PADI Open Water Course on Koh Tao

PADI Open Water Course – Beginner Course in Thailand

Located at Black Turtle Dive dive centre, IDC Koh Tao are recognised within the scuba diving industry for the quality and training standards of their entry level and pro level PADI Diving courses.

The PADI Open Water course is the world’s most popular entry level scuba diving course and the perfect place to start for anyone wishing to learn how to dive and experience the amazing underwater world.

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Explore the Underwater World

With a focus on high quality training, and a passion for enjoying and protecting our fragile marine ecosystem, our PADI Open Water course will ensure you become a competent and confident scuba diver, as well as an active marine protector and future Ocean advocate.

Learn how to dive safely whilst having lots of fun and get your PADI Open Water license on the beautiful tropical island of Koh Tao in Thailand

Successfully completing the PADI Open Water course certifies you to dive to a maximum depth of 18 metres, with a buddy, anywhere in the world!

World’s Most Popular Scuba Diving Destination

The small tropical island of Koh Tao, located in the Gulf of Thailand, is the most popular destination in the world for people to learn to dive and obtain the PADI Open Water certification.

The PADI Open Water course is by far the world’s most popular and internationally recognised full scuba diving license.

Did you know? Three out of every four scuba divers choose PADI to ‘Learn to Dive’.

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What does the PADI Open Water Course Include?

• E-learning online PADI Open Water diver manual & PADI certification
• PADI Instructor fees
• Insurance
• Log Book
• Dive Equipment rental
• Dive computer
• Maximum 4 students per PADI Dive Instructor

Who can enrol on the PADI Open Water Course?

• You must be a minimum 10 years of age
• You must be medically fit to dive
• You must be able to Float without assistance for 10 minutes
• You must be able to swim, freestyle for 200 metres / or with a mask, snorkel and fins for 300 metres without assistance

The PADI Open water course consists of three sections; Knowledge Development, Confined Water training and the Open Water training dives.

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Open Water Course Knowledge Development

Once you have signed up for the PADI Open Water course your first step is to complete the PADI Open Water Knowledge Development.

You can do this via the PADI Open Water e-learning from the comfort of your home prior to travelling, during your travels around Thailand prior to arriving in Koh Tao, or in a hammock once you arrive on Koh Tao! 

Once you have paid a deposit, we will send your online PADI Open Water Diver manual and you can get started TODAY.

The online PADI Open Water Diver manual is divided into 5 modules.

Study eLearning before Arrival

Each section involves watching a short video and reading through between 3 and 5 sub sections before completing an open book knowledge review.

The PADI Open Water Diver manual also has a series of quick quizzes that test your knowledge as your progress.

At the end of each section there is a 10 question quiz you must complete.

Complete the quiz to get credit for this section on your Open Water Diver e-Record.

You will need to demonstrate mastery by achieving a score of 75 percent or higher. When you’re finished, you’ll see your overall score.

By complete the e-learning prior to starting the course you can save time when on Koh Tao meaning more time in the water!

When you arrive there is a 20 question Quick Review to complete. This is to ensure you actually did the e-Learning yourself, and are ready to get into the water!

This is also a great opportunity to discuss any questions you may have related to any part of the knowledge development and/or need any clarification from your PADI Diving Instructor.

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Open Water Course – Confined Water Training Dives

We meet at 07.15 in the morning for your Confined Water training dives, and we conduct our Confined Water training dives in a swimming pool.

* You will be in a group no larger than 4 students per PADI Instructor *

There are 5 Confined Water training dives to complete, each dive consisting of multiple skills, that start basic, and build on previous skills as they become more complex.

Your PADI Instructor will take you through each and every skill during the full day we will spend in the swimming pool.

Confined Water training dive is a mini dive where we will simulate diving in open water in a swimming pool environment. This is where you will put everything you have learned over the previously 4 confined water training dives into practice.

Important Note – Our Customer Pledge

Our PADI Open Water course is performance based. What this means is we go at your pace. If we need more time to complete these 5 Confined Water training dives, don’t worry, we can scheduled additional swimming pool sessions on the following days.

The most important criteria is you and your PADI instructor are comfortable and confident with your performance in the swimming pool before we venture out into the Ocean.

We pride ourselves in our industry leading training standards and want to train you to be the best PADI Diver you can be.

