11,000 thb

Thailand is a fantastic country to get your PADI Open Water certificate. Its’ warm tropical waters and huge range of marine life give students an amazing experience as well as a diving certification that is recognised worldwide. When you visit Koh Tao to take an Open Water course you will be diving in the calm waters of the Gulf of Thailand and visiting a variety of dive sites which are located nearby. Koh Tao is an island renowned for scuba diving and is a great place for beginners to learn. The PADI Open Water course is the first step towards becoming a certified diver. You will learn how to safely set up and use scuba diving equipment and be taught basic underwater skills. Once the course is completed you will be certified to dive to a depth of 18 metres.

Open Water Course Schedule

Day 1 – Knowledge Development

We usually start at 4pm with an academics session which includes videos, some basic theory and quizzes to test your knowledge. Knowledge development is important as it teaches the various concepts, principles and terms that allow you to enjoy scuba diving in a safe manner. It isn’t anything too complicated so you don’t need to worry. The junior version of the Open Water course is for 10 – 14 year olds and they need to study the same material.

Day 2 – Confined Water Dives

On day 2 you will take part in a confined session in our pool. This is where you to get to use scuba diving equipment for the first time and experience breathing with a regulator under water. The pool is great for learning scuba skills because it enables our students to become comfortable with their diving equipment in a calm shallow environment. We use the pool for the confined swim for the same reason, meaning our students will be completely confident to go out on the boat the following day. We allocate a maximum of 4 students to each instructor and often have a divemaster candidate assisting. Small student groups means that there is always plenty of time answer any questions or go over any part of the training again if required.

Day 3 – Open Water Dives 1 & 2

This will be your first time out on the boat, diving in the ocean! The dive boat departs after lunch and usually visits 2 dive sites. You will complete 2 open water dives, reaching a depth of 12 meters. There is still plenty to see in the water and around the reefs at this depth. You will repeat some of the skills you learned during the confined pool session and then get to explore the some of Koh Taos’ famous dive sites. Expect to see plenty of colourful marine life such as angel fish, batfish, or moray eels. If you are you are lucky you may even spot (completely harmless) reef sharks!

Day 4 – Open Water Dives 3 & 4

For dives 3 and 4 we set off in the morning. The dives take place at some of the deeper dive sites which are a bit further out from Koh Tao. This is where you extend the depth of your diving to 18 metres and observe some of the larger marine animals that inhabit Koh Taos’ waters. Groupers and barracuda are quite common, and even whale sharks may make an appearance! They are completely harmless but breathtaking to watch. For dives 3 and 4 we have a videography team available who will film both of your dives and have a bit of fun with the camera while you are on the boat.

Once you are back on dry land you have the afternoon to relax and enjoy some drinks or sunbathing at our pool bar. Then, in the evening the videographer will return with the freshly edited dive video which is shown in our bar. All of our open water students have the opportunity to watch the video and purchase a copy if they wish. We celebrate your introduction into the diving community with some shots, and ice cold beers!

Open Water Course Prerequisites

Students need to be at least 10 years of age
Can tread water for 10 minutes
Can Swim 200 metres
Have completed a PADI medical form (we provide this at the shop or send it by email)

How Much Does the Open Water Course Cost?

The cost of the PADI Open Water course is 11,000 thb, this includes use of scuba equipment, PADI materials and certification.
We also offer a free collection from the pier when you arrive. DJL are happy to reserve private rooms or bungalows at Silver Sands resort next to our dive school or there are plenty of accommodation options nearby in the Sairee Beach area.

Please contact us for any course or accommodation enquiries.