Going all the WAY!

From Zero to Hero (from Beginner to Instructor)

The Freediving Zero to Hero is at least 3 months of Full-on Freediving!

The company owner Vincent is responsible for all the professional development programs within the academy, and he had this to say about the Zero to Hero programs.

“I’m not per se a big fan of the Freediving Zero to Hero programs. The programs are intense and tough on the body. In 3 months, you’ll be diving to serious depths. I did my Zero to Hero in 2012, and even though it was an excellent center with skilled instructors, unfortunately, things were missing and did I do some dangerous stuff.

The Zero to Hero Freediving programs are very popular, and when we started the center, we all sat down and discussed how we could change the structure and guidance of these programs.

We’ve developed a robust program, and with all the student success, I’m very very proud of what we have accomplished with our Zero to Hero programs.

Taking 3 to 6 months off to go freediving is fun, exciting and a brilliant way to escape normal day-to-day life.”

The Zero to Hero Freediving Program!

The Ultimate 3 to 6 Month Break from ‘Normal’ Life!

Do you want to escape the rat race from back home? Great, come to Panglao! Do you want to change your life and experience the flip flop lifestyle? Excellent, jump on a plane! Do you have a couple of months off, and you just want to do something rad? Awesome, see you soon!

Joining our Freediving Zero to Hero program has to be one of the coolest things someone can do! It really (!) is the ultimate break from ‘normal’ life!

The beginner to freediving instructor program lasts at least 3 months while it can be extended to 6 months with extra free training. In these 3 extra months of free training, you can also complete all the course requirements. Now you immediately take away all the pressure of doing the program requirements. Since we are an instructor training center with instructors of different levels, you can train freely and complete all the requirements at any time you are ready for them.

You’ll become a pro freediver. You will learn how to teach the art of breath-hold diving to others. And you will dive to depths you could have never imagined before. Do you want to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience?! Come to Panglao!

We are located on the Northside of Panglao Island. Central on the island between the busy and crazy tourist area Alona and Tagbilaran City. Here on the quiet Northside of the island, the marine life is spectacular, while we have here an even more impressive drop-off into the depths of the ocean. Our water entry is easily accessible at about 300 meters down the street – safe your energy walking; we go by scooter or use our shuttle ;). Then when you’re in the water, you swim for about 10 meters past a beautiful and colourful reef full of life. Literally, through the famous Panglao sardine run, you immediately have access to about -50 meter depth. And for those more experienced, we also have a -80 and -130 meter buoy at swimming distance.

Panglao Island is a green island with big roads perfect for driving around on a scooter in your shorts and flip flops – the real flip flop lifestyle. Panglao Island is covered by palm, coconut and banana trees, full of birds and butterflies and has excellent facilities and restaurants. Stay in our pool-side luxury bamboo sport bungalows, or we can help you find really nice and clean accommodation for less than 300usd per month. Most apartments have their own kitchen, so for those interested in cooking, the groceries are cheap but very good, and the fruit is spectacular! The best pineapple, dragon fruit, watermelon and papaya you ever had before! The Filipino people are the friendliest people you’ll ever meet in your life. And also, extending your Visa is also super easy in the Philippines – much, much, much easier than in any other Asian country! Panglao is a true paradise for freedivers and long-term stayers.

Check out the Below Video to see how it is to Freedive with Us.

Please note; this video was shot at our first location. We still dive at the same reef, but we moved about 300 meters down the road to a brand-new and fully equipped dive center with bungalows and our very own two-lane 25-meter pool.

Why would you do your Freediving Zero to Hero with us in Panglao?

You now know already that the location of the dive center in Panglao is fantastic! Panglao Island is beautiful, and with all year around near-perfect diving conditions – freediving doesn’t get better than this! The water temperature ranges from 26 – 31C, and the visibility is usually around 30 meters and goes up to an easy 40 meters. And even though it’s rare, we do get frequent visits from some of the most massive ocean dwellers like whale sharks, dolphins, mantas, Minky-, pilot-, grey-, and even blue whales. We are diving directly from shore without using a boat, and let’s not forget that travelling to Panglao is super easy too.

