SSI Certification Course
Your Private Open Water Diver Course
Earn your SSI Open Water Diver certification with fully private instruction. No group classes, no strangers — just you and your personal diving professional at Bali's most beautiful dive sites.
The Boutique Diving Difference
Why Learn to Dive Privately?
The SSI Open Water Diver certification is a 3–4 day course that qualifies you to dive to 18 metres with a buddy, anywhere in the world, for life. Boutique Diving Bali delivers it fully private — solo, with your partner, or as a family — never mixed with strangers, in Tulamben on Bali's east coast.
At Boutique Diving Bali, your Open Water Diver course is entirely different. Dominic Frei, your SSI-certified Swiss diving professional, guides you privately — one-on-one or with your own group only. Every skill is demonstrated just for you. Every question is answered immediately. Every dive is planned around your comfort, your confidence, and the best conditions that day. You never compete for attention, and you never feel rushed.
The result is not just a certification card — it is genuine comfort and competence underwater. Divers who learn privately develop better buoyancy, stronger confidence, and a deeper connection to the ocean from their very first dive. This is learning to dive as it should be: personal, patient, and unforgettable.
Course Structure
What does the SSI Open Water Diver course involve?
The SSI Open Water Diver course is structured in three clear phases — and with private instruction, each phase is tailored entirely to your pace.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Certification body | SSI (Scuba Schools International) |
| Course duration | 3–4 days, paced to your comfort |
| Maximum depth | 18 metres (60 feet) |
| Minimum age | 15 years |
| Prerequisites | Basic swimming ability, medical fitness to dive |
| Course components | Digital theory + confined-water session + 4 open-water dives |
| Certification validity | Lifetime, recognised in over 130 countries |
| Group size | Solo, couple, or family — never mixed with strangers |
Digital Theory — Learn at Home
Before you arrive in Bali, you complete the SSI academic materials online at your own pace. You will learn about diving physics, the effects of pressure underwater, how your equipment works, dive planning, and essential safety procedures. The digital platform is available on your phone, tablet, or computer — study when it suits you. By the time you meet Dominic, you will already understand the theory and be ready to focus on practical skills.
Completed online before arrival · Study at your own pace · Available on any device
Confined Water Training — Master the Skills
Your first day in the water. In a pool or calm, shallow environment, Dominic guides you through every essential diving skill one-on-one: equipment setup, breathing techniques, buoyancy control, mask clearing, regulator recovery, emergency ascents, and air-sharing procedures. Because it is just you and Dominic, there is no pressure and no waiting. You practise each skill until you are genuinely comfortable — not until the group is ready to move on.
One full day · Private pool or calm shallow water · All equipment provided
Open Water Dives — Explore Bali's Best Sites
Over two to three days, you complete four open water dives at Bali's finest dive sites. This is where everything comes together — you apply your skills in the real ocean, exploring coral reefs, encountering marine life, and experiencing the wonder of breathing underwater in open water for the first time. Dominic selects the best sites based on conditions that day, and every dive is planned specifically for you. By the end, you will hold your SSI Open Water Diver certification — recognised worldwide, valid for life.
Four dives over 2–3 days · Sites chosen for best conditions · Certification valid for life
What You Get
The Private Course Experience
Entirely Private Instruction
One diving professional, one student (or your own group). No strangers, no waiting, no compromises on your learning pace.
Globally Recognised Certification
Your SSI Open Water Diver card is recognised worldwide and valid for life. Dive anywhere on the planet with another certified diver.
Swiss Precision Safety
Dominic's Swiss Army background and decade in risk management mean safety is never an afterthought — it is built into every moment.
Best-Site Selection
No fixed schedule. Dominic selects the dive site with the best conditions on the day — not the most convenient one for a group bus.
Equipment Provided
All diving equipment is included and personally fitted to you. You bring only a swimsuit, towel, and your sense of adventure.
Flexible Scheduling
Your course runs on your schedule, not a fixed timetable. Need a rest day between dives? Starting late? No problem — this is your course.
Your Classroom
Where You Will Learn to Dive
Not a hotel swimming pool. Not a crowded beach. Bali's finest dive sites — chosen for you, on the day, by Dominic.
Tulamben
Dominic's home base and arguably the best place in Bali to learn to dive. Calm conditions, easy shore entries, and an extraordinary range of marine life — from the iconic USAT Liberty shipwreck (a World War II cargo ship resting at just 5–30 metres) to vibrant coral gardens teeming with tropical fish. You will not believe this is your classroom.
