How to Become an Advanced Diver: A Complete Guide

After experiencing the wonder of scuba diving with your Open Water Diver certification, it is normal to want more: more time underwater, more exciting dive sites, and more advanced diving experiences. This is where the transition to Advanced Diver comes in. As an entry-level diver, you only have options for entry level diving - as an advanced diver you are now able to explore deeper dives, wreck dives, & a plethora of diving environments.

You have the ability to develop the critical and necessary skills that advanced diving requires, such as navigation skills, buoyancy control, night diving, and many more adventure dives. As a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver you will learn more about diving through a series of guided dives and improved training as every dive will focus on enhancing your confidence and improving your safety awareness and develop a higher level of diving experience.

If you want to dive dramatic wall dives, explore coral mazes, or take beautiful underwater photographs, the Advanced course provides the opportunity to customize your dives to your interests. You will complete five adventure dives (two mandatory deep and navigation dives plus three elective dives - there are several options of electives like wreck diving, drift diving, fish identification, etc.). The Advanced course is a chance to learn, have fun, and provide achievable goals.

If you are looking for a good place to advance your diving with the Advanced course, there is no better place than the Andaman Islands, which is India's best diving destination. The Andaman Islands boast clear water, healthy coral reefs and a rich variety of marine life including manta rays, turtles and reef sharks. Additionally, there are enough dive sites in and around Havelock Island and Neil Island to give you experience at a range of dive sites and within a variety of underwater environments.

Pick the right dive school, just like you pick a location. That is why Dive Andaman is the best choice for divers from all over the world. With PADI certified instructors, small groups, modern equipment and good safety practices, you can enjoy every step of your trip in comfort and with enrichment. Whether you are sharpening your dive skills to take that next step towards a long term professional diving career, or just want to enjoy all that there is to see underwater, Dive Andaman will help you every step of the way. Becoming an Advanced Diver is more than just going deeper, it's about diving smarter, safer and for a purpose. Discover the next chapter of your underwater experience by diving with Dive Andaman and achieve the true depth of the ocean.

What Does It Mean to Be an Advanced Diver?

Becoming an Advanced Diver means moving beyond basic Open Water training and getting ready to enjoy new and more challenging adventures in the dive environment. The name "Advanced Diver" may seem quite intimidating, however, you do not need to be an expert to accomplish it. In fact, you can start your Advanced Open Water Diver course the minute after you finish your Open Water course. The aim of the Advanced course is to help you gain confidence, while improving your diving skills, during a series of supervised adventure dives which will be led by certified instructors.

The Advanced course usually consists of five adventure dives. Two are required; a Deep Dive, prepares you for deeper diving, and Underwater Navigation where you will learn how to dive with a compass and natural references to help with navigation. The remaining three dives are elective, and can be selected based on your interests and the dive conditions of the area. Popular electives include Night Diving, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck Diving, and Fish Identification. These courses will help expand your new diving skill with each new specialty. If you intend to advance your scuba diving in the Andaman Islands, completing your course with Dive Andaman is the best way to maximize your opportunities to utilize.

• Dive Deeper: Go deep into the oceans. Gain access to dive sites as deep as 30 meters (100 feet), where you’ll find shipwrecks, larger marine life, and unique underwater topography
• Build Confidence: A new personality got unlocked with diving. Each dive in the course challenges you to think critically, manage equipment better, and improve your in-water comfort.
• Explore More Dive Sites: With perfect training you can experience the beauty of several oceans. Some of the most beautiful and exciting sites around the world require advanced certification.
• Learn Specialized Skills: A unique skill! From perfecting your buoyancy to navigating underwater, each dive teaches valuable techniques that enhance your safety and enjoyment.
• Prepare for Professional Diving: If you’re thinking about becoming a dive professional, the Advanced Open Water certification is a stepping stone to courses like Rescue Diver and Divemaster.

What’s Involved in the Advanced Open Water Diver Course?

With Adventure dives, the Advanced Open Water Diver course is well-structured to improve your scuba diving abilities. It consists of five adventure dives, two of which are required - Deep Diving (30 meters diving maximum) and Underwater Navigation, along with three elective adventure dives. If you are looking to develop diving safety awareness and confidence, these dives are essential! The three dives can be taken from only five elective adventure dives for example Night Diving, Wreck Diving, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Drift Diving, and Underwater Photography. There is no final exam or confined water sessions.

