PADI Open Water Diver Course in Nusa Penida, Bali (2026)

By Blaise Jaeger — PADI Master Scuba Diver, based in Nusa Penida · Updated July 2026

The PADI Open Water Diver course

The PADI Open Water Diver course is recognized everywhere in the world as the first level of autonomous diving. Learning to dive is an incredible experience. Join us and get your PADI Open Water certification at the Dune Penida dive centre in Nusa Penida!

You’ll take your first breath underwater and never forget the feeling. Beyond that discovery, you’ll learn everything needed for your comfort and safety to become a certified diver. Ready to explore the underwater world?

Your PADI Open Water Diver course

It starts at home, like a teaser for your holiday

Your PADI Open Water course with Dune Penida starts at home, like a teaser for your holiday. Thanks to e-learning, you begin learning the theoretical basics of scuba diving before you even arrive.

The e-learning is an electronic presentation of the 5 chapters of the course, including knowledge reviews and a final exam. Easy to access, it lets you travel light with the knowledge required for the PADI Open Water course. As you progress through the sections, your underwater dream starts to take shape before you even leave.

Once you arrive in Nusa Penida, final exam completed

The PADI Open Water course with Dune Penida includes three main phases, under the supervision of your instructor:

1. First, building your theoretical knowledge around the basic principles of scuba diving — revising and deepening what you learned with e-learning.
2. Then 5 dives in the pool to learn the basic techniques.
3. Finally 4 dives at sea, on the dive sites of Nusa Penida — where you’ll use your new skills to start exploring the seabed!

A 3-day course

Your instructor accompanies you throughout these 3 full days, making sure you have time to absorb the knowledge properly. You practise the exercises at your own pace until you feel completely comfortable.

Dune Penida diving instructors

Dune Penida’s instructors are professional and passionate. Trained around Bali and the Nusa Penida archipelago, they know the dive sites and the environment perfectly — and all of them speak English.

You’ll meet them on the boat, where they’re happy to share experiences, advice or simply a good time. Buraq 3 is a boat dedicated to good times and friendly exchanges between divers — whatever their level, as long as there’s a smile!

PADI Open Water Diver e-learning

E-learning at home

The e-learning is presented in chapters and sub-sections that you can download in full or by part. It covers all the theory needed for scuba diving, with text, several videos and a mini-exam in each section.

The PADI Open Water e-learning ends with a final exam validating that you’ve absorbed the required knowledge. Getting this done before you land in Nusa Penida means you’ll enjoy your course even more — and free up time to make the most of the island and your holiday.

Knowledge review in Nusa Penida

After you arrive at the centre, we fill out the administrative and medical forms together, then run a quick review to confirm your knowledge and work through any less obvious concepts.

This is the first of many discussions between you and your instructor. They’ll help you deepen your knowledge, discover the world of diving, and define your goals for the course. The theory stays present during every moment on the surface, and each of your questions gets answered over the next 3 days.

Educational material

All the material required for the PADI Open Water course is provided by the dive centre. On top of the diving equipment, you’ll have teaching aids on site such as submersible slates, plus safety equipment and all the logistics for relaxed learning in an idyllic setting.

Practise your new skills in the pool

After the PADI Open Water theory, it’s time to head to the swimming pool and breathe underwater for the first time!

You’ll gradually learn to combine pleasure and safety during your training dives. First you get familiar with the diving equipment in the shallow part of the pool.

The 3-metre deep pool

Then you move into the 3-metre deep pool to learn to control yourself underwater and equalize your ears in a reassuring environment. You follow your instructor’s demonstrations, first in shallow water and then in the deeper part of the pool.

The pool day ends with a mini “fun” dive — enough to put you in real conditions and approach your sea dives calmly. You progress at your own pace and interact with your instructor, practising the techniques until you feel completely comfortable for your dives at sea the next day.

4 dives in Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida’s dive sites are wonderfully varied, so you can make the most of every dive to learn and have a good time. You’ll put your new skills to use over two mornings at sea, through surface and underwater exercises already practised in the pool.

Each dive is a chance to learn, practise and live your own underwater exploration. On the exploratory part of each dive, the rich marine life of Nusa Penida will amaze you. Every day, your instructor suggests different dives depending on conditions and the exercises to do — always aiming to reach the learning goals in a simple, safe way.

