The Journey Begins: How to Progress Your Diving from Beginner to Advanced

The Journey Begins: How to Progress Your Diving from Beginner to Advanced

 August 28, 2025
how to progress your diving

You took your first breath underwater during a Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) experience and something clicked. You fell in love with the quiet, the weightlessness, and the way time slows beneath the waves, and now you’re wondering how to progress your diving?

Your next holiday was already plannedโ€”Open Water Certification, of course. And now you find yourself craving more: more skills, more confidence, and yesโ€ฆ Sipadan.

At Scuba Junkie Mabul, the Advanced Open Water course is your next chapter. And we have the perfect package to take you from beginner to advanced, with a dive day at Sipadan to top it all off.


What Is the Advanced Open Water Course?

The PADI Advanced Open Water course is a two-day course that includes:

  • Two mandatory dives: Deep and Navigation
  • Three adventure dives of your choice
  • One extra dive FREE to refine your skills and make the most of your training

Thatโ€™s six dives in totalโ€”a chance to learn, explore, and gain experience. At Scuba Junkie, we believe education should be hands-on, fun, and unforgettable.


Day 1: Buoyancy, Navigation & Your First Adventure

It Starts Before You Arrive

Once you book your course, our dive team sends your PADI learning material directly to your PADI app. This means you complete the theory at your own pace, before arriving. No lost time in a classroomโ€”you came here to dive!

Dive 1: Peak Performance Buoyancy (PPB)

We start where it matters: buoyancy. Although not a required dive by PADI, at Scuba Junkie itโ€™s a must. Why? Because buoyancy is the foundation of every great diver.

Youโ€™ll practice hovering in various positions, perfecting trim, adjusting weights, and conserving air. At Awas, our house reef, we have platforms and structures perfect for swim-throughs and instructor-designed games. Some instructors use hoops, others use weightsโ€”but all make sure itโ€™s both educational and fun.

Dive 2: Navigation

Navigation starts on land with your compass. Never used one? No problemโ€”your instructor will explain it clearly before you hit the water. Then itโ€™s time to:

  • Navigate a square with compass
  • Return to your starting point using natural navigation
  • Measure distance with kick cycles

The flat, sandy bottom at Awas makes it ideal for practicing without damaging any reef.

Break Time: Fuel Up and Chill

After two dives, your stomach will be ready for our famous buffet lunch. Vegetarian, vegan, and delicious options served up in our eco-friendly restaurant. No seafood hereโ€”sustainability is part of our mission.

Dive 3: Your First Adventure Dive

Itโ€™s time to choose your next dive. Here are your options:

  • Wreck Dive: You wonโ€™t go inside, but you’ll explore the outside of a wreck, learning to spot potential hazards, practice finning control, and observe marine life around it.
  • Drift Dive: Let the current carry you while learning to manage movement, buoyancy, and communication in dynamic conditions.
  • Night Dive: A favorite. Youโ€™ll see octopus, shrimp, and maybe even bobtail squid as the reef comes alive under torchlight.
  • Fish ID/Naturalist: Learn to recognize species, behavior patterns, and understand the delicate balance of coral ecosystems.

Day 2: Deep Diving and Adventure Continues

Dive 4: Deep Dive

Your deepest dive is first of the dayโ€”and thereโ€™s a reason. After a good nightโ€™s rest and time to off-gas nitrogen, your No Decompression Limit (NDL) is longest in the morning.

Youโ€™ll descend to 30m and experience:

  • Color loss and pressure changes
  • Simple games to test depth awareness
  • Discussions on nitrogen absorption, narcosis, and air management

Itโ€™s all taught in a supportive, no-stress way that builds your confidence, not your nerves.

Dive 5: Your Last Adventure Dive

After a surface interval, snacks, and a bit of theory recap, you head out for your last official dive. Another adventure dive of your choiceโ€”by now youโ€™ll be moving with more ease, tracking your depth and time like a pro.

Post-Course Dive (Optional)

The course may be complete, but your day isnโ€™t over. Many guests choose to go for an optional extra dive to cement their new skills. Or you can relax at the beach with a smoothie and a new scuba certification in hand.


The Power of Progress

At first, your air will disappear fast. Youโ€™ll wonder if youโ€™ll ever master hovering. But after six dives, you will be a master in how to progress your diving and everything changes:

  • Your breathing slows
  • Your buoyancy improves
  • Your confidence soars

We see it every weekโ€”divers who arrive unsure and leave transformed.


Day 3: Your Sipadan Experience

You did it. You’re certified, confident, and ready. The final day in our Advanced Open Water + Sipadan Package is the cherry on top.

Due to Sabah Parks regulations, youโ€™ll do two dives at Sipadan, followed by a third dive at either Mabul or Kapalai.

At Sipadan, expect:

  • Tornadoes of barracuda
  • Giant trevallies and reef sharks
  • Dozens of turtles
  • Schools of jackfish swirling in every direction

Itโ€™s a celebration of everything youโ€™ve learnedโ€”and everything the ocean has to offer.


Packages, Prices & Whatโ€™s Included

Choose the package that fits your journey on how to progress your diving:

  • 3D2N AOW + 1D Sipadan: RM2905 (shared dorm fan ventilation)
  • 6D5N OW + AOW + 1D Sipadan: RM5070 (shared dorm fan ventilation)

โžก๏ธ See more package options and accommodation types

All packages include:

  • Boat transfers
  • Accommodation
  • 3 meals and snacks daily
  • Full dive equipment
  • Certification fees

Excludes:

  • RM10 Malaysian Government Tourism Tax per room/night (exempt for IC holders)
  • Single occupancy fees
  • High season surcharges
  • Sipadan permit and conservation fees (per person/day):
    • RM450 Non-Malaysian Diver
    • RM300 Malaysian Diver
    • RM100 Non-Malaysian Snorkeller
    • RM50 Malaysian Snorkeller

Note: First day of diving will NOT be at Sipadan or Si Amil due to safety and course requirements. Courses are not conducted at these islands.

Solo traveller? A RM200 supplement applies if youโ€™re the only participant on your dive day.


Final Thoughts: How to Progress Your Diving with Scuba Junkie

The journey from DSD to Open Water and then to Advanced Open Water isnโ€™t just about racking up dives. Itโ€™s about growing as a diver, building skills, and gaining the confidence to take on new challenges.

And when your final dive of the course ends in Sipadan, with sharks gliding past and jackfish dancing in the blueโ€”youโ€™ll realize youโ€™re no longer a beginner.

Questions on how to progress your diving? Wondering which adventure dives suit you best? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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