Get your first PADI Open Water certification today in Koh Tao, Thailand with Nava Scuba Diving. Become a PADI-certified diver for your new adventure to explore the whole new world up to 18 meters. No prior experience is required!
Price range: ฿11,250 through ฿12,500
Start your underwater journey with PADI Open Water at Nava Scuba Diving, the trusted choice for PADI Open Water Koh Tao. Join the PADI Open Water Course designed for beginners and earn your PADI Open Water Certification, giving you the confidence to dive up to 18 meters. Explore vibrant reefs and marine life on your first scuba diving journey with Koh Tao Open Water PADI, even if you have no prior experience!
Becoming a PADI Open Water diver on Koh Tao is the perfect way to start your scuba diving journey. This beginner-friendly course introduces you to fundamental diving skills in a safe and supportive environment. Over three days, you’ll practice in clear, calm waters and explore some of Koh Tao’s most beautiful dive sites. You will be experiencing vibrant coral reefs and colorful marine life. This stunning underwater scenery, combined with professional guidance from experienced instructors, makes learning both fun and unforgettable.
At the end of the course, you will receive your PADI Open Water Certification as a testament to your new skills.
If you’re new to diving, you may wonder whether to start with a 1-day Discover Scuba Diving or jump directly into a 3-day full PADI Open Water Course. Discover Scuba Diving is a short, guided experience designed for those who want a quick glimpse of the underwater world without full certification commitment. It’s ideal for a quick adventure, giving you the chance to explore shallow waters under the close supervision of a professional instructor.
In contrast, a PADI Open Water Course provides a structured learning path for beginners who want to gain proper diving skills. Over three days, you’ll practice techniques in both confined and open water, building confidence and independence underwater. Choosing the PADI Open Water Course lets you fully immerse yourself in diving, experience multiple dive sites around Koh Tao, and develop skills that last a lifetime, making it the preferred choice for those ready to take the plunge into scuba diving.
At Nava Scuba Diving, we provide comprehensive PADI Open Water eLearning material, allowing you to begin your course even before arriving on Koh Tao. This flexible approach lets you study and review diving theory at your own pace, ensuring you feel confident and prepared before getting in the water. Our experienced instructors will then guide you through a review on-site, making sure you fully understand the concepts and skills.
While you can definitely purchase PADI Open Water eLearning directly from PADI website, booking with Nava Scuba Diving combines both the eLearning theory and in-water training in Koh Tao Open Water PADI in one complete and convenient package. This integrated approach saves time and ensures you’re fully supported throughout your journey, letting you make the most of your PADI Open Water Course from day one.
Koh Tao offers a variety of dive sites perfect for PADI Open Water training unlike anywhere in the world. This includes Japanese Garden, Aow Luek, Mango Bay, Buddha Rock, Tao Thong, and Tanote Bay to begin with. Unlike typical pool-based confined training elsewhere, these sites are real scuba diving locations, giving you the opportunity to learn in a natural environment while enjoying vibrant coral reefs and diverse marine life. This hands-on ocean confined training experience makes learning more engaging and memorable.
The key advantage of confined practice in the ocean is that you quickly get accustomed to the buoyancy and movement in actual saltwater, which differs significantly from swimming pool conditions. Confined water sessions begin in shallow areas where you can stand comfortably, gradually increasing in depth as you gain confidence from 2 meters to 5, then 12, and up to 18 meters by the end of the PADI Open Water Course. The training in the ocean ensures you develop essential skills faster and enjoy a truly immersive diving experience on Koh Tao Open Water PADI.
PADI Open Water Certification is your official recognition as a well-trained scuba diver, acknowledged worldwide. It confirms that you have completed the required training to dive safely up to 18 meters. The certification itself does not expire, but maintaining your skills through regular diving is highly recommended.
With this PADI Open Water Certification, you can confidently participate in recreational dives and prove your skills to any dive operators anywhere in the world. It’s your first key step into the global diving community and marks your achievement as a certified diver.
Once you finish your PADI Open Water Course, the possibility is endless. You can now join scuba diving trip at Koh Tao and dive sites worldwide, experience diverse marine ecosystems, and continue your education with a more advanced PADI courses such as PADI Advanced Open Water, PADI Specialty certification, or even professional-level training.
Having the PADI Open Water Certification gives you confidence, opens doors to new adventures, and allows you to plan longer, more ambitious dives safely. It’s not just a license, it’s the foundation for a lifetime of underwater exploration and personal growth as a diver.
