Thinking about taking your diving skills to the next level with the PADI Advanced Open Water Course but still have a few questions? You’re not alone—many divers wonder the same things before taking the plunge.

From what the course includes to how it can benefit your diving journey, we’ve gathered the most common questions and answered them for you. Keep reading to get the clarity you need before starting your next underwater adventure..

How Is It Different From the PADI Open Water Diver Course?

In the PADI Open Water Diver Course, you will learn all the needed skills for scuba diving. This training includes knowledge sessions, confined water dives, and open water dives.

On the other hand, the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course will help you complete 5 Adventure Dives, each focusing on a specific activity or skill.

What Is an Advanced Open Water Diver?

With a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification in your pocket you can:

• Dive in dive spotsthat aren’t accessible to beginner scuba divers.
• Have encounters withsome of the most incredible marine creatures worldwide.
• Explore destinations away from the usual route
• Elevate your skill level, be more confident in your abilities, and enjoy trying new things.

Don’t forget that this course is all about advancing your scuba skills and that don’t ever mean to make risky dives. There is no need to have minimum logged dive or to pass any exam before starting this course. Complete your PADI Open Water Diver certification and enroll immediately.

Do I Have To Take the PADI Advanced Open Water Course?

No, it is your choice to enroll in the Advanced Open Water Course or not. However, it is a better thing to ingrain your scuba skills and build more confidence underwater. Additionally, The course is full of fun and will likely be unforgettable experience.

What Should I Expect From the PADI Advanced Open Water Course?

At first, you should expect that there is a lot of fun during your Advanced Open Water Course sessions. You should also expect that you will become a confident scuba diver with more skills under your belt.

What Should I Expect, More Specifically?

Well, For each Adventure Dive, you must complete a theory section — you can do that from home in a classroom setting through PADI eLearning. You’ll need to do basic knowledge reviews to confirm you understand the theory for each dive.

The PADI Advanced Open Water course consists of five Adventure Dives. The Deep and Underwater Navigation Adventure Dives are mandatory and provide essential skills to improve your diving. You’ll then select three more Adventure Dives to develop your skills and finish the course.

What Adventure Dives Should I Choose?

As we previously mentioned, The Deep Adventure Dive and Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive are required parts of the Advanced Open Water course. The other three Adventure Dives can be chosen from the 26 available PADI options.

Available PADI dive options include Digital Underwater Imaging, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Fish Identification, and Night Diver. The choice is entirely yours. Seek an a advice from your local PADI Dive Center to know the offered Adventure Dives and choose from.

How Much Does the Course Cost?

Since each PADI Dive Shop is independently owned, the cost of the Advanced Open Water course varies by shop and location. It is recommended to visit your local PADI Dive Center to ask about the prices and availability of the courses.

Why Should I Take the Advanced Open Water Diver Course?

The Advanced Open Water Diver course lets you gain more diving experience under the supervision of an experienced instructor. After completing this course, you will get new scuba skills, make new friendships and, of course, dive more!

You’ll extend your depth limit from 18 meters (60 feet) to 30 meters (100 feet). There will be more accessible dive sites leading to more underwater adventures! This course is also a good way to try different specialties and choose from depending from your interests.

What are the Best Dive Destinations for Advanced Divers?

Once you’ve built up your skills as an advanced diver, the world opens up to a whole new level of dive spots. Here’s a look at some of the best destinations tailored to advanced divers.

• Socorro Island, Mexico.
• Chuuk (Truk Lagoon).
• Sardine Run, South Africa.
• The Galápagos, Ecuador.
• Cocos Island, Costa Rica.