[Eco Tour] Advanced PADI Open Water & Enriched Air Course | Cairns
- True liveaboard experience with a fully PADI qualified instructor dive crew
- Join an ECO Advanced Certified experience, committed to the long-term conservation of The Great Barrier Reef
- Dive with the highest safety standards in the world; with safety as the number one priority, there is no safer place to dive in the world
Package Options
Water Activities
| Water activity type | Diving, Diving certification class |
Product Info
Get ready to take the next step in your diving certification and prepare for thrilling underwater adventures with the PADI Advanced Open Water and Nitrox course provided by Pro Dive Cairns!
Pro Dive Cairns is a high standard operator with an ECO Advanced Certification and is committed to the long-term conservation of The Great Barrier Reef. Together with their professional crew, you'll be able to further your diving skills while making minimal impact on your dashing underwater surroundings.
The theory component of the courses begins pre-trip. Within 24 hours of your booking, you'll receive details on how to use the online PADI eLearning portal and begin your course. Here you'll read and watch prerequisite content and perform a final knowledge review. By completing the theory component before your trip, you'll be able to maximize the number of possible nitrox and pleasure dives!
The course consists of eleven dives, of which five are training dives to practice theory. The theory section can also be completed on board, as there are no formal classroom or pool training sessions involved. The involved theory requires you to read the PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox) and Advanced Open Water manuals and complete their relevant knowledge reviews before doing the related training dives.
The courses are designed to allow maximum enjoyment of your liveaboard experience while still having ample time set aside to complete the knowledge reviews throughout the trip.
During these PADI dive courses, you'll have access to a selection of 19 beautiful outer reef dive sites on four magnificent reefs: Flynn, Thetford, Milln, and Pellowe Reef. With dives carefully spread out throughout the day, you'll get to encounter an astonishing variety of marine life, including giant clams, sea turtles, stingrays, reef sharks, an unbelievable variety of tropical fish, and spectacular coral formations. And by adding night dives to the mix, you'll discover a whole new dimension of nocturnal marine life!
Relax between dives in the comfort provided on a premium Scubapro dive vessel. This liveaboard dive vessel features air-conditioned twin bunk beds or double bed cabins, spacious decks, Wi-Fi, and catered meals. Because the vessel carries a small number of passengers, the crew can offer a high-quality, personal experience with dedicated attention, making sure you get to enjoy a special experience that you'll never forget!
— Vessel Amenities —
- Free Wi-Fi
- Air-conditioned cabins and saloon
- 14 twin bunk bed cabins and 2 double bed cabins (inform us of your preference on the Requests & Remarks section while booking)
- All bedding supplied
- Freshly prepared meals
- Hot freshwater showers
- Spacious dive and sundeck
- Twin 240v power outlets in each cabin
— Food and Drinks —
- Fully catered, buffet style, freshly prepared meals
- Unlimited tea, coffee, and Milo
- A limited range of different dietary requirements can be catered for; please inform your preferences in the Requests & Remarks section while booking
- Gluten intolerant or vegan guests are recommended to bring snacks that don't require refrigeration
- No bottled water is kept onboard; personal drink bottles and filtered chilled water is available
- Soft drinks, fruit juice, and chocolate bars are available at an additional cost
The Double Cabin
The Twin Share Cabin
What You Can Expect
1 Day
- 06:20Check in at the Pro Dive Cairns retail shop
- 07:00Depart Cairns for 3 days and 2 nights of fantastic diving/snorkeling on The Great Barrier Reef. A light breakfast is served on board
- Time to work on knowledge reviews for the Advanced Open Water and Nitrox diving courses
- 11:00Your first dive! A dive guide will be offered to the divers who have not dived in a while. This is an opportunity for you to acclimatize to the diving conditions, fine-tune your skills, or refresh your skills if it has been some time since your last dive
- 12:30Recharge with a hearty lunch
- 14:30Peak Performance Buoyancy exercise
- 16:30Take part in a navigation dive to practice your underwater navigation skills
- 18:00Enjoy a delightful dinner
- 19:45Enjoy a thrilling night dive
2 Day
- 07:00Get ready for a deep dive!
- 09:00Breakfast time followed by the Nitrox introduction video
- 11:15Expand your skills with the Underwater Naturalist course that will have you identifying marine life
- 12:45Recharge with a colorful, hearty lunch
- 15:15Enjoy some underwater photography
- 17:45Relax and enjoy dinner
- 19:30Enjoy your second night dive
3 Day
- 06:30Enjoy a pleasure dive in the morning, or take the opportunity to finish any uncompleted training dives
- 07:30Breakfast
- 09:00Explore the 10th diving area
- 11:00Enjoy the last dive of the trip with a pleasure dive
- 12:00Indulge in an energizing lunch
- 16:00Make use of the complimentary return transfer
- 19:30Join fellow passengers and the crew at a local restaurant for a farewell dinner (optional, with additional cost)
Purchase Notice
_Fuel Surcharge Notice_
- Due to rising fuel costs in Australia, a fuel surcharge will apply to all new bookings made from 30 March 2026 for travel from 1 April 2026 onward.