Our Diving Instructors are all in house trained. We do not miss out skills, nor sign anyone off until they have met the performance requirements

We also focus on training you in a realistic manner which means having you neutrally buoyant as much as possible rather than kneeling down on the bottom!

It is essential for your safety and that of your buddy that you master all the diver skills and you are both comfortable and confident in your own abilities.

Our PADI Instructors will work with you, allocating additional time if necessary to ensure you are a safe, well rounded diver who can dive safely in different locations within the limits of their training.

Please be aware, there are NO shortcuts to completing your Open Water course.

Below is a detailed list of every skill you must compete during the 5 confined water training dives. You must meet ‘mastery’ for each skill before we move onto the next.

During confined and open water dives, mastery is defined as performing the skill so it meets the stated performance requirements in a reasonably comfortable, fluid, repeatable manner as would be expected of a diver at that certification level.

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Dive 1 Performance Requirements

At the Surface

1. Put on and adjust all equipment; mask, fins, snorkel, BCD (Buoyancy Control Device), scuba kit and weights with assistance – using proper lifting techniques.
2. Participate in a pre-dive safety check.
3. Inflate/deflate the BCD using the low-pressure inflator in shallow water.

Underwater in Shallow Water

4. Breathe compressed air by breathing naturally, without breath-holding.
5. Clear a regulator using both the exhalation and purge-button methods, then resume breathing from it.
6. Recover a regulator from behind the shoulder.
7. Clear a partially flooded mask.
8. Breathe from an alternate air source supplied by another diver for at least 30 seconds.

Underwater

9. Descend at a controlled rate into water too deep in which to stand, equalizing the ears and mask.
10. Swim with scuba equipment while maintaining control of both direction and depth.
11. Locate and read the submersible pressure gauge and signal whether the air supply is adequate or low based on the gauge’s caution zone and/or an assigned supply limit.
12. Recognize and demonstrate hand signals.
13. Ascend using proper technique.
14. Stay within reach of buddy.

At the surface in water too deep in which to stand

15. While positively buoyant, breathe from a snorkel or regulator while swimming facedown.
16. After ascent, keep the mask on and continue breathing from the regulator while using the low- pressure inflator to attain positive buoyancy.
17. Deflate the BCD, then orally inflate it until positively buoyant.

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Dive 2 Performance Requirements

At the Surface

1. Plan dive.
2. Put on and adjust mask, fins, snorkel, BCD, scuba and weights with buddy – using proper lifting techniques.
3. Perform the buddy predive safety check.
4. Demonstrate appropriate deep-water entry.
5. Adjust for proper weighting – float at eye level at the surface with no or minimal air in the BCD and while holding a normal breath.
6. Clear a snorkel using the blast method, then resume breathing through it without lifting the face from the water.
7. Exchange snorkel for regulator and regulator for snorkel repeatedly (at least two exchanges) without lifting the face from the water.
8. Swim at least 50 metres/yards while wearing scuba, breathing through a snorkel and staying close to buddy.

Underwater

9. With a buddy, descend in water too deep in which to stand using the five-point method, primarily using the BCD for buoyancy control.
10. Use low-pressure BCD inflation to become neutrally buoyant. Gently rise and fall in a controlled manner, during inhalation and exhalation.
11. Clear a fully flooded mask.
12. Remove, replace and clear a mask.
13. Breathe without a mask for at least one minute.
14. Respond to air depletion by signalling “out of air.”
15. Indicate remaining air supply within 20 bar/300 psi without rechecking the SPG (Submersible Pressure Gauge)
16. Ascend using the five-point method, primarily using the BCD for buoyancy control.
17. Exit using the most appropriate technique. (Buddy assistance allowed.)

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Dive 3 Performance Requirements

At the surface in water too deep in which to stand

1. Demonstrate appropriate deep-water entry.
2. With a buddy, perform a weight check and adjust for proper weighting.
3. Demonstrate the cramp release technique for self and buddy (at the surface or underwater).

Underwater

4. With a buddy, descend using only a visual reference in water too deep in which to stand, using the five- point method.
5. Hover using buoyancy control for at least 30 seconds, without kicking or sculling.
6. While neutrally buoyant, swim slowly in a horizontal position to determine trim. Adjust trim, as feasible, for a normal swimming position.
7. Respond to air depletion by signalling “out of air” and securing and breathing from an alternate air source supplied by a buddy. Continue for at least one minute while swimming, surface and inflate the BCD orally.
8. Supply air to another diver using an alternate air source.
9. Simulate a controlled emergency swimming ascent by swimming horizontally or diagonally for at least 9 metres/30 feet while emitting a continuous sound.
10. Indicate remaining air supply within 20 bar/300 psi without rechecking the SPG.

