PADI Open Water Diver Course

Get your PADI or SSI Open Water Diver Course with open water certification in Phuket you can sign up today for free access to videos and start the digital e-learning the easy way to scuba dive,  it takes less than 1 minute to create your  free personal account then you can choose what scuba diving package fits your requirements and select the dates that you want to start 

We have thousands of certifications from satisfied customers. Phuket Dive Tours will teach you as a complete beginner up to your full Open Water Diver Certification in 2 to 3 days, Phuket dive tours have 4 Phuket Dive centers, and we employ the best British, Australian, Swedish, and French Instructors to make your diving courses safe and fun in our own purpose-built Training pool.

Click here to start your free online digital e-learning course - no costs incurred

Why is Phuket the best choice for your open water course?

It takes a short 1 hr flight from Bangkok to Phuket airport and a local taxi will take 50 minutes from the airport to Kata Beach, saving you a full day if you were traveling to Koh Samui Koh Tao or Koh Phi Phi island for learning to scuba dive, meaning that you could depart at 8 am from Bangkok and be in our dive pool by 11.00 am the same day, cutting down traveling time saves you valuable holiday time to do other activities.

People from Bangkok are now choosing to focus on Phuket for their open-water courses and scuba diving education. Check out our Scuba diving center and training facility

Click here to see why our private scuba diving training facility is different from all other Phuket dive centers on the island

Exclusive private scuba diving training pool for your diving course

Learn to scuba in Phuket, get ready to feel trepidation changed to courage, anticipation transformed into passion, and unlock the door to the hidden beauty of nature beneath the surface!

What makes us different is our exclusive training facility 

Stuck for time If you want something different from all the other 5-Star dive centers on the islands then check out our Catamaran speedboat and include this option in your 3 x half-days for your open water course

Open water diver course: PADI & SSI available.

The Open Water Diver Course has introduced millions of people to the adventurous diving lifestyle and the spectacular sights of the underwater kingdom. We have many schedules available all depending on customers’ choice and the time they have available. As our team of pro instructors is licensed to teach both course options we can advise customers who may be a little doubtful about what course option would suit their course time frame, expectations & overall experience, and budget.

• No previous diving experience is needed for the Open Water Diver Course; however, any previous diving experience you may have, e.g. the Try scuba or Discover Scuba Diving program, may be credited towards a portion of the full Open Water Diver Course certification.
• The 2 & 3-day SSI or 3-Day PADI program is fully supervised by our dedicated and experienced qualified Instructors.
• The Max ratio is 4 students to one instructor.
• You must be at least 10 years old, in good health, and comfortable in water too deep in which to stand.
• What’s the difference between Padi open water & SSI open watercourses

Open Water Diver Course Modules:

1. Dive theory –  complete and review the Knowledge development sections in the Open Water Diver Course manual; complete quizzes under the guidance of your Instructor to verify understanding; complete the course ‘Final Exam’ with 75% or more questions correct. If you choose Free eLearning with SSI we can monitor your progress via your free diver profile.
2. Confined Water skills practice – Learn the dive skills you will need to scuba dive. We have our own private scuba diving pool designed specifically for open water course students  – this means that there’s no commuting between the dive shop to a communal local shared pool – this cuts down and saves hours of being stuck in traffic and makes your day less stressful
3. Open Water skills mastery – Complete and review the diver training with 4 Open Water Dives on a Diving Boat to a maximum depth of 18m

Dive Course Theory – Knowledge Development options:)

