Your Progam Director and Guide Will Be Master Instructor Scott Atkinson
I have been teaching freediving for nearly ten years. I take great pleasure in helping students reach their full potential underwater and overcome all challenges freediving has to offer.
Having introduced many freedivers to our wonderful sport, I have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience to help overcome the problems you face getting more comfortable underwater and pushing the boundaries set in your mind. I enjoy the mindfulness aspects of freediving the most, taking journeys into our minds and helping you learn how to relax when every cell in your body is telling you not to! I have a calm and easy going approach to life & teaching, and I enjoy all adventures above and bellow the water.
Join our master training and allow me to be your humble guide to an extraordinary journey of self-discovery! We’ll embody what it means to be a Master Freediver through education, advanced training methods, and mentorship while having the adventure of a lifetime.
Experience World-Class Freediving Training in the Heart of Asia
Panglao is Arguably the Best Freediving Location in the World!
If you are looking for a place to train in a family-like atmosphere with safe and well-maintained equipment and exceptional diving conditions – your search ends here! But at the Freedive Academy Panglao, we offer more than exceptional training conditions.
The freedivers training at the academy all train independently or under the expert guidance of our highly experienced master instructor, Scott. The freedivers here training are all masters and instructors or are signing up for the master-level freediving course. Diving with a group of like-minded enthusiasts makes diving with the academy laidback and fun while training hard!
With the ocean entry just minutes away from the academy and fixed training lines a mere 30-second swim from shore, we offer convenience like no other dive center in Asia. Our private 25-meter pool and fully equipped academy ensure that your training experience is nothing short of exceptional.
Freedive training independently or with a group doesn’t get better than this.
Finding the Right Location and Dive Center to Train isn’t Easy.
It all starts with the price. As freedivers, we know that the cost of two weeks, a month, or even longer can be out of control. Why would you pay $20, $25, or even $30 or more for a single session? This is ridiculous!
And then, when you find an affordable place, you pay for the taxi. You have to share a cab and wait for others to be ready, and you have to travel each day to reach the dive spot, whether via taxi or boat – the boat! Most freediving centers do drift diving, and although drift diving with a boat can be nice, you have to wait for others, your training time is limited, and your diving progression depends on the currents. With most freediving centers, it just doesn’t work…
In a perfect world, we would all be diving in a beautiful green tropical paradise with fantastic restaurants and local markets, near-perfect diving conditions almost immediately from shore, cheap yet high-standard accommodation, and many activities to do for your days off.
But yeah… In reality, freedive training is usually not as convenient as you would like; it’s pricey, and the diving and living conditions are far from ideal.
Master Freediving Training in Asia doesn’t get any Better!
The owner of the Freedive Academy traveled the world searching for the best freediving locations; of course, this is subjective. Still, he found no place better than the famous Napaling Reef, where we are now based in Panglao.
Panglao is a luscious green tropical island in the heart of the Philippines. It is located in the north Bohol Sea, part of Bohol province, in the Central Visayas region in the south-central Philippines, and traveling to Panglao and Bohol is very easy and convenient.
The island is relatively big (about 20 km wide), so it’s easy to escape the busy tourist areas. The island has green everywhere, is covered with banana, mango, coconut, and palm trees, and has big roads for easy cruising around with your scooter. Around the island, you’ll find beautiful white sandy beaches, except for the north side of the island where we are based.
On the island’s north side – on just a tiny part, you will find no white beaches. We have an 800-meter-wide cliff and a massive drop-off! This incredible coral wall and our location towards the big island Bohol East and Cebu island North of us make our dive location nearly perfect all year round. With pride and without hesitation, we can say that we dive at the best freediving location in Asia, arguably in the world!
We are Asia’s only known dive site with unlimited depth directly from the shore. With just an easy swim, we can reach our fixed lines. We have dive lines for you at -50, -75, and -130 meters. To reach our drop-off, we need to swim out for about 8 (!!!) meters, and this beautiful coral wall immediately goes down 25 meters. Twenty meters further in, we already have access to 50 meters depth. And from there, with a short swim, we have a 75 and 130-meter line – we love our drop-off!
The coral wall makes freediving in the Philippines spectacular. When you enter the water, you swim or walk over a short sandbank to the drop-off. The drop-off has caves and canyons and is covered by beautiful coral. Immediately, you’ll be surrounded by lots and lots of fish. We literally swim through the famous Panglao Sardines cloud to our fixed dive lines. Although it is rare, we’ve had many, many whale sharks on the lines, dolphins and manta’s passing by, massive sea turtles, and four minke whales checking us out, and not so long ago, we had an enormous pod of about 20 to 30 pilot whales passing by. We even had a +20-meter blue whale checking us out for about 5 minutes – with only 10 meters away from us, an incredible experience we’ll never forget!
