Explore New Environments & Build Strong Diving Foundations

Advanced Open Water Diver student refining buoyancy control and trim during advanced scuba training in Koh Tao, Thailand.
Advanced Open Water course focusing on controlled diving skills in warm tropical waters at Koh Tao, Thailand.
Advanced Open Water Diver exploring tropical coral reefs with strong buoyancy control during training in Koh Tao.
Marine conservation diver preparing to deploy a surface marker buoy during Advanced Ecological Monitoring Program training dives in Koh Tao.

Becoming an Advanced Open Water diver is not about ticking boxes — it’s about becoming a more confident, capable, and aware diver.

Our PADI Advanced Open Water course on Koh Tao helps you refine your skills, expand your limits, and explore new types of diving while strengthening your connection with the marine environment. You’ll gain experience through adventure dives that challenge you, improve your buoyancy and navigation, and introduce you to deeper and more complex underwater environments.

This course is a natural progression after Open Water and an essential step if you want to continue diving regularly, explore new dive sites, or move into marine conservation programs.

Advance Your Diving with Purpose

The PADI Advanced Open Water course is designed to build experience through diving, not classroom time. At Black Turtle Conservation, we focus on developing divers who move comfortably through the water, understand their environment, and dive responsibly.

You’ll complete five adventure dives, including Deep and Underwater Navigation, plus three electives chosen to match your interests. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on buoyancy, situational awareness, and environmentally responsible diving — skills that are essential for confident exploration and future conservation work.

You’ll dive deeper, stay underwater longer, and explore new environments, all while improving how you interact with the reef.

What you’ll learn:

  • Advanced buoyancy and body positioning
  • Underwater navigation using compass and natural references
  • Deep dive planning and awareness
  • Improved situational awareness and dive confidence
  • Responsible interaction with marine life
  • How to dive with minimal environmental impact

This course is ideal if you want to:

  • Become a more confident and capable diver
  • Explore deeper and more varied dive sites
  • Improve buoyancy and control
  • Prepare for marine conservation and scientific diving
  • Build experience rather than just collect certifications
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WHY THIS COURSE MATTERS

As divers, our abilities directly affect the underwater environments we visit. Poor buoyancy, lack of awareness, or rushed training can cause long-term damage to fragile reef systems.

At Black Turtle Conservation, we believe advanced divers should be leaders underwater — calm, controlled, and environmentally aware. That’s why this course emphasizes buoyancy, navigation, and thoughtful decision-making rather than speed.

By advancing your skills responsibly, you reduce your impact on the reef and increase your ability to dive safely, confidently, and with purpose.

Through this course, you will:

  • Improve buoyancy to avoid damaging corals
  • Learn to navigate confidently without disturbing the reef
  • Understand the risks and responsibilities of deeper diving
  • Strengthen awareness of marine ecosystems
  • Build a solid foundation for conservation-focused diving

price

11,000 THB

DURATION

1.5 - 2 days

DIVES

5 Adventure dives

CERTIFICATION

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver

LEVEL REQUIRED

PADI Open Water Diver
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* Not a diver yet? No problem! You can start your journey by learning to dive with us.
Our PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses are the perfect first step before joining our marine conservation programs.

START WITH A DIVING COURSE

COURSE STRUCTURE

Our PADI Advanced Open Water course combines short theory sessions with practical experience through five adventure dives taken over two days. If booking a combo Open Water & Advanced course together, students will receive e-learning for the Open Water course before arrival.

Advanced Open Water
Day 1 Day 2
Morning 07:00 Deep Dive
09:00 Briefing Adventure Dive
Lunch
Afternoon 12:00 Underwater Navigation Dive Debrief
14:00 Peak Performance Buoyancy
Evening 17:00 Night Dive (optional)

* Please note that the following schedule is indicative and may vary.
* Exact times for each session and dive will be confirmed before the course begins.

