Five amazing adventure dives, including a deep dive and navigation, you’ll gain the freedom to explore new dive sites around the world—especially those that require experience beyond Open Water level.
Deep diving water course
The Advanced Open Water Diver certification opens the door to new adventures. With five exciting dives—including deep and navigation—you’ll gain the skills and freedom to explore dive sites beyond the Open Water level.
If you’re already an Adventure Diver, completing just two additional adventure dives is all it takes to earn your Advanced Open Water certification.
Know Your Course
Choose Your Adventure Dives
In the Advanced Open Water course, you complete five adventure dives. Two are fixed—Deep and Navigation—but the real fun comes from choosing the other three. You decide what excites you most, explore new skills, and prepare for future specialties.
Here is a summary of the four most popular adventures:
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Master your buoyancy, glide effortlessly, save energy, and protect marine life while improving control and comfort underwater.
Search and Recovery
Learn to find lost objects, use search patterns, and practice safe lift techniques for real underwater problem-solving.
Fish Identification
Spot, identify, and classify fish species, turning every dive into a fun marine biology adventure.
Underwater Photography
Capture the beauty of the ocean, practice framing, lighting, and techniques to take stunning photos beneath the surface.
Why Divers Call Us the Best Dive Shop in Playas del Coco
Short on time? Check Adventure Diver
A program even shorter to get a PADI license in just One day!
Check the details for the PADI Adventure Diver Course. Shorter than the PADI Advanced Open Water, this course still allows you to advance in the process of a full certification.
Earn your Adventure Diver license in Costa Rica in just one day with certified instructors, top-quality gear, and small groups.
Take a look at our Specialties
Once you complete your Advanced certification, you’ll already be halfway toward some PADI Specialty Courses. Why stop now? Keep building your skills in areas you love most.
PADI dive shop in Playas del Coco
As a certified PADI dive shop Life & Dive offers high-quality training, equipment, and service. From Open Water to Rescue Diver, we help you grow your skills while diving in one of the most beautiful areas in Central America.
The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course helps you build confidence, expand your diving skills, and explore deeper dive sites under the guidance of a PADI Instructor. It’s the next step after Open Water and allows you to dive down to 30 meters (100 feet) while discovering new underwater adventures in Costa Rica.
Yes — you need to be a PADI Open Water Diver (or hold an equivalent certification). The Advanced course is perfect for divers who want to gain more experience, improve buoyancy control, and explore new types of diving such as deep diving, navigation, or drift diving.
The course typically takes 2 days to complete. It includes five adventure dives: two core dives (Deep and Underwater Navigation) and three elective dives chosen based on your interests and local conditions.
With Life&Dive, you can choose from exciting adventure dives like:
Peak Performance Buoyancy – refine your control underwater
Drift Dive – experience diving in gentle ocean currents
Fish Identification – learn to recognize marine species
Digital Underwater Photography – capture your dives like a pro
Night Dive – explore the ocean after sunset (depending on conditions)
You’ll dive some of Costa Rica’s most beautiful and dynamic sites, such as:
Gulf of Papagayo – calm, scenic sites perfect for navigation and buoyancy training
Catalinas Islands – excellent for deep and drift dives, with rays and rich marine life
Local reefs – great for photography and marine ID dives
Life&Dive provides all scuba gear, including tanks, weights, and wetsuits. If you have your own dive computer or underwater camera, you’re welcome to bring it. Your instructor will help you get familiar with any new gear you use during the course.
Not at all! The course is designed to be fun and flexible. There are no classroom exams, just brief knowledge reviews before each dive. You’ll focus on hands-on learning, improving your confidence, and gaining more experience under professional supervision.
Once certified, you can:
Dive up to 30 meters (100 feet)
Join advanced dive trips and liveaboards worldwide
Continue your training with Rescue Diver or Specialty Courses like Nitrox or Photography
It’s the gateway to becoming a more capable and confident diver.
Because we combine top-level PADI instruction with Costa Rica’s incredible marine diversity. Our small groups, experienced instructors, and personalized approach ensure every dive is both safe and unforgettable. With Life&Dive, your training goes beyond skills — it’s about adventure, confidence, and connection with the ocean.