All of this good stuff, combined with a water temperature between 26 and 30C, up to 40 meters of visibility, and rarely any current, makes freediving in Panglao fantastic!
In September 2019, We Moved to Our New Freediving Center!
We’ve Built an Incredible Home-Away-From-Home for Freedivers!
We take immense pride in our academy, which we relocated to in 2019. It’s not just impressive; it’s a fully equipped and incredibly convenient space where we have divers hanging out all day.
As a Master freediver, you don’t need to use the fully equipped classrooms – unless you start your Master Training with the SSI Level 3 freediving course, the Molchanovs Wave 3 or AIDA 4 course, or when you take a master training package and combine the training with an SSI Freediving Instructor Course, Molchanovs Instructor Course or AIDA Instructor Course.
In the middle of the academy ground, we have our own private two-lane, 25-meter pool with an attached shallow water area for your static training. We have a beautiful outdoor yoga area and a stretching area, which we also use as a small open-air apnea gym with rowing machines, cycles, dumbbells, battle ropes, and a TRX setup. Next to the pool, you’ll find our first five bamboo sports bungalows, perfect for unwinding after diving and exploring Bohol.
Life in Panglao is Nothing Short of Fantastic!
AVAILABLE NOW! The Brand-New Freedive Academy Mobile Training App!
All the Freedive Academy's Expertise, Now in Your Pocket!
The Apnea Assistant, Your Personal Breathwork Coach!
The Apnea Assistant is Hands-Down, the Most Complete Freediving App Currently Available!
Can't make it to Panglao to train with us in person? No problem! Our team has poured their passion and expertise into creating an incredible app that brings the Freediving Academy experience to you, wherever you are.
The Apnea Assistant is completely free to use, with no premiums or annoying ads. It's packed with everything you need to improve your breath-hold, refine your technique, and deepen your freediving journey – from customizable training tables and guided breathing exercises to a detailed training log that tracks your progress. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned freediver, the Apnea Assistant will help you take your training to the next level.
Download it today and start training like a pro!
Disclaimer: The Freediving App provides tools and guidance for freediving training but should not be used as a substitute for professional instruction. Learning freediving involves essential safety practices and breathing techniques best taught in a supervised environment. We always recommend taking an intro or beginner freediving course with a certified instructor before utilizing the app.
Train Independently or Dive Deeper Together!
Freediving Paradise Panglao is Incredible for all Freedivers who Want to Go Deeper!
If you want to follow your own schedule, train with your own friends, or train on something specific, great! Master Instructor Scott will explain everything, including where we dive, where we store our gear, and how things work around the academy. As an independent freediver, you have unlimited open water sessions here at the famous Napaling Reef and unlimited pool use. You can still join the master program workshops, events, and training plans and join any of the day trips if you want. Even those who follow their own training plan and come with their own buddies are part of the family.
For freedivers who would rather train under the guidance of a true professional like Scott, we have the perfect option!
The Freedive Academy’s Master Training program involves independent training with the other masters under the close guidance of two very experienced master instructors. The master divers can follow the general training plan, follow their own, or come up with a plan for their specific needs and/or wishes together with the master instructors.
The Freedive Academy training program is based on the Molchanovs Base Training systems combined with our many years of experience. We designed it around freedivers who go on vacation to go deeper and become better all-around freedivers. It’s for all-around getting better and those focussing on becoming freedive instructors and diving from -30 to around -70 -80 meters.
We don’t want to be a dive center where guests ‘just’ meet up for training like most centers – we are a true Freedive Instructor Training center with a great group of people who enjoy the social and laidback family atmosphere around the shop while training hard.
Join us to Enhance Your Skills, Explore Deeper Waters, and Become a More Well-Rounded Freediver.
The master divers diving with the Academy all have a minimum education level of Molchanovs Wave 3, SSI Performance Freediver, or AIDA 4 or equivalent from other agencies. The masters find their buddies and organize their training in a Facebook messenger group. They train by themselves and do each other safety.
* Starting the Master Training Program while signing up for an AIDA 4, SSI Performance Freediver course or Molchanovs Wave 3 course is also possible! This will make it a nice and seamless experience of at least 3 to 4 weeks of excitement, exploration, and skill development.
The Master Freedivers Follow a Training Schedule With
Deep Training
Dry- and Gym Training
Static
Open-Water Conditioning Training
Stretching and Yoga Classes
Pool Training
Workshops
Skills reviews via video
Group discussions
All while being guided by the Master Instructors.
But most of the time… We’ll be diving deep!!!
Tailor Your Training Your Way!
While some divers follow our general training plan rigorously, others find inspiration. Some divers have specific goals in mind and know how to create their unique and personalized training plans. While following our schedule or your own, either way, our team of experienced instructors is always available for guidance and questions and is always around whenever you need assistance.
