PADI Open Water Course – best for all beginners

Description

Become a PADI Open Water Diver on Koh Tao

PADI open water certification is the first license that allows you to enter the world of scuba diving. This is suitable for all beginners without any experience requirements. It only takes 3 days on Koh Tao to complete the whole certification. This open water diving license allows you to dive independently anywhere globally at a maximum depth of 18 meters, as PADI is one of the most accepted diving organizations to date.

If you don’t have enough time or aren’t sure whether you like diving, you can always try Discover Scuba Diving, especially our two-dive option. This is the perfect choice for those who do not want to commit to the full course but want to experience scuba diving. Swimming skills are not even required for this experience. If the day ended and you turned out to fall in love with scuba diving, you can just let us know and continue the rest of the PADI Open Water course in just two more days at a special price.

Start Your PADI Open Water E-learning Before Arrival

We use e-learning materials at Nava Scuba Diving. This means you get to start ahead of the course before arriving in Koh Tao. You can study and review all diving theory at your own pace. Our professionally trained instructor will go through everything with you again to make sure everything is on point.

PADI Open Water e-learning can also be purchased directly on your own from the PADI website. However, we offer similar material with our course. There is no need to book twice for an e-learning-based course. You can book with Nava Scuba Diving for e-learning material and in-water training on Koh Tao together at one price. Take advantage of our PADI Open Water Koh Tao course and get started right away.

Ocean Training Gets You Comfortable Faster

Koh Tao has dive sites all around the island, many of which are suitable for PADI Open Water training divers, such as Japanese Garden, Tao Thong, Mango Bay, and Aow Luek Bay. These dive sites are actual dive sites and not just a large sand patch for training. It gives you the best environment ever to train and get close to the wonderful nature.

The main reason for ocean training is that you will get used to the feeling and buoyancy faster in actual salt water rather than the water in the swimming pool. That’s why we do not have swimming pool training but rather ocean training. Your confined water training in the sea will start in shallow water, not too deep to stand, before gradually increasing in maximum depth to 2, 5, 12, and 18 meters by the end of the course.

What is Included in your PADI Open Water Course?

We have everything you need for your PADI Open Water diving course. You don’t need to prepare any personal equipment. The equipment rental is complimentary. Plus, we offer you free Thai lunch during courses with either a meat-based or a vegetarian meal, together with a free shuttle service from most places on Koh Tao (except villas with steep entrances). Please see the full list of included items in the Koh Tao PADI Open Water course below.

• PADI Certified Instructor and E-learning Materials
• PADI Open Water Certification (e-card)
• Scuba Diving Equipment
• Scuba Diving Insurance
• Lunches (Normal/Vegetarian option)
• Shuttle Service During Courses (only on Koh Tao)

PADI Open Water Course Schedule

PADI Open Water Course Koh Tao takes two and a half days to complete, to be exact. This already takes into account that you finish the required chapters 1-3 before the first day and chapters 4-5 before the second day. Without these chapters completed, the daily schedule may change.

*This schedule can be changed due to the weather and other factors

PADI Open Water Course Koh Tao Course Information

To be certified as a PADI Open Water diver, you must complete three different sections of the course over the course of three days in Koh Tao. This includes the following completion requirements.

1. Theory and Knowledge Development
2. Confined Water Training Sessions
3. Open Water Dives

1. Knowledge Development for PADI Open Water Course

Complete your PADI e-learning in advance before arrival to shorten this theory section. There is no need to spend hours in the classroom if e-learning is completed. Our instructor will recap the theory with you through the e-learning quick review to ensure that you understand everything. We separate this into two small quick review sessions about 1.00 to 1.30 hours before your first and second day of diving. This allows you to understand what the whole theory is about with hands-on experience when you are in the water.

2. Confined Water Dives to Master Scuba Diving Skills

According to the PADI standard, confined water is a general term that refers to either a swimming pool or confined open water. This means that, contrary to conventional belief, confined water dives don’t need to be done only in the pool. Koh Tao has many dive sites with pool-like conditions. The water in these sites is both shallow and sufficiently deep to allow student divers to meet all skill requirements.

During your confined water dives, you will get a chance to practice and master each skill after watching the instructor’s demonstration. Some skill sets include

• Regulator Clearing and Recovery
• Mask Clearing
• Air Sharing from Alternate Air Source
• Buoyancy Control Techniques
• Water Entry and Exit Procedures
• Hand Communication Signal

 
You will get a chance to review all of these skills in detail, both in and out of the water, before practicing and mastering them. Our professional PADI-certified instructor will be with you all the time to make sure you are comfortable and safe. With ocean training, you will definitely become comfortable much faster as you get to spend more time in the actual diving environment.

3. Open Water Dives Exploring Koh Tao Dive Sites

You will do four official open water dives throughout the course. Our normal course schedule actually allows you to do 1st dive on your first day, 2nd dive on your second day, and 3rd+4th dive on your last day. This schedule allows you to gradually gain experience and confidence in scuba diving while ensuring you have enough time to master each skill set.

Your first and second days will be almost similar with afternoon diving trips. You’ll be visiting actual dive sites in Koh Tao, not just a shallow sand area. You can expect to explore a few of these Koh Tao dive sites: Japanese Garden, Mango Bay, Twin Rocks, Junkyard, Pottery, Tao Thong, Aow Luek, or Hin Ngam. There, of course, may be changes depending on the weather conditions at the time. You can expect to get up close with marine life such as butterfly fish, angel fish, moray eel, and various types of nudibranchs.

Your last day will be different. Your last two open water dives allow up to 18 meters maximum depths (or lower depending on the age limit). You’ll get to explore bigger, more sophisticated dive sites such as White Rock, Green Rock, Hin Pee Vee, and No Name Pinnacle. You can expect larger marine life, including a school of fish, such as chevron barracuda or yellow-tailed scad.

Requirements for PADI Open Water Course

• The participant is at least 10 years old at the time of the experience
• The participant is physically and mentally healthy. He/she may want to check out the PADI medical form first to gain a better understanding.
• The participant is able to demonstrate water skills by swimming/floating for 10 minutes without using any swim aids and swimming 200 meters continuously on a surface.

*Please feel free to ask our dive professionals for more details.

Terms and Conditions

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.