PADI Advanced Open Water Course
To obtain the PADI Advanced Open Water Certification each diver must complete 5 "adventure dives" under the supervision of a PADI Instructor. Each adventure dive will have specific focus and/or mission. Think of each dive as its own mini course. These dives do not need to be completed all at once. Divers can do them in a weekend or spread out over a summer, it's entirely up to the diver. Divers will have each adventure dive documented by their instructor and once the diver has completed 5 adventure dives from 5 different topics, they will be issued a PADI Advanced Open Water certification. Before you enroll, click here to make sure you don't need a doctor's signature before diving.
PADI Advanced Open Water Courses 2026
Advanced Open Water Consists of 5 dives over 2 or more days. Two dives must be the deep and navigation adventure dives with 3 other elective dives.
AOW Course Sample Itinerary:
Dive 1: Peak Performance Buoyancy
Dive 2: Underwater Naturalist - or - Altitude Dive (if in Tahoe)
Dive 3 Night Dive
Dive 4 Deep Dive
Dive 5: Underwater Navigator
Cost:
Tuition $199
-and-
Add the PADI Advanced Open Water eLearning for $240
- Add a set of rental gear w/computer for $135
2026 Dates
Mar. 28 & 29 (Monterey)
-or-
April 25 & 26 (Monterey)
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July 10th, 11th and 12th (Lake Tahoe 2 or 3-day)
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Sept. 18th, 19th and 20th (Lake Tahoe 2 or 3-day)
Sign Up for Advanced Open Water Course
Click here to see if you need a doctors signature before diving:
Custom 1 on 1 PADI Advanced Open Water Courses on your schedule are available for $499pp.
Get credit! Each Adventure Dive may credit toward the first dive of the corresponding Specialty Diver Course. If you’ve already taken a specialty diver course, ask your instructor if you’ve earned credit for an Adventure Dive.
What are Advanced Open Water Prerequisites?
- An Open Water Diver certification from any recognized international certification agency
- Minimum age: 15 (12 for PADI's Junior Advanced Open Water Diver)
What do I need?
- Snorkeling gear suitable for scuba diving. (Regulator, tank, weights, BCD, are available to rent)
- Compass (Available to rent)
- Dive knife or cutting tool and signaling device (SMB).
What Will I Learn?
You’ll plan your learning path with your instructor by choosing from a long list of Adventure Dives. There are two required dives – Deep (> 60ft) and Underwater Navigation – and three elective dives, for a total of five dives over two days. Elective dives are usually three of the following: Peak Performance Bouyancy, Night, Underwater Naturalist, Boat, Drysuit, and Enriched Air Nitrox.
During the Deep Adventure Dive, you learn how to plan dives to deal with the physiological effects and challenges of deeper scuba diving. The Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive refines your compass navigation skills and helps you better navigate using kick-cycles, visual landmarks and time.
You may be able to get college credit for the Advanced Open Water Diver course.
Sign Up for Advanced Open WaterWhat's next?
Once you've become an Advanced Open Water Diver, your education is just beginning. Why not take on a new challenge with one of these Scuba Specialty Certifications?