But besides the location and Panglao Island itself, the Freedive Academy and our dive resort are for sure worth visiting too. We have built 5 beautiful bamboo bungalows, we have an apartment, and later this year, we will build 3 additional more budget-friendly bungalows in the low season. We have a lovely and efficient dive and shower area, an amazing canopy and an outside sitting area for relaxing and chatting with the other divers. We have a small outside gym and stretching area with rowing machines, cycles, dumbles, battle ropes, gym balls and TRX setup for your apnea training. We’re now developing a bigger outside chill-out area with a firepit, and we are slowly starting the build of the restaurant terras. Postponed until after COVID, we’ll open our new lunchroom, ‘The Bottom Plate’, where we’ll serve the most healthy and beautiful breakfasts, lunches and smoothies on the island. The Freedive Academy Panglao truly is the perfect place to join a beginner course and go all the way until you’re a freediving instructor! The biggest job we had was extending our 10-meter pool to a two-lane 25-meter with a shallow water static area – it looks incredible! We love our new pool! While with a 15-minute scooter drive, we also have a fantastic 50-meter pool at our convenience. We regularly take all our Master and Zero to Hero students there. Plus, all the freediving gear we use are high-quality, premium and well-maintained materials too.

Change your Lifestyle! Move to a Tropical Island!

At our Freedive Academy in Panglao, we offer lots of possibilities to become a pro freediver. We offer quite a few different instructor courses, and we can offer them all with a package, like with or without training. But of course, our most popular package is our Freediving Zero to Hero program, wherein 3 to 6 months you go from beginner to freediving instructor. With us, you can start your program at any time!

Regardless of which package you choose, for sure you’ll love what Panglao has to offer you! Contact us now for more information about our Zero to Hero programs.

Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor Certification

Fill in the form today. Just check the possibilities. Usually, you’ll have an answer within hours.

What do you get with the Freedive Academy Panglao Zero to Hero!

We continue to add more and more value to the freediving program!

We run SSI Zero to Hero programs, Molchanovs Zero to Hero’s and combinations of courses from both freediving agencies. Any Zero to Hero freediving program is a complete freediving package that takes you from beginner freediver to Freediving Instructor in 3 months minimum.

But now when you join us in Panglao for a Freediving Zero to Hero, you will get so much more than the regular (Level 1, 2 and 3, Master Training and FITC) package. The following SSI courses and/or Molchanovs courses are all included in our Freediving Zero to Hero and Freediving Internship programs.

What you get with the Freedive Academy Panglao Zero to Hero:

Molchanovs Wave 1 or SSI Level 1 (+2 Guided sessions with Instructor)
Molchanovs Wave 2 or SSI Level 2 (+12 Guided sessions with Instructor or Intern)
Molchanovs Wave 3 or SSI Level 3
MASTER+ training (2 months)
Freediving Instructor Training Course (Molchanovs, SSI or combo FITC)

* You will find more information below, but we recently started offering a compact crossover package to immediately become an SSI and Molchanovs instructor in the same program, which has been a big success.

The Freedive Academy’s Extras with Every Program:

SSI Training Techniques Speciality Instructor
SSI Free Immersion Speciality Instructor
Extendable to 6 months with FREE training.

And to make it a bit more clear. The guided sessions are where an instructor or intern guides the session, setting up the lines, doing your safety and such. And the MASTER+ Freediving Training program is where you dive and train with our interns and masters under the guidance of the course manager.

And please note; it’s not mandatory to start with a Level 1 course. Discounts on the program might change, but we often have students starting with Level 2 and Level 3 freediving course joining us for 3 to 6 months too.

Completing your Freediving Zero to Hero with the Freediving Instructor Course!

The Final Step to Become a Pro Freediver!

The FITC (Freediving Instructor Training Course) is the last step in your Zero to Hero freediving program. After this, you can stay for the MASTER+ training, join us for a freediving speciality or a swim teacher course, but the FITC is the final course in the regular program. The FITC is the biggest course of all. The candidates can be certified as a Molchanovs Wave 2 Freediving Instructor, an SSI Level 1 Freediving Instructor, or an SSI Level 2 Freediving Instructor.

For those aiming to become SSI Level 2 Freediving Instructor, we can cross you over to Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor via a special combo package. We would start the combo with the SSI Level 2 course followed by 3 extra days of Molchanovs once the SSI FITC is finished.

