A cave diver at the exit of an underwater cave

Photo by Mikhail Vedyokhin · CC BY-SA 2.5

CaveRAID

Cavern

Official course standards ↗Last updated September 7, 2026

A foundational overhead environment course emphasizing buoyancy control and non-silt propulsion techniques in confined underwater spaces. Students learn guideline navigation, emergency procedures specific to overhead environments, and proper weighting for minimal silt generation. Maximum penetration is 60 metres (200 feet) from the surface, within the light zone only where natural light remains visible from the entrance. This entry-level overhead course builds confidence in confined spaces and prepares divers for deeper cave training progression through refined skills.

Centres that teach this course

1 dive centre in the directory publish a price for this exact certification, checked Sep 2026. Each centre's own wording is shown beneath its name. Ranges cover whole-course prices only — where a centre charges per day or per dive, its rate is listed separately below, since a daily figure is not comparable with a course total.

One centre publishes a price in Euro.

Same training under a different agency

32 centres

A separate set of centres, teaching Cavern under a different agency. These are not the same certification — the standards and the card differ — but they cover the same depth and scope, which is why centres price them alike. Every row here names whose rating it is, and none of them is counted above.

$600 – $1,320across 5 centres pricing in US Dollar

Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

  • Elite Divers InternationalMexico
    Cavern DiverIANTD
    $275/day→ $825 for the 3-day minimum
    $275
    per day
  • Protec MexicoMexico
    CavernPSAI
    1 student$420/day→ $2,100 for the 5-day minimum
    2+ students$370/day→ $1,850 for the 5-day minimum each
    $420
    per day
  • Third Dimension DivingMexico
    Cavern DiverIANTD
    $295/day→ $885 for the 3-day minimum
    $295
    per day
  • Cave AdventurersUnited States
    CavernTDI
    Private class$450/day→ $900 for the 2-day minimum
    Group class$350/day→ $700 for the 2-day minimum each
    $450
    per day
  • Ghost DiversMexico
    Cavern DiverIANTD
    $330/day
    $330
    per day
  • Wolff DivingMexico
    IANTD Cavern DiverIANTD
    $300/day→ $1,200 for the 4-day minimum
    $300
    per day
  • ByMoMoDiveMexico
    Cavern DiverIANTD
    1 student$245/day→ $980 for the 4-day minimum
    3 students$205/day→ $820 for the 4-day minimum each
    $245
    per day
  • Divers UnderGroundMexico
    TDI Cavern DiverTDI
    1 diver$325/day
    2 or 3 divers$300/day
    $325
    per day
  • CDT Mexico (Cave Diving Training)Mexico
    CavernTDI
    1 student$300/day→ $1,200 for the 4-day minimum
    $300
    per day
  • Under The JungleMexico
    Cavern Diver (TDI)TDI
    private$345/day→ $1,725 for the 5-day minimum
    per diver in a group$295/day→ $1,475 for the 5-day minimum each
    $345
    per day
  • Go Dive MexicoMexico
    Cavern diverTDI
    private$330/day→ $1,650 for the 5-day minimum
    2+ divers$300/day→ $1,500 for the 5-day minimum each
    $330
    per day
  • Cave Diving AdventuresMexico
    CavernTDI
    $350/day→ $1,400 for the 4-day minimum
    $350
    per day
  • Green Divers TulumMexico
    TDI Cavern DiverTDI
    per person$235/day
    $235
    per day
THB 20,000 – THB 35,000across 9 centres pricing in Thai Bahtfrom ≈ $597
€800 – €1,000across 2 centres pricing in Eurofrom ≈ $897

Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

Priced per day or per dive in Indonesian Rupiah — see below.

    Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

    • Air Dive AlorIndonesia
      CavernTDI
      1 student, privateIDR 3,200,000/day→ IDR 6,400,000 for the 2-day minimum
      3 studentsIDR 2,400,000/day→ IDR 4,800,000 for the 2-day minimum each
      IDR 3,200,000
      per day
    One centre publishes a price in Mexican Peso.

    Same tier, agency not stated

    5 centres

    These centres publish a price for Cavern, but their own wording does not say which agency's certification it buys — many teach several and name the card only once you enquire, and some price one course for either agency. The figure is comparable; the certification is not identified, so we do not guess at one.

