Watch before you choose · 3:44
Advanced course on the reef
Underwater footage is illustrative. Marine life varies by site, season and conditions.
Choose your course
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Advanced
3 Day / 2 Night with Advanced Open Water
Departs every day except Tuesday
$1320*
*Goes up to $1395 for dates from 1 April
- PADI Advanced Open Water certification
- 5 training dives: navigation, night, deep and 2 electives
- Up to 11 dives on the outer reef, including 2 night dives
- Your PADI manual is issued at check-in. Read set chapters and do the knowledge reviews on board
- All gear hire included
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Advanced + Nitrox
3 Day / 2 Night with Advanced and Nitrox
Departs every day except Tuesday
$1525*
- PADI Advanced Open Water and Enriched Air (Nitrox) certifications
- Nitrox extends your dive time and reduces nitrogen build-up over multiple dives, ideal on a liveaboard
- PADI eLearning access within 24 hours of booking, so you can start before you travel
- Up to 11 dives on the outer reef, including 2 night dives
- All gear hire included, plus a dive torch
* Prices are per person in Australian dollars (AUD) and can change by date. Your booking shows the price for the date you choose.
Same boat, same dates This course runs on our 3 Day / 2 Night liveaboardSame boat, dates and cabins as the trip: up to 11 dives, departing every day except Tuesday.See the trip →Dates
Choose a date to see prices and spots left, then book.- Mon, 5 OctFrom $1320Check availability
- Mon, 5 OctFrom $1525Check availability
- Wed, 7 OctFrom $1320Check availability
- Wed, 7 OctFrom $1525Check availability
- Thu, 8 OctFrom $1320Check availability
- Thu, 8 OctFrom $1525Check availability
- Fri, 9 OctFrom $1320Check availability
- Fri, 9 OctFrom $1525Check availability
- Sat, 10 OctFrom $1320Check availability
- Sat, 10 OctFrom $1525Check availability
- Sun, 11 OctFrom $1320Check availability
- Sun, 11 OctFrom $1525Check availability
Prices are per person and can vary by date and option.
What you'll learn
- Deep divingGo beyond your 18-metre Open Water limit. With your instructor you dive to 30 metres, see how pressure and depth change colour, and learn to spot nitrogen narcosis.
- Night divingDive the reef after dark with your instructor, with a simple navigation exercise and a look at sleeping turtles, parrotfish and other night life.
- NavigationFind your way back to the boat using a compass and natural references.
- Two electivesPeak Performance Buoyancy is the standard elective on both courses. The others to choose from are Underwater Naturalist, Underwater Photography, Search and Recovery and Boat Diving.
A snapshot of different kinds of diving, ideal if you've just finished Open Water, and the usual starting point for courses like Rescue. Knowledge reviews for each dive, no written exam. Your remaining dives are pleasure dives, including a second night dive.
What’s included
- PADI certificationAdvanced Open Water, plus Enriched Air (Nitrox) on the combined course
- Course materialsAdvanced: PADI manual issued at check-in. Advanced + Nitrox: PADI eLearning and manuals. Already an Adventure Diver? Bring your own Advanced manual, or an extra charge applies.
- 3-day, 2-night outer reef liveaboardTwo nights on board, with bed linen (no bath towels)
- All meals on boardIncluded
- Up to 11 dives5 training dives and up to 6 pleasure dives, including 2 night dives
- Dive gear hireIncluding a dive computer and 5 mm wetsuit. Prescription masks too, if you need one.
- TransfersFrom Cairns city accommodation
Not included
- Flights and accommodationFlights to and from Cairns, and accommodation in Cairns.
- Reef levy and fuel levyPaid at check-in, per person. They’re set each year: see the current reef levy and fuel levy.
- Nitrox fillsNot included on the Advanced course. If you book the Advanced + Nitrox course, the nitrox fills for your nitrox dives are part of it.
- Camera hireNot available on board. If you choose the photography elective and want to hire a camera, book it before you sail.
- Dive medicalIf you need one.
- Travel and trip-cancellation insuranceNot included.
- Towels and toiletriesBring your own deck and bath towels, and toiletries.
- Northern Beaches pickups$25 each way, as far as Palm Cove.
Your three days on the Advanced course
- Day 1Out to the reef, navigation and night
5:45 am Free pickup from your Cairns city accommodation
6:15 am Check in at the Pro Dive Cairns retail shop
7:00 am Depart Cairns. Light breakfast on board, and time to start your knowledge reviews.
