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A freediving buoy and descent line at the surface in open blue water off Madeira

Dive together

Freediving school · Madeira

Learn to freedive in the true Atlantic blue. Supported by experts on land and in water.

Explore the courses Get in touch

The school

Welcome to Pranapnea

Thibo

Thibo, Founder of Pranapnea

PADI & AIDA Master Freediver Instructor

Pranapnea is a freediving school, a community and a place for underwater experiences on the island of Madeira.

Some places sell metres. We are not one of them. Here you learn to breathe, to let go and to trust the water, and depth follows, at the pace your body chooses.

Dry training is part of the foundation of every good freediver, but apnea trains apnea. Nothing replaces time under the surface, and that is where most of yours will go. Breathwork and yoga are here to support the journey, not to stand in for it.

Everyone is welcome, from pure beginner to the most advanced freediver.

Depth is patient.

Certifications

  • PADI Master Freediver Instructor
  • AIDA Master Instructor (53394)
  • AIDA Youth Instructor (90673)
  • PADI Scuba Diving Instructor (504701)
  • Emergency First Responder Instructor
  • Oxygen Provider Instructor
  • SSI and Apnea Academy student certifications
  • DAN equalisation and oxygen safety

Teaching in English and French

Explore the courses, from 90 €

The story behind Pranapnea

The story behind Pranapnea

Pranapnea started from a simple conviction: freediving is less about depth than about what depth asks of you. Stillness, honesty, and trust in your own body. Beneath the surface there is no space to pretend, and that is exactly what makes the practice worth teaching.

The school grew out of Thibo’s own path. Every childhood summer through the nineties and early two-thousands was spent in Cadaqués, a small fishing village on the Catalan coast where the Mediterranean is never far away. Its coastline is a succession of criques, little rocky coves sheltered behind rock spurs, reached on foot or by Zodiac, where a few fin kicks are enough to find clear, deep water.

The family kept a small rigid-hulled Zodiac moored all summer at Portlligat, where Salvador Dalí and Gala stayed in their house at the edge of the pebble beach. Every day that little Zodiac took Thibo and his brother out to something new, improvised more often than not: no plan set in advance, no wetsuit, nothing but a mask and a snorkel, and the underwater world opened up to them. They were already freediving, without any idea that it would one day become Thibo’s profession. Back then the aim was simply to hold a breath and go a little deeper, stay a little longer, see more of the seabed and the life on it.

Travelling turned that, over the years, into the art of freediving, alongside the technical grounding there is no way around if you want to practise safely. But it was all there already, in those small coves facing the immensity of the Mediterranean, where a love of the sea and of everything beneath its surface began.

Ten years of learning and teaching followed, first alongside professional freedivers on the competition circuit, then steadily further from the stopwatch, in the growing realisation that freediving can be lived as something other than records to reach.

That shift is what shaped the philosophy Thibo teaches from. After a first impulse toward competition and performance, he chose to build Pranapnea around wellbeing, personal growth and the therapeutic benefits freediving can offer when it is approached in a climate of trust and respect for each person, wherever they happen to be. Freediving reaches well beyond what words sometimes express: it can be an appointment with yourself, in full awareness, a meditative dive into your own depths, which can in turn open onto a deeper communication with the living world around you.

Metre-chasing and racing the clock no longer carry the same meaning: they are not goals to reach at any cost. At Pranapnea there is no pressure toward numbers, real performance is not found there, and it is not about going from zero to hero. Sessions run in small groups, everyone’s safety is an absolute priority, and oxygen can be administered at any moment, Thibo being trained in the specific advanced rescue procedures. Everyone progresses at their own pace, respecting the physiology and the adaptations a body goes through on a breath-hold dive.

Today Pranapnea is more than a school: it is a community built up over the years, and a place for wellbeing and renewal on the island of Madeira. Courses run from a very first breath-hold to Master Freediver for those who want it. Weekly sessions take place in the pool and in the ocean throughout the year, which keeps the community active whatever the season. Breathwork and yoga on land are complementary: they support the physiological processes the body draws on underwater. Independent practitioners teach alongside us, and the teaching team keeps growing.

