chalong 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 PADI Basic Freediver open water session — sheltered conditions that let you focus on breathing and technique, not fighting current.
Racha Yai's bays are naturally sheltered from currents and swell, with visibility regularly reaching 15–20 metres — ideal conditions for your first breath-hold dives in open water.
PADI Basic Freediver has no fixed minimum depth requirement — your instructor keeps both dives shallow and fully guided, deep enough to feel like a real open water dive, shallow enough to stay relaxed.
Expect vibrant hard and soft corals, clownfish, and parrotfish — and with a bit of luck, a turtle gliding past while you're on your breath-hold.
See the full hour-by-hour boat day schedule in the Program in Depth section above.
PADI Basic Freediver Pricing & What's Included
One straightforward option: the full 2-day course that ends in your official PADI Basic Freediver certification.
- ✔ Day 1: Pool training (theory + static & dynamic apnea)
- ✔ Day 2: Full-day Racha Yai boat trip, open water dives
- ✔ Official PADI Basic Freediver Certification
- ✔ PADI digital course manual (Freediver Touch)
- ✔ Complete equipment rental
- ✔ Freediving instructor
- ✔ Hotel transfer (Patong, Karon, Kata, Chalong)
- ✔ Breakfast & lunch on boat day
- 🎁 Free SSS Phuket T-shirt included
Meet the Team Behind Your PADI Basic Freediver Certification
Every PADI Basic Freediver course is led by a real, named freediving instructor — not a rotating cast of seasonal hires.
Jean-Brice
PADI Freediving Instructor & Director
English · French
Florian
Molchanovs/SSI Dive & Freedive Instructor
English · French
Val
Molchanovs Freediving Instructor
English · Russian
Constantin
AIDA Instructor & AIDA Judge
Freediving
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 PADI level.
What Our Freedivers Say
"Me and my girlfriend tried this as first time divers and it was really beyond our expectations. Instructor Lung was so patient and literally held our hands underwater. Overall 10/10."
"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. No prior dive experience needed."
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need PADI Basic Freediver before PADI Freediver?
What is the best time of year for freediving in Phuket?
How many students per instructor?
What depth will I reach during the course?
Is this course right for me?
Can I do the course if I struggle to equalise?
What should I bring to the course?
Is freediving dangerous for beginners?
Can I do the course alone, or do I need a buddy?
What happens if I don't pass the assessment?
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
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