Whether you do a freediving Zero to Hero or a Freediving Internship, we always have you aim for the Wave 2 Instructor level or the SSI Level 2 Freediving Instructor level. You will need to be an SSI Level 2 Instructor to make the cross over to Molchanovs. Plus, as a Level 2 Instructor, you can teach more courses which is also an important benefit.

The skills requirements for the levels Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor and SSI Level 2 Freediving Instructor are more challenging than the Level 1 Instructor. Still, we found that with the right guidance and training plans, almost all our students can pass the Level 2 Instructor requirements in the three months they are with us.

Every new Molchanovs or SSI Freediving Instructor that we train gets the chance to run a few courses with us – you will get your first teaching commission too! Furthermore, all our SSI instructors, regardless of their level, leave as Free Immersion and Training Techniques Speciality Instructor too!

Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor Certificate

Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor Training Course

The Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor can teach Wave 1 and 2 Courses, Lap 1 and 2 courses and guide Base Level 1 to 4 programs.

Prerequisites: The candidate must have a Wave 3 Certification or passed the Wave 3 Crossover Evaluation and have a First Aid Certificate (no older than 2 years).

Duration: 9 days

Performance & Course Completion Requirements:

Constant Weight Bi Fins (CWTB): 40mtr. (dive time 80-90s)
Free Immersion (FIM): 40mtr.
Constant No Fins (CNF): 30mtr.
Dynamic Bi Fins (DYNB): 100mtr.
Dynamic No Fins (DNF): 60mtr.

Static Breath-Hold: 4:00min.
Standby Rescue (1min. Rescue Hang): 15mtr.
BO Rescue (50mtr. tow incl. Rescue Breaths): 25mtr.
CO2 Dive: 60sec. then 20m CWT dive

* All skills need to be demonstrated with instructor level quality.

Price without package discount per person: $1350

Please note; after you pass the Molchanovs FITC, we will certify you as a Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor. To become an active instructor, you still need to pay the first year annual fee directly to Molchanovs. The annual fee for an Independent Instructor is currently set to $100 a year.

SSI Level 2 Freediving Instructor

The SSI Level 2 Freediving Instructor can teach Try Freediving, Basic Freediving, Pool Freediving and Level 1 and 2 Freediving.

Prerequisites: The candidate must have 100 logged dives, and completed the Freediving Level 3 program, have a First Aid Certificate (no older than 2 years), and must hold the speciality certification for Free Immersion and Training Technique.

Duration: 10 days

Performance & Course Completion Requirements:

Constant Weight Bi Fins (CWTB): 40mtr.
Dynamic Bi Fins (DYNB): 85mtr.
Static Breath-Hold: 4:00min.
Standby Rescue (1min. Rescue Hang): 20mtr.

BO Rescue (50mtr. tow incl. Rescue Breaths): 20mtr.
5x 20mtr. (1min. surface interval)
400mtr. Swim: In less than 10min.
800mtr. Swim with Equipment: In less than 15min.

* All skills need to be demonstrated with instructor level quality.

Price without package discount per person: $1350

Please note; before you can start the SSI FITC, you will need to pay SSI for the first year annual and registration fee. Additional one-time fees with SSI are the Freedive Instructor Kit Level 1, the SSI Level 2 Upgrade Kit, and the mandatory wet slates (in-water writing board).

The total additional fee that you need to pay to SSI directly will be around $400.

The SSI Level 2 & Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor Combo

It doesn't matter if you do a Zero to Hero, a freediving internship or an instructor course with training; with the SSI Level 2 Freedive Instructor & Molchanovs Instructor Course combo, you get the best of two worlds!

SSI has the biggest dealer network globally and offers fantastic support to instructors and dive centers. The SSI courses, both the recreational and professional level courses, are very well built, structured and teach you so much more than just freediving or how to teach freediving. At the same time, Molchanovs is pure freediving, focusing on technique and skills while you can work anywhere and independently without being affiliated to a center. It is not strange that this combo package is so popular!

Do note; this is not a 2-in-1 course - you won't get 2 certifications with one course! The SSI and Molchanovs Instructor courses have different objectives, and therefore it is impossible to certify you twice for one course.