Courses are in English or French

Get in touch

In the water

Learn to freedive

The course path

Discover Freediving

Discover Freediving

Your first breath-hold, in 1 to 3 hours

90 Eur
Introduction to Freediving

Introduction to Freediving

Basic Freediver

175 Eur
Level 1

Level 1

Freediver

325 Eur
Level 2

Level 2

Advanced Freediver

425 Eur
Level 3

Level 3

Master Freediver

525 Eur
Equalisation Workshop

Equalisation Workshop

Valsalva to mouthfill, in four hours

110 Eur
Freediving Coaching

Freediving Coaching

Private coaching, added to any session

+20 Eur
Emergency First Response

Emergency First Response

CPR and first aid, a full day on dry land

130 Eur

Begin your freediving journey and discover the calm, confidence, and freedom waiting beneath the surface.

From a first 1 to 3 hour taste of freediving to Master Freediver, every diver walks the same path: discover, certify, keep diving with the community, then go deeper.

Deeper is not really a number here. It is the point where the body stops fighting and the mind goes quiet, where being underwater stops feeling like holding on and starts feeling like somewhere you could stay. The metres follow on their own. Small groups, safety and oxygen on every session, and no pressure to chase one.

Levels 1 to 3

Courses taught in Madeira are certified PADI. That is the certification accepted under Portuguese regulation, and the one the school is licensed to deliver here.

AIDA certification is taught only outside Portugal, as workshops on events and trips abroad.

The AIDA levels shown beside each course are equivalences only, given so divers arriving from another agency can place themselves on the path. The certification issued here is PADI.

Courses are led by Thibo, PADI and AIDA Master Freediver Instructor, with over ten years of teaching behind him.

Courses are in English or French

Discover Freediving

90 Eur

Discover Freediving

No experience needed.

A 1 to 3 hour introduction in confined water. If you have never held your breath beyond the shallow end, this is where you start.

What happens:
  • Breathing and relaxation on land, the part that changes everything.
  • Your first static breath-holds in the water, at your own pace.
  • One-to-one safety on every hold, so you can let go completely.
Good to know:
  • Confined water only, a pool or a sheltered site.
  • No performance requirements and no certification: this is an introduction to freediving, and it credits toward the Freediver course.
  • Maximum 4 people per session: you are never a number in a crowd.
  • All equipment included: wetsuit, mask, fins, weights.
  • Available in English, French or Portuguese.
  • Minimum age 12. Under 18 requires parent or guardian consent. No prior experience required; a medical questionnaire and a liability release are required.

This is not a metre-chasing session. It is a first taste of what calm feels like underwater, and it is the doorway to the Level 1 to 3 course path.

Booking: a 30% deposit is required to confirm your booking. The deposit is non-refundable.

Introduction to Freediving

175 Eur

Introduction to Freediving

Prerequisites:

Be 12 years of age or older. Under 18 requires parent or guardian consent.

No prior experience required. A medical questionnaire and a liability release are required.

Details:
  • Recommended 15 hours, typically 1 to 2 days
  • 1x theory session (Can be online)
  • 2x confined water - Madeira
  • Confined water only, maximum 6m / 20ft. No open water dives.
Requirements:

90 seconds static apnea; 25 meters / 80 ft dynamic apnea

This course offers a basic knowledge of freediving and introductory skills such as relaxation of body and mind, finning techniques, duck dives and equalisation

This is the knowledge development and pool portion of the Freediver course, for students who cannot or do not want to do the open water dives.

AIDA equivalence: roughly AIDA 1. The AIDA requirements are different from the PADI ones above, contact us for more information.

Package Include :
  • Full freediving equipment included
  • Insurance fee
  • Basic Freediver certification upon success
  • Education materials

Booking: a 30% deposit is required to confirm your booking. The deposit is non-refundable.

Level 1

325 Eur

Level 1

Can be directly taken even without prior experience.