The first dive

On your first dive, we focus on the feeling of being at sea. You start putting into practice the good habits from your e-learning, developing them with your instructor. As the dives go on, you become more and more comfortable in this brand-new environment.

By your fourth dive, you’ll learn to plan and brief your own dive in a buddy team — your first almost-autonomous scuba dive. Your instructor is still there to guide and accompany you, so you enjoy a safe dive at the same time.

Memorable dives

Beyond earning a certification, the goal is to make your dives memorable — a dive with manta rays at Manta Point, or a dive with a Mola Mola at Crystal Bay, for example! To learn more, read our guide to diving in Bali and Nusa Penida.

Who should take this PADI Open Water course?

Always wanted to learn to scuba dive, experience an unparalleled adventure and see the world beneath the waves? This is where it starts. Get your scuba diving certification with the PADI Open Water Diver course — the world’s most popular and widely recognized scuba course. Millions of people have learned to dive and gone on to explore the underwater world through it.

To enrol in a PADI Open Water Diver course (or Junior Open Water Diver course), you must be 10 years or older. You need to be able to swim (a short swim test is part of the course) and in good physical health. No prior scuba experience is required — though you can also start with a discovery dive.

Some people get their Open Water certification as a couple, with friends, or even between mother and daughter — it stays a highlight for all of them!

What scuba gear will you use?

On the PADI Open Water Diver course, you learn to use basic scuba gear, including a mask, snorkel, fins, regulator, buoyancy control device and a tank.

All equipment at the Dune Penida dive centre is maintained by qualified staff, and all the required safety equipment is also on board the boat.

Top-of-the-class facilities

You’ll use the excellent facilities of the Dune Penida dive centre in Nusa Penida:

• a classroom for indoor sessions;
• a shallow pool to get familiar with the equipment;
• a 3-metre deep pool to practise the basic exercises in a reassuring but realistic environment before diving at sea.

Enjoy a unique location

The Dune Penida dive centre offers one of the most beautiful views in Nusa Penida — over the Lembongan Strait, Mount Agung and Bali in the distance. Its 3-metre-deep infinity pool is a must for training, and for admiring the sunset. So after your pool session or your sea dive, treat yourself to a drink or dinner by the pool!

Open Water “plus”: open the doors to more diving

During your Open Water course, we teach you all the techniques you need for comfort and to dive safely.

In some parts of the world — often far away, or on a diving cruise — it’s better to breathe an oxygen-enriched gas called Nitrox, sometimes even required by local regulations. This extra oxygen pushes the limits of diving, increases safety, and for some reduces fatigue. Even without going to the ends of the earth, it’s perfect for making the most of weekends and holidays dedicated to your new hobby.

The Nitrox course

Alongside your theory training, the EANx (Nitrox) course lets you deepen your knowledge — first on using your dive instruments, mainly your computer, and also on gas exchange, which is essential when planning your dives.

This training is also based on faster e-learning, followed by a theory discussion with your instructor. It’s a great moment to discover the logistics of scuba diving, such as tank management and the daily work of our team in the warm atmosphere of the equipment room. It ends on your fourth open-water dive, with your first Nitrox exploration dive.

Once certified, no dive site around the world is off-limits. It’s also the best possible way to enter the world of diving — proud of what you’ve achieved, curious and impatient for your next discoveries.

How much does the PADI Open Water course cost?

A PADI Open Water Diver course at Dune Penida costs around 6.8 million rupiah per person (about €355). The price generally includes:

• the e-learning course
• the pool dives and the 4 recreational sea dives with an experienced dive instructor
• rental of complete equipment (ScubaPro BCD, 5 mm wetsuit, boots, mask, fins, weight belt, 12-litre aluminium tank)
• transport to the Nusa Penida dive sites by speedboat, with oxygen, radios and safety equipment on board
• PADI insurance
• a snack on board: tea, coffee and fresh fruit salad
• the PADI certification

Book your Open Water course

Most divers book a few days ahead directly on WhatsApp. Message Roy at Dune Penida with your dates and questions — he’ll confirm availability, send you the e-learning to start at home, and organize your 3 days on the island.