11:30 am Dive 1, a pleasure dive to settle in and refresh your skills
2:30 pm Dive 2
4:30 pm Training dive: navigation
7:30 pm Training dive: night dive with your instructor - Day 2Deep dive and electives
7:00 am Training dive: deep dive to 30 metres, before a hot breakfast
10:30 am Your first elective dive
3:00 pm Your second elective, or a pleasure dive
7:30 pm Second night dive - Day 3Last dives, back to Cairns
6:30 am Morning dive, finishing any remaining training dives
9:00 am Dive at the last site of the trip
11:00 am Your last dive. Sandwiches as the boat heads home.
4:00 pm Free transfer back to your accommodation
7:30 pm Optional farewell dinner with the crew and other passengers (extra cost)
On the Advanced + Nitrox course you watch a nitrox introduction on day 2, finish the knowledge reviews and nitrox exam after lunch, and dive on nitrox from then on. Times are a guide. The skipper changes the plan to suit the weather, tides and currents.
What you’ll see
Turtles, reef sharks and schooling fish year-round — and in winter, the chance to swim with dwarf minke whales.
Requirements
Certification
- PADI Open Water, or an equivalent certification from another agency. Not sure if yours is equivalent? Email us before you book.
- Your card must be seen by the crew at check-in. You can't dive without it.
Age
- Minimum age 12. Under-15s must be with a parent or guardian on the boat.
Medical
- Fill in the Continuing Education Student Diver Medical Declaration before the trip. Read about dive medicals.
- A "yes" answer means you need a dive medical certificate saying you're fit for recreational diver training.
Diabetes
- You need an up-to-date dive medical saying you're fit to dive with your condition.
- Diabetic divers are limited to 2 dives a day, with at least 2 hours between dives.
Before the trip
- Advanced + Nitrox: you'll get PADI eLearning access within 24 hours of booking. Start the coursework before you travel.
- Advanced: read the set chapters of your manual and do the knowledge reviews on board.
Dive training starts with the standard recreational diver medical questionnaire, the same wherever you train. What it involves, and when you need a doctor. Each trip operator’s own medical and waiver requirements are emailed with your booking confirmation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any experience beyond Open Water?
No. If you're an Open Water diver you can join, whether you have a handful of dives or hundreds.
Is there a written exam?
No. The Advanced course is all practical. You read set chapters of the manual and complete a knowledge review for each dive. On the Advanced + Nitrox course there's a short nitrox exam on board.
Should I add nitrox?
If you plan to do more liveaboards, yes. Nitrox lets you stay down longer and reduces nitrogen build-up over many dives. On this course you start the theory by eLearning and dive on nitrox from day 2. Just want nitrox? See the nitrox course.
How deep will I go?
Your deep training dive goes to 30 metres with your instructor. Most of the reef is shallower: sites range from 10 to 25 metres, and the best diving is usually between 10 and 15 metres.
Can my partner or friend come on the same trip?
Yes. They can join as a certified diver or snorkeller on the same boat and dates. While you do your training dives, a certified friend is buddied with another diver, and you can dive together on your pleasure dives.
How many students are there per instructor?
Standards allow no more than 8 students per instructor. Pro Dive usually runs 6 to 1 or better.
What are the cabins like?
Each boat has 14 twin-share bunk cabins and 2 double-bed cabins, at the same cost, and 8 shared bathrooms. Solo travellers share a twin cabin with another guest of the same gender. Every cabin has a 240 V power outlet.
What should I bring?
Your certification card and logbook, two towels, swimwear, casual clothes for three days, a long-sleeved top for the air-conditioning, something warm for the evenings, sunscreen and toiletries. Leave sleeping bags and bulky luggage behind.
When is the best time of year?
Any time. The water is 22–28 °C year-round.
Summer (Dec–Feb): about 29 °C, excellent visibility, generally calm
Autumn (Mar–May): 25–27 °C, good visibility
Winter (Jun–Aug): 22–24 °C, good visibility, minke whales
Spring (Sep–Nov): 25–27 °C, excellent visibility, coral spawning in November
Terms and conditions
- 3 Day / 2 Night with Advanced Open WaterRead the terms and conditions
- 3 Day / 2 Night with Advanced and NitroxRead the terms and conditions
