Advanced Open Water Course Koh Tao

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Koh Tao PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course

Becoming an Advanced Open Water diver is all about exploration, excitement, fun and experience.

Koh Tao is the perfect location to complete the Advanced Open Water course boasting a wide variety of dive sites that offer you the ideal opportunity to advance your underwater skills.

Perfect your buoyancy, learn how to find your way around underwater, discover shipwrecks, go deep, dive at night, protect the marine environment.

Become a PADI Advanced Open Water diver and earn a license to dive anywhere in the world to a depth of 30 metres.

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The Koh Tao Advanced Open Water Course includes:

  • PADI e-manual
  • 5 Adventure training dives at a variety of dive sites around Koh Tao
  • PADI Certification card.
  • Rental of all scuba equipment including torch for night dive
  • FREE use of Dive Computer
  • Log book
  • Maximum 4 students per PADI Instructor
  • Black Turtle Dive Customer (and environmental) promise

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To enrol on a PADI Advanced Open Water diver course you must be:

  • Be an Open Water Diver or equivalent
  • Recent diving experience – we recommend completing a scuba review if you have not dived for 12 months
  • 12 years old or older
  • Medically fit to dive

We conduct the Advanced Open Water course over 1.5-2 days.

The diving course consists of two sections:

  • Knowledge Development – e-learning conducted prior to arrival or self-study & Instructor led knowledge reviews
  • Open Water training – 5 x Adventure Open Water training dives at amazing Koh Tao dive sites

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At Black Turtle Dive we take our customer promise very seriously. All courses are conducted with a maximum of 4 students per PADI Instructor.

Our Instructors are highly trained and will ensure you receive lots of attention and most importantly, progress at your own pace in a relaxed environment.

During your training we will slowly build your confidence and ability as you develop the skills necessary to become a competent PADI Advanced Open Water diver.

Koh Tao Advanced Open Water Diver course schedule

The Advanced Open Water diver course schedule is flexible and we can work around your own personal needs and timeframe.

Please feel free to ask us about any special requests you have before starting your course via email or on one of the messenger apps on this page.  

Day 1:

09.00 – 11.30: Orientation & Knowledge Development
12.30 – 17.00: Underwater Navigation Adventure dive plus one elective Adventure dive

18.30 –  20.00: Night Adventure dive*

Day 2:

07.00 – 11.00: Deep Adventure dive plus one elective Adventure dive
11.30 – 12.00: Certification

*The night dive is one of your 3 elective dives. It is a highly recommended adventure dive but not required.

You are now a certified PADI Advanced Open Water diver with a license to dive to a depth of 30 meters with a buddy.

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Let us take a look at the PADI Advanced Open Water course in more details:

Orientation & Knowledge Development

We start the Advanced Open Water course at 09.00 with an Orientation that includes completion of some paperwork and the PADI Medical statement.

The Advanced Open Water course consists of 5 adventure dives. Each one has a short open book knowledge review to complete and then a review with your Instructor.

There is also a section ‘Thinking like a diver’ that we complete at the beginning.

Your Instructor will guide you through the knowledge development as well as discuss the performance requirements of the dives you will be completing.

The Instructor led knowledge development is conducted during the morning of day 1 with the rest completed either that evening after your dives or the following afternoon.

Open Water Adventure Dives – Explore the Ocean

There are 5 Adventure dives to complete to become an Advanced Open Water diver.

Two are mandatory dives and they are:

  • Underwater Navigation

Estimate distance underwater and use features along the bottom to navigate. Learn the correct positioning and handling of a compass and navigate straight lines, navigating out and back, and square patterns.

This dive will improve your confidence and Underwater Navigation skills.

  • Deep Adventure Dive

Learn about the physiological effects of deep diving and experience nitrogen narcosis.

Manage your increased air consumption at depth and experience how depth affects colours underwater with this fun filled, first experience of deep diving.

This dive extends your limits, teaches you additional safety requirements and how to plan for deep dives and will open up more dive sites around the world as you increase your level of diver training.

There are three elective dives that you get to choose. The list of choices we have on Koh Tao are:

  • Peak Performance Buoyancy (PPB) Adventure Dive

The most important skill for any scuba diver is Buoyancy. Improving your buoyancy will give you more control, and improve your air consumption. You will become a more confident diver.

During this dive we will teach you how to streamline yourself and your equipment, use your lungs more to control descents, adjust your trim as well as focus on swimming, body position and hovering.