Prerequisites:
  • Be 12 years of age or older. Under 18 requires parent or guardian consent.
  • No prior experience required. A medical questionnaire and a liability release are required.
Details:
  • Recommended 15 hours, typically 2 to 3 days
  • eLearning / theory - Can be performed online prior of the practice.
  • 1x 1h30 confined water - Madeira (Calheta confined water or Calheta indoor pool)
  • 2x 1h00 open water
  • 10 to 16m / 30 to 55ft deep (maximum 12m / 40ft for students under 15)
Requirements:

90 seconds STA; 25 meters / 80 ft DYN, 10 meters / 30 ft CWT

A theory quiz must be passed to earn the certification.

AIDA equivalence: AIDA 2. The AIDA requirements are different from the PADI ones above, contact us for more information.

The static and dynamic sessions in confined water are used to teach relaxation, breathing, finning and safety techniques.

In the open water sessions students will apply the skills they have learned in the pool / confined water sessions and combine them with the basic skills of open water freediving such as equalizing, duck diving, vertical swimming, body positioning, turns and use of buoyancy.

The freediving theory will include:
  • Introduction to Freediving,
  • Freediving Breathing Cycle,
  • Basic Physiology of Freediving,
  • Equalization, Freediving Techniques,
  • Safety in Freediving,
  • Equipment in Freediving, Freediving Disciplines.
Package Include :
  • Full freediving equipment included
  • Insurance fee
  • Certification fee
  • Administration fee
  • Education materials fee

Booking: a 30% deposit is required to confirm your booking. The deposit is non-refundable.

Level 2

425 Eur

Level 2

Prerequisites:

Be 15 years of age or older. Under 18 requires parent or guardian consent. Hold the Freediver certification, or an equivalent certification from another freediving organisation, contact us to check. Certifications from AIDA, SSI, Molchanovs, CMAS, Apnea Academy, FII and RAID may qualify. EFR Primary and Secondary Care (CPR and first aid) within the past 24 months is recommended, not required.

Details:
  • Recommended 15 hours, typically 2 to 3 days
  • eLearning / theory
  • 1x confined water session
  • 2x open water sessions
Requirements:

2:30 minutes STA (2:00 for students under 18); 50 meters / 165 ft DYN (40 meters for students under 18), 20 meters / 65 ft CWT (16 meters / 55 ft for students under 18)

Depth : 16 to 24m / 55 to 80ft (maximum 20m / 65ft for students under 18)

A theory quiz must be passed to earn the certification.

AIDA equivalence: AIDA 3. The AIDA requirements are different from the PADI ones above, contact us for more information.

The course is designed to further develop skills from previous levels, to acquire new skills and gain a higher knowledge of safety procedures and techniques.

The new techniques that are introduced are:

  • free-fall
  • Frenzel Equalizing ( A detailed procedure is included as part of the package).
  • Usage of training tables
  • Risks of increasing and decreasing pressure and also how to minimize them.
Students will train these skills in the most common disciplines of freediving:
  • Static Apnoea
  • Dynamic Apnea
  • Free Immersion
  • Constant Weight.
The theory will include:
  • Physiology
  • Equalization
  • Barotrauma
  • Lungs at Depth
  • Buoyancy
  • Shallow Water Blackout
  • Training Concepts
  • The Mammalian Dive Response,
  • Decompression Sickness, Surface Intervals.
Package Include :
  • Insurance fee
  • Certification fee
  • Administration fee
  • Education materials fee

Your own equipment is required from this level. Weights and belt are still provided. Anything you are missing can be rented on site, full kit 10 Eur, single item 5 Eur.

Booking: a 30% deposit is required to confirm your booking. The deposit is non-refundable.

Level 3

525 Eur

Level 3

Prerequisites:

Be 18 years of age or older. Hold the Advanced Freediver certification, or an equivalent certification from another freediving organisation, contact us to check. Certifications from AIDA, SSI, Molchanovs, CMAS, Apnea Academy, FII and RAID may qualify. Have completed EFR Primary and Secondary Care (CPR and first aid) within the past 24 months. (We offer EFR courses bundle if you do not !).