DAY 1 – ORIENTATION & ADVENTURE DIVES

Your course begins with orientation and instructor-led knowledge reviews. Each adventure dive includes a short theory section followed by a practical dive.

Morning:

Orientation & paperwork
Thinking Like a Diver session

Afternoon:

Adventure Dive 1: Underwater Navigation
Learn how to use a compass and natural references to navigate confidently underwater — a key skill for both safe diving and future survey work.

Adventure Dive 2: Elective Adventure Dive
Choose from options such as Peak Performance Buoyancy, Fish Identification, Dive Against Debris, or Wreck Diving.

If you’re interested in marine conservation, Peak Performance Buoyancy is essential.

Good buoyancy allows you to:
  • Protect corals and fragile marine life
  • Maintain control during surveys and conservation dives
  • Improve air consumption and efficiency
  • Move calmly and precisely underwater

Buoyancy is the foundation of responsible, conservation-focused diving.

Evening (optional but highly recommended):

Adventure Dive 3: Night Dive
Experience the reef after dark, practice communication techniques, and observe nocturnal marine life in a calm, controlled environment.

DAY 2 – DEEP DIVING & EXPLORATION

Morning:

Adventure Dive 4: Deep Dive (up to 30 metres)
Learn how depth affects air consumption, buoyancy, and awareness, and gain experience planning and executing deeper dives safely.

Adventure Dive 5: Elective Adventure Dive
Continue building experience in an area that interests you.

Late Morning:

Certification & debrief

You are now a certified PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, qualified to dive to 30 metres anywhere in the world with a buddy

Contact us
Price:
11,000 ฿
BOOK NOW
Includes:
  • PADI Advanced Open Water eLearning
  • 5 Adventure Open Water training dives
  • PADI Advanced Open Water certification
  • Full scuba equipment & dive computer
  • Torch for night dive
  • Dive insurance during training
  • Logbook
  • Small groups (max 4 students per instructor)
Prerequisites:
  • Certified Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
  • Minimum age: 12 years
  • Medically fit to dive
  • Recent diving experience recommended

Testimonials 

   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Chee yen Wong 
 
1 days ago
 
 
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+1
This dive shop is highly recommended!
The diving guide Isbella is very professional, enthusiastic and patient in explaining everything.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 matthias p profile picture 
 
 
 matthias p 
 
1 days ago
 
 
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Ich war jetzt bereits zum wiederholten Male tauchen bei Black Turtle Dive und bin begeistert. Der Service, die Hilfsbereitschaft & Professionalität sind überragend!

Vor allem meine Fun Dives mit den Dive Master Nils und Hailey waren perfekt.

Danke für diese tolle Erfahrung!!
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Amy Burnett profile picture 
 
 
 Amy Burnett 
 
2 days ago
 
 
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+0
If you’re looking to complete your PADI open water course, I could not recommend Black Turtle Dive more. We completed the 3 day course. Learnt so much about the ocean and the safety behind diving, that we can take forward to any future dives.
Our instructors Jaa and Arisa were so encouraging and patient when it came to learning new skills.
As well as the incredible dive locations they take you too.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Zoe Clark profile picture 
 
 
 Zoe Clark 
 
2 days ago
 
 
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+0
If I could give more than 5 stars I would. The staff were so friendly and welcoming as soon as we stepped through the door.
Our instructors were more than perfect Jaa and arisa. Could not recommend them more. Hope to dive with them again sometime. Highly recommend
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Alya F profile picture 
 
 
 Alya F 
 
3 days ago
 
 
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Ich durfte meinen Open Water Diver hier absolvieren und war wirklich sehr zufrieden. Meine Tauchlehrerin war Nadine, sie ist wirklich mega super! Ich habe mich in der Ausbildung immer sehr wohl und verstanden gefühlt. Sie hat mich immer mit viel Geduld und Passion in meinem Lernprozess begleitet, VIELEN DANK Nadine!
Ich schätze generell bei Black Turtle die Professionalität und Hilfsbereitschaft sehr! Man merkt das sie viel Leidenschaft im Tauchen leben (das ganze Team) und ihnen Sicherheit beim Tauchen sehr wichtig ist. Ich habe mich vom Empfang bis zur letzen Ausbildungseinheit gut betreut und beraten gefühlt. Komme gerne wieder 🤟🏼
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Federico Bertorello profile picture 
 
