Imagine the feeling of weightlessness, suspended in a cathedral of liquid light. Below you, a dramatic canyon wall, draped in soft corals and teeming with life. Above, the shimmering silver surface is a distant memory. You are exploring deeper, staying longer, and seeing more because you are not just a diver; you are an advanced diver. This is the transformation that awaits with a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver package in Mauritius. It’s not just a course; it’s your key to unlocking the full, breathtaking potential of the Indian Ocean’s most coveted underwater playground.
Mauritius is renowned for its postcard-perfect beaches and luxury resorts, but its true magic lies beneath the waves. The island is surrounded by a protective fringing reef, creating a diver’s paradise of calm lagoons, exhilarating passes, and dramatic drop-offs. While the beginner sites are beautiful, the most awe-inspiring encounters—the deep wrecks, the thrilling drifts, the majestic pelagics—are reserved for those who hold the PADI Advanced Open Water certification. This package isn’t about learning to dive; it’s about learning to adventure.
Why the Advanced Open Water Course is Your Best Dive Investment
The PADI Advanced Open Water (AOW) course is the natural and most rewarding next step after your Open Water certification. Designed to be fun, flexible, and almost entirely practical, it builds confidence and expands your skills without the pressure of exams. The core philosophy is learning through experience. Over the course of five adventure dives, you’ll be introduced to new underwater activities under the close supervision of a PADI Instructor.
The beauty of completing this course in Mauritius is the classroom. Your learning environment is the warm, crystal-clear Indian Ocean, surrounded by some of the planet’s most vibrant marine ecosystems. You’re not practicing in a quarry or a local lake; you’re honing your skills on spectacular coral reefs and historic shipwrecks.
What’s in a Mauritius AOW Package? A Journey of Five Adventures
A typical PADI Advanced Open Water package in Mauritius is an all-inclusive adventure, usually conducted over 2-3 days. It includes your professional PADI instruction, all necessary equipment rental, boat transfers to stunning dive sites, and the certification fee. The course consists of two mandatory dives and three elective dives, each chosen to maximize the Mauritian diving experience.
1. Deep Dive (Mandatory):
This is your passport to a new world. The Deep Adventure Dive takes you to depths of 30 meters/100 feet, opening up sites like the dramatic “Aquarium” off the north coast or the mysterious “Cathédrale” rock formations. Here, you’ll learn about light absorption, colour loss, and how to manage your air supply more effectively. This is where you might encounter larger species that prefer deeper waters and get your first glimpse of the legendary Mauritian wrecks.
2. Underwater Navigation (Mandatory):
Say goodbye to simply following your guide. The Navigation dive empowers you to take control. Using a underwater compass and natural navigation techniques, you’ll learn to navigate patterns, estimate distances, and find your way back to the boat or shore with confidence. This crucial skill is the foundation of becoming a truly independent and competent diver.
3. The Electives: Tailoring Your Adventure
This is where you customize your course to your passions. Mauritius offers the perfect playground for the most popular electives:
- Peak Performance Buoyancy: This is perhaps the most transformative skill you will learn. Mastering buoyancy is the mark of a proficient diver. You’ll learn to hover effortlessly, conserve air, glide through the water without touching the fragile coral, and use precise trim. It makes every subsequent dive infinitely more enjoyable and environmentally conscious.
- Wreck Dive: Mauritius has a collection of incredible purpose-sunk wrecks, and the SS Yemen and the Waterlily barge are stars. This dive teaches you the techniques for safely exploring wrecks, penetrating swim-throughs (if allowed), and appreciating these artificial reefs that have become thriving marine habitats.
- Drift Dive: Feel the thrill of flying! Mauritius’s channels and passes create natural currents that allow you to drift effortlessly along the reef, covering large distances and seeing an incredible amount of marine life. You’ll learn how to use a current to your advantage and communicate with your buddy and boat captain during a drift.
- Night Dive: This elective unlocks a completely different universe. As the sun sets, a new cast of creatures emerges. With your primary torch cutting through the inky blackness, you’ll witness nocturnal hunters like moray eels and lobsters, and see bio-luminescent plankton sparkle like underwater stars. It’s a truly magical experience.
- Fish Identification: Turn your dives into a marine biology lesson. Learn to identify the families and species of fish that call Mauritius home, from the playful Picasso triggerfish to the elegant emperor angelfish. This knowledge adds a rich, new layer of understanding to every dive you’ll do in the future.
The Dive Sites You Will Conquer
With your new certification, the entire island becomes your oyster. Your package will take you to legendary sites previously off-limits:
- The Northern Atolls: Explore the stunning reefs and dramatic drop-offs of Coin de Mire (Gunner’s Quoin), a protected islet teeming with eagle rays, turtles, and schooling fish.
- The Southwest Wonders: Dive the dramatic walls of “La Fosse aux Requins” (Shark Pit) and the beautiful coral gardens of “Roche Zozo,” known for its clear waters and prolific life.
- The Historic Wrecks: Descend on the SS Yemen, a 60-meter cargo ship sitting upright in 30 meters of water, now encrusted with corals and home to vast schools of snapper and batfish.
Who is This Package For?
The AOW package is perfect for:
- Open Water Divers who want to go beyond 18 meters and explore deeper sites.
- Divers who want to build confidence and refine their fundamental skills, especially buoyancy.
- Travelers who know they will be diving on future vacations and want access to the best sites worldwide.
- Adventure seekers who want to try specialties like wreck or night diving in a safe, structured environment.
Beyond the Certification: The Real Reward
Completing your Advanced Open Water in Mauritius does more than just add a new card to your logbook; it fundamentally changes you as a diver. You emerge with heightened confidence, superior skills, and a newfound sense of underwater freedom. You are no longer a spectator; you are an active participant in the dive, capable of planning and enjoying more complex and rewarding underwater adventures.
You’ll log five incredible dives in paradise, each one teaching you something new and unforgettable. You’ll leave with stories of drifting through canyons, exploring sunken ships, and hovering weightlessly in the ocean blue.
A Mauritius PADI Advanced Open Water package is the ultimate upgrade. It’s an investment in a lifetime of richer, deeper, and more awe-inspiring dive experiences. The Indian Ocean is calling. It’s time to answer at an advanced level.