We are open seven days a week, providing you with the flexibility to dive and train at your convenience at a time that works best for you. Just like going to the ocean, the academy and pool are open seven days a week, with the added benefit that the safety is done by our interns on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons, eliminating the need to team up with others during those sessions. Furthermore, you can use our gym equipment the entire week, and we hope you’ll join our complimentary yoga classes on Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings.
All of This Is Included in Your Master Training Program!
Get in Touch, and let us tell You about the Possibilities!
Like what you hear?! We’re not surprised; we love it here too!
Because we’ve limited the number of Master freedivers who can dive here, it’s wise to confirm your spot ASAP.
We work on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact us today to see if we have any availability. We will answer all possible questions about accommodation, your long-term stay, out-of-the-water activities, food, and anything else!
Contact us via this form to see the possibilities—no strings attached! Our support team will usually respond within a couple of hours. By the way, they’re freedivers, too, so they know what you need!
Just fill in the form; if they’re not diving, you’ll hear from us soon.
The Best Deep Diver you can Be!!
We’ve seen some Amazing Results!
In the relatively short time the Masters have been with us, we’ve seen them
Making big jumps in depth;
doing much longer hangs;
becoming stronger;
becoming smarter freedivers;
improve their technique significantly;
master the mouthfill;
increasing their breath-hold time by minutes;
becoming more all-round;
developing higher CO2 tolerance levels.
And they are doing all of this in this Stunning Environment!
Please note that this video was shot at our first location. We still dive at the same incredible Napaling Reef with the sardines but moved about 300 meters down the road to a brand-new and fully equipped dive center with bungalows and a two-lane 25-meter pool.
Don’t Just Take Our Word for It – Trust the Many Freediving Champions Who Have Already Visited Us!
Sure, we could go on about how great we are, how awesome Panglao is, and how fantastic dive center in Panglao is. We could chat endlessly about the locals’ warmth and the Philippines’ stunning beauty, but why take our word for it?
Instead, hear it from the champions–those accustomed to top-notch conditions and demanding nothing but the best! Discover what they have to say about their training experience with us!
Alexey Molchanov – World Champion CWT & CNF and 16x WR holder
I like it here a lot! Super nice conditions for deep diving, very friendly people and super professional instructors – after I taught them :p I will definitely come back for more adventures!
Şahika Ercümen – World Record Holder
The Freedive Academy was much more than an amazing freediving center. It was like a family. It was my first time in the Philippines and after my first training with Freedive Academy, I already started to plan my second visit and after 1 month I am now coming back to this beautiful centre. We only swim 20-30 meters from the shore to train, water is warm and calm most of the time and everybody is full of positive energy. What can I ask more? It is definitely one of my favourite destinations. I am so grateful to the Freedive Academy Panglao family. See you soon.
Evren Orhon – Coach of the Turkish National Freediving Team
I came to train to with the Freedive Academy Panglao in December 2015 and stayed there for four months. The strongest part of the Freedive Academy is its location. You don’t need a boat to go diving. The depth is just right next to you!! The club’s location is so good that in four months I only had two non-diveable days. The pool next to the club building offers great static opportunity, even at night time. The staff is so helpful not only in the water but on anything you need about your stay or moving around. The Freedive Academy Panglao is a must-visit point for all freedivers. The only concern is you can get hooked and may not like your next freediving destination as much.
Elliot Hyomin Kim – Korean National Team Coach and National Record Holder
I have been training for a long time all over the world from Asia to Europe, including four world championships as an athlete and coach. The freediving location is very important from beginner to deep diver. Here at the Freedive Academy, you can approach all the buoy’s from beginner to 150m deep within 200m from shore. Weather is also fantastic as I am staying here for two months from June to July. I have not had a single day on which I could not dive due to the weather conditions. The person here in charge of the center, Vincent, is a super nice person who loves the ocean and will welcome everybody with the best hospitality. If you have not yet tried the Freedive Academy Panglao. I strongly recommend you to TRY.
Davide Carrera – World Champion and World Record Holder
I spent the first two weeks and a half of this January at Freedive Academy Panglao for training. From the first mail, I understood that Vincent was a very kind and generous person, at that time he wasn’t there cause he was in India to improve his yoga. Still, his Team welcomed me, and I felt at home from the beginning.
The depth is just in front of the dock, 300 meters walking from the school and 45 seconds from my room 🙂 warm water and normally not much current, perfect conditions and the team is smiling all the time, very kind, responsible, professional and always ready to go in the water and make you feel safe and part of the team.
In few minutes by scooter, it’s easy to find fresh and local fruits and vegetables and other good food, Philippines people are very lovely people, I always felt nice vibes everywhere I went, also in town, everybody smiling and ready to help you….I loved this place very much, and I’m missing it, I hope to come back soon…Thanks again, everybody!