 
 Federico Bertorello 
 
4 days ago
 
 
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Hice el curso de open water, la atención de las chicas 10! Mi instructora Rhi excelente!
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Toby profile picture 
 
 
 Toby 
 
4 days ago
 
 
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If your looking for low cost, high quality dive school to do your scuba open waters and/or more through, black turtle is the place to go.  Ask around for an instructor named Naim and a soon-to-be instructor named Annie.  They were great company and even better instructors.  Strongly recommend.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Miriam schlenker 
 
4 days ago
 
 
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 Michael Clarke profile picture 
 
 
 Michael Clarke 
 
4 days ago
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Chae was awesome. Super patient and helpful with the refresher course we did together.

I had some serious trouble equalising and he kept me calm, was really understanding, and managed to get me down for two great experiences.

Totally recommend him and the whole staff.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Mats Lory 
 
5 days ago
 
 
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Amazing dive center, super professional and chill people!
Advanced scuba diver maintaining good buoyancy and situational awareness during training dives in Koh Tao, Thailand.

Keep Learning

Once certified, you can connect your improved diving skills with real ocean protection through our conservation programs:

Ecological Monitoring Program (EMP)
Core Conservationist
Conservation Specialist

These programs build on your Advanced skills and teach you how to observe, understand, and protect marine ecosystems through real projects and scientific diving.

Your diving doesn’t just go deeper — it gains purpose.

Scuba diver conducting an ecological monitoring survey along a transect line during the EMP marine conservation course with Black Turtle Conservation in Koh Tao, Thailand.

ECOLOGICAL MONITORING PROGRAM

Prerequisites: AOW

The Ecological Monitoring Program (EMP) introduces reef survey methods and scientific diving techniques. You’ll learn to assess fish, invertebrates, substrate, and coral health, and report your findings to an international database.

4 days 6 dives 11,900 ฿
Close-up photo of branching coral polyps used in the Coral Taxonomy I course at Black Turtle Conservation, Koh Tao, Thailand.

Coral Taxonomy & Identification

Prerequisites: AOW + EMP

Learn to identify coral species based on skeletal and anatomical characteristics, both on land and underwater.

This course builds essential skills for research, restoration, and monitoring projects.

1 day 2 dives 6,000 ฿
Sea slug (Costasiella sp.) photographed during the Sea Slug Ecology course at Black Turtle Conservation, exploring nudibranch identification and behavior in Koh Tao, Thailand.

NUDIBRANCH & SEA SLUG ECOLOGY

Prerequisites: AOW + EMP

Dive into the world of nudibranchs and sea slugs, key indicators of reef biodiversity and water quality. You’ll explore their taxonomy and ecology while participating in an ongoing research project at Black Turtle Conservation.

1 day 2 dives 6,000 ฿
Diver restoring corals by attaching fragments on artificial reef structures during the Coral Restoration course with Black Turtle Conservation in Koh Tao, Thailand.

CORAL RESTORATION THEORY & TECHNIQUES

Prerequisites: AOW + EMP

Explore the science behind coral restoration.

You'll learn about restoration strategies, site selection, coral health assessment, and attachment methods.

1 day 2 dives 8,000 ฿
Marine conservation divers assembling artificial reef modules underwater during the Artificial Reefs course at Black Turtle Conservation, Koh Tao, Thailand.

