Going all the WAY!

From Zero to Hero (from Beginner to Instructor)

The Freediving Zero to Hero is up to Six Months 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, guidance was missing, and I got overtrained and injured myself.

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

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. I’m very proud to say that our divers can easily dive with any diver of any level, anywhere in the world, and our instructors are more than capable of teaching for any center – big or small, anywhere in the world. Our program is really nice, robust, and lots of fun, and the divers leave here as proper freedivers and true professionals.”

Taking 3 to 6 months off to go freediving in Panglao, Philippines, is a fun, exciting, and incredible way to escape everyday 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 some months off and want to do something incredible? Awesome, see you soon!

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

The beginner to freediving instructor program lasts at least three months, while the freediving program can be extended to 6 months with extra free training. You can also complete all the course requirements in these three additional months of free training. We immediately remove all the pressure and possible stress of completing all the program requirements. Since we are an instructor training center with many instructors at different levels, you can train freely and complete all the requirements whenever you are ready. You join and finish the program at the speed that is right for you!

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 north side of Panglao Island. Central on the island between the busy and crazy tourist areas of Alona and Tagbilaran City. The marine life is spectacular here on the quiet north side of the island, while we have an even more impressive drop-off into the ocean’s depths. Our water entry is easily accessible at about 300 meters down the street – save your energy walking; we go by scooter or use our shuttle ;). Then, when you’re in the water, you swim about 8 meters past a beautiful and colorful reef full of life. Literally, through the famous Panglao sardine run, you can immediately access about -50 meter depth. For those who are more experienced freedivers, 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 authentic 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 bamboo sport bungalows, or we can help you find nice and clean accommodation for less than 300usd per month. Most apartments have their 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 have ever had before! The Filipino people are the friendliest people you’ll ever meet in your life. Also, extending your visa is super easy in the Philippines – much, much easier than in any other Asian country! Panglao is a true paradise for freedivers and long-term stayers.

Check out the video below to see how it is to Freedive with Us.

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.

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

You already know that the location of the dive center in Panglao is fantastic! Panglao Island is beautiful, and with year-round 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 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 traveling to Panglao is super easy, too.

But besides the location and Panglao Island itself, the Freedive Academy and our dive resort are definitely worth visiting. We have built five 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, a fantastic canopy, and an outdoor sitting area where you can relax and chat with the other divers. We have a small outdoor gym and stretching area with rowing machines, cycles, dumbles, battle ropes, gym balls, and a TRX setup for your apnea training. We’re now developing a bigger outside chill-out area with a fire pit, and we are slowly starting to build the eatery terras just down the road from the academy. Postponed because of COVID, but soon we’ll open our new eatery, ‘The Bottom Plate,’ where we’ll serve the most healthy and beautiful breakfasts, lunches, and smoothies on the island. The Freedive Academy Panglao is the perfect place to start with a beginner freediving course. Stay and hang out and finish until you’re a freediving instructor! We built you a two-lane, 25-meter pool with a shallow water static area – it looks incredible! We love our new pool! 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, our freediving gear is made of high-quality, premium, well-maintained materials.

Change your Lifestyle! Move to a Tropical Island!

At our Freedive Academy in Panglao, we offer many opportunities 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 for 3 to 6 months, you go from beginner to freediving instructor. With us, you can start your Zero to Hero program anytime!

Regardless of your chosen package, you’ll undoubtedly love what Panglao offers 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. We run them with AIDA courses and with Molchanovs courses. We often run the beginner to freedive instructor program in combination with different 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, AIDA 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:

SSI Level 1, Molchanovs Wave 1 or AIDA 2 (+2 Guided sessions with Instructor)
SSI Level 2, Molchanovs Wave 2 or AIDA 3 (+6 Guided sessions with Instructor or Intern)
SSI Level 3, Molchanovs Wave 3 or AIDA 4
Master training (2 months)
Freediving Instructor Training Course (SSI, Molchanovs, AIDA or a 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 (with the SSI FITC only)
SSI Free Immersion Speciality Instructor (with the SSI FITC only)
Extendable to 6 months with FREE training.

To make it a bit clearer, the guided sessions are where an instructor or intern guides the session, setting up the lines, ensuring your safety, and so on. The Master Freediving Training program for Zero to Hero students or Interns is where you dive and train with our interns and masters under the guidance of the Freedive Academy course director or dive shop coordinator.

Please note that starting with a Level 1 course is not mandatory. Discounts on the program might change, but we often have students beginning with Level 2 and Level 3 freediving courses join 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 or Beginner to Freediving Instructor Program. After this, you can stay for the Master’s training and join us for a freediving specialty or a swim teacher course, but the FITC is the final course in the regular program. The FITC is the most extensive course of all. The candidates can be certified as a Molchanovs Wave 2 Freediving Instructor, AIDA Freediving Instructor, SSI Level 1 Freediving Instructor, or 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 or AIDA Instructor via a special combo package. We would start the combo with the SSI Level 2 course, followed by three extra days of Molchanovs or AIDA 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 must be an SSI Level 2 Instructor to cross over to Molchanovs or AIDA. Plus, as a Level 2 Instructor, you can teach more courses, which is also an important benefit.