Vincent Mathieu – World Champion Static
You cannot say anything less about the Freedive Academy Panglao than that it’s a simply magical environment. With the perfect training conditions – visibility of 30m and a similar 30 degrees Celsius at the moment – in a calm sea, you have all you need to progress from 5 to 95m of depth.
I certified 9 minutes + static in the swimming pool at the Academy. I recommend training by the colours of the sunset or during the evening with the mood lights on and the stars shining down.
And what to say about the drop-off… You would believe it was made especially for freedivers. Lying down on the 25-meter curbed edge you can admire the corals from underneath, spectacular colour changes and incredible species that will delight both biology amateurs and underwater photographers. Did I already mention the family of sardines who form an essential element of the ecosystem at this part of the drop-off? Not to be missed are the hunting fish and the hungry needlefish around.
If you want a great freedive centre, this is the place to go ;-)!
Thanks to Vincent, and Sebastian for their kindness and hospitality. I look forward to seeing you again soon.
Sendoh Wang – Chinese NR Holder & Asia Continental Record Holder in all Depth Disciplines
Freedive Academy Panglao is a really nice and fantastic place to learn freediving and train. It’s not only about the setup, high-quality gears using for teaching, the great 25m pool, but also the professional and friendly instructor and owner here.
With their support, I can keep my training routine every day, even in quarantine time. They provide safe conditions for study and training freediving. Highly recommended if you want to come to Panglao.
Message us Today and Sign Up for our Master Training Program!
Ready to Challenge Yourself and Become The Best Freediver You Can Be?!
Welcome to the Freedive Academy Training Program – your gateway to a world of possibilities! This is what you get with the Master Training Program!
Personalized Training: Tailor your training program to suit your goals, whether you create your own plan or follow the guidance of our competitive freedivers, all of whom are Master Freediving Instructors and Instructor Trainers.
Community Connection: Join our exclusive master messenger group, where you’ll connect with fellow master divers in Panglao. Use it to find training buddies, schedule sessions, plan dinners, and organize exciting tours and events.
Premier Training Location: Immerse yourself in daily line training in one of the world’s most comfortable and breathtaking freediving destinations.
Seven-Day Access: Enjoy unrestricted access to our pool, academy, and dry- and gym training facilities seven days a week. We provide dedicated pool safeties to enhance your sessions on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons.
Yoga for All: Elevate your well-being with complimentary yoga classes at the academy every Tuesday afternoon and Saturday morning – open to all master divers.
At the Freedive Academy Panglao, Your Journey to Becoming the Best Freediver You Can Be Is Our Mission and Pleasure!
To celebrate free traveling after COVID, we are offering a limited-time discount on the training packages for those coming to the Philippines or booking their trip now.
Master Training is $650, $350 monthly, or $250 for two weeks.
Please note our commitment to protecting and preserving the dynamics and atmosphere amongst the divers. We decided only to open the master program to people joining for a minimum of two weeks—daily or weekly packages are not available. If you come to Panglao for less than two weeks, we advise you to sign up for our coaching sessions so you can still enjoy the Napaling dive site and a facility like the academy.
Please contact us if you plan on coming to the Philippines for multiple months. We can offer an even greater discount for the following months.
The prices mentioned above are all-inclusive, covering taxes, environmental and snorkeling fees, resort entrance fees for convenient ocean access, and facility amenities such as showers, toilets, equipment rental, and secure gear storage.
Join Us in Panglao for an Unbeatable Freediving Experience!
For a Quick Response, Please Use the Short Form on This Page.
For More Detailed Information About the Program, Accommodation, Prices, etc., Please Follow the Links Below.
We guarantee that you become a better freediver!
You’ll be the best you can be, and while you’re at it, have the most amazing time of your life!
AVAILABLE NOW! The Brand-New Freedive Academy Mobile Training App!
All the Freedive Academy's Expertise, Now in Your Pocket!
The Apnea Assistant, Your Personal Breathwork Coach!
The Apnea Assistant is Hands-Down, the Most Complete Freediving App Currently Available!
Can't make it to Panglao to train with us in person? No problem! Our team has poured their passion and expertise into creating an incredible app that brings the Freediving Academy experience to you, wherever you are.
The Apnea Assistant is completely free to use, with no premiums or annoying ads. It's packed with everything you need to improve your breath-hold, refine your technique, and deepen your freediving journey – from customizable training tables and guided breathing exercises to a detailed training log that tracks your progress. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned freediver, the Apnea Assistant will help you take your training to the next level.
Download it today and start training like a pro!
Disclaimer: The Freediving App provides tools and guidance for freediving training but should not be used as a substitute for professional instruction. Learning freediving involves essential safety practices and breathing techniques best taught in a supervised environment. We always recommend taking an intro or beginner freediving course with a certified instructor before utilizing the app.
We made an in-depth comparison of why we believe the Apnea Assistant is the best freediving app out there.
