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Everything about basic PADI Diving Courses

Discover what PADI Diving Courses are and explore the levels of PADI Courses, including PADI Open Water Certification, PADI Advanced, and other Koh Tao PADI Courses
Summary
padi diving courses

Start your Dive Journey with PADI Diving Courses for Beginners

PADI Diving Courses by Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) are globally recognized for their safety and quality. Whether you’re new to diving or ready to advance, start with a PADI Course that suits you. Nava Scuba Diving offers the ideal Koh Tao PADI Course for beginners and beyond. Earn your PADI Open Water Certification or explore deeper with PADI Advanced Open Water training. Get your official Diving License Koh Tao while enjoying supervised lessons with our PADI certified instructors. Become a Scuba Diver PADI and experience unforgettable Koh Tao Scuba Diving adventures.

Why PADI Diving Courses are the Global Scuba Training Standard?

Many people wonder why PADI Diving Courses have become the global standard for scuba diving and are recognized worldwide. The answer lies in the establishment of PADI in 1966, an organization with a clear vision of training responsible divers. Today, PADI operates over 6,600 locations in more than 180 countries, with millions of certified divers around the world.

What sets PADI Diving Courses apart is their continuous development and commitment to maintaining high teaching standards. PADI stands out as the only diving organization with a centralized quality management program, ensuring all courses are conducted strictly to established standards. In contrast, some organizations adopt a localized approach, relying on instructors within the dive center to oversee quality assurance among themselves—a method that can sometimes prove less effective.

Whether you’re a beginner or looking to advance your skills with a PADI Advanced course, PADI ensures that safety and quality training are top priorities. This dedication not only makes PADI Diving Courses a great way to learn but also fosters a community of environmentally conscious divers committed to protecting the sea. This is why PADI is the most trusted and recognizable global standard.

What are the levels of PADI Diving Courses? How do they differ?

Did you know that PADI Diving Courses aren’t just limited to one level? They are designed to cater to the individual goals and experience of each diver. Whether you’re diving for the first time or planning to dive deeper in the future, you can choose a Koh Tao PADI Course that suits your needs. Each course offers different depths of content, duration, and the type of PADI Certification you will receive. At Nava Scuba Diving, we’ll introduce you to the three most popular PADI Diving Courses, so you can easily decide where to begin your underwater adventure.

Discover Scuba Diving

Discover Scuba Diving is a beginner-level diving experience designed for those with no prior diving background who don’t want the commitment of doing the whole training. This short 1-day  PADI Course offers basic theory, shallow water practice, and a supervised open water dive, all without a certification. It’s ideal for anyone curious about scuba and wondering whether to pursue full PADI Open Water Certification in the future. At Nava Scuba Diving, you’ll explore the underwater world safely and confidently, making it a great first step before committing to a full Koh Tao PADI Course.

PADI Open Water Diver

The PADI Open Water Certification is ideal for those ready to begin their scuba journey and earn an internationally recognized diving license. This PADI Course covers essential theory, confined water skills, and open water dives. You will learn how to handle equipment, control your buoyancy, and plan your dive. This course can be completed in as short as 3 days in Koh Tao. It qualifies divers to explore depths of up to 18 meters (60 feet) independently. It’s the true first step into the world of Scuba Diver PADI.

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver

After completing your first PADI Course, the PADI Advanced Open Water program helps you level up your diving skills through various of dive adventures. You get to experience different specialty dives like deep diving, underwater navigation, wreck diving, and night diving. One of the primary goals of this course is to extend your depth limit to 30 meters (100 feet). This is a perfect way to explore deeper dive sites and gain confidence as a more experienced diver. It’s a key milestone on your Scuba Diving Koh Tao journey.

PADI Course Comparison Table

Each PADI Diving Course has unique features, whether it’s the training, course duration, depth limits, or prerequisites. To help you easily understand and choose the course that fits your needs, Nava Scuba Diving has summarized the key differences between PADI Course levels in the comparison table below.

Discover Scuba Diving PADI Open Water Diver PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
PADI Course Objectives Basic diving test Learn to dive for beginners Develop advanced diving skills
and experience
Required Certificate Unnecessary Unnecessary An PADI Open Water Certification is required first.
Course Length 1 day 3 days 2 days
Maximum Depth 12 meters 18 meters 30 meters
Type of study Theory + Shallow Water Training
+ Open Water Dives
Theory + Shallow Water Training
+ 4 Open Water Dives
Theory + 2 Mandatory Adventure Dives
+ 3 Elective Adventure Dives
PADI Diving License No License PADI Open Water Diver Certification PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Certification
Who is it for? You want to try scuba diving for the first time. You want to earn a diving license to start
your diving journey.
You want to gain more skills and experience
after earning the Open Water certification.