• Most visitors to the island who are intent on getting open water scuba certified take the SSI course with free open water course digital training at no extra charge that offers more bang for your bucks complete with a free digital C card & digital logbook all available online on your Phone as an APP so you can access your dive card and logbook for free the day you complete the course anytime anywhere.
• You can begin to study independently by reading through the course materials and completing the short quizzes therein. The Open Water Diver Course manual has Knowledge reviews at the end of each chapter, which must be completed. The Open Water Knowledge Reviews will be required by your driving instructor on the first day of your 3-day diving course option, so this independent study section of the manual is very important. w
• E-learning courses or online E-books are highly recommended, particularly for those whose first language is not English. Private study before the start of your course will create more time for you and your instructor to discuss dive knowledge, answer specific questions you may have, and most importantly, practice pool skills in the water on day one.
• The PADI e-learning online course is also available from PADI priced at 240$USD which has an Online exam.
• The other option is the Free PADI Open water course introduction called “Pre Learning” you learn the same way as e-learning but complete the exam in the classroom.
• PADI cards are mailed directly to your home address by PADI this takes longer around 6- 8 weeks. Digital c cards can also be purchased directly via padi at additional costs. It’s irrelevant what open water course reading materials you choose as both SSI & PADI brands are similar in many ways each conforms to the international standards for diving education  ISO 24803:2017. Both are certified by the WRSTC (World Recreational Scuba Training Council) and the ISO/EUF (International Standards Organization/European Underwater Federation). The knowledge and skill requirements are almost identical which means certifications are equivalent, interchangeable, and recognized globally.

Confined Water Diving & Skills Practice: Confined water is defined as a swimming pool or confined open water that offers students the same environment as a swimming pool. Diver training will often be conducted in a Dive pool, or possibly at a local beach over 1 to 2 days, depending on the course option you choose and how you progress. During the confined water sessions, you will learn the Open Water Diver scuba skills you will need for diving safely in open water.

• Complete 5 Confined Open Water Diver Course sessions in the pool or at the beach
• While Learning new dive skills and practicing the basic principles and safety aspects of scuba diving, under the continuous supervision of your fully-qualified scuba Instructor

Open Water Dive Skills Mastery:

You will complete 4 Open Water (dives in the ocean) these training dives are completed over the remaining two days of the course. These dives are conducted at some of the many local islands and coral reefs where you can enjoy some of the most beautiful diving in Phuket.

The Open Water Beach Diving option is shorter on time due to a shorter transfer time. Our Kata Beach diving resort is only 100m away from the beach. Our Chalong dive center is located 10 minutes away from Chalong Pier and 20 minutes’ drive away from our resort at Kata Beach

Click here to start your free SSI online course for free no costs incurred

For free access to the open water course video click on the image.

Why you should sign up for free e-learning

The comparisons to e-learning, as opposed to Paper books, are sometimes not obvious watch the video.

Do I need to be a good swimmer to learn to scuba dive?

The reason you should be comfortable in the water and confident as a swimmer is that after you complete the course and have open water certification you may often dive with people maybe you have never met before, as a certified diver it would be expected that if you have an Open Water Certification or you can look after yourself or your buddy if they got into difficulty, hence each could look after the other one, this buddy system makes diving safe.

Pre-open water course sign-up information:

• Fit to scuba dive read this Medical Statement & Questionnaire for Open Water Diver Health Check.
• Remember 18- 24 hours no Fly after a scuba dive

• NOTE: Before deciding to scuba dive, it is recommended that you have some experience of swimming. Learning to swim before scuba diving will allow you to relax and enjoy your dives, feeling safe in knowing that you are comfortable in the water.
•  Any diver who cannot swim adds additional risk to their personal safety. You don’t need to be a strong swimmer, just comfortable in the water.
• Perform a Swim Test of 200m any style or 300m using a mask snorkel and fins.
• Float in water too deep to stand for 10 minutes without any assistance or flotation aids.
• To register for either the Open Water Diver program, you must be 10 years old.
• There’s a medical form for any scuba diving activity: You need to read this and sign to confirm you have no medical conditions that can affect your safety. If you declare a medical condition on the form you will not be able to dive without a signed clearance from a doctor. Read the medical form and consult a doctor if necessary prior to signing up.

Risk awareness video – please watch this prior to booking any beginners’ course.

Why you should book your course with Phuket Dive Tours.

