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Spend five demanding days at Paradive Resort, Punta Engaño, and train to lead freediving courses with NAUI. This intensive workshop combines classroom theory, confined-water drills, and progressive ocean depth work for experienced freedivers ready to teach.
Spend five demanding days at Paradive Resort, Punta Engaño, and train to lead freediving courses with NAUI. This intensive workshop combines classroom theory, confined-water drills, and progressive ocean depth work for experienced freedivers ready to teach.
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Operated by NAUI Services Group · Riverview, Florida
On the eastern edge of Mactan Island, at Punta Engaño in Buto, Lapu-Lapu, Cebu, the NAUI Philippines Freediving Leadership Workshop turns a tropical reef into a classroom for aspiring freediving instructors. Across five intense days (10–14 July 2026), this course blends rigorous academics, confined-water drills, and progressive open-water depth training at Paradive Resort, a practical base with immediate access to clear, coral-lined slopes and house-reef drops. Students arrive via Mactan-Cebu International Airport and find steadier water in morning windows when trade winds calm.
The program is purpose-built for experienced freedivers who want to teach: physics, physiology, equalization, safety and problem management are covered in classroom sessions, then applied back-to-back in pools and ocean sessions. Key features include static apnea evaluation, dynamic swims, constant weight (CWT) and free immersion (FIM) sequences progressing to 25 meters and beyond, supervised capacity dives, and instructor-level rescue scenarios. The local reef is primarily fringing coral on limestone substrate, with compact drop-offs that make depth work efficient and visibility often good for coaching and video review.
What sets this workshop apart is its immersion in real teaching conditions. Rig setup, surface weight checks, multi-student supervision, and simulated blackouts are run with repeated, structured drills so candidates leave ready to lead safe courses. NAUI instructors Nick Nechay and Asia Pacific representative William Tong are listed contacts for course details and membership steps, and the schedule includes time to file NAUI applications for new members following successful completion.
Logistics are straightforward but uncompromising: candidates supply their own low-volume mask, long freediving fins, wetsuit, rubber quick-release weight belt, and dual timing devices. Accommodation and meals are self-arranged near the resort, and participants should be prepared for physically demanding swim and breath-hold tests, including timed statics, long-distance swims, and survival floats.
Before you register, review NAUI's current standards and policy manual to confirm prerequisites and performance benchmarks; this workshop assumes certified intermediate-to-advanced freediving ability, strong watermanship, and comfort teaching practical skills. Medical screening and paperwork are completed on Day One, and the curriculum allocates time for presentations, peer feedback, and rig teardown drills. Expect concentrated evaluation sequences—two-minute statics, 800-meter swim tests, and repeated simulated rescues—to verify readiness for instructor responsibility and career advancement.
Beyond the training, the workshop places you within Cebu’s lively marine network. Between sessions, explore nearby house reefs, or take a short boat ride to Olango Island bird sanctuary and Gilutongan for snorkeling. Respect reef stewardship: reef-safe sunscreen, careful weight handling, and gear checks protect coral and keep access open.
This course is not an introductory vacation clinic; it forges instructors through repetition, safe escalation, and hands-on mentoring in a tropical setting that bridges classroom discipline with ocean reality—an exacting, efficient path to NAUI freediving leadership.
challenging.
5 days (daily sessions 4–6 hours).
Must have strong cardiovascular fitness, seaworthiness, and repeated breath-hold ability; expect swim and rescue tests.
Consult NAUI's current standards and policy manual; the workshop requires intermediate-to-advanced freediving skills and strong watermanship.
At Paradive Resort, Punta Engaño, Buto, Lapu-Lapu, Cebu, Philippines, with the best airport being Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
No—candidates are responsible for their own lodging, food, and expenses near the resort.
Some items may be available to rent locally, but candidates must bring their own low-volume mask, long fins, and weight belt when possible.
Very—expect timed statics, long swims, survival floats, and repeated in-water rescue drills to verify instructor readiness.
Email NAUI contacts provided for the workshop: Nick Nechay at [email protected] and William Tong at [email protected].
Punta Engaño and nearby Lapu-Lapu City sit on Mactan Island, the region linked to the 1521 battle involving the local leader Lapu-Lapu; the area now supports lively marine tourism.
Participants are encouraged to use reef-safe sunscreen, practice responsible buoyancy, and avoid touching coral to minimize impact and support reef conservation.
NAUI Services Group, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, organizes specialized diving education events and professional workshops for diving leaders and technical divers. The organization produces focused learning experiences that combine skill development with practical instruction and structured, performance-based evaluation. Flagship offerings include the DEMA: First Aid Leadership Workshop — a 3-day immersive program powered by DAN that enhances First Aid and CPR skills, teaches effective instructional methodologies, and supports course implementation for instructors and training organizations. NAUI Services Group also oversees the 2025 NAUI International Technical Diving Summit, a multi-course technical diving event featuring workshops such as cave diving and instructor training, technical talks, and opportunities to network with subject-matter experts. Operating from Las Vegas, NAUI Services Group serves diving professionals, instructors, and serious recreational divers seeking continuing education and advanced training. Events emphasize hands-on practice, instructor development, and practical application of skills. As a business featured on The Adventure Collective, NAUI Services Group is positioned within the adventure travel and diving community and promotes transparent course descriptions and schedules. Prospective attendees should consult published prerequisites, course outlines, and registration information for each event to confirm suitability and meet any required qualifications.
Book with NAUI Services Group