We will start with the SSI Instructor Course and develop you into the dive professional you were meant to be - no other instructor course develops dive professionals like the SSI Instructor Course. With SSI, you will learn how to teach freediving and what it means to be a dive professional. After the SSI Instructor course, we take 2 days off and start with the Molchanovs Instructor cross-over. Because we already add things like skills video review to the SSI course and add the in-water performance requirements of Molchanovs to the SSI course, we can add more value to the courses, run both course more efficient and thus can do the cross over in a shorter time frame and thus cheaper. This is one fantastic and compact package for both certificates! Truly the best of both worlds.

Price without package discount per person: $1650

Please note that the above price is not including the mandatory ~$400 SSI fees for the SSI annual and registration fee, the Freedive Instructor Kit Level 1, the SSI Level 2 Upgrade Kit, and the wet slates. Also, the first year annual fee to become an active Molcanovs Instructor needs to pay directly to Molchanovs. This is currently set to $100 per year for the independent instructor.

Change your Lifestyle! Move to a Tropical Island!

Regardless of which package you choose, for sure you’ll love what Panglao has to offer you! Contact us now for more information about our Zero to Hero programs.

Fill in the form today. Just check the possibilities. Usually, you’ll have an answer within hours.

We have Updated our Zero to Hero Freediving Instructor Program!

The years 2020 and 2021 were crazy years due to COVID, but we have kept developing the dive center in Panglao, the resort, the different brands and our long term instructor training programs. We are ready more than ready for the country’s re-opening, and we’re going to celebrate it big with lots of visitors and beautiful diving!

We have some important updates for our beginner to freediving instructor programs, and we are sure you’ll love them!

You buy a package of freediving courses! This needs to be rewarded with a higher discount! Instead of the 20% discount for the entire freediving program, we are rewarding you with a package discount of 25% when you buy all courses at the same time!
From now on, you will lock in the 25% discount for all your courses with us! You want to do first aid and emergency first responder course? Great, you’ll get a 25% discount! It doesn’t matter if you want to do a monofin speciality, or the nofins, variable weight, mermaid or any other freediving speciality or course. You will get a 25% discount.
Not only you lock in your discount with the new prices for the Zero to Hero programs, but if you travel with your partner you both get the Zero to Hero package discount.
In Panglao, we offer customer discount on all our freediving gear. From now, the moment you confirm your Zero to Hero program – which will be finalised via the 20% down payment, you will lock in your retail discount. Your discount can be as much as 20% on selected items like freediving wetsuits, freediving fins, masks, snorkels and many many other items. If you are looking to buy new gear, please contact us since not everything we sell is listed online.

Sign Up Now and Get a FREE Wetsuit or Pure Carbon Fins!

STOP what you are doing! We got something extraordinary for you!

The Philippines has reopened its borders for international tourists, and we are kicking off hard! To celebrate this, we are offering up to 50% discount on our freedive training and! And!

And for a limited time only! Early bookers confirming their Beginner to Freediving Instructor Zero to Hero program get an amazing gift! All who sign up now can choose between a 100% FREE tailor-made Hybrid Super Smoothkin Freediving Wetsuit from Go Deep or the high-performance Go Deep pure carbon freediving fins! Please note; shipping fees may apply.

If you don’t know your exact travel dates but are sure of coming to the Philippines, please message us today since this offer also applies to open travel date bookings.

Get a Free Go Deep Super Smoothskin Freediving Wetsuit!

With the Freedive Academy, you get More Training, More Value, More Freebies, More Depth and More Fun!

Come to Panglao and See What You Can Do in 3 to 6 Months! It’s going to be AWESOME!

The Price of Your Zero to Hero Freediving Program!

Adding it all up in a beautiful, comfortable package.

We have added a lot of extra’s and value to the program, but what is the cost for all of this? Let’s break it down.

What you get with the Freedive Academy Panglao Zero to Hero:

Molchanovs Wave 1 or SSI Level 1 $320
Molchanovs Wave 2 or SSI Level 2 $480
Molchanovs Wave 3 or SSI Level 3 $650
MASTER+ training $700 ($350 per month)
FITC $1350 (plus you need to pay Molchanovs $100 for their annual membership fee and SSI about ~$400 for their instructor study kit and first-year membership and registration fee.)