    $500 – $600across 2 centres pricing in US Dollar
    €450 – €800across 2 centres pricing in Eurofrom ≈ $505
    One centre publishes a price in Thai Baht.

    These prices are not like-for-like. Two centres can charge very differently for the same certification because they include different things. One price may cover twinsets, stages, deco gas and cylinder rental for every training dive, a dedicated classroom for the theory, boat or transport to the site, and the agency's registration and materials; another may be tuition only, with all of that charged separately — or the other way round, with a centre bundling in extras the first leaves out. Class size, whether the course is one-to-one, and how many days are allowed for it move the figure too. Check what each centre's price includes before comparing them, and confirm with the centre before booking.

    Consumables are usually extra. Sorb, helium, O₂ and other fills, park and cenote fees, certification fees and rental are commonly charged on top.

    Packages combining several certifications, upgrades from an existing one, and open-ended day rates are excluded — none of them is the standalone price of this course, and including them would move the figures away from what a new student can actually book.

    Prerequisites

    Minimum RAID Open Water 20 certification or equivalent; though specific RAID requirements are not publicly stated, contact RAID Dive Center for enrollment. Minimum 4 hours of overhead environment training recommended. No minimum logged dive count publicized.

    Standards

    What a diver must demonstrate to pass this course — not always published by the certifying agency.

    Demonstrate buoyancy control and hover within plus/minus 50 centimetres, non-silt propulsion techniques, backwards kick proficiency, guideline navigation, emergency procedures in overhead environments, and proper weighting management.

    Instructors Teaching This Course

    Indonesia

    Robin Cuesta

    Dive Centres Offering This Course

    We're still building out the directory country by country, so this list isn't every instructor or dive centre teaching it in the world — more locations are coming soon.

    Common questions about RAID Cavern

    How much does RAID Cavern cost?

    One centre in the TecDiveTools directory publishes a whole-course price for RAID Cavern: Sulawesi Dive Trek, at €1,000. Prices differ mainly in what they include, so compare the inclusions before comparing the numbers. Prices were last checked in September 2026.

    How long does RAID Cavern take?

    4 days, based on the durations 1 centre publishes for it. The time depends on the centre's schedule, weather, and how quickly the required skills are demonstrated — agencies set a minimum number of dives, not a fixed number of days.

    What are the prerequisites for RAID Cavern?

    RAID's standards require: Minimum RAID Open Water 20 certification or equivalent; though specific RAID requirements are not publicly stated, contact RAID Dive Center for enrollment. Minimum 4 hours of overhead environment training recommended. No minimum logged dive count publicized.

    What does RAID Cavern training involve?

    According to RAID's published standards: Demonstrate buoyancy control and hover within plus/minus 50 centimetres, non-silt propulsion techniques, backwards kick proficiency, guideline navigation, emergency procedures in overhead environments, and proper weighting management.

    What is the equivalent of RAID Cavern in other agencies?

    At the same tier in TecDiveTools' cross-agency comparison: TDI Cavern, ANDI Cavern, PSAI Cavern Diver, IANTD Cavern Diver, NSS-CDS Cavern Tech Diver, SSI XR Extended Range Cavern Diving and NSS-CDS Single Tank Cavern Diver. They cover comparable training, but each agency sets its own standards, depth limits and certification card, so they are comparable rather than interchangeable — check which one your next course accepts.

    TDI CavernANDI CavernPSAI Cavern DiverIANTD Cavern DiverNSS-CDS Cavern Tech DiverSSI XR Extended Range Cavern DivingNSS-CDS Single Tank Cavern Diver

    What course comes after RAID Cavern?

    The next step in RAID's progression is RAID Cave 1.

    RAID Cave 1

    Where can I take RAID Cavern?

    5 dive centres and 5 instructors in the TecDiveTools directory teach RAID Cavern, in Mexico, Thailand and Indonesia. Each is listed further up this page.

    Does the price of RAID Cavern include gas and equipment?

    Not always — it varies by centre. Certification fees, equipment rental and boat or site fees are commonly charged on top of the course price. Each centre's price list on TecDiveTools shows what it notes as included.

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