Advanced Open Water Course – Advanced Certification in Tulamben

Tulamben’s Advanced Open Water course combines practical training with some of Bali’s most memorable underwater sites. Over two days, you’ll complete five sessions: one to 30 meters, one focused on navigation, and three specialties chosen with your instructor. The course is less classroom-heavy than your first certification, so most of your learning happens in the water.

I like the small maximum group of five, which gives your instructor room to watch your buoyancy, compass work, and comfort level. I also like that the price includes the full equipment package, from mask and fins to wetsuit and regulator. The main consideration is that this is a serious skills course, not simply a sightseeing package. You need an Open Water certificate and a moderate level of fitness, and one instructor advised that strong basic skills matter.

Key points

• Five training sessions over two days: Complete one deep session, one navigation session, and three specialties you choose with your instructor.
• Reach 30 meters: Learn how to plan a deeper underwater outing and understand the physical effects of greater depth.
• Tulamben’s wreck and reef sites: Depending on your selected specialties and schedule, you might visit the Liberty wreck, Kuba Wreck, Coral Garden, or the underwater wall.
• Full equipment included: Masks, fins, buoyancy jacket, regulator, instruments, wetsuit, and weights are supplied.
• Instructors receive strong praise: Yogi, Theo, Budi, Chocky, Marlene, and other staff members are specifically noted for patient, careful instruction.
• Convenient base: The center has showers, toilets, lockers, changing space, Wi-Fi, and a warung, with rooms and bungalows available separately.

What the Tulamben Advanced Course Actually Teaches

An Advanced Open Water certificate is best understood as a guided step beyond basic certification. You are not becoming a professional instructor in two days. You are learning how to handle new situations with more planning, control, and calm while a certified instructor supervises you.

The theory load is lighter than the Open Water course. That makes sense. You already know the basic equipment, underwater communication, and safety rules. The emphasis now shifts to applying those skills in unfamiliar conditions, at greater depth, and while handling a specific task.

You complete five sessions in all. The deep and navigation sessions are required. The remaining three come from a menu of specialties, allowing you to shape the course around your interests.

Possible choices include underwater photography, buoyancy control, fish identification, wreck exploration, and other adventure subjects. The exact combination should be settled with your instructor, since site conditions and your experience level affect what works best.

I appreciate this format because it lets you test different directions without committing to a full specialty certification. You might discover that careful buoyancy work interests you more than taking pictures, or that wreck exploration is exciting but not your ideal focus.

The First Session: Preparing for Greater Depth

The deep session is the technical heart of the course. You’ll learn how to plan an outing to 30 meters, or about 100 feet, and discuss the physical effects of increased depth.

This is not simply a matter of descending farther. Your instructor works with you on the challenges that come with greater depth, including planning and awareness of how your body and equipment respond. The goal is to help you make sensible decisions before and during the session.

For a newly certified Open Water diver, this can be a useful confidence builder. You gain experience under supervision instead of trying to figure out deeper conditions on your own later.

Still, the 30-meter qualification does not mean every future outing to that depth will feel easy. Your comfort depends on conditions, buoyancy, air use, experience, and the operator supervising you. I would treat this certification as permission to continue learning, not as proof that you are ready for every advanced site.

One practical point matters here: the course description calls for moderate physical fitness. You should be comfortable handling standard scuba equipment and managing a full training day. If your basic skills feel shaky, tell the instructor at the start. One of the instructors praised by customers was described as experienced but better suited to students with solid fundamentals.

Underwater Navigation With Compass and Landmarks

Navigation training refines skills that are easy to neglect after an Open Water course. You’ll practice compass use, count kick cycles, work with elapsed time, and use visual landmarks to understand where you are and where you are going.

That combination is more useful than relying on a guide to lead you from point to point. A good sense of direction helps you stay with your group, manage your air more intelligently, and return to a planned location with less guesswork.

The session also gives you a chance to see how small errors grow underwater. A slightly wrong heading or an inaccurate kick count can put you well away from your intended point. Your instructor can help you correct those habits in a controlled setting.