After you have completed the PPB adventure dive you will be impressed with the improvements you have made as diving becomes even more effortless for you. 

  • Night Diver

Some animals in the underwater world sleep at night, whilst a whole new world comes to life!

The Night adventure dive is one of the most popular elective dives on Koh Tao, full of excitement and fun.

You will learn how to communicate at night and how to handle an underwater torch as well as entry and exit techniques.

We will also show you how to navigate a reciprocal heading, a skill you should have mastered earlier during the Underwater Navigation dive. This time you will do it in the dark.

Then it is time to explore the Ocean at night with lots of cool stuff to spot including lots of Squid and Pufferfish.

Giant Barracuda swim onto the reefs from the deeper waters hunting and looking for prey.

Gliding effortless on the bottom you will see blue spotted rays and if you are lucky you will see a Sea Turtle.

Of course, one of the most amazing things to see on a night dive is the natural phenomenon, Bioluminescence. 

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Ocean Explorers. Marine Protectors

At Black Turtle Dive we understand that as ocean explorers we also need to be responsible guardians or marine protectors of the underwater world.

With this in mind we want to instill in all our divers a sense of responsibility.

We believe we can start by encouraging all our Advanced Open Water students to complete the Dive Against Debris (AWARE) Adventure Dive as part of their training.

  • Dive Against Debris (AWARE) Adventure Dive

Learn how the problem of marine debris is affecting the underwater environment and how we can make a difference as individuals and as a community by advocating for and making change.

We will also teach you how to conduct a dive for debris survey, how to correctly identify debris, record and decide whether to remove certain debris from the water. 

Want to know more? Sign up for your Advanced course.

  • Fish Identification Adventure Dive

This fun adventure dive answers all those questions you ask yourself when diving. You will learn how to identify fish, the family groups they belong to and specific species.

We will also spend time discussing and practicing responsible dive practices to avoid negative effects on the underwater environment.

The great thing about this dive is the knowledge and skills you learn will be used on every single scuba (and snorkeling) dive you ever make afterwards. 

  • Wreck Diver Adventure Dive

Explore and experience the excitement of diving a ship wreck. Learn how to safety plan and execute a wreck dive deeper than 18 metres on the HTMS Sattakut.

  • Rescue Adventure Dive

Learn the correct procedures for dealing with certain self-rescue situations.

You will learn how to identify the different characteristics of tired vs panicked divers. In the water you get to practice different techniques for assisting and rescuing tired and panicked divers.

During your dive you will search for a missing diver using an underwater search pattern.

  • Underwater Naturalist Adventure Dive

This dive teaches you how to find and correctly identify aquatic plants, fish and aquatic animals giving you a much greater understanding of the underwater environment.

This Adventure dive is a great follow on from the Fish Identification dive.

  • Boat Diver Adventure Dive

This dive teaches you specific knowledge about diving off boats including terminology, specific exit and entry points and techniques on how to correctly deploy a surface marker buoy (SMB).

  • Search & Recovery Adventure Dive

A great follow on from the underwater navigation adventure dive is the Search & Recovery Adventure dive, ideal for the task orientated and practically minded diver.

Learn how to use a lift bag and bring an object to the surface, tie a variety of knots and perform an underwater search. This dive is challenging but lots of fun.

  • Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV)

If you like excitement you will love the DPV Adventure dive.

During this adventure dive you will learn how to enter and exit the water, including correct descent and ascent techniques, how to perform underwater manoeuvers and safety considerations.

A DPV is a great way to see more of the dive site and conserve air. 

**Additional 1,500 THB for DPV hire

  • Enriched Air Nitrox Adventure Dive

Spend longer underwater by learning how to analyze Enriched Air fills and plan dives on Nitrox using a dive computer.

  • Digital Underwater Imaging Adventure Dive

You can use Photo or Video mode for this dive.

During this dive we show you how to set up an underwater camera system and prepare the underwater housing.

Your Instructor will show you how to shoot stills understanding the basics of exposure, focus and composition.

You will also learn how to increase your awareness of the environment and protect the underwater world with minimal impact.

Advanced Open Water & Nitrox Specialty Combined

Combined Advanced Open Water with the PADI Enriched Air Nitrox Specialty course.

Black Turtle Dive offers you a great opportunity to combine the Advanced Open Water course with the Enriched Air Nitrox course.

