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Choose a PADI Divemaster course in Bali on four things: the water you want to learn to guide in, whether you pay for a course, the full cost once PADI fees are added, and the number of weeks you really have. The certification is the same at every centre. PADI requires 40 logged dives to start and 60 to certify.
Everything else varies. In published 2026 price lists, Bali programmes run from two weeks to three months, and entry-level course fees mostly sit between IDR 16 million and IDR 23 million before PADI fees and materials.
How Do Divemaster Programmes Differ by Region in Bali?
The region decides what you practise every day: shore entries or boat dives, still water or current, one home reef or a different site each morning.
| Region | From Bali airport | What you train and guide in | Published 2026 course fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanur | About 30 minutes by road | Town base. Centres run day trips to Nusa Penida, Padang Bai, Tulamben and Amed, so the site changes daily | IDR 19 million to IDR 32 million for programmes of two to six weeks, depending on what is bundled |
| Padang Bai | About 1 hour 20 minutes by road | Blue Lagoon sites with mild to moderate current and walls to 30 m. Also the ferry port for Lombok and the Gilis | Four-week and three-month programmes. The centre checked does not publish a price |
| Amed and Tulamben | 2.5 to 3 hours by road | Mostly shore dives over black sand: walls, macro and the USAT Liberty wreck about 40 m off the beach | IDR 16 million to IDR 17 million, from three or four weeks |
| Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan | About 30 minutes by road to Sanur, then about 45 minutes by fast boat | Boat dives in current, manta rays all year and Mola Mola from July till October. | IDR 18.9 million to IDR 19.5 million, from four weeks |
Sanur works wonderfully as a home base if you want maximum destination variety, thanks to its central position that lets you easily reach different sites by car or boat. The downside is that you'll dedicate a larger portion of your days to getting around.
Amed and Tulamben carry the lowest course fees in the published lists. You walk in from the beach, so you return to the same sites often and learn them well.
Nusa Penida is a place where you learn to brief and lead dive groups in strong currents. We run our PADI Divemaster course in Nusa Penida from Ped on the north coast, with full programme details available on the course page.
The Gili Islands often appear in the same searches. They belong to Lombok and lie about 2.5 hours by fast boat from Padang Bai.
How Much Does a Divemaster Course in Bali Cost, and How Long Does It Take?
At Legend Diving Penida, the Divemaster course comes to about IDR 26 million to IDR 27.4 million, or about USD 1.450 to USD 1.530, once the PADI fee and learning materials are added to the IDR 18.900.000 course fee. Accommodation, food, visa and flights come on top.
| Cost | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Divemaster course fee | IDR 18.900.000 | Legend Diving Penida |
| PADI Divemaster application fee | AUD 286 (about IDR 3.6 million) | PADI |
| PADI eLearning and slates | About IDR 3.5 million to IDR 4.9 million | Dive centre or PADI |
| Total before living costs | About IDR 26 million to IDR 27.4 million |
How to read these figures:
- The course fee is taken from the Legend Diving Penida price list, which is the reference for current prices.
- The application fee is the amount for Bali centres quote for 2025 and 2026. PADI bills it in Australian dollars.
- The materials figure is the range published by four other Bali centres. Some centres bundle materials into the course fee, so confirm what applies when you book.
- Conversions use 1 AUD = IDR 12.435 and 1 USD = IDR 17.900, the rates of 4 October 2026.
Three smaller costs are easy to miss. An extra week costs IDR 6.5 million to IDR 7 million at the two centres that publish a weekly rate. Gear rental is included at several centres and charged at others. A visa on arrival costs IDR 500.000 for 30 days and can be extended once for another 30 days, so a programme longer than 60 days needs a different visa.
How long the course takes depends on where you start.
| Where you start | What PADI requires first | Programme length in Bali price lists |
|---|---|---|
| Rescue Diver with 40 logged dives | Nothing more. You need 60 logged dives to certify | 4 weeks |
| Advanced Open Water Diver | Rescue Diver and first aid training | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Open Water Diver | Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver and first aid training | 7 to 10 weeks |
| Non-diver | All of the above | 8 to 12 weeks |
The two-week end of the range only works if you arrive close to 60 logged dives. PADI itself says Divemaster internships typically last a few months. Four weeks is the common entry point in Bali for a certified Rescue Diver.
What Should You Ask Before You Book a Divemaster Course?
Send the same ten questions to every centre on your shortlist and compare the answers side by side.
Cost
- Are the PADI application fee, the eLearning and gear rental inside the price?
- What does an extra week cost if I need more time to reach 60 logged dives?
- What is the deposit, and what is refunded if I cannot finish?
Training
- How many trainees does each mentor look after, and who signs off my skills?
- How many dives will I log each week, and at which sites?
- On a normal day, how many hours are training and how many are shop duties?
- Which specialties or workshops are included?
Logistics
- How long is the programme, measured against the 60 days that a visa on arrival and one extension allow?
- Is accommodation included or arranged, and how far is it from the dive centre?
- What follows certification: instructor training on site, help with a CV, job leads?
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a PADI Divemaster course in Bali cost?
Entry-level course fees in published 2026 price lists mostly run from IDR 16 million to IDR 23 million, and reach IDR 32 million where materials and extras are bundled. Add the PADI application fee of AUD 286 and, where it is not bundled, IDR 3.5 million to IDR 4.9 million for eLearning and slates. Accommodation, food and visa are extra.
How long does a Divemaster course in Bali take?
Four weeks for a Rescue Diver who arrives with 40 logged dives, and 8 to 12 weeks for a non-diver. No programme can shorten the 60 logged dives that PADI requires for certification.
Can you start a Divemaster programme in Bali with no diving experience?
Yes. Several centres sell a package that runs from the first Open Water dive to Divemaster in 8 to 12 weeks. The Divemaster part itself starts once you are a Rescue Diver with 40 logged dives.
Is a Divemaster internship in Bali free?
Not for international candidates in the programmes checked for this article. All of them charge a course fee. Free places exist as scholarships for Indonesian citizens. Where training is offered in exchange for work, PADI notes that food, lodging and application fees still fall to you.
Which part of Bali is best for a Divemaster course?
It depends on the diving you want to lead. Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan give you current and boat diving. Amed and Tulamben give you shore diving and the lowest published fees. Sanur gives you the shortest transfer and a different site each day. Padang Bai sits between them, with sheltered Blue Lagoon sites and walls to 30 m.
Do you need a special visa for a Divemaster course in Bali?
A visa on arrival costs IDR 500,000, covers 30 days and can be extended once for another 30 days. It does not allow employment. For a programme longer than 60 days, ask the centre which visa its trainees use and check the official immigration site before you book.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a PADI Divemaster course in Bali comes down to matching the region to the diving you want to lead, then checking the real total and the real number of weeks. Shore diving in Amed and Tulamben, day trips from Sanur and current diving around Nusa Penida all end in the same certification, and each shapes a different Divemaster.
Ask every centre the same ten questions, add the PADI fee and materials to every quote, and pick the programme whose daily diving looks like the job you want.