Once you’ve completed your essential PADI Diving Courses, you can shape your scuba diving journey however you like. You might opt for the professional route by taking the PADI Divemaster course, setting yourself up for a career in the dive industry. Alternatively, if you’re drawn to recreational or technical diving, you can explore various PADI specialties—such as Nitrox, Wreck, or Sidemount Diving—to enhance your skills and work toward achieving the prestigious Master Scuba Diver rating.

Not sure which Koh Tao Scuba Diving courses is for you?
Get in touch with us! Let us help you choosing the right PADI diving courses!

Which PADI Diving Courses best for you? Choosing the Right One

Choosing the right PADI Diving Courses depends on your experience and goals. For beginners, a basic PADI Course teaches the essentials of scuba diving safely. As you progress, the Advanced Open Water course helps you improve deep diving, underwater control, and navigation skills. If you’re looking for specialized skills like underwater photography or wreck diving, there are specific PADI Courses and Specialties for those interests. For the Best Dive Schools Koh Tao Nava Scuba Diving offers professional training with a variety of PADI Diving Courses to suit your needs.

FAQ: What do you need to know before starting PADI Diving Courses?

If you’re interested in taking PADI Diving Courses but still have questions about how to get started — whether it’s about choosing the right course or understanding specific requirements. Don’t worry! Nava Scuba Diving has gathered frequently asked questions from real student divers, along with clear answers to help you easily choose the PADI Course that best suits you.

Which PADI Course Should You Take First?

If you’ve never tried diving before, Nava Scuba Diving recommends starting your underwater journey with one of these two beginner-friendly PADI Diving Courses:

  • Discover Scuba Diving: 1-day diving experience with 2 dives at 2 dive sites. Does not award a license. Price: 3,750 THB (excluding promotions).
  • PADI Open Water Course: 3-day full course with theory, shallow, and four open water dives. Earn your PADI Open Water Certification. Price: 12,500 THB (excluding promotions).

Can you learn to dive if you can’t swim?

Yes, you can as long as you’re open to the experience! Nava Scuba Diving’s PADI Open Water Diver course offers swimming and floating training before completing the course. You don’t need to be an expert swimmer to pass the water skill test. You only need to be able to swim at least 200 meters (no time limit) and float for 10 minutes. Many non-swimmers have already passed the PADI Open Water course with ease.

Do you need prior experience for Advanced Open Water?

Yes! You need to have at least an Open Water certification before you can continue with our PADI Advanced Open Water course. This course aims to sharpen your skills and introduce you to advanced adventure dives such as deep diving, night diving, wreck diving, and underwater navigation. This means you need the fundamental knowledge from the Open Water course.

Can you do PADI Advanced Open Water if you have SSI Open Water?

Yes, of course! If you have decided to get our PADI Advanced Open Water license, you only need to confirm that you have at least an Open Water certification from any globally recognizable organization, such as SSI or CMAS. We may conduct a quick knowledge check to confirm your experience before starting the course.

What’s the Difference Between PADI Open Water and Advanced?

PADI Open Water is the foundation of all scuba diving courses, particularly for beginners.  It covers the equipment usage, fundamental diving skills,  and safe diving practices. On the other hand, PADI Advanced Open Water is for those already familiar with scuba diving. It offers new skills and techniques to boost confidence and expertise in scuba diving.

Starting PADI Diving Courses is the first step for any beginner exploring the underwater world. Whether you choose a Discover Scuba Diving or the PADI Open Water Certification, selecting the right PADI Course is key. With options like Scuba Diver PADI, you can build the skills needed for safe diving. If you’re diving in Koh Tao, a Koh Tao PADI Course is the perfect choice. At NAVA Scuba Diving, our scuba diving experts will guide you through every step, ensuring you earn your Diving License Koh Tao or PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Certification with confidence and safety. Join us today and experience the best Scuba Diving Koh Tao has to offer.

Are you ready for an unforgettable adventure?
Book your diving trip with Nava Scuba Diving today and experience the sunning underwater world of Koh Tao with us!
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