Pro Dive Academy Cabo
As a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center, we created Pro Dive Academy Cabo to extend the Cabo Private Guide expertise into professional-level training.
Built on years of experience guiding and mentoring divers in the waters of Cabo San Lucas, this is the place where passionate divers come to learn how to teach, lead, and inspire. Your scuba career starts right here.
Course details Price & booking
Why Train With Us?
Built on Experience, Passion, and Purpose
Great instructors don’t happen by accident. They are shaped through honest mentorship, real in-water practice, and an environment where it’s safe to make mistakes and grow from them. Small groups, individual feedback, high safety standards, and a genuine commitment to developing confident professionals. That is what you’ll find here, every single day !
Pro Dive Academy Cabo
Meet Your PADI Course Director
Martín J. Mendez is the PADI Course Director at Pro Dive Academy Cabo, with a background in education that set the foundation long before he ever strapped on a tank.
Before entering the diving industry, Martín spent several years working in education, developing the teaching, leadership, and communication skills that later became the backbone of his success as a dive professional.
Known for his calm, precise teaching style and his real talent for building confidence in others, he has guided countless students from their very first breath underwater all the way to instructor level and beyond.
Martin specializes in instructor development, professional-level scuba training, and personalized mentorship, with a teaching philosophy that goes well beyond simply meeting standards. For him, diving is inseparable from conservation, curiosity, and a genuine passion for helping people grow into the professionals they set out to become.
PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC)
Become a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor in Cabo
Ready to make teaching your career? The PADI IDC at Pro Dive Academy Cabo prepares Divemasters to become confident, qualified scuba instructors. Train in the diverse waters of Los Cabos, where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific, and graduate ready to teach anywhere in the world. This is a serious program for serious candidates.
What Will You Learn During Our 13-Day PADI IDC?
The 13-day PADI Instructor Development Course combines classroom sessions, practical workshops, confined water training, and open water teaching exercises from day one. Early days focus on dive theory, PADI standards, risk management, and sharpening your in-water skills.
As the course progresses, candidates practice Knowledge Development, Confined Water, and Open Water teaching presentations daily, building organization, professionalism, and real teaching confidence along the way. The final days shift toward EFRI certification, PADI Specialty teaching in Nitrox and O2 Provider, and full Instructor Examination preparation. Intensive? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.
The program also includes 2 x Specialty Instructor ratings (Enriched Air Nitrox and Emergency Oxygen Provider) at no extra cost, giving new instructors a stronger, more marketable profile from the moment they certify.
2026 PADI IDC Dates in Cabo San Lucas
Reserve your place early and take the first step toward your diving career!
Sign up for our next PADI IDC. Spots fill up fast, as we like keeping groups small so every candidate gets the attention they deserve.
Next PADI IDC coming up :
- September 19th, 2026
- November 28th, 2026
PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT)
and Specialty Instructor
Why Become an MSDT with Pro Dive Academy Cabo?
The PADI MSDT rating is one of the most recognized marks of a well-rounded dive professional. Dive centers worldwide actively seek instructors who can teach multiple specialties, and the Master Scuba Diver Trainer title signals exactly that: versatility, commitment, and depth of experience. Whether you plan to work locally in Cabo San Lucas or travel internationally, this certification opens far more doors than a basic instructor rating ever will.
Our Master Scuba Diver Trainer Program in Los Cabos
Our MSDT program is designed around practical experience and professional confidence, not just paperwork. By completing 5 specialty instructor ratings and gaining hands-on teaching practice, you become a more adaptable, more employable professional.
Training can be combined with an IDC as an add-on or completed as a standalone program for already-certified instructors. Modular options are also available for those who want to add one or two specialties at their own pace.
Specialty Instructor Training available
- Deep Diver
- Drift Diver
- Dry Suit Diver
- Enriched Air Diver (EANx / Nitrox)
- Fish ID
- Night Diver
- O2 Provider
- Search and Recovery
- Self-Reliant Diver
PADI Staff Instructor Development Course
Our 13-Day PADI IDC Staff Instructor Training Program
The Staff Instructor course runs alongside the full 13-day IDC program. Candidates begin with a two-day preparation period before the IDC starts, then audit and assist throughout the course itself.
You will learn to evaluate Knowledge Development, Confined Water, and Open Water teaching presentations, develop familiarity with the IDC curriculum, and practice the kind of mentorship and coaching skills that define exceptional professional educators.
Become a Staff Instructor and Grow Your Career with Confidence
The PADI Staff Instructor rating makes you a leader, not just a teacher. Dive centers and resorts worldwide give priority to Staff Instructors because they bring an entirely different level of professionalism to any team.
Want to work consistently with IDC programs, travel with purpose, or eventually reach Course Director level? This is the step that moves you forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Pro Dive Academy Cabo?
Pro Dive Academy Cabo is the professional training division of Cabo Private Guide, a PADI 5 Star instructor Development Center and PADI 5 Star ECO Dive Center in Cabo San Lucas.
The program was developed to bring the same personalized, expert standards of Cabo Private Guide into professional-level PADI instructor training.
What certification do I need to join the PADI IDC?
You must hold a valid PADI Divemaster certification (or equivalent from another agency) to enroll in the IDC. A rescue certification and Emergency First Aid training are also required prerequisites.
How many students are in each IDC group?
Pro Dive Academy Cabo operates with small group sizes as a core principle. Individual mentorship and personalized feedback are fundamental to how we run every program.
What is included in the IDC price?
The IDC package includes the full 13-day program, PADI IDC and EFR materials, PADI Instructor certification fees, the EFR Instructor course, and two Specialty Instructor ratings (PADI Enriched Air Nitrox and Emergency Oxygen Provider).
But also Airport pick-up, a prep course prior to start date, a resume workshop, post-IE mentorship, and equipment rental at heavily discounted rates are also included. Read more
Can I join the MSDT program if I am already a certified instructor?
Absolutely. Certified Open Water Scuba Instructors who want to expand their qualifications are very welcome.
Modular options allow you to add individual specialties or complete a full five-specialty MSDT package at your own pace.
Where do the dives take place during training?
All training dives take place in the waters of Los Cabos, with access to the Bay of Cabo San Lucas, the Corridor dive sites, and beyond. The variety of conditions, marine life, and topography makes it an exceptional environment for building real professional experience.
What happens after I pass the Instructor Examination?
Support doesn’t stop at certification. Pro Dive Academy Cabo provides post-IE mentorship, market positioning assistance, and ongoing guidance to help new instructors take confident first steps in their professional career.
Price & Booking
Pro Dive Academy Cabo
All our courses include a Private Instructor
Cash discount available
To see the prices in your local currency, click the "Book Now" button
PADI IDC
$ 48,300 MX
INCLUDE
2 x Specialty Instructor rating
EFR Instructor course
PADI Instructor certification fees
PADI MSDT & Specialty
$ 10,180 MX
AVAILABLE OPTIONS
1 x Specialty
3 x Specialty
5 x Specialty
PADI Staff instructor
$ 9,500 MX
INCLUDE
13-Day Training Program
5% discounts available on balance Payment. Contact us to leave a deposit
Secure online payment powered by wetravel.com