Details:
  • Recommended 15 hours, typically 3 to 4 days
  • eLearning / theory, plus the Master Freediver Assignment
  • 1x confined water session
  • 2x open water sessions
Requirements:

3:30 minutes STA; 70 meters / 230 ft DYN, 32 meters / 105 ft CWT

The Master Freediver Assignment, an independent research project, is also part of the course.

Depth : 24 to 40m / 80 to 130ft

A theory quiz must be passed to earn the certification.

AIDA equivalence: AIDA 4. The AIDA requirements are different from the PADI ones above, contact us for more information.

This course familiarize students with techniques, knowledge and safety procedures for deep freediving that go beyond recreational freediving.

The new techniques will include FRC diving, mouth-fill equalization and packing.

The skills are developed within these categories of freediving: Static Apnea, Dynamic Apnea, Constant Weight, Free Immersion and Variable Weight.

In addition to the in-water skills this course introduces full body warm-ups and stretching, specific stretching of breathing muscles, training concepts and diet that benefits the freediver and help shape their development as a diver.

You will also be, acquainted with packing and reverse packing, mainly within vital capacity as a part of the dry lessons.

An important set of skills concerns managing open water equipment. The use of appropriate knots and braiding techniques, setting the depth on the dive line, constructing a safe bottom weight from a weight belt and diving leads, safe handling of other additional equipment (bottom plate, torches, lanyards, etc.).

Master Freediver is the deepest recreational level on the path.

It is also the certification that opens the professional route: a Master Freediver who wants to teach goes on to a PADI Freediver Instructor course. The certification itself remains a diver rating, it does not carry any authority to supervise or teach other freedivers.

The theory sessions will include: Physics - Dalton’s Law, Boyle’s Law, Henry’s law, Decompression Sickness, Nitrogen Narcosis, Failure Depth and how to increase VC and decrease RV, FRC Diving, Mouth-Fill, Packing, Fitness and Training, Nutrition and Diet for Freedivers.

Package Include :
  • Insurance fee
  • Certification fee
  • Administration fee
  • Education materials fee

Your own equipment is required from this level. Weights and belt are still provided. Anything you are missing can be rented on site, full kit 10 Eur, single item 5 Eur.

Booking: a 30% deposit is required to confirm your booking. The deposit is non-refundable.

Equalisation Workshop

110 Eur

Equalisation Workshop

Equalisation is what stops most freedivers, not lung capacity and not willpower. Four hours on dry land, with tools that let you feel what your body is doing, will usually move a diver further than another season of guessing on the line.

The progression
  • Valsalva: where almost everyone starts, why it works near the surface, and exactly why it stops working as you go deeper.
  • Frenzel: isolating the tongue, the soft palate and the glottis. The technique freediving actually runs on, broken into parts you can feel one at a time.
  • Mouthfill: charging the mouth before the chest gets small, then managing that air all the way down. The step that opens depths beyond residual volume.
  • Hands-free: the bonus. Opening the tubes with the surrounding muscles, with nothing pinching the nose.
How it runs
  • 4 hours, in class, on dry land. No water, no wetsuit, no cold.
  • Equalisation tools provided, so you work from feedback rather than guesswork.
  • Diagnosis first: we find which structure is not moving before prescribing anything.
  • You leave with a written plan of daily dry drills, because these are muscles and they answer to repetition.
Good to know
  • 110 Eur standalone, or 90 Eur alongside any freediving course.
  • Open to any level, including divers who have never trained with us.
  • Nothing here needs depth, so it runs in any weather.

Equalisation is a skill, not a gift. It is learned dry and slowly, and then it shows up on the line.

Booking: a 30% deposit is required to confirm your booking. The deposit is non-refundable.

Freediving Coaching

+20 Eur

Freediving Coaching

Coaching is a supplement on top of the session you join, not a session on its own. You book the water time, then add a coach who works only on you: technique, equalisation, mouthfill, finning, relaxation, and a plan for the next dive.