The skills requirements for the 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, AIDA, or SSI Freediving Instructor we train can run a few courses with us—it’s a great experience to start teaching immediately, and you will get your first teaching commission, too! Furthermore, all our SSI instructors, regardless of their level, leave as Training Techniques Specialty Instructors, too!

SSI Advanced Freediving Instructor

The SSI Advanced Freediving Instructor (SSI Level 2 Freediving Instructor) can teach Try Freediving, Basic Freediving, Pool Freediving, and the Freediver and Advanced Freediver courses.

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

Duration: 10 days

Performance & Course Completion Requirements:

Constant Weight Bi Fins (CWTB): 40mtr. or 3 x 25mtr. with 1-minute rest
Dynamic Bi Fins (DYNB): 85mtr.
Static Breath-Hold: 4:00min.
20mtr. Standby Rescue (1min. Rescue Hang)

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

* All skills need to be demonstrated at an instructor-level quality.

Price without package discount per person: $1350

Please note that before starting the SSI FITC, you will need to pay the SSI annual and registration fee for the first year. Additional one-time fees with SSI are the Freedive Instructor Kit and the SSI Advanced Freediving Instructor Upgrade Kit.

The additional fee to pay SSI directly for the Advanced Freediving Instructor level will be around $350. In the following years, your annual cost to stay active will be about $100.

AIDA Instructor Training Course

The AIDA Freediving Instructor can teach the courses AIDA 1 Introduction to Freediving, the AIDA 2 Open Water and Pool Freediving courses, the AIDA 3 Advanced Freediver Course, and the AIDA Monofin Course. If the candidate is also an AIDA judge, they can teach some of the competition courses.

Prerequisites: The candidate must have an AIDA 4 Certification or pass the AIDA 4 Crossover Evaluation and have a First Aid Certificate (no older than two years).

Duration: 9 days

Performance & Course Completion Requirements:

Constant Weight Bi Fins (CWTB): 40mtr.
Free Immersion (FIM): 40mtr.
Constant Weight Bi Fins (CWTB): 30mtr. (dive time 1:30 min.)
Free Immersion (FIM): 30mtr. (dive time 2 min.)
Dynamic Bi Fins (DYNB): 90mtr.
Dynamic No Fins (DNF): 50mtr.

Constant No Fins (CNF): 20mtr.
Static Breath-Hold: 4:00min.
Standby Rescue (1min. Rescue Hang): 15mtr.
25mtr. BO Rescue (50mtr. tow incl. Rescue Breaths)
5x 20mtr. (1min. surface interval)

* All skills need to be demonstrated at an instructor-level quality.

Price without package discount per person: $1350

Please note: After you pass the AIDA FITC, we will certify you as an AIDA Freediving Instructor. To become an active instructor, you must pay the first-year annual fee directly to AIDA International. The yearly fee for an AIDA Freediving Instructor to remain active is currently set at €50 a year.

Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor Certificate

Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor Training Course

The Molchanovs Wave 2 Instructor can teach Molchanovs Wave 1 and 2, the Lap 1 and 2 courses, Theory 1 and 2, and the Discover Freediving program and guide the Base Training Level 1 to 4 programs.

Prerequisites: The candidate must have a Wave 3 Certification or pass the Wave 3 Crossover Evaluation and have a First Aid Certificate (no older than two 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. Surface Kicking followed by 20m CWT dive

* All skills need to be demonstrated at an instructor-level quality.

Price without package discount per person: $1350

Please note that before starting the Molchanovs FITC, you will have to pay an additional $100 for the Molchanovs professional registration - we will put this on your invoice since we need to pay this to Molchanovs before the course starts. Then, once we certify you as a Molchanovs Wave 2 or Lap 2 Instructor, to become an active instructor, you must pay Molchanovs the first-year annual fee directly, which will also be $100 annually.

Molchanovs, SSI or AIDA Instructor Combo

The Molchanovs, SSI, or AIDA Freediving Instructor Combo

It doesn't matter if you do a Zero to Hero, a freediving internship, or a single instructor course with training; with the Freedive Academy Freediving Instructor Combo, you get the best of two worlds!

First, please note that this is not a 2-in-1 course - you won't get two certifications with one course! The Freedive Instructor Combo is an entire Instructor course followed by an Instructor crossover course.

Some guests want to take the SSI Instructor course because it, like no other, prepares them to become proper dive professionals. Some want to become AIDA or Molchanovs instructors because of the agencies' flexibility.

The Freedive Academy runs SSI & Molchanovs, SSI & AIDA, and Molchanovs & AIDA combo courses.

