Most candidates who complete their PADI Instructor Development Course with Holly Macleod on Gili Trawangan pass their PADI Instructor Examination on the first attempt. That outcome is built on 23 years of structured preparation and more than 3,500 successful instructor certifications. Holly is one of the longest-serving Platinum PADI Course Directors in the Asia Pacific region, and every IDC intake on Gili Trawangan reflects that standard of delivery.
Every package is structured around one goal: you leave Gili Trawangan as a fully certified PADI Instructor, ready to teach and ready to work. Holly's team handles the structure so you can focus entirely on your development. For full course details and pricing, visit the official PADI IDC Gili Trawangan course page.
The complete Instructor Development Course covering all knowledge development sessions, confined water presentations, and open water teaching assessments. EFRI certification is included. This is the all-in option for candidates who want a structured, managed pathway from Divemaster to fully certified PADI Instructor in a single Gili Trawangan visit.
The Emergency First Response Instructor certification is required before sitting the PADI IE. Holly conducts the EFRI on the Saturday immediately before each IDC intake, so candidates can complete both in a single trip. Available as a standalone course for those who need it separately from the IDC.
After the IDC, Holly provides structured guidance on adding specialty instructor ratings to your professional portfolio. MSDT status, which requires five or more specialty authorizations, significantly increases your earning potential and hiring value across the international dive resort market.
For candidates who completed their Divemaster certification more than 12 months ago and want to arrive at the IDC with sharp, confident skills. A focused review of confined water and open water skills before the course begins. Recommended for anyone who has not been actively diving since certification.
Holly Macleod has been delivering the PADI IDC on Gili Trawangan for over two decades. In that time, she has certified more than 3,500 scuba instructors who now work across every major dive destination worldwide. Her 13 consecutive PADI Platinum Awards are not just credentials. They are the result of a consistent, systematic preparation process that gives each candidate genuine confidence before they sit the PADI Instructor Examination.
The course runs from Blue Marlin Dive, which has operated on Gili Trawangan for over 30 years and holds PADI 5-Star Career Development Center status, the highest facility rating PADI awards. You will find purpose-built classrooms, an on-site training pool, and full equipment facilities without needing to leave the island. According to PADI's official IDC standards, the Instructor Development Course is the most direct professional pathway to a global scuba teaching career, and the quality of your Course Director determines the quality of that preparation.
Explore the full course resource hub: PADI IDC Gili Islands resource hub
Gili Trawangan has no cars, no airport, no motorised traffic. The entire island is built around its diving community. When you step off the fast boat from Bali or Lombok, you leave behind every distraction that would slow you down during your IDC.
The water averages 28 to 30 degrees Celsius with excellent visibility year-round. Blue Marlin Dive's boat departs from the harbour each morning for open water sessions across Gili Trawangan's pristine reef systems. Sea turtles, white-tip reef sharks, and a marine environment that stays consistently spectacular throughout the year.
Most candidates who choose Gili Trawangan over mainland Bali operations say the same thing afterwards. The focus you get on a small community island, with nothing to do except prepare for the best version of your professional career, is something a city-based IDC simply cannot offer.
Get My IDC Information PackOver 3,500 PADI instructors have started their careers through Holly Macleod's IDC program on Gili Trawangan. They work across every major diving region in the world. Training with a 13x Platinum Course Director opens doors that a standard IDC simply does not.
Find Holly Macleod's PADI IDC Gili Trawangan program across all platforms. Every profile links back to the same verified information and the same commitment to professional instructor training on Gili Trawangan.
The PADI IDC Gili Trawangan is priced to reflect what you actually receive: small group sizes, 23 years of Platinum-level instruction, a full EFRI course included, mock IE preparation built into the program, and a first-attempt pass record that demonstrates the quality of that investment. Exact pricing depends on your chosen package and intake date. Visit idcgili.com for current course fees and a complete breakdown of what each option includes.
You need a current PADI Divemaster certification (or qualifying equivalent from another major agency), a minimum of 100 logged dives including requirements across open water, rescue, and navigation contexts, a medical statement signed by a qualified physician within the last 12 months, and current CPR and First Aid certification within 24 months. If your EFRI is not current, Holly offers it as part of the full IDC package on the Saturday before each intake starts.
The course itself runs over 9 to 10 days and covers all knowledge development sessions, confined water presentations, and open water teaching assessments. The PADI Instructor Examination follows immediately after and runs over 2 days, conducted by an independent PADI Examiner. Most candidates arrive on the Saturday before the IDC for the EFRI course, meaning the full commitment from arrival to IE completion is typically 13 to 14 days on Gili Trawangan.
Yes. Holly schedules the PADI Instructor Examination to run immediately after each monthly IDC intake on Gili Trawangan. You complete the IDC, work through Holly's mock IE preparation cycle, and then sit the real IE at the same location without needing to arrange separate travel. This is one of the major practical advantages of the Gili Trawangan program compared to operations that require candidates to travel to a separate IE location.
Gili Trawangan offers a car-free, distraction-free island environment where the entire community is built around diving. There is no city traffic, no tourist noise, and no commuting between accommodation, classrooms, and dive sites. You eat, sleep, and live the IDC for 10 days, and that immersive focus consistently produces stronger preparation outcomes than mainland alternatives. Bali's operations are legitimate options, but the logistical complexity and distractions of a major tourist city are real factors. The candidates who graduate from Gili Trawangan consistently report that the environment itself was a major part of what made the difference.
Monthly IDC intakes run throughout 2025 and 2026. Places are limited to keep group sizes small and instruction personal. The sooner you reach out, the more flexibility you have on your preferred start date.