What it costs
  • Shore session + coaching, 60 Eur (40 Eur shore dive, +20 Eur coaching)
  • Boat session + coaching, 80 Eur (60 Eur boat deep session, +20 Eur coaching)
  • Pool session + coaching, 40 Eur (20 Eur pool drop-in, +20 Eur coaching)
  • Pack holders pay the same +20 Eur on top of their reduced session rate.
What you get
  • Video review where conditions allow, so you see what you actually did.
  • Targeted drills chosen for your limiter, not a generic programme.
  • Written notes after the session with what to work on before the next one.

You must already hold a recognised freediving certification. All equipment can be provided.

Emergency First Response

130 Eur

Emergency First Response (EFR)

A full day, on land, that has nothing to do with how deep you dive, and everything to do with whether you are useful in the worst ten minutes of someone’s life.

What you learn:
  • Scene assessment and primary care
  • Rescue breaths and CPR
  • Use of an AED
  • Secondary care: bleeding, shock, spinal injury, illness
  • How to actually respond in a real emergency, not just recite it
Good to know:
  • 130 Eur standalone, certification and eLearning included.
  • 105 Eur when bundled with any freediving course.
  • Certification is valid for 2 years and is a prerequisite for the advanced levels.
Not only for freedivers.

Surfers, skippers, hiking and canyoning guides, coaches, parents, anyone who ends up being the closest person to an accident. No swimming or diving background required.

Skills you hope you will never need, but will be grateful to have.

Booking: a 30% deposit is required to confirm your booking. The deposit is non-refundable.

Sessions & Packs

Dive with the community, week after week

Courses certify you. Sessions are what keep you diving. Guided lines, safety cover and oxygen on every session.

Packs

Pool 10-session pack

150 Eur

Calheta · valid 6 months

What's included

Guided 1 hour sessions, twice a week: Tuesdays 11:40–13:00 and Thursdays 19:40–21:00. Technique, statics and dynamics in a controlled environment, the fastest way to progress through winter.

Ocean 10-session pack

150 Eur

Sundays · valid 6 months

What's included

Guided open water sessions with buoy, line, safety diver and O2 on site. The heart of the community.

Drop-in

Pool session

20 Eur

Calheta · weights included

What's included

Try a single guided pool session. We dive the pool in full kit, so bring your own or rent on site. Buy a pack on the spot and your second visit already counts toward it.

Shore dive

40 Eur

25 Eur for pack holders, weekdays

What's included

Join a guided weekday shore session. Certified freedivers welcome, no pack required.

Boat deep session

60 Eur

50 Eur for pack holders

What's included

One or two mornings a month, 07:00–09:00, when the sea is at its calmest. Minimum 4 divers, prepaid, confirmed 48 h ahead.

Extras

Gear rental

10 Eur

Half price for pack holders

What's included

Wetsuit, mask and fins. Full kit 10 Eur, single item 5 Eur. Pack holders pay 5 Eur and 3 Eur. Weights and belt are always included. Every session needs full kit, the pool included: bring your own or rent here.

Private coaching

+20 Eur

On any pool, shore or boat session

What's included

Add a coach to the session you were already joining: 40 Eur shore becomes 60, 60 Eur boat becomes 80. Targeted drills, video where conditions allow, and written notes afterwards.

Existing pack holders keep their original conditions. Prices apply to new packs from September 2026 and include IVA.

Where we dive

Three bases, one forecast

We do not favour one spot. The conditions decide where we meet, and the group is always told before the session.

Calheta The pool for weekly training, and the harbour the boat leaves from for the deep days.
Ponta do Sol Sheltered when the north and east are blown out. Calm-day sessions and coaching.
Santa Cruz Shore entry minutes from the airport. Discoveries, first course sessions and weekday dives.

Tap or hover a pin.

Timetables change with the season and the sea. Ask us for this week’s schedule

On land

Breath & Body

At depth the lungs and the ribcage compress. That is the point, and it is not something you can force. What land work builds is the ability to yield to it: a supple thorax, a soft diaphragm, a nervous system that reads the pressure as ordinary. That adaptation takes seasons, not sessions. There is no zero to hero here.