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Dive 4 Performance Requirements

At the surface in water too deep in which to stand

1. With a buddy, perform a weight check and adjust for proper weighting and trim.
2. Perform a tired diver tow for 25 metres/yards.
3. Remove, replace, adjust and secure the scuba kit with minimal assistance.

Underwater

4. With a buddy, descend in water too deep in which to stand using the five-point method and use buoyancy control to stop the descent without contacting the bottom.
5. With a buddy, swim over a simulated environmentally sensitive bottom while maintaining buoyancy control.
6. Orally inflate the BCD to hover for at least one minute, without kicking or sculling.
7. Breathe effectively from a simulated free flowing regulator for at least 30 seconds.
8. Swim without a mask for at least 15 metres/50 feet, then replace and clear the mask.
9. Indicate remaining air supply within 20 bar/300 psi without rechecking the SPG.
10. Make a five-point ascent from above a simulated environmentally sensitive bottom without contacting the bottom.

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Dive 5 Performance Requirements

Underwater

1. Remove, replace, adjust and secure the scuba kit with minimal assistance in water too deep in which to stand, without losing control of buoyancy, body position and depth.
2. Remove, replace, adjust and secure all or part of the weight system without losing control of buoyancy, body position and depth.

• With weight belt and weight integrated BCD – on the bottom in water too deep in which to stand.
• With any weight system that requires reassembly after weights are removed – in shallow water.

3. Indicate remaining air supply within 20 bar/300 psi without rechecking the SPG.
4. Complete a simulated dive – A Mini Dive that includes the following:

• Plan dive with a buddy.
• Make an entry and exit.
• Do a weight and trim check.
• Perform a five-point descent.
• With a buddy, practice previously learned skills with emphasis on neutral buoyancy, hovering and swimming.
• Demonstrate awareness and make efforts to avoid contact with simulated sensitive bottom and fragile aquatic organisms.
• Respond correctly to at least one, but not more than three, of these simulated situations: leg cramps, out of air – share air, freeflow regulator, mask flooded or off, regulator dropped from mouth, BCD inflator failure and buddy separation.
• Perform a five-point ascent with a safety stop at planned time limit or designated ascent pressure.

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Confined Water Dive Flexible Skills Performance Requirements

Dive Flexible skills are mandatory skills that your Instructor is able to sequence at a time they feel is best for you, rather than during a specific confined water training dive.

Here are the Dive Flexi skills you will be required to master on your PADI Open Water Diver course.

Advanced Snorkeling — During Confined Water Dives 2, 3, 4 or 5, have student divers perform:

– Following relaxed breathing at the surface, remove the snorkel from the mouth, hold the breath and make a vertical, head-first dive in water too deep in which to stand.

– Proper buddy team procedures for advanced snorkeling.

Equipment Preparation and Care

It’s important as an Open Water diver that you are proficient and confident in setting up, and taking apart your scuba equipment.

During the confined water training dives you must:

– Assemble and disassemble the scuba kit five times during confined water training.

– You must also streamline and secure your equipment during confined water dives.

– You must also demonstrate proper post-dive care of all your scuba equipment during the confined water dives.

Other Dive flexible skills you must master include:

Disconnect Low-Pressure Inflator Hose — Have student divers disconnect the low pressure hose from the inflator in shallow water (either underwater
or at the surface).

Loose Cylinder Band — During any Confined Water Dive, have student divers demonstrate resecuring a loose cylinder band in the water either at the surface or underwater.

Weight System Removal and Replacement (surface) — After Confined Water Dive 1, have student divers remove, replace, adjust and secure weight system with minimal assistance at the surface in water too deep in which to stand.

Emergency Weight Drop — During any dive, in either confined or open water, at the surface in water too deep in which to stand, with a deflated BCD, have student divers use the weight system’s quick release, to pull clear and drop sufficient weight to become positively buoyant.

Just like with all the skills in confined water training, your PADI Instructor will demonstrate the skill before asking you to have a go!

