PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course (AOWD) – 2 days

Tenerife’s PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course is less about earning an intimidating title and more about becoming a steadier, more capable scuba diver. Over two days at Scubanana Dive Center in Radazul, you work through five training sessions that can include navigation, buoyancy control, deeper water, a wreck, and a night outing.

I like the small groups of no more than eight, since an instructor can watch your technique instead of simply leading you around. I also like that gear rental, learning materials, local taxes, and PADI fees are already covered. The main consideration is the price, $539.48 per person, plus the fact that insurance and photos cost extra.

Key points to know

• Five training sessions over two days: Expect a mix of required skills and specialty-style activities.
• Radazul as your base: You meet at Scubanana in Puerto Deportivo and return there at the end.
• Night and wreck training may be included: These sessions add variety beyond basic Open Water practice.
• Several instructors are praised by name: Pauline, Denis, Izaac, Fran, Giulia, and others are part of the teaching team.
• Equipment is supplied: You do not need to arrange a separate rental package.
• A small-group format: The maximum group size is eight people, useful when you are still building confidence.

What the two-day course is really designed to do

You do not need years of experience before taking this course. A PADI Open Water Diver or Junior Open Water Diver certification is enough, provided you are at least 12 years old and physically fit to take part.

The course gives you a chance to try several forms of scuba training without committing immediately to separate specialty courses. You practice new skills under an instructor’s supervision, record the sessions in your logbook, and learn how different conditions affect your planning and control.

That progression matters. Basic certification teaches you how to use your equipment and manage yourself underwater. The advanced course asks you to apply those skills with more purpose. Navigation requires you to pay attention to direction and distance. Buoyancy work asks for fine control of breathing and position. Night training changes how you orient yourself. A wreck session adds a new setting and new safety questions.

I would describe the course as a practical confidence builder rather than a formal test of athletic ability. You are not expected to arrive as an expert. You are expected to be certified, physically ready, and willing to listen carefully.

Starting at Scubanana in Radazul

Your meeting point is Scubanana Dive Center at Puerto Deportivo, Avenida Colón, number 1, in Radazul, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The listed start time is 9:00 a.m., and the activity finishes back at the same center.

That return to one base keeps the two days straightforward. You do not need to arrange your own equipment pickup or figure out several unrelated meeting points. The center is also near public transportation, which helps if you are staying nearby and do not have a car.

Radazul is useful as a training base because one of the underwater areas can be reached directly from the center. Other sessions may take you to sites along Tenerife’s east coast. This gives the course some variety without turning it into a complicated island-wide expedition.

The facilities have been described as clean and well organized, with equipment in excellent condition. That is not a minor detail. A tidy center makes it easier to check cylinders, arrange personal gear, and prepare mentally before entering the water. It also gives you a better place to ask questions between sessions.

Bring your logbook. It may seem obvious, but one participant specifically noted forgetting it as a mistake. You will want the course properly recorded, especially if you plan to use an Adventure Dive toward a later PADI Specialty course.

The five sessions and what each one adds

The exact order can vary with conditions and your instructor, but the course is built around five Adventure Dives. These are not simply sightseeing outings. Each session has a learning goal.

Navigation: learning to stay oriented

Navigation is one of the most useful parts of advanced training. It helps you understand where you are, where you came from, and how to return to a planned point without relying entirely on an instructor.

This session can feel more demanding than an easy recreational outing because you must divide your attention between direction, distance, equipment, and your buddy. That challenge is the point. Good navigation can make a future scuba trip calmer and more independent.

The small-group format is especially helpful here. If you make a mistake with direction or technique, an instructor has a better chance of seeing it and correcting it.

Buoyancy control: the skill that improves everything

Buoyancy work may sound basic, but it is often the difference between a relaxed session and one that feels tiring. Better control helps you maintain your position, use less effort, and avoid bumping the bottom or disturbing the area around you.

The course gives you time to focus on breathing, body position, and equipment adjustments. It is also an honest way to measure your progress. You may find that small changes make a noticeable difference.

This was one of the areas handled by instructors such as Giulia and Pauline, who were praised for helping participants improve their underwater buoyancy and navigation. The useful point for you is not the name alone. It is that the teaching team appears comfortable working on small technical details, not just leading a route.

Deeper water: extending your comfort zone

The deeper session lets you experience conditions beyond those used in basic certification. It is intended to build awareness and confidence, not encourage careless depth seeking.

Your instructor supervises the session and helps you understand how deeper water changes planning and personal response. You will need to stay alert to your air supply, your buddy, and the planned limits.

This is where a calm instructor matters. Fran was singled out for introducing participants to deeper-water skills as well as wreck and night training. If you are still new to scuba, expect the session to feel serious, but not necessarily intimidating. The course is designed to help you progress one step at a time.

Wreck exploration: a different kind of underwater setting

The wreck session adds visual interest, but it should also sharpen your awareness of hazards and boundaries. A wreck is not simply an underwater attraction. You need to listen carefully to instructions about where you may go and how to keep the experience safe.

The supplied information does not specify the particular wreck, so you should not book this expecting a named historic site or a certain type of vessel. What you can expect is a supervised introduction to wreck-oriented skills in Tenerife’s coastal waters.

For many people, this becomes one of the memorable parts of the course because it feels different from a standard reef or open-water route. It also shows why the course is useful: you are learning how to approach new environments rather than repeating the same basic session.

Night scuba: a test of calm and attention

A night session changes the character of the water. Your light becomes important, your visual range is reduced, and you must pay closer attention to the instructor and buddy.

The night outing is often the most unusual part of the five-session program. It is also the one I would treat with the most respect if you have limited experience. You should arrive rested, listen to the briefing, and be honest about your comfort level.