We are saving time with performance requirements that are often the same between the different agencies. We're saving time discussing and demonstrating the skills. An excellent example is also, with the SSI and AIDA Instructor Course, we add instructor candidate skills video review, which is usually only done with the Molchanovs FITC. We are adding more value to the different courses, running both courses more efficiently, and thus can do the crossover in a shorter time frame and, therefore, cheaper. The combo package is one fantastic and compact package for both certificates! It's truly the best of both worlds.

Price without package discount per person: $1850

Please note that the above price does not include the mandatory ~$350 SSI fee for the registration and annual membership fee, the SSI Freediving Instructor kit, and the Advanced Freediving Instructor kit.

Also, the first-year annual membership and professional registration of Molchanovs are not included, which is $200.

The additional fee to become an active AIDA Instructor is the least expensive of all agencies and is set at €50 a year.

Change your Lifestyle! Move to a Tropical Island!

At our Freedive Academy in Panglao, we offer many opportunities to become a pro-freediver. We offer quite a few different instructor courses, and we can offer them all with a nice, affordable package. But of course, our most popular package is our Freediving Zero to Hero program, wherein for 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, you’ll love what Panglao offers! Contact us now for more information about our Zero to Hero programs.

Fill in the form today. Check the possibilities. You’ll usually have an answer within hours.

We have updated our Zero to Hero Freediving Instructor Program!

The years 2020 and 2021 were crazy due to COVID, but we’ve kept developing the dive center in Panglao, the resort, the different brands, and our long-term instructor training programs. We were ready for the country’s re-opening and are now celebrating 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! Do you want to do a 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 specialty, the nofins, variable weight, mermaid, or any other freediving specialty or course. You will get a 25% discount.
Not only do 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 discounts on selected items of our freediving gear collection. From now on, the moment you confirm your Zero to Hero program – which will be finalized 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 want to buy new gear, please get in touch with us since not everything we sell is listed online.

Sign Up Now and Get FREE Pure Carbon Sport Freediving Fins!

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

The Academy’s Zero to Hero programs are crazy popular, and we’re celebrating this big 2024 by offering up to a $100 discount on our freedive training.

For a limited time only, early bookers confirming their Beginner to Freediving Instructor Zero to Hero program get a fantastic gift! All signing up now can get a 100% FREE Go Deep or the high-performance pure carbon freediving fins!

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.

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 extras 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:

SSI Level 1, Molchanovs Wave 1 or the AIDA 2 $325
SSI Level 2, Molchanovs Wave 2 or the AIDA 3 $480
SSI Level 3, Molchanovs Wave 3 or the AIDA 4 $650
Master Training $700 ($350 per month)
FITC $1350 (plus the annual agency membership and registration fee)

We charge you the price for the independent training ($350 per month), but as a Zero to Hero student, you will join the MASTER+ training program, which is $650 per month. The independent training program normally only includes the use of the academy, buoys, and setup. The difference between the MASTER+ and the independent training is that all our Zero to Hero guests get personal coaching. We will guide you in your progress by helping you develop specific training schedules.

The total price for a single instructor course is $3505, and because you do everything at once with Zero to Hero, we can give you a 25% discount on the complete package, which is $2628.75.

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

You will get many FREE extras when you buy everything at once via a Zero to Hero package!

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

With the 25% discount, the extra guided sessions, the SSI Specialty Instructor Courses, and the Free additional MASTER+ training, your discount can be as high as $2652! This is a lot of extra value and a great package deal for up to six months of freedive training!

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

If you have the financial means, we recommend joining 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 entirely on something so cool as freediving for three months straight!

$2600 is a lot of money, but you’ll be diving in one – if not THE best freediving location in the world! You’ll live and dive 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 at a time you want to dive, and a high-quality facility with the best possible premium gear.

We always have lots of divers around. We often go on motorbike trips into Bohol province and regularly organize 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. The 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!

You can join our instructor development programs with many different options and ways. 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, levels, and course options can be confusing. During this call – which is, of course, free of charge and without any further obligations, we discuss all the possibilities. We will make a plan together and 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 get an inside look into daily life at the academy. Fill out the quick and easy form on this page, and we’ll message you immediately to ask some basic questions, and we can 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 FITCs fixed per year, and we try to schedule additional SSI Freediving Instructor Courses, AIDA Instructor Courses and Molchanovs Instructor Courses 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 long-term.

Our guests are finding us for professional development programs and instructor courses! The beginner-to-freeding instructor programs with the new bonuses are especially popular. Every month, we run at least one, mostly two FITCs, mostly Molchanovs and AIDA, and every couple of months, an SSI Instructor Course. We are also continuing to run Wave 3 Instructor upgrades online.

The courses below are confirmed and happening, but some might still have somewhat flexible dates. If the below dates don't work with your particular schedule, please don't hesitate to contact us! We have the team in place, and since most of our guests are here long-term, we can often move courses around. Message us!

~Feb 26 - Mar 7, 2025

SSI FITC Level 2