This is one part of the course I would take seriously even if your main goal is wreck exploration or marine-life photography. Navigation may not produce the most dramatic photographs, but it is one of the skills that makes later independent outings more relaxed and better organized.

Choosing Three Specialties That Fit You

The three elective sessions are where you can make the course feel personal. You choose from a range of adventure subjects with your instructor rather than following one fixed program for every participant.

If you like photography, you can work on handling a camera without losing track of buoyancy or your group. If you prefer marine life, fish identification can sharpen your attention to the animals around you. Buoyancy control is a practical choice for almost everyone, since better trim and breathing control help conserve air and avoid contact with the reef.

Wreck exploration is another appealing option in Tulamben. The area is associated with the Liberty wreck, and customers also enjoyed the Kuba Wreck. Wreck sessions can add a sense of purpose to your underwater route, though they require you to stay alert to depth, position, and your instructor’s limits.

A night session appears in several accounts of the course and was a particular highlight for some participants. It can reveal marine life you would not notice during daylight, but it also asks more of your basic skills. If you choose it, I would make sure you are already comfortable with your equipment and communication before sunset.

The exact three specialties are not listed as a guaranteed fixed combination, so confirm your choices with the center. Site conditions, instructor availability, and your existing experience may shape the final plan.

Tulamben’s Wrecks, Coral Garden, and Wall

Tulamben gives this certification more character than a swimming-pool-only course. The underwater settings mentioned for the area include the Liberty wreck, the Kuba Wreck, Coral Garden, and an underwater natural wall.

The Liberty is the major attraction for many people taking the course. Its wreck structure gives you something memorable to explore while practicing buoyancy, navigation, or wreck-related skills. The drawback is that it can be busy, with many other underwater groups in the same area. That may reduce the quiet, private feeling you hope for, particularly at popular times.

The Kuba Wreck offers another wreck setting and was singled out as a favorite by one participant. Coral Garden provides a different kind of outing, with more emphasis on reef scenery and marine life rather than a large artificial structure. The wall adds a change in underwater topography and gives the instructor another setting for skill work.

Marine life can include turtles, eels, squid, barracudas, and other animals. Sightings are never guaranteed, but the instructors are used to looking carefully and may help you notice creatures you would swim past on your own.

I like this mix of training and location. You are not completing repetitive exercises in an empty area. At the same time, you should remember that the course’s main purpose is education. Your attention will sometimes be on a compass, depth gauge, or body position instead of the scenery.

How the Two Days Usually Feel

The course lasts about two days, with five training sessions spread across that period. The schedule is arranged by the center and instructor, so the precise order can change.

You should expect a briefing before each session. This is where the instructor explains the objective, equipment, route, communication, and safety points. Several instructors, including Yogi, Theo, Budi, and Chocky, were praised for making these explanations clear and keeping the atmosphere relaxed.

The small group limit matters here. With no more than five participants, the instructor has a reasonable chance to observe each person rather than simply leading a large line. That does not remove the need for you to speak up. Tell the instructor if you are cold, anxious, struggling with buoyancy, or unsure about a task.

Between sessions, the center provides practical facilities: a toilet, shower, locker, changing room, and Wi-Fi. A warung on site sells food and drinks, although those costs are separate from the course price.

The course ends back at the same meeting point, Dive Concepts Tulamben on Jalan Raya Singaraja. The center is listed as open daily from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, giving you a broad operating window, but confirm your exact start time after booking.

Equipment, Accommodation, and Extra Costs

At $335.99 per person, the price is strong for a two-day certification that includes an instructor and a complete equipment setup. You do not need to buy or pack a personal kit. The supplied gear includes a mask, snorkel, fins, buoyancy control jacket, regulator, other instruments, wetsuit, and weight belt.

That is particularly useful if you are traveling around Bali and do not want to carry bulky equipment. It also lowers the cost of trying advanced skills before deciding which equipment, if any, you want to purchase later.

