Course overview

Earn the world's most recognised entry-level certification with the PADI Open Water Diver course in Phuket, qualifying you to dive independently with a buddy to 18 metres. Training in the warm 27-30C Andaman Sea on sheltered reefs such as Kata and Racha Yai, you complete the theory, confined-water skills and four open-water dives that make you a certified diver for life. No experience is required to begin.

What you’ll learn

• Assemble, use and maintain scuba equipment
• Master essential skills such as mask clearing and regulator recovery
• Achieve neutral buoyancy and controlled ascents and descents
• Plan dives using tables or a dive computer
• Handle common problems and out-of-air situations
• Dive to 18 metres with a certified buddy

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 10 (Junior Open Water Diver)
• No prior experience or certification required
• Able to swim and float comfortably
• Reasonable health and a completed medical questionnaire

What's included · What's not

Not included? Sort the rest of your trip

Flights and accommodation aren’t part of the course price, here’s how to book them around your dates.

Probability of sightings · month-by-month

What you're likely to see each month, based on historic operator logs.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1
   Theory and first skills

   Complete the knowledge development and exam, then begin confined-water skill sessions in calm, shallow water.
2. Day2
   Confined water and first dives

   Finish confined-water skills and complete the first two open-water training dives on a sheltered reef.
3. Day3
   Final dives and certification

   Complete the remaining open-water dives at Racha Yai or Kata and certify as a PADI Open Water Diver.

Verified through iDive

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Frequently asked questions