So, you’ve fallen in love with diving (welcome to the club), and now you're wondering: What’s next? Maybe you're fresh off your Open Water Diver course, or maybe you're already an Advanced Diver hungry for more skills and confidence underwater.
The beauty of diving is that there’s always something new to explore. Specialty courses let you tailor your underwater journey to what excites you most!
Let’s break down some popular options to help you pick your next specialty:
1. Peak Performance Buoyancy (PPB): Because No One Likes a Reef-Kicker
If we had a baht for every diver who said “I wish I felt more in control underwater…” - we’d own a liveaboard by now,ahaha!
The PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Course is hands-down the most recommended specialty, especially right after your Open Water.
You’ll fine-tune your trim, weight distribution, and breathing to move effortlessly like a sea ninja. Plus, your air consumption and confidence will skyrocket.
🔹 Prerequisite: PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
🔹 Perfect for: Everyone! Especially newer divers or photographers
2. Underwater Navigation: So You Stop Relying on That One Diver Who “Knows the Way”
Ever surfaced and realized the boat was waaaay over there? Yeah, us too.
With the Underwater Navigator course, you’ll master compass skills, natural navigation techniques, and how to create underwater maps. Basically, become the diver everyone follows.
🔹 Prerequisite: PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
🔹 Perfect for: Everyone!
3. Night Diver: Where Everything Looks Cooler!
Night dives turn familiar sites into mysterious new playgrounds. During the PADI Night Diver Course, you’ll learn about dive lights, communication in the dark, and nocturnal marine life behavior (spoiler: some go wild!).
🔹 Prerequisite: PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
🔹 Perfect for: Night owls and those who love a little mystery
5. Digital Underwater Photographer: Say Bye to Blurry Fish Pics
It’s not just point and shoot - underwater photography is a skill.
This course helps you master your camera, lighting, composition, and how to get close without scaring off the subject !
🔹 Prerequisite: PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
🔹 Perfect for: Creative divers, content creators, and marine ID nerds
6. Fish Identification: Know Who’s Who Underwater
No more “I saw a blue fish with... maybe a stripe?” moments.
This PADI Fish ID course teaches you how to ID common reef fish families, spot behavioral patterns, and log your sightings like a pro. Become that diver who actually knows what they saw!
🔹 Prerequisite: PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
🔹 Perfect for: Marine life lovers, new dive buddies who always ask "what was that fish?", and anyone who wants to sound smart on the boat ride back.
7. Enriched Air Nitrox: Longer Dives = More Fish Time
Want to spend more time underwater and feel less tired after repetitive dives? Nitrox is your ticket.
You’ll learn to dive with air that has more oxygen and less nitrogen - perfect for dive trips and back-to-back dives.
🔹 Prerequisite: PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
🔹 Perfect for: Reef lovers, liveaboard divers, and dive-a-holics
8. Sidemount Diver: Streamlined, Balanced, and Looking Cool Doing It
Tired of the traditional tank-on-your-back setup? Sidemount diving lets you carry your tanks on your sides for better streamlining, comfort, and freedom of movement. Bonus: it looks seriously slick underwater.
You’ll learn how to assemble and configure your gear, manage your gas efficiently, and move through the water with perfect trim.
🔹 Prerequisite: PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
🔹 Perfect for: Divers with back issues, tech-curious folks, and anyone who wants to look effortlessly cool and glide like a manta
9. Deep Diver: When 30 Meters is Just Not Enough!
While people don’t usually dive deep just for the sake of depth, there’s so much more to discover beyond the limits of your Advanced certification. In the Deep Diver Specialty, you’ll learn how to dive safely all the way to 40 meters - the max depth for recreational diving. While that extra 10 meters might not seem like much, the risks increase significantly the deeper you go. You’ll learn how to plan deep dives safely, manage gas consumption, and understand how depth affects your gear and your body.
🔹 Prerequisite: PADI Adventure Diver (or higher)
🔹 Perfect for: Wreck explorers, thrill-seekers, and future tech divers
10. Wreck Diver: Unlock the Secrets of Sunken Ships
Ever dreamed of exploring sunken ships and uncovering hidden history beneath the waves? The Wreck Diver specialty is for you! You’ll learn how to safely dive wrecks, navigate inside, and deal with the unique challenges they pose, like limited visibility and entanglement risks. It’s an exciting way to explore a part of the ocean that few ever see and uncover stories locked in time.
🔹 Prerequisite: PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
🔹 Perfect for: History buffs, adventure seekers, and anyone fascinated by wrecks and artifacts
Bonus Tip
In Koh Tao, many of these specialties can be completed in just 1-2 days, with warm waters, chilled vibes, and stunning dive sites. Want to make the most of your diving experience? Consider combining specialties like Nitrox + Deep Diver and Wreck Diver. Not only will you maximise your time, but you’ll also work your way toward earning your PADI Master Scuba Diver rating. Ask us how to bundle and save!
