Bali: 2-Day PADI Advanced Open Water Course

Bali’s underwater classroom is hard to beat. This two-day PADI Advanced Open Water course combines formal skills training with five ocean sessions at Padang Bai Blue Lagoon and Tulamben’s USAT Liberty shipwreck. I especially like the small group limit of two participants, which should give you plenty of direct time with the instructor, and the fact that equipment, meals, transport, marine fees, and PADI materials are included.

The course also has strong practical value for the $339 price. You get three ocean sessions on the first day, two more on the second, and training in deeper descents, navigation, buoyancy, wreck exploration, and other specialties. The main consideration is the pace: hotel pickup starts early, both days can run until about 5:30 PM, and you must already hold a PADI Open Water certification.

Key points to know before booking

• Five ocean sessions in two days: Three at Padang Bai Blue Lagoon, followed by two at Tulamben’s USAT Liberty.
• Smallest possible group: The course is limited to two participants, useful when you need close coaching with navigation and buoyancy.
• Open Water certification required: Bring your PADI Open Water card or certification proof.
• Several skills are covered: Deep training and underwater navigation are mandatory, with boat, wreck, buoyancy, naturalist, and search-and-recovery options included in the course program.
• Pickup covers major south Bali areas: Transport is included from Nusa Dua, Jimbaran Beach, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, and Sanur.
• Good package value: The fee includes rental equipment, lunch, marine park charges, boat and porter fees, refreshments, instruction, and PADI materials.

What the $339 course gives you

At first glance, $339 may look like a normal two-day activity price. Look closer and the package is doing a lot of work for you. It includes hotel transport, rental equipment, marine park entry, boat and porter fees, lunch, water, tea, coffee, an English or Indonesian instructor, and PADI course materials and certifications.

That matters in Bali, where extra charges can quickly turn a modest booking into a more expensive day. Here, the fee covers the main costs connected with both sites. You still need to bring personal items such as swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, a hat, and a change of clothes, but you are not expected to assemble the technical equipment yourself.

I also like the two-person group limit. Underwater training is not the place for a crowded group and rushed instructions. Navigation, buoyancy control, and safe work at greater depth all improve when your instructor can watch closely and respond quickly. The small format should also make it easier to ask questions without holding up a large group.

The five ocean sessions are another major reason the price makes sense. This is not a classroom course with one brief practical test. You spend both days applying the skills in the sea, at two different sites with different character.

Day one at Padang Bai Blue Lagoon

Your first morning begins at the dive center with registration, paperwork, and equipment preparation. The team loads the vehicles before heading toward Padang Bai. Pickup is generally between 7:00 and 7:15 AM from Nusa Dua, Jimbaran Beach, Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak. From Sanur, pickup is listed between 7:30 and 7:45 AM.

Plan to wait in your hotel lobby about 10 minutes before the stated time. The schedule is early, but that is useful here. You want enough daylight and energy for three ocean sessions, and a late start would make an already full day feel even tighter.

Padang Bai Blue Lagoon is the setting for all three sessions on day one. The course uses this location to build your skills under an instructor’s supervision rather than treating the qualification as a simple checklist. Your instructor helps you work through the required techniques and the specialty sessions selected for the course.

The mandatory components are a Deep Adventure Dive and an Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive. The program also includes boat use, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Underwater Naturalist, Search and Recovery, and Wreck Diving. The exact order of those activities is not specified, so your instructor may arrange them around conditions and the needs of the group.

The deeper session is important because it introduces the planning and control needed when you go beyond basic Open Water limits. It is not simply about descending farther. You need to manage your equipment, monitor yourself, and follow the instructor’s directions carefully.

Navigation training has equal practical value. Underwater, distance and direction can be surprisingly difficult to judge. A course session devoted to navigation gives you a chance to practice staying oriented instead of relying entirely on a guide to lead you back.

Buoyancy work is less dramatic, but it may be the most useful skill of all. Better control means less unnecessary effort, a calmer experience, and less disturbance to the bottom. The Peak Performance Buoyancy component is aimed at helping you improve that control through practice.

After three sessions, you return to the dive center for lunch and light refreshments. Water, tea, and coffee are also provided. That pause is welcome because day one is active, and you will want time to eat, change, and rest before the next morning.

The drawback is the workload. Three ocean sessions in one day can be tiring, especially if you are new to longer training days. I would treat the evening as recovery time rather than planning a late-night meal, show, or long trip across Bali.

Day two and the USAT Liberty

The second day takes you to Tulamben for two ocean sessions at the USAT Liberty. This is the course’s most distinctive setting. The Liberty is a shipwreck, so the site gives the Wreck Diving portion a real sense of place rather than reducing it to a practice exercise in open water.

You do not need to be an experienced wreck specialist to take part, since this course is designed for people who already hold PADI Open Water certification. Still, wreck work requires careful attention to the instructor’s guidance. The value here is learning how to approach a wreck as a structured training site, with awareness of position, surroundings, and safe movement.

Two sessions at the Liberty also make the second day less crowded than the first. You have time to apply what you worked on at Padang Bai without trying to fit three ocean sessions into the schedule. The course remains full, but the rhythm should be more manageable.

The boat component adds another useful skill. Boat procedures are different from simply entering the water from shore, and learning that part within a guided course helps you become more comfortable with the practical side of organized scuba trips. Boat and porter fees are included, so you are not left sorting out those costs on site.