The price does not include food, drinks, accommodation, or digital photographs and videos. The on-site warung makes meals convenient, but you should budget separately. Dormitory rooms and bungalows are available at the center, yet they are not part of this package, so ask about rates and availability if you want to stay close to the training area.

Photos and videos can be purchased after the course. I would treat these as optional souvenirs rather than part of the value calculation. The real value is the supervised practice, the certification, the equipment, and the chance to work at recognized Tulamben sites.

Instructor Style and Confidence in the Water

Instructor quality is a major strength of this course. Specific staff members receiving praise include Yogi, Theo, Budi, Chocky, and Marlene. Descriptions of their teaching consistently emphasize care, patience, clear briefings, humor, and attention to safety.

That variety also tells you something practical: ask who will lead your sessions when you book, especially if language or teaching style matters to you. English instruction is available, and one participant specifically completed the course in English.

A calm instructor can make a real difference during navigation or a first session at greater depth. Theo was described as attentive and reassuring, while Budi was praised for making the course easy to understand and comfortable. Chocky was noted for being patient, professional, and funny.

The friendly atmosphere should not be mistaken for a casual approach to safety. You still need to arrive with reliable basic skills. If you have only just completed Open Water certification, this course can follow immediately, but you should be honest about your comfort in the water.

The provider has a very strong overall rating of 4.9 from 127 ratings, with 98 percent recommending the experience. Those figures support the center’s reputation, but they should not replace your own judgment about fitness, conditions, and readiness for deeper training.

Who Should Book This Course?

I would recommend it to an Open Water certified person who wants structured practice rather than simply adding more recreational outings. It suits you if you want to try several specialties, learn navigation properly, and gain supervised experience at greater depth.

It is also a good fit if you are traveling light. The full equipment package removes a common hassle, and the on-site facilities make the two-day schedule easier to manage.

This may not be right for you if you want a relaxed sightseeing session with no exercises. You should also think twice if your basic buoyancy, equipment handling, or underwater communication needs work. The course is designed to build confidence, but it still assumes you can manage the fundamentals.

Bad weather can affect the schedule. If conditions force a cancellation, you will be offered another date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the experience begins. Cancellations or changes inside that window are not refunded or accepted.

Should You Book the Tulamben Advanced Course?

Book it if you want a reasonably priced, equipment-inclusive route to Advanced Open Water certification in a place with wrecks, reef sites, and varied underwater settings. The maximum group of five and the repeated praise for instructors such as Yogi, Theo, Budi, and Chocky add meaningful value.

Before paying, confirm your instructor, the three specialties you want, the accommodation cost if needed, and the expected schedule. Go in ready to learn, not just to collect a certificate. If your Open Water skills are solid and you want to reach 30 meters with proper supervision, this is a practical next step.

FAQ

Do I need an Open Water certificate first?

Yes. You must already hold an Open Water certification before starting this Advanced Open Water course.

How long does the course last?

The course takes approximately two days.

How many training sessions are included?

You complete five training sessions: one deep session, one underwater navigation session, and three sessions in specialties you choose.

How deep can I qualify to go?

The course trains you to reach 100 feet, or 30 meters, under the conditions and limits appropriate to your certification and future outings.

What specialties can I choose?

Available options include underwater photography, buoyancy control, fish identification, and wreck exploration. The full selection and final combination should be planned with your instructor.

Is scuba equipment included?

Yes. The package includes a mask, snorkel, fins, buoyancy control jacket, regulator, other instruments, wetsuit, and weight belt.

Are meals included?

No. Food and drinks from the warung at the center cost extra.

Is accommodation included?

No. Dormitory rooms and bungalows are available at the center, but accommodation is not included in the course price.

Where does the course start and finish?

You meet at Dive Concepts Tulamben, Jalan Raya Singaraja, Tulamben, Kubu, Karangasem, Bali. The activity finishes back at the same meeting point.

Can I buy photos or videos?

Yes. Digital souvenir photos and videos are available to purchase after the course, but they are not included in the price.