Freedivers training breath-hold in the pool with Pranapnea Breathwork

Breathwork for freedivers

The most technical part of freediving happens before you get wet.

What we work on
  • Vital capacity, targeted work to expand what your lungs can actually hold.
  • Residual volume, flexibility drills that lower the floor, so depth stops being a wall.
  • Specific stretching for the ribcage, intercostals and diaphragm.
  • CO₂ and O₂ tolerance tables, built around your numbers rather than a generic chart.
  • Relaxation and recovery breathing you can use on the line and after a hard dive.

Taught by Thibo. Available as a standalone session or built into any course.

Yoga practice on a rooftop terrace with Pranapnea Yoga

Yoga for freedivers

A practice shaped by what a diving body actually needs.

What we work on
  • Ribcage and thoracic mobility, the single biggest limiter on equalisation and comfort at depth.
  • Hip and ankle openness for an efficient, unhurried kick.
  • Long holds that teach the nervous system to stay calm under discomfort.
  • Breath-led movement, so the mat rehearses exactly what the line asks for.

Open to everyone, divers or not. Taught by Sabine in the west of the island and Félicie in the east.

Special activities

A scuba diver in open water off Madeira On request

Scuba diving, one to one

A PADI course run one to one, away from the industry of the large dive centres.

How it runs
  • Taught by Thibo, a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.
  • Always one to one, so the pace is yours rather than a group timetable's.
  • Personal throughout, and taught to PADI standards.
  • Run on special request, not as a scheduled product.

Pranapnea remains a freediving school first and foremost. Scuba is not priced publicly, so get in touch and we will set it up.

Who teaches it

  • Félicie Félicie Yoga and surf mobility teacher East of the island · surfer · certified freediver
  • Sabine Sabine Yoga teacher, professional dancer and choreographer West of the island · Thai yoga massage · certified freediver

Independent practitioners we work with regularly. Book any of their sessions through us.

Ask about a session

What is coming

Upcoming Events

Level 3 · Assistant Instructor (AIDA 4) Fully booked

September 14, 2026 – September 20, 2026

Level 3 · Assistant Instructor (AIDA 4)

The threshold where technique gives way to trust, calm and responsibility, AIDA 4, known as Level 3 or Master Freediver elsewhere, with EFR certification included.

Location
Santa Cruz & Calheta - Madeira
Price
550 Eur
Dive with Wild Dolphins Featured

May 1, 2027 – May 7, 2027

Dive with Wild Dolphins

New freediving retreat in the Red Sea, Egypt, 7 days on a private sailboat, in collaboration with Adel.

Location
Hamata - Red Sea, Egypt

Past Events

  • November 27, 2023 Taking Time For You QDV
  • October 21, 2024 Nurture Your Soul QDV - Madeira
  • December 18, 2023 Surrender and Discover QDV

Level 3 · Assistant Instructor (AIDA 4)

September 14, 2026 – September 20, 2026 · Santa Cruz & Calheta - Madeira · 550 Eur

Fully booked

Level 3 · Assistant Instructor (AIDA 4)

There comes a point in every freediver’s journey where technique alone is no longer enough. Depth begins to ask for something more, not more strength, but more trust. More calm. More responsibility, for yourself and for the person beside you.

This level is that threshold.

The course includes the Emergency First Responder certification, a requirement at this level and a skill that goes far beyond freediving. You’ll learn rescue breaths, CPR, secondary care, and how to respond in a real emergency.

Skills you hope you’ll never need, but will be grateful to have.

