PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course
Traveler rating
5.0/5
Based on 78 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course worth booking?
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course is a 48-hour experience in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, from $457 per person. It scores 79 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 5/5 rating across 78 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 79 / 100
- Rating
- 5/5 (78)
- Duration
- 48 hours
- From
- $457 per person
Take your diving skills to the next level in the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea with our Advanced PADI course—combining thrilling adventure dives like deep and navigation with expert guidance in one of the world’s most vibrant underwater ecosystems.
What you get
About this experience
Take your diving skills to the next level in the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea with our Advanced PADI course—combining thrilling adventure dives like deep and navigation with expert guidance in one of the world’s most vibrant underwater ecosystems.
What's included
Included
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- Use of SCUBA equipment
- Government fees
- PADI e-learning
- Tea and coffee
Not included
- Check dive
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 15 minutes before departure.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- de, ar, ru, en, it
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 4 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Pyramids Diving Center
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 78 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
3 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
2 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Photo opportunities
2 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Organization
2 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Good for families
2 mentionsReviewers traveling with kids report it landed well with their group.
Traveler reviews
78 verified traveler reviews for PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Scuba sharm el sheik
It was a beautiful site with the moat amazing views and we were super looked after would 100% recommend it ! Mohamed Abd Elkarim Was my instructor and he was patient kind and super helpful!
Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the beautiful underwater scenery in Sharm El Sheikh and felt so well looked after throughout your experience! A special thank you for mentioning Mohamed Abd Elkarim. We’re happy that his patience, kindness, and support made your dive so memorable. We’ll be sure to share your lovely feedback with him! Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to welcome you back for more amazing Red Sea adventures!
via Tripadvisor
AMAZING DIVE
We stayed at the Steinburger Alcazar in Sharm el sheikh, I met with Salah and discussed the advanced open water course, I can not fail him at all he was informative and talked me through it all. He explained what I will need to do to complete the course. I had to take a refresher dive due to having a years gap, NOW let me say I have dived in egpyt 8 times and everytime was very much the same at dive center just sign this let's go to the boat, Here at pyramid they was througher had the usual paper work then additional paper work and questions to test our knowledge I was surprised and relived as I saw how professional they wjere and took diver safety very very seriously My course Instructor was Champs he was brilliant from start to finish. We did 2 beach 2 boat dives and 3 beach dives . I should have jad 3 boat dives but due to suffering with sun stroke I couldn't make the 3rd boat dive . BUT this was a sign as on my deep dive from the beach we had a beautiful encounter with a dolphin swimming along side us no more than 5 meters away. What a way to complte you Advaned Open Water. Will definitely be back here to dive with champs and the team again.
Response from the operator: Thank you so much for this amazing review! We’re delighted to hear that you appreciated our professionalism, thorough preparation, and commitment to diver safety. Your trust means a lot to us! A special thank you for your kind words about Salah and your instructor, Shams. We’ll be sure to share your feedback with them. And what an incredible way to complete your Advanced Open Water course — a beautiful dolphin encounter just 5 meters away! What an unforgettable Red Sea memory! We’re sorry to hear that sunstroke prevented you from completing your final boat dive, and we hope you’re feeling much better now. We can’t wait to welcome you back to Pyramids Diving Center for more amazing underwater adventures with Champs and the team!
via Tripadvisor
Perfect 😃
I highly recommend the Pyramid diving center. I had the pleasure of taking the Advanced course with Khaled Gamal as my instructor; he was very professional, cheerful, and personable. He explained every aspect and showed me many interesting sites over two days of diving. I felt truly safe under his guidance and easily completed every stage of the course. I also dove one day with Maher—who was very cheerful and had a great sense of humor—and another day with Motez, enjoying some fantastic dives at the Thistlegorm wreck. Then there was Maria, who guided us through every stage of our trip from the very first contact; she ensured excellent communication and dive planning, and oversaw all the logistics. She was available at any time of day, even while on vacation, and kept me constantly updated on everything. I highly recommend Pyramid—total professionalism! 😘 Thank you so much; I will definitely be back. 🐟
Response from the operator: Thank you so much for this incredible and detailed review! It means a lot to our entire team to know that you enjoyed your diving experience with us. A special thank you for your wonderful words about Khaled Gamal, Maher, Motez, and Maria! We’re delighted that Khaled made you feel safe and confident throughout your Advanced course, and that you enjoyed exploring so many amazing dive sites, including the legendary Thistlegorm. We’re also very happy to hear that you appreciated the organization, communication, and attention to detail throughout your stay. We’ll make sure your kind words reach the whole team! Thank you for choosing Pyramids Diving Center and for recommending us so highly. We’ll be looking forward to welcoming you back to the Red Sea for many more unforgettable dives!
via Tripadvisor
Unreal! Just a heads up to everyone!
