Reviewed · PHI PHI ISLANDS TOURS

From Phi Phi: PADI Open Water Course *eLearning (2+ days)

★ 5.0 · 41 reviews From $475 Operated by Blue View Divers · Bookable on Viator
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The best part of this course is that your classroom is Ko Phi Phi’s Marine Park. After online study and pool practice, you complete four sea sessions around Ko Phi Phi Leh and the Bida Islands, with coral, turtles, and sharks possible. I like the small maximum of 10 people and the calm, safety-first teaching. I also like the zero-waste lunch and fresh pineapple between sessions. The main drawback is the price, $475.80, plus the separate 800 THB National Park fee.

I especially like the flexible pace. You can spread the course over two or three days, and the recommended three-day plan leaves room to enjoy Phi Phi. Just plan ahead: the online work takes about 8 to 12 hours, and the course requires moderate fitness and a careful medical check.

In This Review

Key points to know before booking

From Phi Phi: PADI Open Water Course <em>eLearning (2+ days) – Key points to know before booking’ /></p> <ul> <li><strong>Four sea sessions around Phi Phi’s Marine Park:</strong> Training takes place near Ko Phi Phi Leh and the Bida Islands, with coral, turtles, and sharks possible.</li> <li><strong>Online study before arrival:</strong> Complete the official PADI eLearning course and videos on your own schedule before practical training begins.</li> <li><strong>Small groups of up to 10:</strong> Fewer students can mean more instructor attention and less time waiting for equipment or skills practice.</li> <li><strong>Two boat outings with lunch:</strong> Each outing lasts about five hours and includes two underwater sessions, lunch, and fresh pineapple.</li> <li><strong>Pool and beach-based skill training:</strong> You first learn essential skills in confined water before moving to open water.</li> <li><strong>Budget for the National Park charge:</strong> The 800 THB fee is not included in the advertised price.</li> </ul> <h2 id="what-the-two-to-three-days-really-involve">What the two to three days really involve</h2> <p>eLearning (2+ days) – What the two to three days really involve’ /></p> <p><p>This is not a quick introductory swim with an oxygen tank. It is a full PADI Open Water course, so you finish with a certification if you complete the online study, theory, swim tests, confined-water skills, and four open-water training sessions.</p> </p> <p><p>Before you arrive, Blue View Divers sends the official PADI eLearning course and videos. Allow 8 to 12 hours for this work. You can study in smaller blocks, which is useful if you are touring Thailand, but do not leave it until the last minute. The practical lessons make much more sense when the basic terms and safety rules are already familiar.</p> </p> <p><p>You normally check in one day before the course begins. The center sits at Viewpoint Resort, about five minutes outside the main town, with views over Loh Dalum Bay. If your arrival schedule allows, the team can discuss starting on the same day, but you should contact them first rather than assume an immediate start.</p> </p> <p><p>Your first practical session takes place off the beach in confined water. Here you learn how the equipment works, practice key underwater skills, complete swim tests, and work through theory with your instructor. This is the part that helps you find out how comfortable you are before heading farther from shore.</p> </p> <p><p>I like this structure because it gives you a proper chance to settle your breathing and movements. New scuba students often need time to get used to clearing a mask, managing buoyancy, and communicating without speaking. The pool and beach work are not simply formalities. They are where you build the habits that make the later sea sessions safer and less stressful.</p> </p> <div class="twil" style="margin: 20px 0; padding: 15px 0;"><p>More ways to reach the Phi Phi Islands:</p><ul style="margin: 10px 0; padding-left: 0; list-style: none;"><li style="margin: 0 0 12px 0; padding: 0 0 12px 0; border-bottom: 1px solid #FFF4E0; line-height: 1.4;"><a href="https://experiencekrabi.com/from-phi-phi-sunrise-beat-the-crowds-to-maya-bay-by-speedboat/">From Phi Phi: Sunrise & Beat The Crowds to Maya Bay by Speedboat</a><br><span style="font-size: 0.82em; color: #555;"><span style="color: #FFB020;">★</span> 5.0  ·  124 reviews</span></li><li style="margin: 0 0 12px 0; padding: 0 0 12px 0; border-bottom: 1px solid #FFF4E0; line-height: 1.4;"><a href="https://experiencekrabi.com/highlights-of-phi-phi-islands/">Highlights of Phi Phi Islands</a><br><span style="font-size: 0.82em; color: #555;"><span style="color: #FFB020;">★</span> 4.5  ·  86 reviews</span></li><li style="margin: 0; padding: 0; border-bottom: none; line-height: 1.4;"><a href="https://experiencekrabi.com/from-phi-phi-half-day-discover-scuba-2-dives/">From Phi Phi: Half Day Discover Scuba (2 Dives)</a><br><span style="font-size: 0.82em; color: #555;"><span style="color: #FFB020;">★</span> 5.0  ·  77 reviews</span></li></ul></div><h2 id="why-a-three-day-schedule-makes-sense">Why a three-day schedule makes sense</h2> <p><img width="669" height="446" decoding="async" src=