ARTIFICIAL REEF THEORY & TECHNIQUES

Prerequisites: AOW + EMP + Coral Restoration

Artificial reefs help restore damaged habitats and provide alternative dive sites. You’ll explore the science behind their design and even create your own reef project as a classroom exercise.

1 day 2 dives 6,000 ฿
Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), a major coral predator, documented during the Coral Predators course with Black Turtle Conservation in Koh Tao, Thailand.

CORAL PREDATORS: POPULATION MANAGEMENT & MONITORING

Prerequisites: AOW + EMP

Identify and monitor coral predators such as crown-of-thorns starfish and Drupella snails, and understand their impact on reef health.

This course teaches practical techniques for population control and long-term reef protection.

1 day 2 dives 6,000 ฿
Detailed macro image of coral polyps used in the Advanced Coral Taxonomy course to teach species-level identification with Black Turtle Conservation in Koh Tao, Thailand.

ADVANCED CORAL TAXONOMY

Prerequisites: AOW + EMP + Coral Taxonomy

Expand your coral identification skills by learning to recognize more challenging and rare genera.

This course deepens your knowledge of skeletal and anatomical traits, strengthening your abilities for advanced research and monitoring.

2 days 4 dives 10,000 ฿
Bleached coral branch showing disease patterns used for training during the Coral Disease course at Black Turtle Conservation in Koh Tao, Thailand.

CORAL DISEASES & COMPROMISED HEALTH

Prerequisites: AOW + EMP + Coral Taxonomy

Discover how to identify and record common coral diseases and signs of stress in reef ecosystems.

This course equips you with the skills to assess reef health and contribute valuable data to monitoring efforts.

1 day 2 dives 6,000 ฿
Green sea turtle resting on a coral reef while snorkelers observe from the surface during the Sea Turtle Ecology and Identification course at Black Turtle Conservation, Koh Tao, Thailand.

ADVANCED EMP

Prerequisites: AOW + EMP + Coral Taxonomy + Coral Disease + 3 Monitoring Courses

Gain experience using additional monitoring techniques, including quadrants, transects, and advanced survey methods. This course enhances your ability to collect accurate data and analyze long-term changes in reef ecosystems.

1 day 2 dives 6,000 ฿
Scientific diver performing advanced coral reef monitoring using quadrats during the Advanced Ecological Monitoring Program (EMP) course with Black Turtle Conservation in Koh Tao, Thailand.

SEA TURTLE ECOLOGY & MONITORING

Learn about the ecology, behavior and threats facing sea turtles, all of which are endangered. Develop skills in turtle ID and data collection, allowing you to contribute to real conservation initiatives by recording sightings to support ongoing monitoring efforts in Koh Tao and internationally.

1 day 1 snorkel 6,000 ฿
Group of marine conservation divers studying shark behavior and population ecology during the Shark Ecology course at Black Turtle Conservation, Koh Tao, Thailand.

SHARK ECOLOGY & POPULATION STUDIES

Sharks play a crucial role as apex predators, yet many species are now critically endangered. Explore their evolution, anatomy, and ecological role. Learn population monitoring techniques and how to contribute to local and global shark databases to aid conservation efforts.

1 day 1 snorkel 6,000 ฿
Coral Watch coral health chart being used to assess coral bleaching levels during the Coral Watch course with Black Turtle Conservation on Koh Tao, Thailand.

CORAL WATCH SPECIALITY

Learn how to assess coral health and contribute to a global monitoring effort using a powerful method developed by CoralWatch and supported by PADI AWARE. Gain insight into coral biology, bleaching, and climate change, while participating in real reef surveys.

1 day 1 snorkel or 2 dives 6,000 ฿
Students conducting a beach microplastic survey using quadrats during the Plastic Pollution Monitoring & Assessment course at Black Turtle Conservation, Koh Tao, Thailand.

PLASTIC POLLUTION: MONITORING & ASSESSMENT

Learn about the scale and impact of plastic pollution in the ocean. Gain hands-on experience monitoring microplastics and help protect reef ecosystems by removing macroplastics.

