— EXPLORER
Explorer.
For divers who've passed their Open Water and want to build real range.
“We called it Explorer because that's what the course is for. Five different kinds of dive, each one opening up a new avenue to broaden your skills and understandingof the sport.”
— Dan Lipton
Already certified, ready for more? This is where diving opens up.
Explorer is for divers who've completed Open Water — whether last month or years ago — and want to build genuine range across different kinds of diving. It suits individuals, couples progressing together, and anyone who's felt the limits of the OW depth cap and wants more of what diving can actually offer.
— THE COURSE —
The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification builds on Open Water by introducing different kinds of diving through guided adventure dives. It has two parts:
Knowledge development
- Online self-study, one module per adventure dive you'll undertake
- Knowledge reviews at the end of each module
- No final exam — the course is about experience, not theory
Adventure dives
- Five dives in total, each focused on a different discipline
- Two required: Deep (to 30m) and Underwater Navigation
- Three electives chosen from a wider menu: Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck, Night, Underwater Photography, Underwater Naturalist, Search & Recovery, Drift, and Boat
- Each dive includes instructor-led skills alongside exploration time
Certification trains you to dive to a maximum depth of 30 metres — the recreational diving limit — in conditions similar to those you trained in.
— HOW WE RUN IT —
Our Explorer course runs one dive longer than PADI asks for, and one discipline tighter.
Theory Workshops
In-person sessions that connect each adventure dive's theory to what you're about to do in the water.Low instructor ratios
1:1, 2:1, or up to 4:1 for families — you're learning disciplines, not completing a checklist.Bonus adventure dive
One extra adventure dive as standard, beyond the agency-required five.PPB recommended
Peak Performance Buoyancy strongly recommended as one of the three electives — the discipline everything else rests on.Nitrox certification
Included as standard, unless you already hold it. Opens up longer, safer dives for the rest of your diving life. why we include it →Debrief dinner
Somewhere worth eating, and time to go through each full diving day properly.The N35.9 kit
N35.9 cap and water bottle, plus a discount on our dive journal.
Where Open Water is about learning to dive, AOW is about starting to really do it — more depth, more variety, more time in the water practising what the first course introduced. That's what we aim to give you.
— PRACTICALITIES —
Certifications earned
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
- PADI Enriched Air Nitrox (unless already held)
- One PADI Specialty (if extended pairing is taken)
Duration (approx.)
- 2–3 days (Advanced Open Water only)
- 5–6 days (AOW + one Specialty, bundled)
Ratio
- 1:1, 2:1, or up to 4:1 for families and close friends
Minimum age
- 15 years (PADI Junior Advanced Open Water for ages 12–14)
Prerequisites
- PADI Open Water Diver certification (or equivalent from another agency)
- A completed medical questionnaire
Course durations are flexible to personal schedules — we'll plan around yours.
Groups of more than four divers are welcome — we'd arrange an additional instructor to maintain our ratio standards, with a corresponding adjustment to the trip cost. Please mention larger group plans on the enquire form.
Travel to the course destination is not included. Flights, accommodation, and arrival transfers aren't included — we're happy to advise on any of it.
If you haven't dived in a year or more, we recommend a check dive before the course — a single dive to reset buoyancy and trim, so the course itself runs at full value. We'll always make it count toward your diving, not just a formality. Small additional charge; always optional.
— EQUIPMENT & LOGISTICS —
Provided
- All scuba equipment and tank fills
- Full dive-day logistics — site transfers, boat arrangements, and between-site transport
- eLearning access and certification fees
To bring
- Swimwear, a towel, and any personal gear (mask, fins, computer) if you have it
- We cover everything else
Extending with a specialty course
Explorer can be extended into a 5–6 day programme that bundles a full Specialty course alongside the AOW. You get both the breadth of Advanced and one proper depth in a single trip. Popular pairings include Deep, Wreck, or Underwater Photography. See Specialties for the full list →