Open Water Diver
Course
Divers trained
Depth
18 m
Days
4
Level
Beginner
THE BEGINNING OF YOUR DIVEStory
Imagine your childhood dreams of growing fins and swimming like a fish coming true; that’s pretty much what the Open Water Diver Course feels like. It’s normal to be excited, nervous, or both…
THE BEGINNING OF YOUR DIVEStory
Imagine your childhood dreams of growing fins and swimming like a fish coming true; that’s pretty much what the Open Water Diver Course feels like. It’s normal to be excited, nervous, or both…
Open Water Diver 101
Learning to dive for the first time can feel huge. Designed for beginners, the SSI Open Water Diver Course builds your foundation in Scuba: Skills, Safety, and Buoyancy, so you feel ready and confident exploring depths up to 18 metres worldwide. Your instructor will walk you through everything at your pace, make sure you’re comfortable, and celebrate every tiny win with you. Just a heads-up: you’ll need basic swimming skills and medical fitness to dive safely. Read more in the Essentials tab.
And because you’re learning in calm, clear waters, the Andaman Sea does half the welcoming on its own. By the time you finish the course, you won’t just know how to dive, you’ll feel like a fish in the Ocean!
Duration
Minimum 4 Days
Minimum Age
10 Years
Dives
Minimum 4, with a chance of bonus dives!
Open Water Diver 101
Prerequisites:
- Finishing reading your course material is mandatory BEFORE you arrive
- Take a mandatory water fitness evaluation, which means:
- Swimming 200 metres unaided, or 300 metres with Mask, Fins, & Snorkel
- Floating / Treading for 10 minutes
Knowing how to swim is a prerequisite as per Global standards for dive training. But, you don’t need to be a pro-level swimmer. Comfort in water & curiosity about the Ocean gets you halfway there!
Medical Form:
Before you dive, you’ll need to fill out a medical questionnaire. It is a self-check of your eligibility to dive.
If you do need a doctor’s clearance, we will guide you through it! Download the form now.
Age Limitations:
- The minimum age to unlock your Diver superpower is 10. You’ll be certified as a Junior OWD (same course, safer depth limits)!
- Anyone above 15 years of age will be awarded the standard OWD certification.
Price:
- ₹33,000 per person, all inclusive
Open Water Diver 101
- We’ve got the essentials covered – study material, instructor charges, gear, training dives, certification, snacks & beverages on all dive days, and taxes.
- Travel, meals, & stay are additional expenses.
- Also included: your lifetime supply of DIVETales!
Open Water Diver 101
Can I do the course in 3 days?
- Can you? Maybe yes. Should you? We think not. We like our coffee brewed slowly and our divers trained thoroughly!
- If you have an itinerary crunch, we can help split your course across Pool Training at one of our city centres and the training dives in the Andamans.
- Sounds complicated? It’s not. We’ll explain when you talk to us.
My mum wants to see footage from my course. Can I rent a GoPro for that?
- Not during training dives. Focus first, footage later.
- If you ace your skills, it is at your Instructor’s discretion to let you use a GoPro / any underwater camera on Day 4.
What if I have to cancel my trip? Do I get any refund?
- Here are the not-so-fun details:
- Cancel one month prior, and you get a full refund.
- Two weeks prior? 50% refund.
- Less than a week? No refund, unfortunately.
- That said, life loves plot twists and we get it! Talk to us and we’ll figure the best possible solution.
How much time do I spend on this per day?
- Plan to spend the first half of the day with us & the Ocean
- There will be debriefing / theory sessions as well. Scheduled per mutual convenience of the student & the Instructor.
What do I pack for a dive trip?
- Bring the basics: a quick-dry towel, sun-protective clothing, sunglasses, and a reusable water bottle.
- Missed the basics? We have a DIVEShop – our retail store – which takes care of most diving essentials
- As for sunscreen, use reef-safe ones, BUT they aren’t exactly diver-friendly. Ask a diver friend why. Or, us 🙂
Where do I access my course material?
- On the SSI App – your forever dive buddy. Available on Android & iOS. Phones & tablets. Or even a good ol’ browser.
- Theory, logs, certifications cards…this is your diver flex app, essentially!
What is the Student-to-Instructor ratio for the course?
- 4:1. 4 students. 1 instructor.
- That means more attention, fewer flailing fins, and plenty of time for feedback where it matters most.
- But that doesn’t mean we won’t do the course with fewer students. There is always a batch finning!
ITINERARY
*Footnote: On Days 1 & 2, you could earn bonus dives at no added costs. How? Your comfort, skill levels & your Instructor decide.
*Footnote to the Footnote: No promises though 
What after OWD? AOWD? Or…?
AOWD is just one path. Dive deeper into specialty courses, or just fun dive until you’re ready for the next step!
What if my course doesn’t finish?
Course hit the pause button? Happens. Talk to us, we’ll help figure how to hit play again!
Off the Dive Boat? Hit the Road!
Trails to explore. Critters to observe. Beaches to get lost in. Post-dive shenanigans will tell you why we call these Islands home.
Ready to Dive In?
Stories That
Fuel Our Dive Days
Every first dive. Every smile. Every breakthrough. You are what makes us DIVEIndia.
SAHIL LOKHANDWALA
instructor, 2012
PUSHKARRAJ MEHTA
Open water Certification, 2015
RAJIV SHAHI
Open water Certification, 2015
