Koh Tao: PADI Advanced Diver Course & 30m Depth Certification

Go Deeper: The PADI Advanced Course That Skips the Classroom

You complete five specialized dives over two days: two mandatory (deep to 30 meters and navigation) and three you choose based on your interests. Your PADI instructor briefs you before each dive, sharing site-specific tips; equipment is provided; and there are no written exams, only knowledge reviews of the manual chapters. You leave with an Advanced Open Water certification card and the depth limit to back it up.

Step-by-step itinerary

Complete five specialized adventure dives

• Read PADI Advanced Open Water manual
• Attend detailed dive briefings
• Complete deep dive to 30 meters
• Practice underwater navigation skills
• Perform three chosen adventure dives

The experience

Our dive instructor, Noi, was sitting on the boat's edge when we arrived, coffee in hand, and the first thing he said wasn't about depth limits or certification. It was "which dives do you actually want to do?" That question set the tone for the whole two days. The PADI Advanced course on Koh Tao isn't a repeat of what you already know. It's five dives where you pick three of them based on what interests you. Deep diving to 30 meters, underwater navigation with a compass, and then you choose: wreck dives, night dives, drift dives, whatever calls to you. No quizzes, no exams. Just reading five chapters of the manual and showing up ready to learn by doing.

The two mandatory dives are the deep dive and navigation, and they're mandatory because they matter. The deep dive teaches you how your body and air consumption change at 30 meters. The navigation dive gets you comfortable with a compass and spotting landmarks underwater so you're not just following someone else's light. Noi briefed us before each one, talking through what he'd seen at that site, what to watch for, how to manage the pressure. The boat had coffee and fresh fruit between dives, which sounds small until you're sitting in the sun between your second and third dive of the day, actually hungry and thirsty instead of just tired.

What makes this different from other advanced courses is the choice built into it. You're not locked into a preset menu. You tell the instructor what you want to explore, and the course bends around that. Someone wants to see a wreck, someone else is curious about night diving, another person wants to practice drift diving in current. All of that counts toward your certification. The course takes two days, five dives total, and by the end you've got a PADI Advanced Open Water card that lets you dive to 30 meters anywhere in the world. Equipment is included (tank, weights, BCD, regulator, the lot), so you're not renting or buying anything extra.

Koh Tao itself is small and easy to move around. The dive shop is near the pier, and boats leave early enough that you're back by afternoon. If you're already certified and want to push past the basics without sitting through a classroom, this is the format that actually works. Book it for the dives you want to do, not the ones someone else decided you should.

What’s included

• Use of SCUBA equipment including tank, weights, BCD and regulator.
• PADI Advanced Open Water certification card.
• all course fees and taxes.
• coffee and tea.
• fresh fruit served on the boat during the course.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (10 to 12 years) · Under 10: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “Only 5 minutes walk from the main Koh Tao pier, direction to Blue Diamond resort”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by PADI 5 Star IDC Diving Center Scuba Birds

Is this one for you?Right for certified divers who want to extend their depth limit and explore specific underwater activities without classroom time: the two-day format and choice of three dives means you're learning what you actually came to do.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Ukrainian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (10 to 12 years). Under 10: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

Do I need to be a certified diver to take this course?

Yes, you must already hold an Open Water certification or equivalent. This is an advanced course, not a beginner one.

What are the two mandatory dives?

Deep diving (to 30 meters) and underwater navigation. The other three dives you choose from options like wreck, night, or drift diving.

Is there a written exam?

No. You read five chapters of the PADI manual and complete knowledge reviews, but there are no quizzes or exams.

How long does the course take?

Two days, with five dives total.

What's included in the price?

All SCUBA equipment, the PADI certification card, course fees and taxes, coffee or tea, and fresh fruit on the boat.

Can I choose which three dives I want to do?

Yes. After the two mandatory dives (deep and navigation), you select three adventure dives based on your interests: wreck, night, drift, or others available at the site.

What's the maximum depth I can dive after this certification?

30 meters, which is the limit for Advanced Open Water divers.

Is this course available year-round on Koh Tao?

Koh Tao is a diving destination year-round, though conditions vary by season. Check with the operator for current availability.