PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty Course

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Learn to be a PADI Underwater Navigation Diver Koh Tao

Would you like to learn how to navigate underwater and find your way back to the dive boat every time you go diving?

Enroll on our PADI Underwater Navigator specialty course and learn how to find your way around a dive site using a compass, natural navigation and your observation skills.

The PADI Underwater Navigator specialty course is a great way to increase your navigational skills, sense of direction and confidence underwater.

Included in the Koh Tao Underwater Navigator Specialty Course

  • PADI Underwater Navigator specialty Manual
  • 3 training dives
  • PADI Certification card
  • Rental of all scuba equipment
  • 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 enroll on a PADI Underwater Navigator specialty course you must:

  • Be an Open Water diver
  • Have recent diving experience – we recommend completing a scuba review if you have not dived for 12 months
  • 10 years of age or older
  • Medically fit to dive

1 Day PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty Course

The course consists of two sections:

  • Knowledge Development – read the PADI Underwater Navigator specialty manual and complete the knowledge review
  • Open Water training – 3 training dives

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 Dive 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 an underwater navigation specialist.

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Koh Tao Underwater Navigator Specialty Course Schedule

The PADI Underwater Navigator schedule at Black Turtle Dive is flexible and we can work around your own personal needs and timeframe.

Please feel free to ask if you have any special requests either via email or on one of the messenger apps on this page. 

PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty Course Cost: 6,500 baht

Have you already completed the Underwater Navigator specialty Adventure dive?

Our 2 dive PADI Underwater Navigator specialty course is priced at 5,000 baht.

Course Schedule

Day 1:

09.00 – 11.00: Orientation & Knowledge Development

  • Practice navigation skills on land

12.30 – 17.00: Underwater Navigator specialty training dive 1 – 3*

*or 2 & 3 if you have already completed the Navigation adventure dive

You are now a certified PADI Underwater Navigator.

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Koh Tao PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty Course Information

Orientation & Knowledge Development

We start the PADI Underwater Navigator specialty course at 09.00 with an Orientation that includes completion of paperwork and the PADI Medical statement.

The PADI Underwater Navigator specialty course consists of 3 training dives that we take at a selection of dive sites around Koh Tao.

There is also an Underwater Navigator specialty manual to read and two open book knowledge reviews to complete that your instructor will guide you through and review.

The Instructor led knowledge development is conducted during the morning of day 1. Some of the subjects you will cover include:

  • Estimate distance with kick cycles and elapsed time
  • Natural references that help navigate during a dive
  • How to hold and swim with an underwater compass
  • How to navigate a square, rectangle, triangular and U-shaped patterns underwater
  • Fixing a dive site for relocation using a compass and a permanent landmark

There are 3 Underwater Navigator training dives to complete to become a certified PADI Underwater Navigator.

Underwater Navigator dive #1

This is a great dive to get you thinking a little outside of your comfort zone.

We will start by asking you to calculate distance underwater. To do this you will count the number of kick cycles and the average time it takes for you to swim a specific distance.

Once you have an approximation of distance, you will navigate a reciprocal heading using natural references and estimated distance before doing this skill again, this time using a compass.

Your Navigation specialty Instructor will be making sure you are handling and positioning the compass correctly.

Finally, to finish this dive off you will navigate a square with each side being around 30 metres in length. Sound challenging? Wait for the next dive.

Underwater Navigator dive #2

Open Water training Dive 2 builds on the navigation skills you learned on Underwater Navigator dive #1 and challenges you to apply those skills.

Your dive instructor will map out a course on an underwater slate with at least 5 compass turns that will return you to the point your started at.

This exercise will test both your navigation skills and your ability to estimate distance underwater.

Estimate Distance Underwater

You will practice this on land prior to the dive to ensure you understand the requirements and to refine the skill.

Your Dive Instructor will give you lots of opportunity to practice during the dive.

You finish Open Water training dive 2 by fixing a specific underwater location using two landmarks. On dive 3 we will ask you to find this location.

Underwater Navigator dive #3

The final dive on your PADI Underwater Navigator course is for you to navigate a course that will have new course headings displayed, underwater on markers.

This is the ultimate challenge for your aspiring underwater navigational skills, as you will not be able to practice on land prior to the dive.

To finish off, your Dive Instructor will ask you to relocate the dive site, using the two landmarks you used during dive 2 to originally fix the dive site location.  

Upon completion of all the Underwater Navigator diving course requirements, you will be certified as a PADI Underwater Navigation specialist.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty course Koh Tao?

On the PADI Underwater Navigation Specialty course, you will learn how to position and use an underwater compass in order to maintain an accurate heading.

We will look at different types of navigation patterns and practice them both on land and underwater.

You will learn how to estimate distance under water and use natural references as well as a dive computer for navigation.

How long is Underwater Navigator Specialty course for on Koh Tao?

The Underwater Navigator Specialty course takes 1 day to complete on Koh Tao.

You will meet your instructor in the morning to go through the theory portion of the course.

In the afternoon you go out on the dive boat to put what you learn into practice on your 3 training dives.

You will typically visit 2 different dive locations around Koh Tao.

What is the cost of PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty course Koh Tao?

The cost of the PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty is THB 6,500 (3 dives) or THB 5,000 (2 dives).

Included in this price are all course materials, dive equipment rental (including dive computer), instructor fees, boat trips and insurance.

If you are a certified PADI (Junior) Advanced Open Water Diver, you would have completed dive 1 already and you only need to do 2 more dives for the specialty certification.

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

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

How many dives is PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty course Koh Tao?

The PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty consists of 3 Open Water training dives.

If you have completed the Navigation Adventure dive previously or you are a certified PADI Advanced Open Water diver, this dive credits towards the Specialty certification and you only need to do 2 more dives to become a certified Underwater Navigator Specialty Diver.

In that case the course price is THB 5,000 instead of THB 6,500.

Who can sign up for PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty course?

You have to be a certified (Junior) Open Water diver and 10 years old to enroll in the specialty course.

When completing the specialty course you will gain the PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty Diver certification.

This certification counts towards the PADI Master Scuba Diver rating, the highest certification and black belt in recreational diving.