• Our own private dive Pool is exclusive to Phuket Dive Tours Customers – we don’t rent a co0munal pool for your scuba course
• we have exclusive  Affordable diving accommodation click here 
• We are one of the only dive shops that have our own dedicated diving pool located within our beach shop & resort.
• All our instructors have many years of experience and extensive knowledge of the local dive sites, and all hold valid visas and work permits.
• Reputation, we have excellent reviews and customer feedback for quality services and customer care.
• VALUE, with our diving courses we have low overheads so we pass savings back to customers.
• We offer Kata Beach dives in the high season from November to April as a shorter course option allowing you more time to do other holiday activities.
• The open-water course has 4 open-water training dives these can be boat dives or a combination of beach dives and boat dives
• You can tell us if you want extra time with the instructor or access different training formulas for the open water dives to suit you.
• We tell customers that the location of their hotel and traffic jams can add an extra 1 hour to traveling per day if staying in Patong.
• The best location for your course and the diving holiday is Kata Beach meaning shorter traveling times often in private transport.
• We offer Partial refunds if customers feel they don’t want to continue with the course.
• NOTE: Please be aware of unauthorized PADI operators attempting to sell you a non-genuine diving experience on travel platforms. Scuba diving lessons/skills may not be thoroughly taught or excluded entirely, dives may be short and your safety is placed at risk.

Open Water Dive Certification prices include:

• Open Water paper or electronic manual
• Free downloadable SSI Online e-learning manuals
• FREE Dive Log Book paper or digital as part of the SSI app.
• Free digital certification card with SSI.
• Free Plastic card SSI has given to you the day you get certified
• Full set of personalized, fitted diving equipment for the duration of the course.
• We will show you how to use a dive computer and why every diver needs one 
• Food, drinks, snacks, and meals on all Boat Diving.

Dive course price locations and combo packages.

Why do we include beach diving as an Option (available Mid-November – June) for an Open water dive course? This is simply common sense to some people, If you are short on Holiday time then the open water course at the beach will save you 5 hours on Days 2 and 3  in comparison to Boat Diving. If you get seasick and don’t want to be on overcrowded boats in hi season then beach courses formulas may be a wiser choice ask for details

As customers we give you flexible options  – you have the choice to buy the course you want, based on the time you have available, and the price you want to pay. – We don’t force you to do long days and 6 dives… We can teach you to dive into 4 training dives.

Beach dives allow you to spend more time with your family and less time in minivans or on boats! (available November – May)

This is the best option for those short on holiday time: beach diving is available just 100 meters from our Kata beach dive shop located in the center of Kata, cutting down on travel time by beach diving will save you holiday time  –  most dive shops won’t offer beach options  –  private course at no extra charge if we don’t have another student on the same day … 

Our Private dive Pool

Formula 1 Price 11,000 Thb = 3 Day open water course 4 boat dives  Free transfers from Patong Karon Kata Rawai Nai Harn Chalong 

• Students can pre-study online all chapters of the eLearning dive theory as self-study prior to starting the pool session.
• Day 1 Open Water Diver Course half-day 8.15 registration review Dive Theory and then complete Confined water pool skills – classroom, pool finished by 2 Pm 
• Open Water Diver Course Day 2 Open Water skills mastery dives 1 + 2 at Racha Yai  
• Open Water Diver Course  Day 3 Open Water skills mastery dives 3 + 4 at Racha Yai 
• SSI course includes free course materials and free downloadable SSI Online e-learning includes equipment and lunch on boat days 
• Note if you want PADI course materials + 1000 Thb  pre-study materials & self-learning dive theory-based education & open water certification
• Contact us Now

Formula 2 Price 11,500 Thb 3 Day open water course 5 Boat Dives Free transfers from Patong Karon Kata Rawai Nai Harn Chalong 

• Students can pre-study online all chapters of the eLearning dive theory as self-study prior to starting the pool session.
• Day 1 Open Water Diver Course half-day 8.15 registration review Dive Theory and then complete Confined water pool skills – classroom, pool finished by 2 Pm 
• Open Water Diver Course Day 2 Open Water skills mastery dives1 + 2 Water skills mastery dives 1 & 2 Racha Yai 
• Open Water Diver Course Day 3 Open Water skills mastery dives 3 + 4  + 1 extra fun dive 
• SSI course includes free course materials and free downloadable SSI Online e-learning includes equipment and lunch on boat days 
• Note if you want PADI course materials + 1000 Thb  pre-study materials & self-learning dive theory-based education & open water certification
• Contact us Now

