PADI advanced Diver course

The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course is the full, internationally recognized continuation of your diving education. While the beginner course focused on the basic safety and survival skills of diving, the Advanced course is all about exploration, expanding your limits, and building confidence through practical underwater experiences.

Contrary to what the name suggests, you do not need to be an expert to take this course. You can enroll immediately after completing your beginner Open Water Diver license!

1. Prerequisites & Duration

• Minimum Age: 12 years old (Ages 12–14 earn the Junior Advanced Open Water certification).

• Prerequisite Certification: Must hold a PADI Open Water Diver license (or an equivalent qualifying certification from another agency).

• Duration: Typically takes 2 days to complete.

2. Course Structure (The 5 Dives)

To earn this certification, you must complete 5 Adventure Dives. There are no final classroom exams—learning is done via PADI eLearning before the dives, followed by quick briefings on the boat or shore.

The 5 dives are broken down into 2 mandatory core dives and 3 elective dives:

The 2 Mandatory Core Dives:

• Deep Dive: You will descend past the beginner limit to a maximum depth of 30 meters (100 feet). You will learn how to monitor your air supply closely at depth, experience how pressure affects objects (and color changes under water), and manage deep safety limits.

• Underwater Navigation Dive: You will learn to use a dive compass with precision. You will practice swimming straight lines, making turns, estimating distance underwater using kick cycles, and utilizing natural navigation techniques (like sand ripples and reef structures) to always find your way back to the boat or shore.

The 3 Elective Dives (Choose based on interest):

You choose 3 additional dives from a wide pool of PADI specialties. The most popular choices at holiday resorts include:

• Peak Performance Buoyancy: Advanced practice to master your breathing and trim so you hover perfectly weightless, save air, and protect the coral reef.

• Night Dive: Stepping into the dark using dive lights to watch the reef wake up with completely different nocturnal marine creatures.

• Wreck Dive: Learning the safety protocols of navigating the exterior of sunken ships or artificial structures.

• Drift Dive: Learning to fly effortlessly with moving ocean currents along deep marine walls.

3. What Changes Once You Are Certified?