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So, you’ve completed your Open Water Diver certification — congratulations! Now you’re wondering what comes next. The good news is that your next step is one of the most exciting courses in recreational diving: the SSI Advanced Open Water Scuba course. In this article, we walk you through everything you can expect, from the digital learning right through to your final training dive.
Whether you plan to do your advanced open water scuba course here in Diani Beach, Kenya, or somewhere else in the world, the structure and content will be largely the same. So read on — by the end, you’ll know exactly what you’re signing up for.
First things first — let’s clear up a small point of confusion. If you’ve been browsing dive courses and noticed the name “Advanced Adventurer” floating around, don’t worry. That’s simply the old name for the same course. SSI recently updated the name to “Advanced Open Water Diver.” The change brings it in line with how other training agencies label their advanced-level courses. It makes it immediately clear where the certification sits in the training pathway. The content, however, remains the same.
In short, the SSI Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver course is a five-dive programme. It introduces you to a range of specialty diving areas. Think of it as a “try before you buy” experience — a chance to sample different types of diving before committing to full specialty training. Furthermore, any adventure dives you complete during the course can later count towards the matching specialty certifications, so nothing goes to waste.
The course is open to any certified Open Water Diver aged 12 and above. If you completed your Open Water course with PADI, BSAC, or another recognised agency rather than SSI, that’s absolutely fine. SSI accepts equivalent certifications, so you can simply pick up where you left off.
There is no minimum number of logged dives to start. That said, the more comfortable you are in the water, the more you’ll get out of the experience. Equally, if you haven’t dived in a while, it’s worth doing a quick skills refresh before you begin.
Here’s where things get genuinely interesting. Rather than following a fixed curriculum, the advanced open water scuba course gives you real flexibility when choosing your five adventure dives. Under the updated SSI course structure, Deep Diving and Navigation are now mandatory for all students. You then choose your remaining three dives from a wide range of specialty areas.
At Ocean Tribe in Diani, the available adventure dives — subject to local conditions — include:
There is genuinely something here for every type of diver. Consequently, most students find that choosing their three elective dives is one of the most enjoyable parts of the planning process.
Before you enter the water, you need to complete the digital learning component of the course. SSI’s online training system — accessible through the MySSI app — covers the key knowledge and safety concepts for each of your chosen specialty areas. Importantly, you can complete it in your hotel, at home before you travel, or on the beach the morning of your first dive.
The digital learning is not a passive experience. Throughout the modules, you complete short knowledge reviews to confirm your understanding before moving on. Far from being a chore, most students find it useful preparation. Your instructor then builds on everything covered during the in-water briefings.
At Ocean Tribe, the SSI Advanced Open Water Scuba course runs over three days, though you can condense it into two if your schedule is tight. Here’s how the days generally break down:
Day One: Orientation with your instructor, followed by two ocean training dives.
Day Two: Two further ocean training dives, building on the skills from the day before.
Day Three: Your fifth and final training dive, followed by a complimentary fun dive — no skills required, just pure enjoyment of the reef.
The structure is straightforward and well-paced. Moreover, every dive takes place at real dive sites rather than in a pool, so you train and explore at the same time. In Diani, that means coral gardens, sandy flats perfect for practising navigation, and of course the impressive Alpha Funguo wreck.
After completing the course, you earn the SSI Advanced Open Water Diver certification. This card is recognised worldwide. Crucially, it extends your maximum diving depth from 18 metres to 30 metres — opening up a huge range of dive sites that were previously out of reach.
Additionally, all five adventure dives from the course count towards future specialty certifications if you choose to pursue them in full later on.
When you do your advanced open water scuba course with us at Ocean Tribe in Diani Beach, your course fee covers:
In other words, all you need to bring is yourself, your enthusiasm, and your Open Water certification card.
Interestingly, yes — and it’s well worth knowing about. At Ocean Tribe, we offer an Advanced Open Water Alternative Package. This combines full Deep Diving, Navigation, and Enriched Air Nitrox specialty courses in the same timeframe. Rather than one advanced open water scuba certification, you walk away with three separate specialty cards. Furthermore, the Deep Diving specialty qualifies you to dive to 40 metres — a full 10 metres deeper than the standard advanced course. For divers who already know which areas interest them, this package often delivers better long-term value.
No — and this is an important point. The SSI Advanced Open Water course is entirely optional within the SSI training pathway. You can move directly from Open Water Diver to specialty courses, the Diver Stress & Rescue course, or even start working towards Divemaster without ever completing it. However, the advanced course is well worth doing. It broadens your experience across multiple disciplines, extends your depth to 30 metres, and helps you discover which specialties excite you most. Think of it as an efficient way to grow as a diver in a short space of time.
At Ocean Tribe, the course runs over three days. It includes five training dives plus one fun dive. If time is short, you can finish it in two days, though three is the better option for a relaxed and enjoyable experience.
You need to be at least 12 years old to join the SSI Advanced Open Water course. Students aged 12 to 14 have a maximum training depth of 21 metres on the deep dive, rather than the standard 30 metres.
No. Your course fee at Ocean Tribe covers all necessary dive equipment — BCD, regulator, wetsuit, mask, fins, weights, and tanks.
Yes. All five adventure dives count towards the matching full specialty certifications. For example, if you complete the wreck adventure dive now and later enrol on the full Wreck Diving specialty, that dive credits towards your certification.
No formal written exam exists for the SSI Advanced Open Water course. Short online knowledge reviews within the digital learning programme must be passed before moving on. These confirm you understand the key safety concepts before heading into the water.
Both sit at the same level and dive operators worldwide treat them as equivalent. Each qualifies you to dive to 30 metres with a buddy. The courses differ slightly in structure, but the certification carries the same weight across the industry.
Absolutely. Only the name has changed — not the course content. Your SSI Advanced Adventurer certification remains fully valid and globally recognised. Nothing about your qualification has changed.
The advanced open water scuba course is, without question, one of the most rewarding steps you can take as a new diver. In just a few days, you expand your depth range, build new skills, and grow your confidence underwater. In Diani Beach, you do all of that while diving some of the most spectacular reef and wreck sites on the Kenyan coast.
To book your SSI Advanced Open Water course with Ocean Tribe, head to oceantribe.co/book-diani-diving-online for an instant online discount. Alternatively, get in touch via WhatsApp and we’ll help you plan around your time in Diani.
The ocean is waiting — and at 30 metres, it’s even more spectacular.
Ocean Tribe Dive Team
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