- The surcharge is $25.00 per person
- The surcharge is payable at check-in on the day of travel
- Make sure to bring:
- Clothing
- Swimwear
- Warm clothes for the evening
- Two towels (ocean/shower)
- Sun hat
- Sunscreen
- Toiletries
- Certification card (certified divers)
- Seasickness medication
- Alcoholic beverages if you'd like to drink in the evening
- Shoes aren't necessary!
- A correctly filled in medical certificate, which can be found here - A pre-requisite for this course is to have a PADI Open Water certificate or equivalent from another training agency
Includes/Excludes
Reminders
Some medical conditions may prevent you from diving. You will be required to fill in a medical certificate for diving before commencing the course; if you answer "yes" to any of the questions on the "Continuing Education Student Diver Medical Declaration" (https://prodivecairns.com/pdf/continuing_student_medical.pdf), you might not be able to take part in the course. This must be valid within 12 months of commencing the course
Please note that you will be required to show proof of a PADI Open Water certification or equivalent from another dive organization
How to Redeem Your Voucher
How to Use Your Voucher
- Please present the e-voucher on-site
Validity Period
- The voucher must be used on the selected date and within operating hours; Invalid after expiration
Experience Location
Location Name: Pro Dive Cairns Store
Address: Cnr Shields Street &, Grafton St, Cairns City QLD 4870, AustraliaCancellation Policy
- Cancellations 3 day(s) (inclusive) before the selected date are allowed. Unused orders can be canceled for free
- Cancellation is not allowed between 0–2 days from the selected date. Orders cannot be canceled or modified, and refunds will not be granted.
- Due to time zone differences, the confirmed cancellation date is based on the supplier’s local time. Please allow 2–5 business days to process your cancellation request, after which the cancellation fee will be charged according to the product’s cancellation policy. Once the cancellation is confirmed, you will receive your refund within 14 working days.
FAQ
The Advanced PADI Open Water Course typically spans three days as a liveaboard experience. Each day involves multiple dives and instructional sessions. Mornings usually start with dives focusing on specific adventure dives like deep diving or navigation. Afternoons include further dives and theory briefings, often followed by night dives on some evenings. The schedule is designed to maximize in-water time for practical skill development and exploration of the Great Barrier Reef.
Participants will enhance their diving proficiency through five specialized Adventure Dives. These typically include Deep Dive and Underwater Navigation, which are mandatory. Other options might involve Night Dive, Peak Performance Buoyancy, or Wreck Diving. The course focuses on improving buoyancy control, navigation techniques, deep dive planning, and environmental awareness, expanding your confidence and experience in varied diving conditions and deeper waters.
The certification fees generally cover comprehensive instruction from PADI qualified instructors, required course materials, essential diving equipment (tanks, weights), and the PADI Advanced Open Water certification card upon successful completion. For this specific course, the fees also include the liveaboard accommodation, all meals during the trip, and dive boat transfers, providing a complete and immersive learning experience without hidden extras for the core components.
The PADI Open Water Course establishes fundamental diving skills, allowing you to dive independently to a maximum depth of 18 meters. The Advanced Open Water Course builds upon this foundation, allowing divers to explore new types of diving, deepen their skills, and increase their certified depth limit to 30 meters. It introduces specialized adventure dives and focuses on practical experience rather than extensive classroom theory, enhancing confidence and expanding diving possibilities.
Combining these courses provides a significant enhancement to diving capabilities. The Advanced Open Water certification expands your depth limits and introduces specialized skills, while the Enriched Air (Nitrox) certification allows for longer bottom times and shorter surface intervals compared to diving with regular air. This combination enables divers to explore more extensively, safely extend their underwater adventures, and potentially reduce post-dive fatigue, making for a more efficient and enjoyable diving experience.
The 3-day liveaboard experience offers continuous immersion in the diving environment. Participants stay on a dedicated dive vessel, enjoying comfortable cabins and freshly prepared meals onboard. Days are structured around multiple dives, including day and night dives, interspersed with PADI instruction and briefings. This setup minimizes travel time to dive sites, maximizes underwater exploration, and fosters a strong camaraderie among fellow divers and instructors, creating a truly memorable and focused learning journey.
This course is part of an ECO Advanced Certified experience, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. It actively participates in the long-term conservation of the Great Barrier Reef through responsible diving practices and educational initiatives. Divers learn about marine ecosystems, coral reef protection, and sustainable tourism during their training, fostering a deep respect for the ocean and empowering them to become advocates for marine conservation through example and knowledge.
Participant safety is the highest priority throughout the Advanced PADI Open Water Course. The experience adheres to the highest safety standards in the world, with a fully PADI qualified instructor dive crew always supervising activities. Protocols include thorough pre-dive briefings, buddy system enforcement, regular equipment checks, and strict adherence to dive tables and computer limits. Emergency oxygen and first aid equipment are readily available on the liveaboard vessel, ensuring a secure and responsible diving environment.
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