We charge you the price for the individual training ($350 per month), but as a Zero to Hero student, you will join the MASTER+ training program, which is $650 per month. The individual training program normally only includes the use of the academy, buoys and setup, while the MASTER+ that you get with your Zero to Hero Freediving program is ocean training in the morning, pool, static, or dry training in the afternoon, plus we incorporate more yoga and gym training into the program. With the MASTER+ program, we coach you and help you develop your own training schedules for you.

So the total price is $3505, and because with a Zero to Hero, you do everything at once, we can give you a 25% discount on the full package, which makes a total of $2628.75.

But as you see, there’s more than ‘just’ a discount.

When you buy everything at once via a Zero to Hero package, you will get many FREE extra’s!

The additional guided sessions with the instructors between the Level 1, 2 and 3 courses is valued at $372.
The SSI Speciality Instructor Course Free Immersion is $330.
The SSI Speciality Instructor Course Training Techniques is $330.
The option to extend the MASTER+ training by 3 months ($650 per month).

With the 25% discount, the extra guided sessions, the SSI Speciality Instructor Courses and the Free MASTER+ training, your discount can be as high as $3210! This is a lot of extra value and a great package deal for up to 6 months of freedive training!

With a Freediving Internship, we give a 35% discount on the total package, but you have to work 16 hours a week in exchange for the bigger discount, the free housing and free lunch.

If you have the financial means, we always recommend taking the regular Zero to Hero. This way, you can entirely focus on your training, conditioning and resting well. Let’s face it. You don’t get many opportunities in life to focus fully on something so cool as freediving for 3 months straight!

$2800 is a lot of money, but you’ll be diving in one – if not THE best freediving location in the world! You’ll be living and diving for 3 to 6 months on Panglao Island! Panglao is a fantastic green tropical island with great restaurants, bars, and plenty of things to do when out of the water. And then the Freedive Academy with pretty much direct access to the water entry, diving without a boat on a time you want to dive, and a high-quality facility with the best possible premium gear.

We always have lots of divers around. Often we go on motorbike trips into Bohol province, and regularly we organise evenings with games, campfire nights, group dinners, and movie nights. It is time for you to join the Freedive Academy Panglao family!

IMPORTANT! When you join us for a Zero to Hero program and want to become a Swim Teacher, a Mermaid Instructor or a Certified Lifeguard, you will get a 25% discount on all the additional programs you take with us. Same goes for all the other SSI Speciality Instructor Courses – you will get a 25% discount!

Let’s get introduced! We’ll schedule a video call, and we will answer all your questions and show you around the center!

There are quite a few different options and ways for you to join our instructor development programs. With many of our customers, especially those who join the Zero to Hero programs or the Freediving Internships, and those who come for training and a Freedive Instructor Course, we often schedule an FB, Whatsapp, or Skype call to talk about the different options. We understand that all the information about the various agencies, the different levels and options for the courses can be confusing. During this call – which is, of course, free of charge and without any further obligations, we discuss all the options. We will make a plan together, and we’ll immediately show you around the freediving school and resort, so you have a good idea of what kind of dive center we are!

We believe this is a great way to get introduced, get your questions answered and to get an inside look into daily life at the academy. Fill out the form below, we’ll send you all the needed information, and we’ll schedule a call. We look forward to talking to you soon!

When can you start your Zero to Hero in Panglao?

With us any day of the week, but make sure you plan it around your FITC!

We run Freedive Instructor Courses pretty much every month and a half – with fixed schedules every three months. Be sure to start your Zero to Hero at least 2 months before your desired FITC! Because of the Freediving Internships, we have 4 FITC’s fixed per year, and we try to schedule additional SSI Freediving Instructor Courses and Molchanovs Instructor Courses in-between these dates. These are the dates we scheduled for the coming year. If you have a preference for certain dates, please contact us. Chances are that we can move or schedule something since most people are here longterm.

Since the Philippines opened up for international tourists, things have really picked up. Not only have we booked quite a few instructor courses in Panglao but have we decided to continue with the online courses and cross overs - they are a lot of fun!

If the below dates are not in line with your schedule, please don't hesitate to contact us. We expect that we'll be running at least two instructor courses - online and offline - each month and are more than happy to schedule one according to your schedule!

April 20, 2022

Molchanovs Wave 2 Cross Over

Online Course

May 6, 2022

Molchanovs Wave 2 Cross Over

Online Course

May 9, 2022

SSI React Right Instructor