SDI Open Water Diver
A practical route from recreational to technical diving.
- Duration
- 3 days
- Training dives
- 4
- Maximum depth
- 18 m
- Group size
- Max 4
- Minimum age
- 10+
- Languages
- English · Arabic · German
Why take Open Water Diver with SDI?
Take your SDI course in Hurghada with computer-led, practical instruction, calm Red Sea training sites and a clear pathway toward technical diving with TDI.
Choose SDI if you value a direct technical-diving pathway. Your course includes the same local expertise, equipment, boat logistics and safety standards as our other agency options.
Why certify in Hurghada?
There are very few places on earth where the conditions for learning to dive are as forgiving as the Egyptian Red Sea. Year-round 22–28°C water, visibility that routinely exceeds 25 metres, almost no current on training sites, and reefs alive with friendly, photogenic fish from the moment you put your face in the water. Whatever else happens in your diving life, your first four dives will stay vivid forever — and Hurghada makes them spectacular.
Junior Open Water — what changes with age
| Age | Max depth | Certification | Must dive with |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–11 | 12 m | Junior Open Water Diver | A professional, or a certified parent or guardian |
| 12–14 | 18 m | Junior Open Water Diver | Any certified adult |
| 15+ | 18 m | Open Water Diver | Any certified buddy |
Junior certifications upgrade automatically to full Open Water Diver at 15 — there is no extra course and no extra fee. The training, the price and the number of dives are identical at every age; only the depth limit and the buddy rule differ.
PADI, SSI or SDI — which should you choose?
All three certifications are recognised worldwide and qualify you to dive to 18 metres for life. PADI is the most globally recognised brand and has the slickest digital learning platform. SSI offers free digital materials and is favoured in Europe and Asia. SDI was the first agency to teach with dive computers from day one and has a more technically rigorous approach. We'll happily talk you through it — but in practice, the certification card matters less than the instructor behind it.
Day by day.
A clear, calm progression from theory and confined-water skills to confident Red Sea dives.
- 1 Day 1
Theory & confined water
Morning: review the eLearning theory you completed before arrival, introduction to your gear, and assemble your kit for the first time. Afternoon: confined water session in our shallow training area — breathing, buoyancy, mask clearing, regulator recovery.
- Equipment setup
- First breaths underwater
- Skill mastery #1
- 2 Day 2
Open water dives 1 & 2
Morning boat departure for two open water dives at sheltered Hurghada reefs (max depth 12 m). You'll repeat the skills you learned in confined water, then enjoy a guided exploration of the reef.
- Boat dives
- Skill demonstration
- Reef exploration
- Logbook entries
- 3 Day 3
Open water dives 3 & 4 + certification
Two more boat dives, this time to a maximum of 18 metres. Final skills include underwater navigation with a compass and a controlled emergency swimming ascent. After the second dive, you'll be a certified Open Water Diver.
- Underwater navigation
- Max 18 m
- Final exam
- Certification!
Everything arranged for your course.
What's included
- Digital learning materials (eLearning code)
- Full scuba equipment for the entire course
- All boat trips and tank fills
- Certified PADI/SSI/SDI instructor (max 1:4 ratio)
- 4 confined water sessions
- 4 open water training dives
- Hotel pickup & drop-off daily
- Hot lunch and soft drinks on every dive day
- International certification card and digital logbook
- DAN dive insurance for the duration of the course
Not included
- Tips (optional)
- Diving camera rental (€20/day)
Skills that stay with you.
- ✓Equipment assembly and pre-dive checks
- ✓Buddy system and dive planning
- ✓Buoyancy control and trim
- ✓Mask removal, replacement and clearing
- ✓Regulator recovery and air sharing
- ✓Controlled emergency ascent
- ✓Underwater navigation with a compass
- ✓5-point descent and ascent
- ✓Cramp removal and tired diver tow
Your Open Water Diver in the Red Sea.
Real training, real reefs and the people who will guide you through the course.
About SDI Open Water Diver.
Can I really get certified in 3 days?
Yes — provided you complete the theory eLearning before you arrive. We send you the link as soon as you book. Without the eLearning, the course takes 4 days.
My child wants to do this — how young can they be?
From 10. Ages 10–14 certify as Junior Open Water Diver: same course, same price, same four dives, but a 12 m depth limit at 10–11 and a requirement to dive with a certified adult until 15. At 15 the certification becomes full Open Water Diver automatically, with no extra course or fee. For children aged 8–10 who aren't ready for the full course, look at Bubblemaker instead.
I already did a try-diving day. Do I get anything off?
Yes — the full amount. A Beach Day or Boat Day comes straight off the course price if you book within 300 days: the standard €50 day brings it to €345, the €80 Discover Scuba option brings it to €315. You keep the credit whether you decide that afternoon or months after you've flown home.
What if I don't feel ready by day 3?
We never push anyone to certify if they're not comfortable. If you need an extra day or extra dives, we add them at cost (€50/day). Safety and confidence always come first — about 5% of our students take an extra day, and they always thank us for it.
Is the medical questionnaire a problem?
For 95% of people, no. If you tick 'yes' to any condition (asthma, heart issues, recent surgery, etc.) you'll need a doctor's note clearing you to dive. There are doctors in Hurghada who can do this on the day for around €50 if needed.
Will I see sharks?
On training dives, almost certainly not — we stay on shallow, sheltered reefs. Reef sharks are more common on advanced sites further offshore. Once you're certified, ask us about Brothers and Daedalus liveaboards if shark diving is on your list.
What happens after I'm certified?
You'll be qualified to dive to 18 metres anywhere in the world with a buddy of equal or higher certification. Most students stay an extra day or two to do guided fun dives on the deeper, more spectacular Hurghada sites — or jump straight into the Advanced Open Water course.
Does the certification ever expire?
No. Your certification is for life. We do recommend a refresher if you've been out of the water for more than a year.