The course ends after the two Tulamben sessions and the return journey. Drop-off is listed at about 5:30 PM. Since both days involve early pickup and a full return schedule, keep your evening plans flexible.

The training you will complete

This is an advanced-level PADI course for Open Water-certified participants, not an introduction to scuba. You should arrive ready to handle basic equipment and water procedures, while the instructor adds new skills and specialty experiences.

The listed course elements include:

• Deep Dive: Practice for going deeper under proper instruction.
• Underwater Navigation: Work on direction, orientation, and route awareness.
• Boat Dive: Learn procedures connected with boat-based ocean sessions.
• Peak Performance Buoyancy: Improve control and reduce unnecessary movement.
• Underwater Naturalist: Observe the underwater environment with more attention.
• Search and Recovery: Practice a structured search process and recovery task.
• Wreck Diving: Use the USAT Liberty as a supervised wreck-training site.

The first two are mandatory, while the other items are part of the course options and certification program described for this experience. Ask the provider before departure how the individual sessions will be assigned and recorded, especially if you have a preference among the specialty activities.

The inclusion of PADI materials and certifications is useful for your records and future training. Bring your PADI Open Water certification with you. Without that proof, you cannot participate in this course.

Transport, meals, and what to pack

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included from Nusa Dua, Jimbaran Beach, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, and Sanur. That removes one of the more annoying Bali planning tasks: arranging early transport to a dive center and then finding your way home after a long day.

The pickup window is not identical for every area. Most listed locations are scheduled around 7:00 to 7:15 AM, while Sanur is around 7:30 to 7:45 AM. Another general note gives the pickup period as 7:00 to 7:30 AM, so check your exact hotel time when booking.

Bring:

• Swimwear
• A towel
• A change of clothes
• Sunscreen
• A hat

Rental equipment is included, along with lunch and drinks at the dive center. The supplied information does not specify the lunch menu, so bring any special food you require rather than assuming a particular option will be available.

The course is offered in English and Indonesian. That gives you a practical choice when communicating with the instructor. If you have concerns about terminology or safety instructions, choose the language in which you can respond most clearly.

Who will get the most from this course

This experience suits you if you already have PADI Open Water certification and want structured practice instead of simply hiring equipment for casual ocean sessions. It is especially useful if you want to improve navigation and buoyancy or gain supervised experience at greater depth and around a wreck.

The two-person group is a strong fit for anyone who prefers direct instruction. It also helps if you are returning to scuba after time away and want more personal support while rebuilding confidence.

The course may be less suitable if you want a slow, relaxed sightseeing day. The first day contains three ocean sessions, and both days begin early. You should be comfortable with a full schedule and ready to follow an instructor’s timing.

Participants must be at least 12 years old. Pregnant people and anyone with heart or respiratory problems should not book this activity. If you have a medical concern not covered by that short list, obtain appropriate medical advice before making a reservation.

What past bookings suggest about the service

The available feedback is limited, but it is strongly positive. Marcello from Switzerland rated the experience five out of five and praised the value and the team. That matches the package itself: a small group, five ocean sessions, transport, equipment, food, fees, and certification materials are all bundled into one price.

Vaclav from the United Kingdom also gave five out of five, highlighting communication, flexibility, and service. Those comments are useful because scuba plans sometimes need adjustment around personal requests. The provider is Bali Diving, and the course is led by an experienced instructor in English or Indonesian.

Two positive ratings cannot answer every question about the experience, so I would still confirm the exact pickup point, session order, and certification paperwork before departure. But the praise for communication is encouraging, especially when your schedule depends on an early hotel collection.

Booking advice and cancellation flexibility

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which is helpful if your Bali plans are not fully fixed.

The sensible approach is to book once you know you can protect both course days. A missed morning pickup would affect the training schedule, and squeezing this course between tightly timed excursions would leave little room for delays.

FAQ

Do I need a PADI Open Water certification?

Yes. You must already hold PADI Open Water certification and bring proof of it with you.

How many ocean sessions are included?

The course includes five ocean sessions. You complete three at Padang Bai Blue Lagoon on the first day and two at Tulamben’s USAT Liberty on the second day.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off are included from Nusa Dua, Jimbaran Beach, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, and Sanur.

What time is hotel pickup?

Pickup is generally between 7:00 and 7:30 AM. The listed times are about 7:00 to 7:15 AM for Nusa Dua, Jimbaran Beach, Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak, and about 7:30 to 7:45 AM for Sanur.

What is included in the $339 price?

The price includes equipment rental, an experienced instructor, PADI materials and certifications, marine park fees, boat and porter fees, lunch, water, tea, coffee, and hotel transport from the listed areas.

Who cannot participate?

The course is not suitable for pregnant people or people with heart or respiratory problems. Participants must also be at least 12 years old and hold PADI Open Water certification.

Should you book the Bali Advanced Open Water course?

I would book this course if you want a serious two-day step beyond basic certification, particularly if navigation, buoyancy, deeper water, boat procedures, and wreck work are on your list. The combination of Padang Bai and the USAT Liberty gives the course useful variety, while the two-person limit keeps the instruction personal.

I would skip it if you want a light activity with a late start or if you are not ready for three ocean sessions on the first day. For a certified participant who can handle the schedule, the $339 package offers a strong balance of instruction, memorable sites, and included costs. Just bring your certification card, arrive early, pack a towel and dry clothes, and leave your evenings free.