Advanced Open Water Progress to 30 meters
Prerequisite: Open Water certification
5 adventure dives (deep + navigation required)
Max depth: 30m
Coaching, equipment, PADI certification
The Advanced Open Water is the natural next step after your Open Water , and it's often where diving becomes truly addictive. Over 5 adventure dives spread across 2 to 3 days, you explore new dimensions of the underwater world: depth (down to 30 meters), compass navigation, night diving, wrecks... Each dive is a different adventure, and each adventure makes you more confident and more independent.
Unlike the Open Water, there's no formal theory exam and no lengthy pool sessions. Learning happens in the water, in real conditions, with clear briefings before each dive and thorough debriefs after. It's a very hands-on course , and honestly, it's the fun part of diving. Lau selects dive sites based on weather and conditions to give you the best possible experience.
Two dives are mandatory (Deep Dive and Underwater Navigation), and you pick the other three from a range of specialties: night diving, wrecks, buoyancy, naturalist, underwater photography... With Lau, the choices are made together, based on what excites you and what the conditions allow. By the end, you're a certified PADI Advanced Open Water Diver , ready to dive to 30 meters and access dive sites that Open Water divers can't reach.
Day-by-day program
Deep dive & underwater navigation
Your first dive takes you to 30 meters , a depth where colours shift, narcosis becomes real, and gas planning truly matters. You learn to read your body, manage your air, and appreciate what depth really means. In the afternoon, you master compass navigation: bearing, distance estimation, and natural landmarks. These two skills are the foundation of every confident, independent diver.
Night dive & wreck exploration
As the sun sets, you slip into the water with a torch. The reef transforms: octopuses hunt, shrimp glow, sleeping parrotfish hover motionless, and colours explode under your light. Night diving is a completely different world , and most divers call it their favourite experience. Later, you explore a wreck from the outside: buoyancy control around the structure, its history, and the marine life that has made it home.
Adventure dive of your choice & certification
Your fifth and final adventure dive is yours to choose , perfect buoyancy, underwater naturalist, photography, drift dive, or another specialty. It's your chance to explore what excites you most. After the dive, a full debrief with Lau and your PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification is issued. You're now cleared to 30 meters , deeper wrecks, richer walls, and dive sites that were off-limits before are now yours to discover.
This program is a typical example. The schedule and pace are adapted to each student, weather conditions and the dive site. Lau always adjusts the plan to make sure you get the best possible experience.
What you get
Our destinations
Tenerife
Spain
Crystal-clear waters year-round
Malaga
Spain
Costa del Sol & wrecks
Greece
Greece
Turquoise waters & ancient history
Belgium
Belgium
Quarries & lakes , dive close to home
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lot of experience for the Advanced?
No. Technically, you can do it right after your Open Water. Many divers complete both during the same trip. The Advanced is designed to help you grow, not to test you , there's no formal exam.
Is the night dive scary?
It's natural to feel apprehensive, but once you're underwater with your torch, most divers love it. Nocturnal marine life is fascinating: corals open up, octopuses come out, colors are more vivid under the light. It's often the students' favorite dive!
Which adventure dives can I choose?
In addition to the two mandatory dives (Deep and Navigation), you choose 3 from: Night Dive, Wreck Dive, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Underwater Naturalist, Fish Identification, Digital Underwater Photography, Boat Dive, Drift Dive... The choice is made with Lau based on your preferences and current conditions.
How long does the course take?
Typically 2 to 3 days, with 5 dives total. No mandatory e-learning this time, though PADI offers an optional digital manual to brush up on basics before arrival.
What's the difference from Open Water?
Open Water teaches you the fundamentals and certifies you to 18m. Advanced opens new doors: deep diving (30m), autonomous navigation, night diving, wrecks... It's less theoretical, more focused on exploration and enjoyment. And importantly, many exceptional dive sites are only accessible from 30 meters.
Prerequisites
PADI Open Water Diver certification (or equivalent recognized by PADI). Minimum age 12 years (ages 12-14: Junior Advanced Open Water Diver, with depth restriction to 21m). E-learning is not mandatory for the Advanced, but PADI offers a recommended digital resource. A medical certificate may be required depending on the destination.