Vigo Buceo - Escuela de buceo PADI en la Ría de Vigo

Vigo Buceo is a PADI dive school located at the Bouzas Repair Dock (Vigo) that offers training from beginner levels up to Divemaster, combined with guided dives to the best dive sites in the Vigo Estuary and the Cíes Islands. Its approach is personalized and geared toward small groups, making it an ideal choice for both beginners and certified divers looking to explore the Galician seabed with local guides.

Diving Courses

Beginner:

• Introductory Dive: the fastest way to try diving. A half-day session that includes a theoretical briefing, practice of basic skills in protected waters, and an open-water dive to a depth of 6–8 meters, always with a dedicated instructor. No prerequisites other than knowing how to swim.
• PADI Scuba Diver: a condensed course (2 days) that certifies you to dive to a depth of 12 meters under professional supervision. Ideal for vacations or to try it out before committing to the full Open Water course.

Recreational Level:

• PADI Open Water Diver: the standard course that opens the door to self-contained diving up to 18 meters worldwide. Theory is available online or in person, with practical training in confined waters and 4 open-water dives in the Vigo Estuary or the Cíes Islands.
• Advanced Open Water Diver: 5 adventure dives that expand your skills and depth limit to 30 meters. Includes mandatory navigation and deep diving modules, plus 3 specialties of your choice.
• Rescue Diver: The course that transforms a good diver into a well-rounded diver. Emergency prevention and management, rescue techniques, and underwater first aid. Prerequisite: EFR (Emergency First Response) certification, which they also offer.

Professional Level:

• PADI Divemaster: the first professional certification. Intensive training in underwater leadership, group management, course assistance, and dive guiding. Vigo Buceo offers real-world internship programs with its own students and dive trips.

Guided Dives

For certified divers, Vigo Buceo organizes regular trips to the most interesting dive sites in the area:

• Cíes Islands — East Coast Seabed: Atlantic posidonia meadows, kelp forests, and abundant wildlife: octopuses, cuttlefish, spider crabs, velvet crabs, schools of white seabream, sea bream, and colorful wrasses. Accessible depths (10–25 m) with good visibility.
• Cíes Islands — Walls and caves: more technical dives on the west side, with vertical walls covered in gorgonians, sponges, and anemones. Conger eels, moray eels, and occasionally eagle rays.
• Wrecks in the Vigo Estuary: The estuary is home to shipwrecks from different eras. Wreck dives with partial penetration for advanced divers.
• Shore Dives and Night Dives: Accessible dive sites from the shore in Bouzas, Cangas, and along the southern coast of the estuary, including night dives featuring a completely different array of marine life.

Equipment

• Full rental: Complete diving gear available for rent (regulator, BCD, wetsuit, fins, mask, weights, tank). All equipment is inspected and disinfected after each use.
• Dry suits: available for dives during the colder months (November–April), when the water temperature drops below 14°C.
• Tank fills: air and nitrox for divers with their own equipment.

Practical Information

• Location: Bouzas Repair Dock, in the port area of Vigo. Easy access by car with parking available in the area.
• Season: Open year-round, with more frequent outings from May through October.
• Vessel: Our own dive boat with capacity for small groups, equipped with an access ladder, emergency oxygen, and a first-aid kit.
• Instructor-to-student ratio: small groups (maximum of 4 students per instructor for courses, 6 divers per guide for dives).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I dive if I have no experience? Yes. The introductory dive is designed specifically for people with no prior experience. You just need to know how to swim and be in good general health.

What is the water temperature? In summer (July–September), between 16 and 20°C. In winter, between 12 and 14°C. Divers wear a 7-mm wetsuit in summer and a drysuit in winter.

Do you offer snorkeling as well? Yes, they organize guided snorkeling trips to the Cíes Islands and along the coast of the estuary—ideal for those who don’t want to scuba dive but would like to explore the seabed from the surface.