SSI Open Water Diver course in Dahab
The SSI Open Water Diver course is your first full scuba certification. It takes about 3–4 days in Dahab and qualifies you to dive with a buddy to 18 m anywhere in the world.
- Minimum age
- 10
- Duration
- 3–4 days
- Dives
- 4 open water dives, after confined-water skill sessions
- Max depth
- 18 m (12 m for ages 10–11)
- Prerequisite
- No previous certification. Comfortable in the water, a swim assessment and a medical questionnaire.
- Certification lets you
- Dive with a buddy to 18 m, without an instructor, in conditions like the ones you trained in.
What the SSI Open Water Diver course is
Open Water Diver is the entry-level scuba certification of SSI (Scuba Schools International), one of the world's largest training agencies. It follows the international ISO 24801-2 standard for an autonomous diver. In plain words, it is the diving license that lets you rent gear, join guided dives and plan dives with a buddy without an instructor.
The course has three parts. Theory covers how pressure affects your body, your equipment, dive planning and safety. Confined-water sessions are where you learn and practise the skills in calm, shallow water. Then you make at least four open water dives on a real reef, where you show the skills again and start to enjoy diving.
SSI suggests 16–32 hours of training in total. In Dahab that usually means 3–4 days, depending on how much theory you finish before you arrive.
Who the course is for
It is for anyone who wants to dive on their own terms, with a buddy, instead of only on an instructor-led try dive. You do not need any previous experience. If you already did a Discover Scuba dive, tell Mohamed, because your first dive can often count towards the course.
The minimum age is 10. Divers under 15 are certified as Junior Open Water Divers and must dive with a dive professional or a certified adult. Ages 10–11 are limited to 12 m.
You need to be comfortable in the water, but you do not need to be a fast or strong swimmer. Before the open water dives you complete a short water fitness check: a swim and a survival float.
Not sure yet? Try one dive first →
Day-by-day schedule in Dahab
Day 1: theory review and your first skills. If you studied on the MySSI app at home, we go over anything unclear, set up your gear together and start the confined-water sessions in the shallow, sheltered bay at Lighthouse, where you can stand up. You practise clearing your mask, recovering your regulator, sharing air and controlling your buoyancy.
Day 2: more skill sessions and your first open water dives. SSI limits open water dives 1 and 2 to 12 m, and the Lighthouse slope is ideal for this: an easy entry, almost no current, and corals, lionfish and morays all around you.
Day 3: open water dives 3 and 4, to a maximum of 18 m. These are often at Eel Garden, with its field of garden eels, or at the Islands, a maze of coral heads in shallow water. The site is chosen around the wind and the tide on the day.
Day 4, if needed: a buffer for wind, a slower pace, or finishing the final exam. Training one-to-one or in a very small group means nobody is rushed through a skill.
What's included and what you need
Your instruction, the confined-water sessions, the four open water dives, tanks and weights. Gear rental and transport to the site are arranged through the partner dive center. What exactly is in your package, including the SSI digital learning kit and certification, is confirmed in writing when you book.
The theory lives in the MySSI app, so you can study on your phone or laptop before you travel. It holds the reading, the videos, your digital logbook and, at the end, your digital certification card.
Bring swimwear, a towel, sun cream that is kind to the reef and your own mask if you have one that fits well. A wetsuit is provided, usually 5 mm in winter and 3 mm in summer.
Prerequisites and medical questionnaire
Before any in-water training you fill in the diver medical questionnaire, the form endorsed by the WRSTC (World Recreational Scuba Training Council). It asks yes-or-no questions about your health. If you answer no to every question, you can start. If you answer yes to any of them, you need a doctor to sign the physician evaluation form before you dive.
Common reasons for a yes are asthma, heart or lung conditions, recent surgery, some medications and pregnancy. Check the form before your holiday and see a doctor at home if needed, because finding a dive doctor in a hurry in Dahab can cost you days. Divers under 18 need a parent or guardian to sign the training forms.
What you can do after the course
As an SSI Open Water Diver you can dive with a buddy of equal or higher qualification to 18 m, in conditions similar to your training. In Dahab that opens up most of the classic sites: Lighthouse, Eel Garden, the Islands, Three Pools, Golden Blocks and the shallow reef around the Blue Hole.
Your certification does not expire. If you then stop diving for a while, a short refresher gets you back in the water with confidence.
Already PADI certified, or SSI or PADI?
SSI and PADI Open Water courses teach the same core skills to the same international standard (ISO 24801-2), with the same 18 m limit. Dive centers worldwide accept both cards, and you can continue your training with either agency later. Mohamed teaches both PADI and SSI courses, so you choose the card. If you already hold a PADI or other Open Water card, you do not need this course: go straight to Advanced, or take a refresher if it has been a while.
The main practical difference is the learning platform: SSI uses the MySSI app and digital materials, and your certification card is digital too.
Certified but rusty? See the refresher →
Course price
The price depends on your dates, how many people are training together and what you already did online. Send your dates on WhatsApp and Mohamed will reply with an exact price and what it includes.
💬 Get the exact price for your dates
Why learn to dive in Dahab
Your training dives are shore dives in sheltered bays, so you walk in from the beach instead of jumping off a rocking boat. Water is warm all year, about 21–29 °C, visibility is often 20–30 m, and from your very first dive you are on a living reef with turtles, octopus and morays.
Dahab is also relaxed and affordable, so the days off the water are just as good.
Water temperature month by month →
Next step: Advanced Open Water
Most new divers continue with the SSI Advanced Open Water Diver course, formerly Advanced Adventurer. It adds deep and navigation dives and takes you to 30 m, into sites like The Bells and the Canyon. You can start it the day after your Open Water course.
SSI Advanced course in Dahab →
Questions
How long does the Open Water course take in Dahab?
Usually 3–4 days. SSI suggests 16–32 hours of training, and finishing the theory on the MySSI app before you arrive saves time in Dahab.
Can I get my diving license in Dahab in 3 days?
Often, yes, if you finish the theory online first and the weather cooperates. Keep a fourth day free in case of wind.
What is the minimum age for the SSI Open Water course?
10 years. Under 15 you are certified as a Junior Open Water Diver, and ages 10–11 are limited to 12 m.
How deep can I dive with an SSI Open Water certification?
To 18 m, with a buddy, in conditions similar to your training.
Is an SSI diving certificate valid worldwide?
Yes. SSI certifications are internationally recognised and follow the ISO 24801-2 standard, so dive centers around the world accept them, including PADI centers.
Do I need to be a good swimmer?
You need to be comfortable in the water and pass a short swim and float check. Speed does not matter.
Does the SSI certification expire?
No. It is valid for life, but if you have not dived for a while a Scuba Skills Update is a good idea.