Padang Bai — Blue Lagoon
Crystal-clear waters and gentle currents make this an ideal alternative for training dives. Rich coral life and frequent turtle sightings.
Amed
Beautiful bay diving with easy entries, colourful walls, and Japanese wreck sites. A peaceful, uncrowded alternative when conditions favour it.
Jemeluk Bay
A sheltered bay near Amed with calm, warm water, healthy coral reefs, and an excellent variety of macro marine life. Perfect for building confidence.
Dominic selects the site with the best conditions each day. You never dive a site just because it fits a bus schedule.
Is This Course Right for You?
Who This Private Course Is For
Complete Beginners
Never dived before? Perfect. The Open Water Diver is designed from scratch for people with zero experience. You just need to be comfortable in water.
Holiday Divers
Visiting Bali and want to get certified during your trip? A private course fits around your holiday schedule — no fixed start dates, no group waiting lists.
Couples & Friends
Learn together at your own pace. Dominic guides couples and small groups privately — so you share the experience without sharing Dominic with strangers.
Anxious Beginners
Nervous about breathing underwater? A private course removes every source of pressure. No audience, no rushing. Just you, Dominic, and your pace.
Parents Before Family Trips
Getting certified before a family dive holiday? Learn privately in Bali, then join your kids on their Junior OWD or Scuba Explorer experience.
Career Changers & Gap Travellers
Starting your diving journey? A solid private Open Water foundation sets you up for Specialty courses, Advanced training, and a lifetime of diving.
Common Questions
Everything You Need to Know
The SSI Open Water Diver is the world's most recognised entry-level scuba diving certification. It teaches you the fundamental knowledge and skills to dive safely and independently with another certified diver to a maximum depth of 18 metres. The certification is internationally recognised, valid for life, and accepted at dive centres and resorts worldwide. It is your passport to the underwater world.
The SSI Open Water Diver course has three phases. First, digital theory — you study the academic materials online at your own pace before arriving in Bali, covering diving physics, safety, equipment, and planning. Second, confined water training — you practise essential skills (breathing, buoyancy, mask clearing, emergency procedures) in a pool or calm shallow water until you are completely comfortable. Third, open water dives — you complete four open water dives over two days at real dive sites, applying everything you have learned. With Boutique Diving Bali, all three phases are conducted entirely privately with Dominic as your personal diving professional.
The in-water portion of the course typically takes three to four days: one day for confined water skills training and two to three days for open water dives. However, because your course is fully private, there is no fixed schedule. If you need more time on any skill, you take it. If you progress quickly, Dominic adapts the pace to match. The theory portion is completed online before you arrive, so your time in Bali is spent in the water, not in a classroom.
None at all. The Open Water Diver course is designed specifically for complete beginners. You do not need any previous diving experience. You do need to be reasonably comfortable in the water and able to swim 200 metres (any style) and float or tread water for 10 minutes. If you are unsure, Dominic will assess your comfort level at the start and work with you at whatever pace feels right.
Your open water dives take place at Bali's finest dive sites, selected by Dominic based on conditions and your comfort level. Typical sites include Tulamben — home of the famous USAT Liberty shipwreck and stunning coral gardens — and Padang Bai's Blue Lagoon, known for its calm, clear waters ideal for new divers. Unlike group courses that follow a fixed schedule regardless of conditions, Dominic chooses the best site for you on the day, ensuring the safest and most beautiful experience possible.
The minimum age for the full SSI Open Water Diver certification is 15. Divers aged 10 to 14 can earn the Junior Open Water Diver certification, which follows the same curriculum but includes depth restrictions and a requirement to dive with a certified adult. Boutique Diving Bali offers both — and for families, Dominic can run Junior and adult certifications simultaneously so everyone dives together. Children aged 8 to 12 can start with the SSI Scuba Explorer program.
Every course is individually priced based on your specific situation — the number of students, any additional services like equipment or transport, and the dive sites selected. Because Boutique Diving Bali offers exclusively private instruction (never groups with strangers), pricing is prepared as a bespoke proposal after Dominic understands your needs. There are no hidden costs and no standard packages. Simply reach out via WhatsApp or email to start the conversation.
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Start Your Journey
Ready to Become a Certified Diver?
Tell Dominic about your plans — when you are visiting Bali, who is joining you, and any questions you have. He will prepare a personalised proposal for your private course.
Or email directly: [email protected]