The course will be more of a practical dive experience, and certainly a fun dive!!! There will be a short knowledge review for each dive, that your dive will go through, and then you will dive under his instruction. The Advanced Open Water Diver is a great certification for the person who wants to gain their certification, in an ideal environment. Dive Andaman provides diving instruction and world class venues to access diving sites in the Andaman Islands, providing you with a platform to apply your new diving skills in a real environment. You can complete the course in just two to three days, making it ideal for a short trip or holiday in the Andaman Islands.

Here’s what a typical course includes:

• Deep Diving Techniques and Safety.
• Navigation Using a Compass and Natural Cues.
• Three Optional Adventure Dives tailored to your interests and location.
• Knowledge Reviews and Dive Briefings.
• Logbook and Certification Processing.

Why Take Your Advanced Course with Dive Andaman?

Selecting where to do your Advanced Open Water Diver course is as important as the Advanced Diver certification itself, and Dive Andaman offers the ideal location for this step in your scuba journey. Dive Andaman is a PADI dive center located in the heart of the Andaman Islands. We offer professional instruction, personalized training, and access to some of the best dive sites in India! The Andaman Islands are nothing short of spectacular, with warm, crystal clear water, abundant marine life, and a playground of coral reef; you would be hard pressed to find a nicer environment to put those new skills of deep diving, underwater navigation, and other specialty dives to the test in a real-world environment.

The instructors at Dive Andaman are all highly qualified professionals, all with a focus on safety and commitment to providing a positive experience for all divers whether you are diving off Havelock Island, Neil Island or anywhere else. Dive Andaman is committed to using high quality equipment and keeping safety a priority and you will get to see just how passionate we are about the ocean & its conservation. Dive Andaman is one of the best places you can choose in India to gain your Advanced Open Water Diver Certification.

What Sets Dive Andaman Apart:

• PADI-Certified Instructors with years of international experience
• Small group sizes for personalized attention
• Access to stunning dive sites around Havelock Island, Neil Island, and beyond
• Top-quality rental equipment and modern dive boats
• Courses conducted in multiple languages
• Supportive learning environment for all skill levels

When is the Best Time to Become an Advanced Diver in the Andamans?

The diving season in Andaman lasts typically from October to May, due to the best seasonal conditions providing calm seas, the best visibility, and an active display of color underwater. It is reasonably safe for both learners and advanced divers to hang out under the Indian Ocean. Regardless, Dive Andaman facilitates scuba diving anywhere, any month of the year, weather permitting. Dive Andaman can make amendments to the scuba diving plan according to local sea conditions, thereby maintaining a safety factor and making your dive on any particular day viable. Even in the low season, most dive sites will be left open to explore and dive when necessary, leaving flexible schedules, fewer crowds, and potentially more time with individual instructors. Diving with Dive Andaman can be the best choice of diving any time of year.

Take the Leap – Become an Advanced Diver Today

Your underwater experience doesn't need to end at the basics; instead, becoming an Advanced Diver allows you to dive deeper, stay longer, and get more in touch with what is truly possible under the ocean with more skills and safety awareness. The Advanced Open Water Diver course is made for people who want to build on their Open Water training and gain experience in a real-world environment that will take place during actual dives in multiple scuba diving environments. This course goes to the edge of your limits while staying within recreational diving guidelines. Under the supervision of certified dive professionals competent in advanced diving techniques, you will learn and practice advanced techniques in underwater navigation, deep diving, buoyancy control, and many more. 

Regardless of how you want to use the advanced qualification, whether night diving, wreck diving, or improving your underwater photography skills, the Advanced Open Water course is flexible and based around your interests. There isn't a better place to continue your diving education than in the Andaman Islands, with clear and pristine reefs, an enormous range of flora and fauna, and world-class dive sites everywhere. Whether you are seeking snorkeling adventures in the crystal clear waters of Havelock Island or the tranquil beauty of Neil Island, the possibility of unforgettable underwater adventures awaits you. 

When you choose to dive with Dive Andaman you are guided by a team of PADI-certified professional instructors who love to dive safely! Having better dive experiences through personal service, smaller groups, and quality equipment is their aim. If you are a newly certified diver looking to develop your skills or someone who has returned after a period away from diving- Dive Andaman can help you unlock new depths of dive experiences and dive more purposefully. When you choose Dive Andaman for your Advanced Open Water Diver certification, you are not only gaining a new qualification but also becoming part of a community of explorers who have deep commitment to exploring the ocean in the most meaningful way.