**IMPORTANT** Swim Tests

Regardless of what some less reputable dive instructors or dive centres might tell you, you must be able to complete two swim tests to be certified as an Open Water Diver.

This is a training standard with every reputable training organisation on the planet!

The good news is you don’t need to be an Olympic swimmer to become a PADI Open Water Diver!

Here is what you must do

Before Open Water Dive 2, have student divers demonstrate that they can comfortably maintain themselves in water too deep in which to stand by completing a 10-minute swim/float without using any swim aids.

At some point before certification, have students complete a 200 metre/yard continuous surface swim or a 300 metre/yard swim with mask, fins and snorkel.

The last portion of the PADI Open Water course is the best part! The part you actually signed up to do….the Open Water training dives!

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Open Water Course Open Water training dives

The last portion of the PADI Open Water Diver course is the best part, four Open Water training dives, conducted at some of the best dive sites around Koh Tao.

You get the opportunity to bring all your skill learning together, practice some of the skills you have already mastered, this time adapting them to an open water environment.

The rest of the dives will be doing exactly what you signed up to do… scuba dive.

Explore underwater coral reefs, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of stunning color and an abundance of different marine life animals.

One thing we guarantee is that you won’t want the dive to end.

These 4 dives are scheduled over two days, the first two with a maximum depth limit of 12 meters, the final two with a maximum depth limit of 18 meters.

Upon completion of all the course requirements you will be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver and you will hold the most widely recognised and popular scuba diving certification in the industry.

As a certified PADI Open Water Diver you will be qualified to dive independently of a PADI Dive Professional, with a buddy, to a maximum depth of 18 meters, and you are now eligible to take the next course, PADI Advanced Open Water course.

PADI Open Water Certification in Koh Tao, Thailand

Below is a detailed list of the four Open Water training dives you will complete while training with us at IDC Koh Tao. As you can see there is also a list of the skills you must compete during each dive.

As with the Confined Water training dives you must achieve ‘mastery’ for each skill before we move onto the next.

During confined and open water dives, mastery is defined as performing the skill so it meets the stated performance requirements in a reasonably comfortable, fluid, repeatable manner as would be expected of a diver at that certification level.

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Open Water training Dive # 1 Performance Requirements

At the surface:

1.During briefing, recognize the hand signals for:

“okay”
“something is wrong”
“ear problem”
“low air”
“go up/end the dive”
“stay with your buddy”

You must also understand the audible (or tactile) and visual signal for “look at me.”

2. Put on and adjust equipment – using proper lifting techniques.
3. Perform a predive safety check.
4. Enter the water with BCD inflated to provide positive buoyancy.
5. Check and adjust weighting.

Underwater:

6. Descend with control and reference using a descent line or sloping bottom contour to a depth not greater than 12 metres/40 feet.
7. Participate in a trim check.
8. Clear a partially flooded mask.
9. Recover and clear the regulator at depth.
10. Explore the dive site.
11. Signal whether remaining air supply is near designated caution zone, and/or indicate air supply in bar/psi.
12. Stay close enough to make physical contact with buddy within two seconds.
13. Ascend no faster than 18 metres/60 feet per minute while maintaining buddy contact. Use the five-point method.

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Open Water training Dive # 2 Performance Requirements

At the surface:

1. Plan the dive, including air supply management/turn pressure, time limits, entries and exits, buddy separation procedures and basic emergency procedures.
2. Put on, adjust and streamline equipment. Use proper lifting techniques.
3. Perform a pre-dive safety check.
4. Adjust weighting and trim, as necessary.
5. When at the surface, establish positive buoyancy, keep the mask on and breathe from the snorkel or regulator.
6. Deflate BCD, then orally inflate it until positively buoyant in water too deep in which to stand.

Underwater:

7. Descend using a descent line or sloping bottom contour for control and reference to a depth not greater than 12 metres/40 feet. Use the five-point method.
8. Become neutrally buoyant by adjusting air in the BCD (or dry suit) with the low-pressure inflator.
9. Clear a fully flooded mask.
10. Perform each role: In a stationary position, one person signals “out of air” and secures and breathes from an alternate air source provided by another diver; the other diver provides the air source.
11. Ascend properly using an alternate air source and establish positive buoyancy at the surface. Act as either donor or receiver.
12. Explore the dive site.
13. Avoid contact with sensitive organisms and the bottom, and re-secure any equipment that becomes loose.
14. Stay close enough to make physical contact with buddy within two seconds.
15. Indicate remaining air supply within 20 bar/300 psi without rechecking the SPG.
16. Signal air remaining at intervals assigned during dive planning.
17. Ascend no faster than 18 metres/60 feet per minute while maintaining buddy contact. Use the five-point method (unless ascending using the alternate air source
ascent).

