Become a PADI Instructor
in Komodo — 17 Days

The PADI Instructor Development Course at Dragon Dive Komodo is structured across 17 days of integrated training, leading directly into the two-day Instructor Examination conducted by an independent PADI Examiner. The program is delivered on site by our resident Course Director and dedicated IDC support.

Days 1–2 — IDC orientation and Diver Safety Reset. Standards review, learning theory, the PADI System of teaching, and recalibration of core diving skills to the demonstration-quality level required of an instructor. Watermanship benchmarking against the four PADI tests is completed in this phase.

Days 3–5 — Knowledge Development presentations and classroom instruction. Candidates plan and deliver classroom and confined-water teaching presentations covering core skill circuits. The Course Director debriefs each presentation with structured feedback against the PADI Instructor Development grading slates.

Days 6–9 — Confined-water and skill demonstration teaching. Real teaching presentations in shallow water on the 24 PADI core skills, then progression into Discover Scuba Diving teaching scenarios. Candidates also rehearse the swim, snorkel and tired-diver-tow watermanship assessments.

Days 10–12 — Open-water teaching presentations. Full open-water Open Water Diver scenarios on real Komodo dive sites, including briefing, descent, in-water skill teaching, ascent control and structured debrief. Candidates also conduct Rescue Diver scenarios and emergency assistance plan reviews.

Days 13–14 — EFR Instructor (EFRI) course. Two full days of Emergency First Response Instructor training, integrating Primary Care, Secondary Care and CPR & AED teaching — a prerequisite for the Instructor Examination.

Days 15–17 — IE preparation and mock IE. Final dive theory exams across the five PADI subjects, full mock Instructor Examination conducted under IE timing, individual coaching sessions on weak areas, and administrative preparation for the PADI Examiner. Successful candidates are then formally referred to the Instructor Examination.

Throughout the 17 days, candidates also receive structured coaching on dive business basics, Divemaster supervision, dive shop logistics, and the PADI continuing education ladder — the foundations of being a hireable PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.

To enroll in a PADI IDC at Dragon Dive Komodo, you must meet the following PADI standards. Where you do not, we can build a pathway to get you there before the program start — typically via our PADI Divemaster Course in Komodo.

• Certification: current PADI Divemaster (or qualifying equivalent from another recognized agency) before the IDC starts.
• Diver experience: a minimum of 60 logged dives is required to enroll in the IDC, and 100 logged dives are required for PADI to certify you as an Open Water Scuba Instructor at the end of the IE.
• Minimum age: 18 years old on the day the IDC begins.
• Emergency First Response: a current EFR Primary Care and Secondary Care certification within the past 24 months. If yours has expired, an EFR refresher is integrated into the program before the EFRI segment.
• Medical clearance: a signed PADI Medical Statement. Candidates with any "yes" answers must obtain a physician's approval to dive before the course begins.
• Time as a certified diver: PADI requires you to have been a certified diver for at least six months before the start of the IDC.
• Equipment: candidates use their own mask, fins, snorkel and dive computer. Basic rental gear (BCD, regulator, wetsuit, tank and weights) is included. We recommend reviewing your own equipment for demonstration-quality dives at least 4 weeks before arrival.
• Theory readiness: candidates should refresh PADI dive theory before arrival. The IDC dive theory exam covers physics, physiology, equipment, decompression theory and the recreational dive planner, plus the dive environment.

Check the official PADI IDC prerequisites →

If you arrive without a recent Rescue or Divemaster certification, our Zero to Hero pathway integrates the missing levels before the IDC starts, so you finish your stay as a PADI Instructor without leaving Komodo.

The location where you complete your IDC shapes the experience surrounding the standardized PADI curriculum. Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site protecting terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, channels, walls and seamounts. See the official UNESCO listing →

Real-world conditions. Komodo is known for tidal currents, drift dives and variable site conditions. IDC training and open-water sessions are planned conservatively according to candidate readiness, tides and weather; exposure to challenging conditions is progressive and never used as a substitute for sound risk management.

Resident Course Director and IDC support. Unlike larger-volume IDC centers where access to the Course Director can be limited, candidates at Dragon Dive Komodo work directly with William Baillet during the program, backed by the center's IDC support team. That continuity of feedback is what drives the quality of preparation for the IE.

How Komodo compares with other IDC destinations. Bali, the Gili Islands, Thailand and the Maldives each offer different combinations of price, course volume, logistics and local diving conditions. Dragon Dive's differentiators are a resident Course Director, small cohorts, an on-site pool and classroom, in-house boats and compressors, and access to Komodo's variable tidal environment. The right IDC destination still depends on your goals and learning style.

Continuity with the Divemaster pathway. Many of our candidates arrive at the IDC after completing their PADI Divemaster Course at the same center — same Course Director, same dive sites, same standards. The calendar is aligned so that Divemaster candidates can roll directly into the next available IDC without leaving Komodo. The exact dates depend on your DMT completion timing; see our full pricing page for combined-pathway quotes, or message us for a personalized calendar.

Career outcomes. Graduates have gone on to teach in Indonesia, Honduras, the Caribbean and Europe, and some have later joined Dragon Dive Komodo. These are real examples, not an employment guarantee; hiring still depends on certification status, experience, languages, legal work eligibility and the needs of each employer.