PADI Open Water course in Dahab: everything you need to know

There are two kinds of people who read this post. Those who have already decided they want to learn to scuba dive and are figuring out where to do it. And those who are still on the fence, wondering whether it’s worth it.

For the first group: Dahab is an excellent choice, and this post tells you exactly what to expect.

For the second group: learning to dive is one of those decisions you will not regret. The only question is where. Doing it in the Red Sea — warm water, 30+ meter visibility, coral reef from the very first dive — is not the same experience as doing it in a quarry in November. This post will help you decide.

What the PADI Open Water Diver certification is

The PADI Open Water Diver (OWD) is the world’s most widely recognised scuba diving certification. PADI — the Professional Association of Diving Instructors — is the largest recreational diving organisation on the planet, and the Open Water is their entry-level qualification.

What it gives you: the right to dive to 18 metres worldwide with a certified buddy at any dive centre on earth and join guided dives at any destination. It doesn’t expire. It’s yours permanently.

If you’ve ever wanted to explore a coral reef properly — not snorkelling on the surface but actually moving through it, neutrally buoyant, at depth — this is the certification that makes it possible.

How long does the course take in Dahab?

At Makara, the PADI Open Water takes 3 to 4 days, generally 3 days, depending on each student’s pace. We never rush it.

Day 1 — theory (which you’ll already be familiar with, as we’ll send you the PADI eLearning in advance) and your first confined water session. You’ll learn how to assemble your equipment, breathe through the regulator, clear your mask, retrieve your regulator, and begin to understand buoyancy. On our second dive of the day, we’ll do our first open water dive. This is the moment everything changes: the Red Sea water, the coral, the colorful fish. Your first real dive is a game-changer.

Day 2 — a bit more theory and a second confined water session. This time the exercises will be a little more demanding, but completing them will give us the necessary safety and confidence to fully enjoy our dives. The second session of the day will be in open water again, and this time we’ll reach a maximum depth of 12 meters.

Day 3 — two open water dives where you’ll practice all the skills we’ve covered in the course under real-world conditions: controlled ascents, equipment management, and basic navigation. This time we will be able to dive to the maximum depth of the course, 18 meters.

What’s included

• All theory sessions 
• All confined water and open water dive sessions with instructor
• Full equipment: BCD, regulator, wetsuit, mask, fins, dive computer, tanks and weights
• PADI eLearning access (we highly recommend to complete theory online before arriving)
• Digital PADI certification on completion
• eLearning course materials

Not included: dive insurance (strongly recommended — we’ll help you choose one).

Requirements

• Be over 15 years old (between 10 and 14 years old there is the PADI Junior Open Water, with the same dives but with some depth restrictions)
• Comfortable in water — not a fast swimmer, just at ease in the water. We ask to the student to be able to swim 200 meters in open water. 
• Good general health — you’ll fill in a medical form before the course
• No prior scuba or freediving experience required

Why Dahab specifically

Dahab has conditions that are genuinely well-suited to learning to dive — not just convenient, but actively helpful.

• Visibility. Learning to dive when you can see clearly is a very different experience from learning in murky water. In Dahab, visibility of 25–30 metres is normal. You can see your instructor, your buddy, the reef and everything around you at all times. It reduces anxiety and accelerates skill acquisition.
• No current. The sites where we run Open Water courses are protected from current. You can focus on your buoyancy and technique without fighting the water.
• Water temperature. Between 21°C and 29°C depending on the season. Comfortable enough to enjoy each dive, not just endure it.
• Marine life from day one. Your very first open water dive in Dahab will include more species of reef fish than you can count. That matters for motivation — and motivation matters for learning.
• Shore diving. Most sites are accessible directly from the beach. No waiting on a boat, no seasickness, more time actually diving.

PADI vs other certification systems

You’ll encounter PADI, SSI, NAUI and CMAS when researching dive courses. All are valid. We teach PADI for one practical reason: it’s the most universally recognised system worldwide. A PADI card will never raise an eyebrow at any dive centre on the planet. For recreational diving, that’s the only meaningful difference between systems.

What happens after the Open Water

The Open Water is the beginning, not the destination. Once certified, the next steps most divers consider:

• PADI Advanced Open Water (AOW): two days, extends your depth limit to 30 metres and adds skills in navigation, night diving and a choice of specialities. 
• Specialties: enriched air (Nitrox) and deep diving are the most common.
• Rescue: the course where you will learn everything about your own safety and others during diving. 
• Divemaster: the next step in your diving career where you will be able to guide other divers. 

Or just fun dives for fun.  We run guided dives to all of Dahab’s main sites for certified divers. The majority of Makara students who come for an Open Water course extend their stay. Dahab tends to have that effect.

Want to book your Open Water course? Send us a message on WhatsApp or use our contact form. We’ll confirm availability, answer any questions you have and help you plan your trip.