PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course in Dahab
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver is five adventure dives over 2–3 days. Deep and Underwater Navigation are required, you choose the other three, and you finish qualified to dive to 30 m.
- Minimum age
- 12
- Duration
- 2–3 days, plus 2–4 hours of eLearning
- Dives
- 5 adventure dives: Deep, Underwater Navigation and 3 electives
- Max depth
- 30 m (21 m for ages 12–14)
- Prerequisite
- PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver or a qualifying entry-level certification from another agency, such as SSI.
- Certification lets you
- Dive to 30 m and join the deeper Dahab dives, such as The Bells and the Canyon.
What the PADI Advanced Open Water course is
It is not a long theory course but five different kinds of diving, one adventure dive each, with your instructor. Two are required for everyone: Deep and Underwater Navigation. The other three are electives you pick based on what you enjoy and what the local sites offer.
There are no pool sessions. The knowledge part is PADI eLearning, about 2–4 hours, covering the dives you choose. Each adventure dive can also count as the first dive of the matching PADI specialty course.
PADI puts the whole course at 2–3 days. In Dahab that is usually two full days, or a little more with a night dive.
Who it is for
Certified Open Water divers who want more depth, more confidence and a taste of different kinds of diving. Many people start it the day after their Open Water course, while the skills are fresh. Others come back after a few holidays of fun diving.
The minimum age is 12. Divers aged 12–14 earn a Junior Advanced Open Water Diver card with a 21 m limit, which upgrades at 15. Divers aged 10–11 can earn a Junior Adventure Diver card and complete the deep dive once they turn 12.
The five adventure dives
Deep (required): planned beyond the 18 m Open Water limit, up to 30 m. You see how depth affects your air supply, your no-decompression time and your thinking, and you practise a controlled ascent and safety stop.
Underwater Navigation (required): compass headings and natural navigation using the reef, the sand and the sun, so you can plan a route and find your way back to the exit.
Three electives. PADI lists options such as Peak Performance Buoyancy, Night, Enriched Air Nitrox, Fish Identification, Underwater Naturalist, Digital Underwater Photography, Search and Recovery and Dive Against Debris. In Dahab, Buoyancy, Night and Fish Identification are natural fits. Your instructor suggests the best mix for the conditions during your stay.
Day-by-day schedule in Dahab
Day 1: navigation in the morning at Lighthouse or Eel Garden, where the sandy slope makes compass work easy to follow. In the afternoon, a buoyancy dive over the coral heads of the Islands. If you choose Night, you return to Lighthouse after sunset, the classic night dive in Dahab, with hunting lionfish and Spanish dancers.
Day 2: the deep dive. In Dahab that is usually The Bells, descending the chimney to about 27 m and following the wall into the Blue Hole, or the Canyon, a narrow gorge in the reef that reaches about 30 m. A fifth elective dive completes the course.
The order changes with the wind, the tide and how you feel. Deep dives stay within recreational limits and never go near the Blue Hole Arch.
What's included and what you need
Instruction for all five adventure dives, tanks and weights are part of the training. eLearning, gear rental, transport to the sites, certification and the national park fee for the Blue Hole area are confirmed when you book.
Bring your certification card, physical or the PADI eCard, and your logbook. A dive computer is strongly recommended for the deep dive; a rental can be arranged. A torch is provided for the night dive.
Prerequisites and medical
You need a PADI Open Water Diver or Junior Open Water Diver certification, or a qualifying entry-level certification from another agency. An SSI Open Water card is accepted, so you do not repeat anything.
You complete the diver medical questionnaire again before the course. Any yes answer means a doctor must sign you off before you dive, so check the form before you travel. If your last dive was six months or more ago, start with a PADI ReActivate session at Lighthouse; it makes the deep dive far more relaxed.
What you can do after the course
As a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver you can dive to 30 m. In Dahab that opens up the best of the coast: The Bells into the Blue Hole, the Canyon, and the deeper walls at Abu Helal and Moray Garden.
It is also the step towards PADI specialties and Rescue Diver. To go beyond 30 m, the PADI Deep Diver specialty takes you to the recreational limit of 40 m.
PADI or SSI in Dahab?
The two Advanced courses are now very similar: five adventure dives, deep and navigation required, and a 30 m adult limit. Both agencies follow international ISO standards, and dive centers worldwide accept both cards. Your instructor can teach either.
Choose PADI if you want to continue on a PADI pathway or prefer the most widely known brand. Choose SSI if you already learn on the MySSI app. Either way, your Open Water card from the other agency meets the prerequisite.
Compare: SSI Advanced Open Water in Dahab →
Course price
The price depends on your dates, the electives you choose and the gear you need. Send your dates on WhatsApp and you will get an exact price with everything it includes.
💬 Get the exact price for your dates
Why do your Advanced course in Dahab
Dahab is deep close to shore, so 30 m is a few minutes from the beach, with no long boat ride. The famous dives, The Bells and the Canyon, are exactly what the course prepares you for, so you use your new certification straight away.
Questions
How long does PADI Advanced Open Water take in Dahab?
Usually two days, or two and a half with a night dive. PADI puts it at 2–3 days plus 2–4 hours of eLearning.
How deep can a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver go?
To 30 m. Junior Advanced Open Water Divers aged 12–14 are limited to 21 m.
What are the required dives for PADI Advanced Open Water?
Deep and Underwater Navigation. You choose the other three adventure dives.
What is the minimum age for PADI Advanced Open Water?
12 years. Ages 10–11 can earn Junior Adventure Diver instead.
Can I do PADI Advanced with an SSI Open Water certification?
Yes. PADI accepts a qualifying entry-level certification from another agency, such as SSI Open Water Diver.
Is there a pool session in the Advanced course?
No. It is five open water dives plus eLearning, with no pool or classroom sessions required.
Do I need Advanced to dive The Bells or the Canyon?
They reach about 27–30 m, beyond the 18 m Open Water limit, so Advanced or equivalent training is recommended.