PADI Open Water Diver Course in Nessebar to 18 m with Video

A PADI Open Water Diver course in Nessebar can be your first step towards exploring underwater with a dive buddy, without an instructor. Leave everyday life on shore and discover a world where movement, breathing and encounters with marine life bring a different sense of freedom. Rather than simply looking beneath the surface, you will begin building the knowledge and skills to approach this new environment with preparation.

This beginner-friendly Open Water Diver course combines theory, practical training and six dives. It takes place in Nessebar, in the Burgas area, over 4–6 days, with the option to spread the sessions around your free time. The maximum depth is up to 18 metres, with age-related depth restrictions for younger participants.

Learn with an experienced diving centre

The diving centre has around 20 years of experience organising diving excursions and courses. It works with people at different skill levels, from complete beginners making their very first dive to professional divers.

The centre is authorised by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, PADI, as the first five-star dive resort operating on Bulgaria's southern Black Sea coast. Training follows the Open Water Diver programme of PADI, the world's largest diving agency. Other agencies may refer to this introductory level as first-level or one-star diver training.

Theory you can begin at home

You receive a digital manual with 5 sections. It is available in English, French, German, Italian and other languages, with a Bulgarian translation also provided. All necessary learning materials are included; the diving centre states that there are no hidden charges for these materials.

You can complete the digital theory component at home before starting the practical part of the course. Topics include:

• The history of diving and the characteristics of the aquatic environment.
• Marine life and potentially dangerous species.
• Underwater physics and physiology.
• Further knowledge needed for introductory diver training.

Practical training and six included dives

During practical training, you learn how to assemble and disassemble diving equipment, control it underwater and use methods for responding to emergencies. Exercises cover diving in shallow and deeper water, along with other core skills in the programme.

• 6 dives in total: 2 in confined water and 4 in open water.
• Each dive lasts between 30 and 40 minutes.
• Around 4 hours of confined-water training in total.
• Full diving equipment for the training.

If you would like more dives beyond the six included, you can purchase additional dives separately at the diving centre.

How the training days are arranged

The course normally takes 4–6 days. Some days may include more than one dive. The number of hours for each training session is agreed in advance to fit the time you have available.

The days do not have to be consecutive. If your free time is limited, you can spread the course over several Saturdays and Sundays. You learn in a group with other participants you may not know, including when you choose a voucher for two people.

Assessment and internationally recognised certification

You take an exam at the end of the training. Successful completion earns you an internationally recognised certificate, allowing you to continue diving at destinations around the world, including exotic locations.

Once you have completed the course, you can dive with a buddy without an instructor, provided you follow the agency's standards. Certification does not remove those requirements or the applicable depth limits.

What the voucher includes

• An Open Water Diver course for one or two people, depending on the voucher selected.
• Full diving equipment.
• A digital manual with 5 sections and the necessary learning materials.
• Six dives: two in confined water and four in open water, each lasting 30–40 minutes.
• Around 4 hours of confined-water training in total.
• Video recording and photographs underwater and on shore.
• An internationally recognised certificate on successful completion.

Age, weight and depth limits

The minimum age is 12, and participants must weigh between 30 and 120 kg. Children who meet the requirements can take part.

The stated maximum depth is 12 metres for participants under 14 and 18 metres for participants over 15. For ages between these two stated groups, confirm the applicable depth limit with the diving centre before enrolling.

Season and advance arrangements

The course runs in June after 10 June, in July and in September, with sessions available daily when weather conditions are suitable. August is not among the stated course months. Plan to request your course at least 168 hours, or 7 days, in advance.

This is a weather-dependent activity. You must call the diving centre one day before your arranged dive to check the weather conditions. Buying a voucher does not automatically confirm particular training dates or times; these are arranged separately.

Medical preparation and restrictions

Before starting the practical training, you need a medical check-up and a declaration from your GP confirming permission to participate. The diving centre provides the document template as a PDF file.

The course is not suitable if you have epilepsy, a perforated eardrum, a runny nose, an inflammatory condition, or high blood pressure accompanied by heart disease, or if you are pregnant. If you have high blood pressure without the accompanying heart condition described above, written permission from a doctor is required.

What to bring and how to prepare

• Bring a notebook for taking notes, swimwear, a towel and a bottle of water.
• A changing room and storage lockers are available on site.
• Drinking alcohol the evening before diving is not recommended.
• Avoid a long journey immediately before entering the water.
• It is best not to dive on an empty stomach: have something light to eat beforehand.
• If you have long hair, tie it back low at the nape of your neck before entering the water.

Videos and photographs to keep

Video recording and photographs are included both underwater and on shore. Video materials are sent between 3 and 7 days after the activity. You may need to download an HEVC codec from Microsoft's official website to watch them.

The provider's cancellation policy

The diving centre states that cancellation is free up to 48 hours before the arranged session. This is the provider's condition for the service, not a general cancellation rule for all Adventico vouchers.

Give the beginning of a new underwater interest

Choose an Adventico voucher for a PADI Open Water Diver course in Nessebar for one or two people. It offers more than a glimpse of the underwater world: it is a chance to begin learning through theory and practical training, with video recording and certification on successful completion. The specific schedule is arranged with the diving centre, taking account of the medical requirements and conditions for running the course.