PADI Open Water Diver
If you’ve always wanted to learn how to scuba dive, discover new adventures, or simply see the wondrous world beneath the waves, this is where it starts.
The Fun Part
The fun part about this course is… well, just about all of it because learning to dive is incredible. You breathe underwater for the first time (something you’ll never forget) and learn what you need to know to become a certified diver. During the course, you’ll make at least five pool dives and four dives at local dive sites under the supervision of your PADI Instructor. This is your ticket to a lifetime of intense adventure with PADI, the dive association that sets the standards in the global diving community.
You will earn the PADI Open Water Diver certification that is recognized worldwide. You earn this license by completing 5 sessions in a diving pool or confined water, 5 knowledge development sessions, and by making 4 open water dives.
Throughout this dive certification course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of scuba diving, including dive equipment and techniques. Virtually anyone who’s in good health, reasonably fit, and comfortable in the water can earn the Open Water Diver certification. At some point during your course, your PADI Instructor will ask you to demonstrate the ability to swim 200 metres.
The PADI Open Water Diver license is a permanent scuba qualification, and as a certified diver you have the freedom to dive with a buddy independent of a professional. However, if you do not dive for over 12 months and you are a relatively an inexperienced diver, then we recommend you complete a refresher programme, such as the PADI Scuba Review. This can take as little as 1 hour of your time in the dive pool and gives you the chance to refresh those skills you may have forgotten. That way, when you do dive again you can relax and enjoy your dives, and be sure that you won’t have any nasty surprises in store.
If you already tried a PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience programme or are Scuba Diver certified, you may get credit from these courses to the Open Water programme.
So what are you waiting for? Your only regret is likely to be that you didn’t learn to dive even earlier!
What You’ll Learn
The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of three main phases:
- Knowledge Development (online, Open Water Diver Touch or in a classroom) to understand basic principles of scuba diving
- Confined Water Dives to learn basic scuba skills
- Open Water Dives to review your skills and explore!
If you’ve tried diving through a Discover Scuba Diving experience or resort course, the skills you learned may be credited towards a portion of the full PADI Open Water Diver course certification.
Start Now
Get started with PADI online, at your own pace – Anytime. Anywhere.
- PADI eLearning Open Water Diver Course
- PADI Open Water Diver Touch™ for iPhone and Android
The PADI Open Water Diver Course Online lets you learn the background information you need before each dive at your own pace through friendly, interactive learning. It even helps you choose the PADI dive shop where you’ll make those dives.
Course Details
Number of dives | 4 |
Duration | 3-4 days |
Note: you will learn on this course that you need to allow 18 hours to pass before flying after diving!
Prerequisites:
To enrol in the PADI Open Diver course or Junior Open Water Diver course, you must:
- Be 10 years or older (PADI eLearning requires an extra registration step for students under 13 years due to international internet laws)