1 day 1 beach clean up, 1 snorkel or 2 dives 6,000 ฿
Open Water Diver training session in clear tropical waters, ideal conditions for learning safe and controlled scuba diving in Koh Tao.

3 DAY PADI OPEN WATER DIVER

3 days 5 Confined Dives, 4 Ocean Dives 12,950 ฿
Advanced Open Water Diver training with a strong focus on safety, control, and relaxed diving techniques in Koh Tao, Thailand.

PADI ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVER

2 days 5 Adventure Dives in the Ocean 11,900 ฿
Rescue Diver student practicing underwater emergency response skills and regulator management in a controlled training environment in Koh Tao.

PADI RESCUE DIVER + EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONSE (EFR)

3-4 days Focus: Self-rescue diver assistance, emergency management 18,000 ฿
Contact us

Grow Your Skills with Our Conservation Programs

All our marine conservation programs begin with the Ecological Monitoring Program (EMP), providing a solid foundation in scientific diving and hands-on conservation.

From there, you can continue learning through our carefully designed programs, which follow a progression we’ve developed to maximize learning and practical experience. Each course builds on the last, helping you
develop your skills step by step while contributing to meaningful conservation projects.

Whether your goal is to specialize in coral restoration, turtle research, or broader reef monitoring, our programs guide you along a clear path, so you can grow as a marine conservationist while enjoying every step of the journey.

Marine conservation students conducting coral reef surveys during the Core Conservationist one-week program with Black Turtle Conservation in Koh Tao, Thailand.

CORE CONSERVATIONIST

  • EMP
  • Coral Taxonomy
1 week 19,900 ฿
Two marine conservation divers collecting coral reef monitoring data underwater during the Conservation Specialist two-week program at Black Turtle Conservation, Koh Tao, Thailand.

CONSERVATION SPECIALIST

  • EMP
  • Coral Taxonomy
  • Sea turtles
  • BTD Sea slugs
2 weeks 33,000 ฿
Diver inspecting coral restoration structures during the Reef Conservationist four-week program with Black Turtle Conservation in Koh Tao, Thailand.

REEF SPECIALIST

  • Coral Restoration
  • Artificial Reefs
  • Coral Taxonomy III
  • BTC Marine Pollution
+ 2 weeks 30,000 ฿
Marine conservation divers conducting advanced ecological monitoring surveys during the Master Conservationist six-week program at Black Turtle Conservation, Koh Tao, Thailand.

MASTER CONSERVATIONIST

  • Giant Clams
  • BTD Cleaning Stations
  • BTD Coral Predators
  • Sharks
+ 2 weeks 30,000 ฿
Marine scientists and conservation divers conducting long-term reef monitoring and research as part of the Scientific Diver eight-week program with Black Turtle Conservation, Koh Tao, Thailand.

SCIENTIFIC DIVER

  • Image J
  • Coral Disease
  • Advanced EMP
+ 2 weeks 30,000 ฿

Learning Pathway

← Scroll horizontally to see full pathway →

courses

ANY LEVEL

Open to Divers & Non-Divers
  • Sea Turtle Ecology & Monitoring
  • Coral Watch Speciality
  • Shark Ecology & Population Studies
  • Plastic Pollution: Monitoring & Assessment

ADVANCED DIVERS

AOW Required
Ecological Monitoring Program (EMP)
  • Coral Taxonomy & Identification
    • Advanced Coral Taxonomy
    • Coral Disease Monitoring
  • Nudibranch & Sea Slug Ecology
  • Coral Restoration Theory & Techniques
    • Artificial Reefs Theory
  • Coral Predators Monitoring & Mgmt
Advanced
EMP

programs

ANY LEVEL

Open to Divers & Non-Divers
3 days

CITIZEN SCIENCE

  • Coral Watch Speciality
  • Citizen Science Initiatives
  • Marine Ecology

This infographic shows the progression of the different marine conservation courses and programs we offer at Black Turtle Conservation.

