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Scuba Diving in Koh Lanta | Technical & Cave Diving Center
SSI ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVER
Build your diving skills and experience with an Advanced Open Water course in Koh Lanta, Thailand.
From 13 000 THB · 2 or 3 days · 5 dives · Minimum age 12 years old
Ready to take your diving beyond the Open Water level? Our Advanced Open Water Diver course in Koh Lanta gives you the opportunity to build experience, develop new skills and explore different types of diving under the guidance of our experienced instructors.
Choose between two course options: complete your five training dives over two days on the boat, or add a pool day with Perfect Buoyancy training before heading to the ocean. The course is designed to broaden your diving knowledge, build confidence and make you feel more comfortable exploring the underwater world.
What Is The Advanced Open Water Diver Course
The Advanced Open Water Diver course is the next step after your Open Water certification, designed to expand your diving experience through a series of practical training dives.
The course introduces you to different types of diving and gives you time to practise and apply your skills in open water. With the guidance of your SSI instructor, you will experience 5 different specialties by completing one open water training dive per specialty.
You don't need to be an experienced diver to take the course, but you should be comfortable with your basic Open Water skills and ready to continue developing them.
Once you successfully complete all the training dives, you will earn your Advanced Open Water Diver certification. You will be qualified to dive to a maximum depth of 30 m. For Junior Advanced Open Water Divers, the certification allows to explore depths of up to 21 meters (ages 12-14).
Choose Your Advanced Open Water Course
We offer two ways to complete your Advanced Open Water diver course, depending on how much time you have and whether you'd like to start in the pool before heading out to sea.
2 DAYS · 5 OCEAN DIVES - 13,000 THB
Juniors (12-14 years old) - 14,500 THB
Complete all five training dives in the ocean over two days. A good option if you are already comfortable in the water and regularly diving.
3 DAYS · POOL + 4 OCEAN DIVES - 14,500 THB
Juniors (12-14 years old) - 16,000 THB
Start with a pool session and the Perfect Buoyancy specialty. With around 2 hours in the pool, you have more time to practise than during an ocean training dive, which is limited to a maximum of 60 minutes.
We especially recommend this option if you have had a break from diving and want to refresh your skills before heading into the ocean. The pool provides a calm, controlled environment where you can get comfortable with your equipment, practise your buoyancy and continue from where you left off.
A refresher can also be combined with the pool and Perfect Buoyancy session (refresher required when more than a year since your last dives).
Please note that pick up to the dive center is not included in the first day of pool session. Please let us know, if you need one and we will happily arrange it.
What's Included
Included in the course
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Full scuba diving equipment
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Breakfast and lunch on diving days
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Diving Insurance for the course
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Course materials
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Certification (when earned)
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Hotel transfers on diving days between Saladan and Klong Nin. Free pick-up area extends to Sri Lanta Resort as the last included pick-up point (During diving days)
Not Included
National Park fees (apply for each diving day):
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Thai nationals: 240 THB per diver
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Foreigners: 600 THB per diver
Small Training Groups
We keep our training groups small so our instructors can give each student the attention they need throughout the course.
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Maximum 4 adults (15+) per instructor
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Maximum 2 junior divers (12–14) per instructor
We keep smaller groups for children, allowing them to learn safely, comfortably, and at their own pace.
Advanced Open Water Diver - 2 or 3 days
Here's what a typical course schedule looks like.
Course 3 Days
Day 1 - Pool
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Most of the time the pool sessions are scheduled around 2:30 PM, but the exact timing and schedule will be agreed separately depending on availability and customer requests.
Days 2 & 3: ocean dives
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5:45–6:15 AM: Hotel pick-up, depending on your accommodation
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6:15 AM: Meeting time at the pier, equipment check
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6:30 AM: Breakfast served at the pier
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7:00 AM: Boat departure
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2 open water training dives
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Return to Saladan Pier after the second dive
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Around 12PM: Lunch served at the pier
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After lunch, we'll drive you back to your accommodation
Please note:
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Breakfast and lunch is not included on Day 1
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Hotel pick-up is not included on Day 1. If you need a pick-up, let us know and we'll be happy to arrange one
Course 2 Days
Both days have the same schedule, but the 5 dives will be divided between the two days: 2 dives one day and 3 dives the second day, or vice versa.
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5:45–6:15 AM: Hotel pick-up, depending on your accommodation
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6:15 AM: Meeting time at the pier, equipment check
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6:30 AM: Breakfast served at the pier
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7:00 AM: Boat departure
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2 open water training dives
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Return to Saladan Pier after the second dive
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Around 12PM: Lunch served at the pier
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After lunch, we'll drive you back to your accommodation
Advanced Open Water Diver Course Requirements
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Open Water Diver certified
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For 12 years old or older
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MEDICAL FORM: It is important to know about any medical conditions you might have that might put you at risk underwater. Please carefully read the Diver Participant Medical Questionnaire to make sure you are fit to dive. If you answer any of the questions YES, we require a doctor’s certificate that states you are medically fit to scuba dive.
What Will You Learn
During the Advanced Open Water Diver course, you will complete five training dives designed to broaden your diving knowledge and give you experience with different aspects of recreational diving.
Deep Diving and Navigation are mandatory. For the remaining dives, you can choose from a selection of specialties, depending on your interests and the conditions available during your course.
