SSI Open Water Diver Course in Koh Tao

The Open Water Diver course is the first full scuba certification, qualifying you to dive independently to a maximum depth of 18 metres worldwide. At DPM Diving in Koh Tao, the course runs over three days and is delivered under the SSI (Scuba Schools International) agency, resulting in an internationally recognised lifetime certification. The course structure covers three components: digital theory completed before or during the course, confined-water skill sessions in shallow water to practise breathing underwater, buoyancy control, mask clearing and equipment handling, and four open-water dives in the Gulf of Thailand where skills are applied at depth.

Koh Tao offers clear, warm water with visibility typically between 10 and 25 metres, making it well suited to entry-level training. DPM Diving includes full equipment in the course fee — wetsuit, BCD, regulator, mask, fins and dive computer — so no prior equipment purchase is necessary. All courses are run by certified SSI instructors.

A standard SSI medical statement is completed before water entry; participants with pre-existing cardiac or respiratory conditions should consult a doctor before enrolling, as required by SSI standards. On completion, your SSI Open Water certification is registered in the SSI Digital system and valid globally for life, with no renewal required. Once certified, you can dive with any operator worldwide to the Open Water depth limit of 18 metres.