Learn to dive with Roy

Roy is an Indonesian dive instructor at Dune Penida who certifies new Open Water divers all year round and knows exactly how to make the course relaxed and safe. Not sure you’re ready, or have questions about the swim test, the 3 days or the e-learning? Message Roy directly — he’ll guide you and book your course.

Ask Roy on WhatsApp

Read some reviews from other divers!

Dune Penida has around 2,000 reviews from divers around the world, across Google, TripAdvisor and more. Read them and contact us with any questions — it’s always a pleasure to chat with divers. Here are a few recent reviews from Open Water students:

Diving course

My brother and I did our diving course here with the instructor Chaca. It was a FANTASTIC, SPECTACULAR AND MIND-BLOWING experience that I will recommend to everyone. I had the best time diving and got to explore and see several aquatic creatures. Our instructor, Chaca, was the best. She was so so friendly and supportive and taught us everything so well. She was very patient with us and made the whole experience extremely comfortable. Ananya

Had an incredible experience start to finish!

The admins were so helpful when booking, sending us all our e-learning to complete the open water after booking last minute. The center itself is great with amazing views and our instructor Chaca was fantastic. She was always helpful, clear and made it such a fun experience! As for the dives we were taken to great spots and finally got to see mantas at Manta Point. All round couldn’t recommend enough, thank you so much Dune! Florence

Open Water in Nusa Penida

I just spent 3 days learning how to dive to get my Open Water certificate and it was a magical experience. The sites were incredible and our instructor Paul was very attentive and celebrated all our wins! I will definitely recommend this place to my friends and family, thank you for such an unforgettable experience! Celine

Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses

My friend and I took the OW and AOW courses with Ilham and Karl. They were both super patient and really engaging to learn from. Ilham is really good at relieving the pressure and anxiety of new divers, making the whole experience a fun adventure. Karl is so informative and always calm, correcting things patiently and giving a detailed briefing before each dive. I can’t recommend Dune enough for anyone who wants to learn to scuba dive. Sophie

Thanks a lot Dune Penida team

Completed my open water here. It was a very memorable and fun experience. All the instructors and staff were great, friendly and helpful. Will definitely book Dune again when I come back to Penida. Claudia

FAQ — PADI Open Water course in Nusa Penida

How long does the PADI Open Water course take?

Three full days on the island, plus the e-learning theory you complete at home beforehand. On site you’ll do a knowledge review, 5 pool dives and 4 sea dives around Nusa Penida.

How much does the Open Water course cost in Nusa Penida?

Around 6.8 million rupiah per person (about €355), including the e-learning, pool dives, 4 sea dives, full equipment, boat transport, PADI insurance and the PADI certification.

Do you need to know how to swim?

Yes. Unlike a discovery dive, the Open Water certification requires you to be able to swim — a short swim test is part of the course — and to be in good physical health.

What age can you start the Open Water course?

From 10 years old (as a PADI Junior Open Water Diver for younger teens). No prior scuba experience is needed.

What’s the difference between a discovery dive and the Open Water course?

A discovery dive is a one-day guided taster with no certification and no need to swim. The Open Water course takes 3 days, includes a swim test, and certifies you to dive independently worldwide down to 18 metres.

Can you see manta rays during the Open Water course?

Often, yes. Your 4 training dives are on real Nusa Penida sites, and instructors regularly take students to Manta Point — many of our reviews mention seeing mantas and turtles during the course.

Plan your trip to Nusa Penida

To plan the rest of your stay, explore our complete travel guide to Nusa Penida and our Nusa Penida diving guide. Not ready to certify yet? Start with a discovery dive. And to choose your training sites, see the best dive sites around Nusa Penida.

About this guide

This guide was created by Blaise Jaeger together with Roy, dive instructor at Dune Penida. Blaise discovered Nusa Penida in 2015 and opened the island’s first PADI dive centre in 2017 (created as Warnakali, now Dune Penida); he is a PADI Master Scuba Diver with more than 700 logged dives. Roy is a PADI dive instructor at Dune Penida who certifies Open Water divers year-round. Together, our goal is to give you accurate, first-hand information so you can safely learn to dive in Nusa Penida.