Choose from the following specialties
Deep Diving — Mandatory
Learn how to plan and safely conduct dives to depths of up to 30 metres (100 feet) while understanding how increased depth affects both your body and diving equipment. The training covers deeper dive planning, gas consumption, nitrogen narcosis and appropriate safety procedures.
Navigation — Mandatory
Develop the skills to navigate underwater with greater confidence and accuracy. Learn to use a compass and natural navigation techniques, estimate distances, follow basic navigation patterns, and return to a designated point. Combining these techniques will improve your underwater observation skills and help you plan and conduct your dives more effectively.
Perfect Buoyancy
Buoyancy is an essential diving skill, and it takes practice to master. The Perfect Buoyancy training helps you refine your buoyancy, trim and body position so you can move more comfortably and efficiently underwater. You will also learn techniques that can help reduce your impact on the underwater environment and improve your diving in different situations.
Waves, Tides & Currents
Learn how waves, tides and currents affect dive sites and how to plan and adapt your diving to changing conditions. Develop a better understanding of dynamic underwater environments and practise techniques for diving safely and comfortably in different conditions, including current-affected sites.
Nitrox — When Available
Learn how oxygen-enriched air affects your body and dive planning, and how to use Nitrox safely during your dives. Learn to analyse your gas mixture, calculate the Maximum Operating Depth (MOD) and set the correct Nitrox mix on your dive computer. Try diving with Nitrox under the supervision of your instructor and learn how it differs from diving with air.
This training dive does not provide a Nitrox certification. If you enjoy diving with Nitrox and would like to use it independently, you can continue with a dedicated Nitrox course to obtain your certification.
Wreck Diving — When Sea Conditions Allow
Explore the unique underwater world around wrecks and artificial reefs while learning the skills needed for safe, controlled non-penetration wreck dives. Learn how to plan and conduct dives around wrecks, with a focus on awareness, positioning and safe diving practices.
Boat Diving
Learn how to dive safely and comfortably from a boat, from preparing your equipment and entering the water to exiting and managing your dive. Become familiar with the practical considerations of boat diving and gain the skills to enjoy dive sites that are only accessible by boat.
Where Will You Dive?
Your Advanced Water Diver training takes place at Koh Lanta’s local dive sites of Koh Haa, Koh Bida, Hin Bida, Koh Ma and Phi Phi Islands, or at Hin Muang and Hin Daeng. The last site depends on the weather and sea conditions.
All of the dive sites are suitable for the training, with a mix of shallow and deeper areas. They offer opportunities to practise your chosen specialties in different diving environments.
While the course dives focus on learning and practising your chosen training skills, there will also be time to look around and enjoy the underwater world and the best of Koh Lanta's dive sites.
What Comes After Advanced Open Water?
Completing your Advanced Open Water course opens up many opportunities to explore different areas of diving and continue developing your skills.
From here, you can choose the direction that interests you. Continue building your diving skills with Diver Stress & Rescue, develop specific skills through specialty courses, or take your diving further into technical and cave diving.
Diver Stress & Rescue
Develop your ability to recognise, prevent and respond to diving problems and emergencies.
Specialty Courses
Build specific skills and knowledge with courses such as Deep Diver or Recreational Sidemount Diver.
Technical & Cave Diving
Ready to take yours skills further? Begin your cave diving journey with Cavern Diver, or take your first steps into technical diving with Tek Lite Essentials and learn the fundamentals of technical diving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Advanced Open Water Diver course?
The Advanced Open Water course is designed to broaden your diving knowledge, build confidence and give you experience in different types of diving. You will complete five training dives, including mandatory Deep Diving and Navigation dives, while choosing additional dives based on your interests and what is available during the course.
Do I need an Open Water certification to take the course?
Yes.
How many dives are included in the course?
The course includes five open water training dives.
How deep can I dive after completing the course?
The training includes a Deep Diving session to a maximum depth of 30 metres (100 feet). Juniors (12-14 years old) maximum depth of 21m.
How long does the Advanced Open Water course take?
There are two options. The standard course takes 2 days and includes five boat dives. Alternatively, you can choose the 3-day option, which starts with a pool session including Perfect Buoyancy before the four other ocean dives.
Which specialties can I choose?
Deep Diving and Navigation are mandatory. For the remaining three dives, you can choose from options such as Perfect Buoyancy, Waves, Tides & Currents, Boat Diving, trying Nitrox (when available) and Wreck Diving (when weather and sea conditions allow).
The Nitrox training dive is an introduction and does not provide a Nitrox certification. If you would like to become certified to dive with Nitrox, you can continue with a dedicated Nitrox course.
What can I do after completing Advanced Open Water?
You can continue developing your diving skills with Diver Stress & Rescue or explore individual specialty courses. If you're ready to go further, you can also start your cave diving journey with Cavern Diver take your first steps into technical diving.
Which should I choose: the 2-day or 3-day course?
The 2-day course is a good choice if you are comfortable with your diving skills and regularly dive. It includes five ocean training dives from the boat over two days.
The 3-day course gives you more time to work on your buoyancy, refresh your skills and get comfortable in the water before heading to the ocean. It is especially useful if you have had a break from diving or feel that you would benefit from some extra practice.
Not sure which option is right for you? Talk to our team and we can help you choose based on your recent diving experience and confidence in the water.