What’s included

  • AIDA 4 certification, Level 3 / Master Freediver with other agencies, plus EFR certification
  • Educational materials
  • Equipment
  • Boats

Structure

  • A minimum of 3 theory sessions
  • 2 pool sessions (3m30 static · 70m dynamic)
  • 4 open water sessions (down to 38m)

Completion of your freediving journey: 550€

All levels welcome · English & French · Private session

Thibo · PADI & AIDA Master Freediver Instructor · PADI Scuba Instructor · 10+ years teaching

thibault@pranapnea.com · +351 927 564 669 · www.pranapnea.com

Dive with Wild Dolphins

May 1, 2027 – May 7, 2027 · Hamata - Red Sea, Egypt

Dive with Wild Dolphins

New freediving retreat in collaboration with Adel · Red Sea, Egypt · May 2027

  • 7 days · 6 nights on a private sailboat · Hamata
  • Daily freediving with the dolphins, coached by Thibo
  • Small group of 6 divers

All levels welcome · certifications can be taken on the trip.

More info coming soon.

Get on the guest list if you are interested. Bookings will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Taking Time For You

November 27, 2023 – November 27, 2023 · QDV

Taking Time For You

Escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life with our one day yoga and meditation retreat. Surrounded by nature, you’ll have the opportunity to deepen your practice and reconnect with yourself.

Program includes:

  • Morning and evening yoga sessions
  • Guided meditation practices
  • Mindfulness workshops
  • Release your dharma

All levels welcome, from beginners to advanced practitioners.

Nurture Your Soul

October 21, 2024 – October 23, 2024 · QDV - Madeira

Nurture Your Soul Retreat

This was a wonderful two-day retreat that focused on renewal, growth, and connecting with nature through yoga practice.

What we covered:

  • Daily Yoga
  • Meditation in nature
  • Restorative yoga workshops
  • Circle Sharing
  • Ayurvedic Wisdom

The retreat was held in a beautiful countryside setting, allowing participants to disconnect from city life and reconnect with themselves and nature.

Surrender and Discover

December 18, 2023 · QDV

Surrender and Discover

With the new year approaching, this event explores how you can make space intentionally to hold your vision and create your chosen desires from more playful, loving, and expansive parts inside.

Where trusting the heart and body can gift you enjoyment and excitement in your new chosen beginnings.

How better can we do this than by coming together! Join us.

Event Highlights:

  • Discover the benefits of apnea and breath awareness with Thibo
  • Sync your mind and body through a creative yoga flow with Sabi
  • Meet your desire and deep truth through imaginative exploration with Mel

What divers say

Five stars, two hundred divers

Every review below was left by someone who came out of the water with us.

