What to expect from a PADI Advanced Open Water course

If you’ve already earned your PADI Open Water certification, you’ve taken your first step into a much bigger underwater world. The next step for many divers is the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course—an exciting program designed to build your skills, boost your confidence, and unlock new diving opportunities.

Whether your goal is to dive deeper, explore shipwrecks, improve navigation, or simply gain more experience under the guidance of a professional, this course offers something for everyone. Here’s a detailed look at what you can expect.

1. It’s Less “Advanced” Than You Might Think

The word advanced can be a bit misleading. You don’t need to be an expert or have years of experience to enroll. In fact, you can start the Advanced Open Water course right after completing your Open Water certification.

The focus isn’t on making you a master of diving in a week—it’s about giving you a structured way to try new types of dives while refining the basics you already know.

2. No Big Exam—But You Will Learn a Lot

Unlike your Open Water course, the Advanced Open Water program doesn’t involve a long written test at the end. Instead, you’ll complete short knowledge reviews before each dive, usually from the PADI eLearning platform or your instructor’s briefing.

These sections are focused and practical—you’ll learn exactly what you need for each dive. This makes the course feel more like an adventure with learning built in, rather than a classroom-heavy commitment.

3. Five Adventure Dives—Two Are Required

The Advanced Open Water certification requires five “adventure dives”, each focused on a different specialty. Two are mandatory for everyone:

• Deep Dive (Required) – You’ll learn how to safely plan and execute dives beyond 18 meters (60 feet), down to a maximum of 30 meters (100 feet). This includes understanding how depth affects air consumption, buoyancy, and nitrogen absorption.

• Underwater Navigation (Required) – You’ll practice using a compass and natural landmarks to navigate underwater. This is an invaluable skill that boosts your independence and reduces the risk of surfacing far from your dive boat.

The remaining three adventure dives are your choice, depending on location, conditions, and personal interests. Common options include:

• Wreck Diving – Exploring shipwrecks and learning safe approaches for swimming around or inside them.

• Peak Performance Buoyancy – Fine-tuning your buoyancy for better air efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and smoother diving.

• Night Diving – Experiencing the underwater world after dark with a dive torch, where nocturnal marine life emerges.

• Drift Diving – Learning to ride underwater currents safely and efficiently.

• Search and Recovery – Using patterns and lift bags to find and retrieve lost objects.

4. The Course Usually Takes Two Days

Most Advanced Open Water courses can be completed over a weekend. Many dive centers schedule three dives on one day and two on another. If you’re traveling, it’s often possible to combine the course with a dive trip so you can enjoy new locations while you learn.

If you have limited time, some centers offer flexible scheduling—completing the knowledge reviews beforehand and spreading the dives out over several days.

5. Expect to Be More Independent

Your instructor will still guide you, but the Advanced course gives you more responsibility for planning and executing your dives. You’ll practice:

• Pre-dive planning with depth, time, and gas considerations

• Checking dive gear independently and with a buddy

• Managing navigation without constant supervision

• Monitoring depth, air, and no-decompression limits more actively

This step toward independence is a big reason divers feel more confident after the course.

6. You’ll Expand Your Dive Limits

With your new certification, you’ll be qualified to dive up to 30 meters (100 feet)—a big jump from the 18-meter (60-foot) limit of Open Water.

This opens the door to deeper reefs, wrecks, and marine life encounters. Many of the most spectacular dive sites around the world—like shark dives, certain wrecks, and wall dives—require an Advanced certification.

7. It’s Fun and Flexible

Unlike some courses where you follow a rigid schedule, the Advanced Open Water program has a lot of flexibility. You can tailor your adventure dives to your interests, environment, and even future diving goals.

For example:

• Planning a liveaboard trip? Include night and deep dives.

• Love photography? Choose underwater photography or buoyancy improvement.

• Interested in marine science? Try fish identification.

This flexibility means you get exactly what you want from the course, while still meeting certification requirements.

8. Gear Considerations

Most divers use standard scuba gear for the course, but depending on your chosen adventure dives, you might use specialty equipment:

• Dive lights for night dives

• Reels and lift bags for search and recovery

• Underwater cameras for photography

• Slate and compass for navigation

Your instructor will brief you on everything you need in advance. If you don’t own certain items, your dive shop can usually provide them.

9. The Learning Sticks Because It’s Hands-On

One of the best parts of the Advanced Open Water course is how practical it is. You’re not just reading about skills—you’re using them immediately in real diving situations.

For example:

• Navigation skills are tested during actual dive routes.

• Buoyancy improvements are practiced while exploring reefs.

• Deep dive procedures are applied in open water, where you feel the changes in pressure and buoyancy firsthand.

This real-world context makes the knowledge easier to remember and apply long after the course is over.

10. You’ll Gain Confidence—and a Sense of Belonging

By the end of your Advanced Open Water course, you’ll notice a difference in how you move, think, and feel underwater. Many divers describe a big confidence boost—no more hovering awkwardly at safety stops or feeling lost when the guide swims ahead.

You’ll also join the global community of Advanced divers, which means more access to guided trips, challenging sites, and specialized diving opportunities.

Quick Facts Summary

• Prerequisite: PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)

• Minimum Age: 12 (Junior Advanced Open Water until age 15)

• Duration: 2–3 days (five dives total)

• Maximum Depth: 30 meters (100 feet) for adults; 21 meters (70 feet) for Junior AOWD

• Cost: Varies by location—typically includes eLearning, instructor time, and gear rental

Final Thoughts

The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course isn’t about becoming an elite diver overnight—it’s about building experience in a structured, enjoyable way. You’ll expand your comfort zone, explore new environments, and develop skills that make you a safer, more capable diver.

Whether you’re drawn to the thrill of deep diving, the beauty of night reefs, or the challenge of underwater navigation, this course opens the door to a lifetime of underwater adventures.