This ‘combo’ course is a great way to gain two certifications in the same timeframe you need to complete the Advanced course.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the price of the PADI Advanced Open Water course on Koh Tao?

The price for the PADI Advanced Open Water course is THB 11,000 per person. Included in this price are all course materials, equipment rental (including dive computer), instructor fees, boat trips and insurance.

Food and accommodation are not included. However, you can contact us to find out about accommodation options. We have rooms available at discounted rates when taking a diving course with us.

Ex-students will enjoy a 10% discount on the course price.

There may be dive centres on Koh Tao offering the Advanced Open Water course at a cheaper price, so always ask what exactly is included to make sure there are no hidden costs or surprises.

What is the minimum age for the PADI Advanced Open Water course Koh Tao?

To start the PADI Advanced Open Water course you have to be minimum 12 years old.

Teenagers between the ages of 12 – 14 will get the Junior Advanced Open Water certification. Until the age of 15 they are limited to a depth of 21 metres.

Children that are 10 or 11 years old can get the PADI Adventure Diver certification, a subset of the PADI Advanced Open Water course.

How deep is the PADI Advanced Open Water course on Koh Tao?

The maximum depth for PADI Advanced Open Water certification is 30 metres / 100 feet. With this certification, you can dive independently with a certified dive buddy to this depth all around the world.

For Junior Advanced Open Water divers, the maximum depth is 21 metres.

Extending your depth limit to 30m will open up many more dive sites for you around the world in the future.

How long to complete the Advanced Open Water on Koh Tao?

You can complete the PADI Advanced Open Water course in 1.5 days. You will start in the morning of day 1 by meeting your instructor to choose your elective dives. Then you will complete a knowledge review for each of the dives.

That afternoon you will go on the boat to complete your first training dives. The following morning you will finish your final dives for certification.

The course schedule is very flexible and can always be adapted. You can contact us with any questions you may have regarding a course schedule to suit your travel itinerary.

How many dives before starting PADI Advanced Open Water course Koh Tao?

You need to be a certified entry-level diver with a minimum of 4 logged Open Water training dives.

Lots of divers continue their training immediately after completing the Open Water course. This is possible as the course builds upon the skills and experience you gained during your Open Water training.

We can also accept divers with certifications from other agencies in the PADI Advanced Open Water course.

Is equipment included in the price of the PADI Advanced Open Water course?

Yes, all equipment rental, including compass and dive computer is included in the course price.

We offer dive computers to all our students and divers on any diving activity. It is however, a specific equipment requirement for the Advanced Open Water course that each student diver needs to have a dive computer.

How many dives is PADI Advanced Open Water course on Koh Tao?

You will do 5 adventure dives to complete the PADI Advanced Open Water certification course.

There are 2 compulsory dives that need to be completed, the Underwater Navigation Adventure dive & Deep Adventure dive.

The other 3 dives you can choose depending on your interest and what courses are on offer on Koh Tao.

Some of the options are: Peak Performance Buoyancy, Diver Propulsion Vehicle, Wreck dive, Night dive, Fish Identification, Naturalist and Search & Recovery dive.

Is it worth doing PADI Advanced Open Water course on Koh Tao?

Yes, taking the Advanced Open Water course is very popular. Not only will you gain a certification that allows you to dive deeper, but also you will get to choose some of your own dives, depending on your interests.

Being able to dive to 30m around the world will open up many more dive sites for you in the future.

You will feel that with every dive you will improve your skills, thus making you a better overall diver.

Do you watch any videos for PADI Advanced Open Water course Koh Tao?

There are no videos to watch for the PADI Advanced Open Water course. The theory part of the course is less extensive than that of the PADI Open Water course.

For each of the dives you will do on the course there is a knowledge review. The knowledge reviews consist of 10 – 15 multiple choice questions that need to be answered, but there is no final exam at the end.

What is the difference between PADI Open Water and PADI Advanced Open Water course?

PADI Open Water is the most popular entry-level diver certification in the world. The PADI Advanced Open Water certification can be considered as the next level and a step up from Open Water.

You need to be a certified Open Water diver to enroll in the PADI Advanced Open Water course. The course will build upon the skills you have learned and mastered in the Open Water course.

As an Open Water diver, you are certified to dive to 18m/60ft, as an Advanced Open Water diver, you are certified to 30m/100ft.