5.0
Average rating
200+
Divers taught
10+
Years teaching
Fantastic freediving experience, which turned out to be so much more than “dive deep and hold your breath for a long time”, and expanded to connecting to yourself, trust, and the ocean. Thibault is possibly the best instructor you can find to set out healthy and positive foundations for freediving, he has a talent to make you immediately feel safe and supported to explore your limits, with no pressure, and it's obvious he genuinely cares to share the love of freediving with his students and community. He really went out of his way (quite literally as well) to make sure I was able to complete the AIDA certification during my short holiday in Madeira. If you're hesitating, don't, and sign up for an intro or a course with him : whether you truly want to get into freediving or are just curious, you'll walk away having had a great time and interesting experience. A few things that set him apart to finish convincing you: * perfect balance of no pressure no ego no stress, but also helping you expand your comfort zone, no matter where you start from (some more experienced people in the group went to 39 m, some were patiently coached through equalization challenges, all got good dive time and attention) * thoughtful intentional mix of 1 to 1 and (small) group instruction * flexible to take into consideration your constraints and progression * qualified scuba instructor too, so he can help you reconcile knowledge if you're a scuba diver * he speaks many languages including French * in depth expertise and experience and keen to answer all your questions and curiosity * well rounded super friendly guy too with whom you'll enjoy hanging out!
Yolene Madeira - Calheta · April 2026 Google
My experience doing the AIDA 1 Freediving certification with Thibault was truly excellent. As my very first level of freediving certification, it was an incredibly interesting and rewarding experience from start to finish. Thibault is an exceptionally experienced instructor who immediately inspires a strong sense of confidence. His calm, serene, and composed approach creates a very safe and comfortable learning environment both in the water and outside the water, during the theory and breathing sessions as well. At the same time, he is very friendly and approachable, with a warm and almost familial way of teaching that makes the whole experience enjoyable and relaxed. What impressed me most was the depth of his knowledge and the clarity with which he explains every concept. You can feel that he speaks from real experience and wisdom, which makes it very easy to trust his guidance throughout the entire process. The entire course — from the breathing and relaxation exercises on land, to the static sessions in the water, and finally the dives — was fascinating and very well structured. Every part of the process felt thoughtful, safe, and extremely interesting. I highly recommend Thibault to anyone who wants to begin freediving with a highly competent, calm, and inspiring instructor. It was a fantastic introduction to freediving.
Michelangelo Coco Madeira - Calheta · March 2026 Google
Thank you for this great day of freediving! Thibault is a fantastic teacher, calm, respectful, knowledgable, patient and great company. He put me at ease, he adapted to the circumstance, I just had a great time! Breath work, stretching, relaxing, you will learn so much even before getting into the water and in a way that is simple and not overwhelming. It was my first time free diving and I am now definitely eager for more. Thanks again.
Mikael Wozniak Madeira - Calheta · December 2025 Google
Freediving: Sensational work with Thibo, who is very educational, caring, and always very calm. Thibo knows how to create a family atmosphere conducive to relaxation and group progress, while always being present and attentive, yet discreetly ensuring safety. You really feel confident exploring. In short, a true pro who manages to stay cool and ensure everyone has a great time. I highly recommend him. Laurent (Aida 3)
Laurent Wouters Madeira - Calheta · September 2025 Google
Thibault isn’t just an exceptional freediving instructor, he’s an extraordinary human. Training with him was one of the most beautiful and transformative experiences I’ve ever had. He teaches with such patience, presence, and quiet mastery that you don’t just learn freediving, you fall in love with it. There’s no ego, no pressure, just deep trust. He creates a space that feels safe, empowering, and almost sacred. Freediving with Thibault becomes a kind of meditation, something far beyond technique. You feel your breath, your body, and the ocean in a whole new way. Thanks to him, I earned my AIDA 2 certification, but more than that, I found an even deeper relationship with the ocean. If you ever get the chance to learn from Thibault, don’t think twice. He is a rare gem.
Diana Tsai Madeira - Calheta · July 2025 Google
Incredible experience with Pranapnea. Highly recommended while you are in Madeira. By far one of the best freediving teachers we have been with and we felt safe and held through the whole trip. Both Thibault and Sabi are extremely heartwarming, knowledgeable and kind.
Renee Tvedt Madeira - Calheta · December 2024 Google
Great experience. We were two beginners from DK who booked a cource with Thibo. He taught us so much. He has enormous experience and is very calm and flexible. He is patient and a very nice person. He made us feel perfectly safe and relaxed. We reached our goals. If you want to learn freediving, go to Thibo!
Toni Andersen Madeira - Calheta · August 2024 Google
I have attended Thibault's freediving courses that follow AIDA standards, and the experience was absolutely amazing! Thibault is a professional and patient instructor who truly understands the importance of building a strong foundation of basic freediving techniques. He provides personal guidance and ensures that every dive is safe and enjoyable. During the course, I felt safe and supported all the time, and I gained new confidence underwater. I warmly recommend Thibault's courses to anyone interested in freediving, be it beginners or more experienced divers. An excellent experience which was my first experience with freediving - building my passion for freediving! On the first dive we saw a turtle, which was an incredible bonus :)
Harri Messo Madeira - Calheta · July 2024 Google
I have started my freediving journey to become more confident in being under water, and to find more peace in holding my breath - which was connected to my passion for surfing. The first time I have met Thibo, it felt I've met a longtime friend. Thibo is sharing his course with immense devotion, presence and compassion. I could build trust immediatly, as Thibo is looking at the students needs individually and with full awareness. I have learnt so much about myself, about my body-functions and improved my well-being in the open water - I am thankful from my heart. This experience will from now on accompany my life and I am wholeheartedly thankful I have accomplished the course with all the other beautiful students I was able to meet.
Kimberley Moeller Madeira - Machico · May 2024 Google

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