When you join the PADI Open Water Course at Nava Scuba Diving, everything you need is included; no need to get your own equipment. All scuba gear is included, along with a PADI eLearning material and guidance from PADI-certified instructors. To make your experience even more comfortable, we provide complimentary Thai lunches with both meat and vegetarian options, as well as the shuttle service from most locations on Koh Tao (except villas with steep entrances). Here’s a full list of what’s included in the Koh Tao Open Water PADI course:
Dive into an unforgettable journey with our PADI Open Water Course on Koh Tao. Over three days, Nava Scuba Diving combines professional instruction, hands-on ocean training, and the vibrant beauty of Koh Tao’s reefs to make your first diving experience safe, exciting, and memorable. By completing the eLearning before arrival, you’ll maximize your time in the water and enjoy every dive to the fullest.
*This schedule can be changed due to the weather and other factors
Becoming a certified PADI Open Water diver on Koh Tao is an exciting three-day journey designed for beginners. The course is divided into three key sections: theory and knowledge development, confined water training, and open water dives. Below are the detailed steps and requirements you’ll complete to earn your certification and make the most of your Koh Tao Open Water PADI experience.
To make the most of your PADI Open Water Course, we recommend completing the eLearning in advance before arrival. This allows you to spend less time in the classroom, and more time actually diving in the ocean. At Nava Scuba Diving, our PADI-certified instructors guide you through two compacted theory review sessions, each lasting about 1 to 1.5 hours, scheduled before your first and second day of diving.
These quick reviews reinforce the core concepts, ensuring you fully understand the theory while preparing you for hands-on practice. By combining pre-arrival eLearning with our quick reviews, you’ll enter the water confidently and ready to enjoy your Koh Tao Open Water PADI experience to the fullest.
Confined water is an essential part of the PADI Open Water Course, providing beginners with a safe and controlled environment to practice all fundamental diving skills. At Nava Scuba Diving, we take advantage of Koh Tao’s shallow and calm dive sites, which resemble pool conditions yet offering the added benefit of real ocean experience. Here, you can comfortably learn and master essential techniques under the guidance of our professional PADI-certified instructors. Key skills you will practice include:
Throughout your PADI Open Water Course, you will complete four official open water dives arranged in a gradual, confidence-building schedule: your first dive on Day 1, your second on Day 2, and your last two dives on Day 3. This progression lets you gain real experience step by step while ensuring you have time to refine every essential skill in a relaxed, supportive learning environment.
During the first two days, you’ll join afternoon trips to actual Koh Tao dive sites, not just shallow sandy training areas near the bay. Depending on the conditions, you may visit locations such as Japanese Garden, Mango Bay, Twin Rocks, Junkyard, Pottery, Tao Thong, Aow Luek, or Hin Ngam. These beginner-friendly sites offer calm conditions and rich marine life, giving you the chance to encounter butterflyfish, angelfish, moray eels, and colorful nudibranchs as you practice your buoyancy and basic underwater techniques.
Your final day takes your experience to the next level with two deeper dives, reaching up to 18 meters (adjusted for age if necessary). Here, you’ll explore more expansive and dynamic sites such as White Rock, Green Rock, Hin Pee Vee, or No Name Pinnacle, where schools of chevron barracuda and yellow-tailed scad are commonly seen. With the supervision of our experienced PADI instructors, these dives offer an exciting and memorable finish to your Koh Tao Open Water PADI journey.
Before starting your PADI Open Water Course, there are a few basic requirements to ensure a safe and enjoyable learning experience. These guidelines help you prepare properly and get the most out of your time on Koh Tao Open Water PADI dives.
*Please feel free to ask our dive professionals for more details to be ready to enjoy your PADI Open Water Koh Tao.
All reservations may not be cancelled. Full payment will be forfeited unless approved under a medical emergency or booked with a free cancellation benefit. For full information, please visit our terms and conditions here.
At Nava Scuba Diving Koh Tao, we keep groups small to ensure personalized attention and safety. Each instructor supervises a maximum of 4 divers, but most sessions consist of 2–3 participants, making it ideal for beginners who want a comfortable and supported experience.
All participants receive a complimentary Thai lunch during the session. Meals typically include rice with chicken or pork, and vegetarian or vegan options are available upon request. Enjoy a tasty meal while preparing for your PADI Open Water Koh Tao adventure.
Yes! Our e-learning option lets you complete the theory portion online at your own pace before arrival. This allows more time in the water and less time in the classroom, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable Koh Tao Open Water PADI experience on Koh Tao.
| Booking Option | Free Cancellation (24 hours), Web Saver (non-refundable) |
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| Booking Option | Free Cancellation (24 hours), Web Saver (non-refundable) |
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