Fran guided one first-ever night session, while the center’s staff have also encouraged participants to continue with night training after the course. The atmosphere may be relaxed, but the training still depends on careful procedures.

The instructors and teaching style

Scubanana’s teaching team includes Pauline, Denis, Izaac, Fran, Giulia, Isaac, Benny, Henning, Laura, Carlos, Raquel, and others. You may not work with every instructor during a two-day course, but the range of names gives you an idea of the center’s broader staff.

Several instructors are repeatedly praised for being professional, calm, friendly, and safety focused. Pauline is described as enthusiastic and attentive to the details of training. Denis led an advanced course that included navigation, buoyancy, a wreck, and a night session. Izaac is noted for answering questions clearly and adapting to different ability levels.

That last point is important. A group of eight can still contain people with different amounts of experience. The center’s instructors are described as adjusting to varied levels and personal interests instead of treating everyone as identical.

The style seems relaxed without becoming casual about safety. You can expect a friendly atmosphere, but you should still prepare for briefings, equipment checks, and correction when a skill needs work. That is exactly what you want from a certification course.

Equipment, learning materials, and extra costs

The $539.48 price includes diving gear, learning materials, PADI fees, local taxes, and instruction. Having equipment included makes the price easier to judge, since you are not adding a separate rental bill for each day.

The center’s equipment is described as being in excellent condition, but personal fit still matters. One useful suggestion is to bring or buy your own mask if you plan to continue scuba. A poorly fitting mask can make an otherwise good session frustrating.

Insurance is not included. Photos are also extra. Those costs are easy to overlook when comparing prices, so add them to your budget before booking. The course price is not the lowest possible way to gain extra experience, but it covers the main training package and avoids the hassle of arranging gear separately.

You also need to consider the value of the small group. If an instructor can spend more time correcting your navigation or buoyancy, that may be worth more than choosing a cheaper, larger class. The price makes the most sense for someone who wants structured progress, not just a few casual underwater outings.

Who should book this course

This course suits you if you already hold a PADI Open Water Diver certification and want a clear next step. It is also appropriate for PADI Junior Open Water Divers aged 12 or older, according to the supplied requirements.

I would recommend it especially to:

• Newer certified divers who want more practice before independent recreational trips
• People curious about night or wreck scuba
• Divers who want focused work on buoyancy and navigation
• Families or friends progressing through courses at the same center
• Visitors staying near Radazul who prefer a fixed local base
• Anyone who values instruction and equipment being handled in one package

It may be less suitable if you want a purely sightseeing-focused outing with no formal skills work. This is a course, not simply a boat excursion. You will learn, practice, receive feedback, and log your sessions.

You also need to be in suitable physical condition. The center states that participants must be physically fit to scuba, and you must already be certified. If you have concerns about your health or recent experience, sort those out before booking rather than arriving unprepared.

Timing, flights, and cancellation details

The course begins at 9:00 a.m. and lasts about two days. Since scuba involves pressure changes, you should not scuba within 12 hours before a flight. Plan your final session accordingly, especially if this course is near the end of your Tenerife stay.

You receive confirmation when booking. Cancellation is free if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. A cancellation made within 24 hours is not refunded, and late changes are not accepted.

Those rules are fairly simple, but the flight restriction deserves more attention. Do not squeeze the final session into a narrow window before your airport departure. Give yourself a proper buffer and confirm your flight timing before selecting course dates.

Does the PADI Advanced Open Water course offer good value?

At $539.48 per person, this is a serious purchase, but the package includes the items that often create surprise costs: equipment, course materials, PADI fees, instruction, and local taxes.

The strongest value comes from the combination of five different training sessions and small groups. You are not repeating basic exercises for two days. You are trying navigation, buoyancy, deeper water, wreck work, and night scuba under supervision.

The price is harder to justify if you already have strong experience in all those areas and only want a casual outing. In that case, a standard recreational session might be enough. But if you want a recognized next qualification and structured practice, the package is more useful.

I also like the option for future progress. Each Adventure Dive may count toward the first dive of its matching PADI Specialty course. If you already hold a specialty certification, ask Scubanana whether the relevant credit applies to you. That can give the course value beyond these two days.

Should you book Scubanana in Radazul?

I would book this course if you already hold Open Water certification, want to improve practical skills, and like the idea of night and wreck training in a small group. The center offers a clear two-day structure, supplied gear, a fixed meeting point, and instructors who appear comfortable teaching both beginners at the advanced level and more experienced participants.

Before paying, confirm which five sessions are planned for your dates, ask what equipment will be supplied, and check whether you need separate insurance. Bring your logbook, allow enough time before flying, and consider using your own mask if fit is an issue.

Choose it for focused progress, not just sightseeing. If that is what you want, Scubanana’s course offers a sensible way to move beyond basic certification while exploring several sides of Tenerife’s underwater world.

FAQ

Where does the PADI Advanced Open Water course begin?

You meet at Scubanana Dive Center, Puerto Deportivo, Avenida Colón, number 1, 38109 Radazul, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.

What time does the course start?

The listed start time is 9:00 a.m.

How long does the course last?

The course lasts approximately two days.

Do I need an Open Water certification?

Yes. You must already be a certified Open Water Diver to take part.

What is the minimum age?

PADI Junior Open Water Divers can join from age 12, provided they meet the other course requirements.

How many people can join the course?

The maximum group size is eight participants.

Is scuba equipment included?

Yes. Diving gear, learning materials, PADI fees, local taxes, and instruction are included.

Are insurance and photos included?

No. Diving insurance and photos are not included in the listed price.