Get certified as an Open Water Diver with Big Blue Diving on the tropical island of Koh Tao! With its warm, clear waters and vibrant coral reefs, Koh Tao is the best place in Southeast Asia to learn scuba diving — especially if you’re on a budget.
At Big Blue Diving, we offer the internationally recognized SSI Open Water Diving License, allowing you to dive anywhere in the world for life.
Why Koh Tao is the Best Place to Get Open Water Certified
🌴 Warm tropical waters with great visibility
🐠 Shallow, beginner-friendly dive sites
🌍 Recognized globally as one of the cheapest places to learn scuba diving
🧑🏫 Expert instructors & professional facilities
🧘 Relaxed island lifestyle paired with world-class dive training
What’s the Difference Between SSI & PADI?
PADI, an American scuba diving agency, and SSI, a German scuba diving agency, are the two largest scuba diving training agencies in the world. Both follow international standards under the World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC) and offer globally recognized certifications. While their teaching structures and pricing models differ slightly, certifications from both agencies are interchangeable with other recognized organizations, allowing divers to continue their education seamlessly regardless of where they train.
About the SSI Open Water Diver Course
Our SSI Open Water Diver course in Koh Tao is designed for total beginners. It teaches you everything you need to know to dive independently (with a buddy) to a depth of 18 meters (60 feet).
What’s Included
✅ Free SSI digital learning materials ✅ Full scuba diving equipment ✅ 4 open water dives from our large dive boats ✅ Experienced instructors (max 4 students per instructor) ✅ Lifetime certification recognized worldwide ✅ Dive logbook & certification processing
Course Prerequisites
Must be 10 years old or above
Ages 10–14: Junior Open Water Diver certification
Under 12: Max dive depth of 12 meters
Be able to swim 200 meters
Float or tread water for 10 minutes
Be in reasonable physical health (see medical questionnaire below)
Junior Open Water Diver student practicing underwater skills
Course Itinerary – 3 Days of Scuba Adventure
Day 1 – Pool Training & Theory (Max Depth: 3m)
09:30 – 12:00 | Dive Theory & Equipment Introduction Meet your instructor, learn how scuba gear works, and cover diving basics in our al fresco classroom by the pool.
13:00 – 17:30 | Confined Water Dive in the Pool Get hands-on in the pool where you’ll practice buoyancy control, breathing techniques, and safety drills — all at your own pace.
Beginner scuba diver learning skills in pool with instructor
Day 2 – First 2 Ocean Dives (Max Depth: 12m)
09:30 – 11:30 | Review & Final Exam Sit your multiple-choice theory exam with your instructor. It’s designed to reinforce safety and understanding — no stress!
12:30 – 17:30 | Ocean Dives #1 & #2 Take your first real dives in the ocean! Visit two of Koh Tao’s beginner-friendly dive sites with sandy bottoms and calm waters.
Open Water students starting first ocean dive from Koh Tao boat
Day 3 – Final 2 Ocean Dives (Max Depth: 18m)
07:30 – 12:00 | Ocean Dives #3 & #4 Complete your course with two deeper dives at some of Koh Tao’s most exciting dive sites. Expect vibrant corals, tropical fish, and maybe even a turtle or two!
After surfacing, you’ll officially be a certified Open Water Diver!
What Comes Next After You’re Certified?
Becoming an Open Water Diver is just the beginning! Here’s what’s next on your scuba journey:
➕ Do your Advanced Course – Dive to 30 meters
🐠 Get into Marine Biology and Ecology – Learn about ocean life
🧭 Go Tech – Fine-tune your Adventure with Deep, Wreck & so much more
🛥️ Join daily fun dives to explore Sail Rock, Chumphon Pinnacle, and Southwest
Safety Notice – Don’t Fly Right After Diving!
Important: You must wait at least 24 hours after your last dive before flying to avoid decompression sickness. Plan your travel accordingly!
Are You Fit to Dive?
Before enrolling in the Open Water Course, you’ll need to complete a scuba diving medical questionnaire.
If you answer “YES” to any medical conditions, you may require a doctor’s clearance to dive.
We’re not hiding anything form you. Your Open Water course includes all scuba diving equipment, materials, instruction and boat transportation to dive sites, scuba diving insurance.
We do offer 3 nights in an 8 bed dormitory for just 500Bt if you are budget traveling.
Yes, you’ll need to complete a medical questionnaire to ensure you’re fit to dive. Certain medical conditions (like asthma or heart issues) may require a doctor’s approval. It’s a good idea to check the requirements ahead of time if you have any concerns.
To be an Open Water Diver you must be able to swim a distance of 200 meters and float for a period of 10 minutes. As long as you can do this then you can fulfill the swim requirements to pass the Open Water Course. We’re not looking for speed or style! We just want to make sure you can support yourself in water?
Yes, the Open Water course includes theory sessions where you’ll learn about dive physics, safety, equipment, and marine life. Book your course with us before you arrive and we can get you started in the next 5 minutes!
Absolutely! Koh Tao is known for its vibrant marine life, and during your Open Water dives, you’re likely to see fish, corals, and possibly turtles or other sea creatures at dive sites all around Koh Nang Yuan.
It’s natural to feel nervous, especially at first. Instructors are trained to help you feel comfortable and safe, and skills are taught gradually to help you build confidence underwater.
Yes! But we’d rather we got you diving properly on your first 2 dives in the sea, but the final day with the last 2 dives scheduled for the morning this shouldn’t be a problem at all.
The course takes just 2 and a half days to complete, covering academic sessions, confined water training, and four open water dives. Day 1: in the pool & our al fresco classroom/ bar. Day 2: Morning finish theory & exam. Afternoon 2 dives to 12 meters. Day 3: Two morning dives to 18 meters. Finished & on land by 12:30pm.
If you decide not to complete the full course, we will offer a certification for partial completion (such as a Scuba Diver certification, which allows dives up to 12 meters with a professional). Or, you can come back later and continue from where you left off.
Yes, the Open Water Diver certification is internationally recognized and does not expire. However, if you haven’t dived in a while, it’s recommended to take a refresher course to regain your skills.
Reviews
5/5 - 2 reviews
I have just finished my open water course with big blue diving and it was one of the best things I have done and cannot wait to get back into the water! If you are considering diving in Koh Tao I would 100% recommend big blue diving. A big shout out to our amazing instructor Steph who really made the whole experience and was incredibly knowledgeable and thorough from academics to practicing the skills to our dives in open water. Our 4 dives were great and Steph made us feel so comfortable in the water and showed us all sorts of sea life and corals. She is amazing at what she does and if you are lucky enough to have her as your instructor you will learn so much about diving and marine life and have the best experience! Emma F.
I had the best experience of my life at big blue diving. This was my first time doing scuba diving and I was really nervous but special thanks to Lucas my instructor who was very patient and explained everything before going into the open sea. The session in the pool in the morning was crucial and really helped me calm myself down and get used to the equipment. Once again thanks to Lucas for helping me out all along and made this the best experience of my life. Adil I.
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