Make a safety stop if feasible.

Open Water training Dive # 3 Performance Requirements

At the surface:

1. Plan the dive.
2. Put on, adjust and streamline equipment. Use proper lifting techniques.
3. Perform a predive safety check.
4. Adjust weighting and trim, as necessary.
5. When at the surface, establish positive buoyancy, keep the mask on and breathe from the snorkel or regulator.

Underwater:

6. Descend with a visual reference for control to no greater than 18 metres/60 feet. Use the five-point method.
7. Become neutrally buoyant and hover by inflating the BCD orally.
8. Remove, replace and clear the mask.
9. Explore the dive site.
10. Avoid contact with sensitive organisms and the bottom, and re-secure any equipment that becomes loose.
11. Stay close enough to make physical contact with buddy within two seconds.
12. Indicate remaining air supply within 20 bar/300 psi without rechecking the SPG.
13. Signal air remaining at intervals assigned during dive planning.
14. Ascend no faster than 18 metres/60 feet per minute while maintaining buddy contact. Use the five-point method.

Make a safety stop if feasible.

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Open Water training Dive # 4 Performance Requirements

At the surface:

1. As a buddy team, plan the dive using the PADI Skill Practice and Dive Planning Slate.
2. Put on, adjust and streamline equipment. Use proper lifting techniques.
3. Perform a predive safety check.
4. Adjust weighting and trim, as necessary.

When at the surface, establish positive buoyancy, keep the mask on and breathe from the snorkel or regulator.

Underwater:

6. Descend with no visual reference to no greater than 18 metres/60 feet. Use the five-point method.
7. With a buddy, explore the dive site.
8. Avoid contact with sensitive organisms and the bottom, and re-secure any equipment that becomes oose.
9. Stay close enough to make physical contact with buddy within two seconds.
10. Indicate remaining air supply within 20 bar/300 psi without rechecking the SPG.
11. With a buddy, signal when to turn the dive and when to ascend, based on air supply or time per the dive plan, and take appropriate action.
12. Ascend no faster than 18 metres/60 feet per minute while maintaining buddy contact.

Use the five-point method.

Make a safety stop.

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Open Water Dive Performance Requirements Dive Flexible Skills

Dive Flexible skills allow your Instructor to decide when the best time is for you to complete these skills.

During any Open Water Dive, your Instructor will ask you to demonstrate the following:

At the surface:

Cramp Release — Release a simulated cramp for self and buddy.

Tired Diver Tow — Tow a simulated tired buddy in scuba equipment for 25 metres/yards.

Inflatable Signal Tube Use — Deploy an inflatable signal tube at the surface, or deploy a delayed surface marker buoy (DSMB) from underwater.

Straight Line Surface Swim With Compass — Snorkel swim in a straight line for 50 metres/yards while keeping the face in the water and using only the compass for direction reference.

Snorkel/Regulator Exchange — Clear water from a snorkel and resume breathing without removing the snorkel from the mouth. Alternately breathe from snorkel and regulator without lifting the face from the water for at least two exchanges.

Remove and Replace Weight System and Scuba Kit — Remove and replace the weight/system in water too deep in which to stand. Remove and replace the
scuba kit in water too deep in which to stand.

Emergency Weight Drop — In either confined or open water too deep in which to stand, with a deflated BCD, use the weight system’s quick release to pull clear and drop sufficient weight to become positively buoyant.

Underwater:

There are two skills that must be conducted on either Dive 2, 3 or 4. They are:

Compass Navigation — Swim a straight-line reciprocal course using a compass. Each diver navigates out and back.

Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) — Perform a controlled emergency swimming ascent from a depth of 6-9 metres/20-30 feet and establish
positive buoyancy at the surface.

E-Learning Open Water Course Schedule

Day 1: Review e-learning online quick review

Confined Water training dives 1 -5

Day 2: Review e-learning online quick review

Open Water training dives 1 & 2

Day 3: Review e-learning online quick review

Open Water training dives 3 & 4