Developed in collaboration with Conservation Diver, PADI AWARE, and our own in-house certifications, these courses and programs provide hands-on opportunities to learn, dive, and actively contribute to real conservation and research efforts.

ADVANCED DIVERS

AOW Required
1 week

CORE CONSERVATIONIST

  • EMP
  • Coral Taxonomy I
2 weeks

CONSERVATION SPECIALIST

  • EMP
  • Coral Taxonomy I & II
  • Sea Turtles
  • BTD Sea Slugs
+ 2 weeks

REEF SPECIALIST

  • Coral Restoration
  • Artificial Reefs
  • Coral Taxonomy III
  • BTD Marine Pollution
+ 2 weeks

MASTER CONSERVATIONIST

  • Giant Clams
  • BTD Cleaning Stations
  • BTD Coral Predators
  • Sharks
+ 2 weeks

SCIENTIFIC DIVER

  • Image J
  • Coral Disease
  • Advanced EMP

pro

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL

Dive Master Required

RESEARCH
ASSISTANT

INSTRUCTOR
DEVELOPMENT
COURSE (IDC)

EMP
INSTRUCTOR

EMP

SPECIALITY
INSTRUCTOR

EMP + ≥5 courses

MASTER
INSTRUCTOR

EMP + ≥10 courses

INSTRUCTOR
TRAINER

← Scroll horizontally to see full pathway →
Contact us

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course?

The PADI Advanced Open Water course is the next step after Open Water certification. It focuses on gaining experience through five adventure dives, helping divers improve skills such as buoyancy, navigation, and deep diving while exploring new underwater environments.

How long does the Advanced Open Water course take on Koh Tao?

The course is completed over 1.5 to 2 days, depending on conditions and student progression. It includes five adventure dives and short theory sessions linked to each dive.

What is the maximum depth after Advanced Open Water certification?

After completing the PADI Advanced Open Water course, you are certified to dive to a maximum depth of 30 metres with a buddy.

Do I need recent diving experience to start the Advanced course?

Yes, recent diving experience is recommended. If you have not dived in the last 12 months, we advise completing a Scuba Review to ensure comfort, safety, and confidence underwater.

Which adventure dives are included in the course?

The course includes two mandatory dives: Deep Diving and Underwater Navigation. You then choose three elective adventure dives, such as Peak Performance Buoyancy, Night Diving, Fish Identification, Dive Against Debris, or Wreck Diving.

Why is Peak Performance Buoyancy important for Advanced divers?

Peak Performance Buoyancy helps divers maintain control, reduce air consumption, and protect fragile reef ecosystems. Strong buoyancy skills are essential for responsible diving and are especially important if you plan to join marine conservation programs.

Is the Advanced Open Water course suitable for conservation-focused divers?

Yes. The Advanced course builds essential skills such as buoyancy, awareness, and navigation that are required for ecological monitoring, reef surveys, and scientific diving used in marine conservation.

What equipment is included in the Advanced Open Water course?

All scuba equipment is included, as well as free use of a dive computer, a torch for the night dive, dive insurance during training, and a logbook. Small groups ensure personalized instruction.

What can I do after completing the Advanced Open Water course?

After certification, you can continue fun diving, explore deeper dive sites worldwide, or progress into marine conservation programs such as the Ecological Monitoring Program (EMP), Core Conservationist, or Conservation Specialist.

Why choose Black Turtle Dive for your Advanced Open Water course on Koh Tao?

At Black Turtle Dive, we train divers with awareness and purpose. We focus on small groups, strong buoyancy skills, calm progression, and environmentally responsible diving from the very first dive.

Our Advanced Open Water course goes beyond certification — it helps you become a confident, controlled diver who understands how their actions affect the reef and is prepared for conservation-focused diving and further ecological training.

Still have questions?

contact us