PADI Open Water Diver
Your passport to underwater exploration. The PADI Open Water Diver course is your first full certification as a scuba diver — a globally recognized credential that lets you dive independently and explore the underwater world with confidence.
What you need
Course Structure
Certification
Move beyond trying diving — begin to understand it.
The PADI Open Water Diver course is where you stop being a passenger and start being a diver. You will learn the essential skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to dive independently with a buddy anywhere in the world.
The course is structured, but always adapted to your pace. The focus is on safety, comfort, and building solid foundations.
Three connected stages, one solid foundation.
The Open Water Diver course is divided into three main parts: theory, confined water training, and open water dives.
You will develop your skills step by step, starting in a controlled environment and progressing to real diving conditions. Each stage builds on the last — so by the time you’re in the ocean, you’ve already practiced everything in calm water.
How the course works
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01
Paperwork and medical check
~15 minBefore starting, you will complete the required forms to confirm your fitness to dive and understanding of the course structure.
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02
Theory — PADI eLearning or classroom
~6–8 hoursYou will learn the core principles of scuba diving, including physics, physiology, equipment, and dive planning. This can be completed online at your own pace or with in-person guidance.
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03
Confined water sessions
~1–2 daysTraining begins in calm, shallow water. Here you will learn and practice all essential diving skills — buoyancy control, regulator recovery, mask clearing, and more. These sessions build comfort, control, and confidence before moving to open water.
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04
Open water dives
~2 days · 4 divesYou will complete a series of open water dives in the ocean. During these dives, you apply everything you have learned in real conditions while being guided and supervised. Each dive builds on the previous one, allowing you to progress safely and confidently.
What you will gain
Globally recognized cert
Your PADI Open Water Diver certification is accepted at dive sites anywhere in the world.
Dive up to 18 meters
Plan and execute dives independently with a buddy, down to 18m / 60ft worldwide.
Join dive trips
Travel and dive with confidence — book onto fun dives, liveaboards, and dive trips globally.
A path forward
The foundation for every advanced course — Deep, Wreck, Nitrox, Rescue, and beyond.
The course typically takes 3–4 days to complete, but it can be spread out over several weeks if needed. The pace is flexible and can be tailored to fit your schedule.
You don’t need to be an Olympic swimmer, but you should be comfortable in the water. The course includes a swim test of 200 meters and a 10-minute float — basic ability is enough.
Yes — your PADI Open Water Diver certification is recognized globally, allowing you to dive at dive sites anywhere in the world.
Children between 10 and 14 receive the PADI Junior Open Water Diver certification. It’s the same course with adjusted depth limits, and it upgrades automatically to full Open Water once they turn 15.