So let me start by saying beforehand that the diving itself, instructors, transport and everything was very good! Honestly Sharif, Ahmed, Khaled, Shamz, Hamdi, Mina, all the guys are all brilliant and made the diving experience one of the best you could ask for (too many names to list)! I can’t fault the diving one bit, we are looking forward to coming back to do more diving in the future! The bad thing which we experienced, was the medical side which led to a full wasted day of diving/holiday. For context my partner is on prescription medication. We had checked beforehand about the need for her to do a medical. Based on our information the medication was absolutely fine. We show up to day 1 of the diving course (OW for her) and she has to go and do a medical as the dive instructor thought it best (fair enough, safety first). I go do my refresher unbeknownst to me that she is doing a medical or any of what I am about to say is happening. She goes to the doctors, waits a while, then gets told that the medication she is on is fine for diving (brilliant you’d think, back to the centre and let’s go diving). Well… the doctor states that whilst she is there “might as well get a medical” which is a bit strange really (€35 by the way payable only on site not even at the dive centre). She does all this for the doctor tell that “she looks skinny” and that the course would be structured in a way which is suitable for her (something with less currents). Which is a bit odd because you get children 12+ doing the course. She gets back to the dive centre and by this time it is 1200, to be then told that it is too late to start the course. So essentially it is a full day of diving wasted. I only got in for 1200 after my second refresher dive to find this out. To which I am obviously very frustrated about. I had organised something for her birthday which I had to cancel as we were now having to finish the diving on the day of her birthday. We have spoken to the sales department about this for the future. We honestly hope that this information gets passed on, and that Pyramids learns and grows from it. It is a good diving centre, the dives they offer are really good, and I can’t stress how good the staff are! We are just wanting others to be prepared for this beforehand, so that no part of their holiday is wasted/disrupted, and that they don’t get disappointed when they show up to be told about this stuff. If you are on medication either get a medical beforehand, or when speaking to the sales guys explain the situation. It’ll make your whole trip a lot less stressful and anxious! Happy diving 🤿 Attached are some photos and videos of us diving in and about the Red Sea with some strong currents (apparently skinny and not strong enough for the currents by the way)
Response from the operator: Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a detailed and honest review. We’re truly happy to hear that you enjoyed the diving and that Sharif, Ahmed, Khaled, Shams, Hamdi, Mina, and the rest of our team made your diving experience so enjoyable. We’ll definitely pass your kind words on to them! At the same time, we are very sorry that the medical procedure caused such a frustrating and unexpected disruption to your first day and your partner’s birthday plans. We completely understand your disappointment, especially as you had contacted us in advance and were trying to clarify the medication requirements. Safety is always our first priority, but we also understand that the process should be communicated clearly before arrival, so guests can plan their holiday without unexpected delays. Your feedback has been shared with our sales and diving teams so we can improve how we handle and communicate medical requirements in the future. Thank you again for your constructive feedback and for recognizing the work of our team despite this issue. We’re very happy that you still had a great diving experience overall, and we sincerely hope to welcome you both back to the Red Sea for more dives — hopefully with a much smoother experience from the very beginning!
via Tripadvisor
Amazing!!!
Had a very fun time doing my advanced open water course with Khaled. Very supportive and friendly and funny instructor. Enjoyed adventures underwater
Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your amazing review! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a fun and memorable Advanced Open Water course with Khaled. Khaled will be so happy to know that his support, friendly personality, and sense of humour made your underwater adventures even more enjoyable! We hope to see you back in the Red Sea for many more adventures!
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 48 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 27
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Why this scores 79
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Sharm el Sheikh.
How much does PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course cost?
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Prices start at $457 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Sharm el Sheikh usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course take?
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Plan for about 48 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Sharm el Sheikh is not rushed.
Is PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 79 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (5/5 across 78 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Sharm el Sheikh, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 48-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course?
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Around 27 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Sharm el Sheikh can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Sharm el Sheikh and add a light layer if any part of the 48-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Sharm el Sheikh within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Sharm el Sheikh?
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On Outty we rank every Sharm el Sheikh experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Sharm El sheikh Safari ATV Quad with Camel Ride & hotel transfer, Sharm El Sheikh: Ras Mohammed Snorkeling, Allah Gate & Magic Lake, Sharm El-Sheikh: Ultimate ATV Quad, Stargazing & BBQ Dinner. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Sharm el Sheikh?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Sharm el Sheikh?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course?
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Included: Private transportation; Bottled water; Use of SCUBA equipment; Government fees; and PADI e-learning. Not included: Check dive. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 7 listed pickup locations in and around Sharm el Sheikh. Be ready about 15 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course offered in?
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It is offered in German, Arabic, Russian, English and Italian. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Not recommended for pregnant travelers. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course if the weather is bad?
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It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Sharm el Sheikh. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
What do travelers say about PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course?
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Across 78 reviews averaging 5.0 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, photo opportunities. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
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