First Scuba Dive in Sesimbra: Which Beginner's Try Dive to Book
Updated October 20, 2026 · 6 min read
For most people staying in Sesimbra, book the beginner’s scuba dive from the Porto de Abrigo: it starts in Sesimbra itself, costs €95 per person, is limited to 10 participants, and is rated 4.9 from 64 reviews. The three alternatives are not worse, but two of them start somewhere else or cost more, and one has few reviews. Read the exclusions on each page before paying.
What a try dive is, and what it is not
A try dive is not a diving course and gives you no certificate to dive on your own. You get a briefing, you are fitted with equipment, you learn to breathe underwater and you dive with an instructor, usually close to the shore or at a spot reached by a short speedboat ride. The dives here take place in the Professor Luiz Saldanha Marine Park, inside the Arrábida Natural Park. The marine park publishes its own diving leaflet, which says that spearfishing, collecting and jet skis are prohibited and that rubbish must be taken away. You do not have to know any of this to book, but the operators are bound by it.
The four try dives
| Try dive | Price from | Time | Starts at | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner’s scuba diving from Porto de Abrigo | €95 | 4 hours | Porto de Abrigo, Sesimbra | 4.9 · 64 |
| Try dive in the Arrábida marine reserve | €95 | 2 to 3 hours | Praia do Creiro | 5.0 · 118 |
| Try scuba diving with photos | €105 | 3 hours | Clube Naval de Sesimbra | 5.0 · 70 |
| First scuba diving experience in the ocean | €100 | 3 hours | Mega Dive centre | 4.9 · 19 |
The Porto de Abrigo dive. The operator’s page describes a theory session, a safety and environmental briefing, one dive in the marine park and a boat ride to “one of the historical spots” of the park. It is recognised by SSI and Wild Sea Europe, includes insurance, a participation certificate and free access to an online marine ecology course, and asks guides to point out plastic for collection. Bring a passport or ID card. On its booking page, the operator lists children under 8, pregnant women, and people with back, heart or respiratory problems as not suitable. The meeting point is the Anthia Diving Center at the Porto de Abrigo.
The most-reviewed try dive. It has 118 reviews and a 5.0 rating, but it meets at Praia do Creiro, on the Setúbal side of the park. If you are staying in Sesimbra, that is a drive towards Setúbal, not a walk from the harbour. The page promises SSI and CMAS instructors, full equipment, a speedboat transfer, toilets, showers and lockers, water and biscuits, and photos if the sea allows. On its booking page, the operator lists children under 10 as not suitable, advises against the dive for pregnant women and for people with heart or spine problems, and states that it depends on weather and operational conditions. Two reviewers liked the guides who walked them through every step.
The one with photos. The €105 trip starts at the Clube Naval de Sesimbra, asks you to arrive 30 minutes early, and includes a basic diver certificate, personal accident insurance, a photography service, changing rooms with a hot shower and a light snack with tea. The plan is a 30-minute briefing, a 20-minute speedboat ride each way and the dive. It carries a “wheelchair accessible” label on the booking page, but a speedboat transfer and a dive are not a small thing: ask the operator in detail and get the answer in writing before you rely on the label. One reviewer, who was nervous, wrote that the calm instructors helped several first-timers who had started to panic.
The one with the shortest itinerary. The €100 trip from the Mega Dive centre has a 30-minute briefing, a 20-minute speedboat ride each way and roughly 40 minutes at the dive site for snorkelling or the dive, according to its itinerary. It includes a traditional Sesimbra sweet on the boat, a hot shower and towels, personal accident insurance and a participation certificate recognised by SSI. Photos cost extra. The operator’s booking page lists children under 10 as not suitable. It has only 19 reviews.
Who should not book
Every page above excludes people with certain conditions, and the lists differ: heart problems, back or spine problems, respiratory problems and pregnancy come up repeatedly, and the minimum age is different for each operator and is stated on its booking page. This is a list from the operators, not a medical opinion. If you are unsure, ask your doctor before you book, and read the page of the dive you choose. Non-swimmers should ask the operator, since the pages we read do not say whether swimming is required.
What to expect on the day
Expect to spend more time getting ready than diving. On the two itineraries that list times, the briefing and the speedboat ride take about 50 minutes before you reach the dive site. Weather can cancel or move a dive, and the pages say so. All four show free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. The best protection against disappointment is a flexible day, ideally early in your stay.
If you want to see the same coast from the surface, our boat trips from Sesimbra and the guide to kayaking in Arrábida cover it. The other dives, including double dives and a course, are on our scuba diving in Sesimbra page.
Which should you pick?
- Staying in Sesimbra and wanting the simplest logistics: the €95 dive from the Porto de Abrigo.
- Happy to drive towards Setúbal and want the most reviews: the €95 dive from Praia do Creiro.
- Wanting photos and a hot shower after: the €105 dive from the Clube Naval.
- Wanting the most time at the dive site for your money: compare the itineraries, since only two list minutes. The €100 dive from Mega Dive shows about 40.
If you only book one and sleep in Sesimbra, make it the €95 dive from the Porto de Abrigo.