Formula 3 Price 12,000 Thb 3 Day open water course 6 Boat Dives Free transfers from Patong Karon Kata Rawai Nai Harn Chalong 

• Students can pre-study online all chapters of the eLearning dive theory as self-study prior to starting the pool session.
• Day 1 Open Water Diver Course half-day 8.15 registration review Dive Theory and then complete Confined water pool skills – classroom, pool finished by 2 Pm 
• Open Water Diver Course Day 2 Open Water skills mastery dives 1 + 2  + 1 extra fun dive 
• Open Water Diver Course Day 3 Open Water skills mastery dives 3 + 4  + 1 extra fun dive 
• SSI course includes free course materials and free downloadable SSI Online e-learning includes equipment and lunch on boat days 
• Note if you want PADI course materials + 1000 Thb  pre-study materials & self-learning dive theory-based education & open water certification
• Contact us Now

Choosing the Best Dive Sites Options for Your Course:

As students learning to dive, we offer flexible choices or alternatives to long boat rides, however, it’s worth knowing now that it can take more than 3 hours on a slow diving boat to get to Phi Phi Islands.

Phi Phi island Dive sites as part of the open water diving course

Seriously If you thinking about a 6-dive course you will then share the boat with all the other dive centers on the island boats can have between 40 to 70 divers.

Remember this is a scuba diving course you are thinking of taking and not an endurance test, If you are looking to learn to dive at the Phi Phi Island dive sites we recommend that you stay on Phi Phi Island and take a course with a dive center on the island as the boat transfers times are 20 minutes and much shorter half days. If you take an open water course in Phuket then typically the morning starts at 7 am with a 1 hrs minivan drive from Patong to Chalong pier then a 3-hour boat ride to Phi Phi Island with all the dive shops sharing the same larger boats with expected returns to Chalong pier Phuket at 6.30 pm at the earliest and minivan transfers back to Patong around 7.30 pm detracting from your enjoyment specifically from late December 16th to January 10th.

Special offers on open water & Advanced adventure courses

Open water diver certification combined with SSI Advanced Adventure certification License to dive to 30m  – 2-course bundle on offer at 21000 THB

Additional Open Water Course options:

If you are thinking of an Open Water Course option then you may want to consider combining the Open Water Diver with the Enriched Air Nitrox Specialty program
You will earn the Open Water Diver and Enriched Air Nitrox (32% or 40%) Specialty certifications after completing these programs each has free online eLearning training materials. 

Related diving courses

• If you feel that you need more time and extra scuba diving lessons to hone your scuba diving skills in the pool, we can extend the Open Water Diver Course to 4 days giving you more time with your instructor and revisiting aspects of the course to suit your individual needs.
• Note: additional course/boat/ Instructor fees would naturally apply to any extension of your course we charge 4000 thb per extra day.

Transfer times for courses:

Our main dive center is located at Kata Beach with a transfer time of around 15 mins drive to the marina, we have transferred from all hotels in the following areas:

Free Transfers. 7:15- 7:30 Patong  – 7:30 7:45 Kata Beach – Karon Beach –  Rawai Beach – Nai Harn – Chalong Bay (Transfers to boat 15 Mins )

Extra charge private car transfer fee per day – 7:00 am Ban Tao & Surin Beach 1,600thb – Maikhao Beach – Ban Tao – Airport Area 1,500 THB

Extra charge private car transfer fees per day -7:00am Cape Panwa + 1000thb – 7.00 am Koh Siray 1500Tthb  – 7.15 am Phuket Town + 1500thb  

Traveling time to Chalong marina is around 15 minutes from Kata or 1 hr from Patong

The tour itineraries can be changed depending on the local weather condition any changes will be made by the tour leader and boat captain on your trip based on matters of safety

• ALL PRICES SHOWN ARE SUBJECT TO SEASONAL CHANGE

To make an inquiry about the Open water Diver Course Contact us Now