Do I Need an Advanced Certification to Dive in Okinawa?

2026-10-01 2026-10-01

teriyakidiverz

If you are planning a scuba diving trip to Okinawa, you may be wondering:

“Can I enjoy Okinawa with only an Open Water certification?”
“Do I need Advanced Open Water to dive the Kerama Islands?”
“Can an Open Water Diver enter Manza Dream Hole?”
“Should I get my AOW before coming to Okinawa?”

The short answer is:

No, you do not need an Advanced Open Water certification to enjoy scuba diving in Okinawa.

Open Water Divers can enjoy many excellent dive sites, including a wide variety of sites in the Kerama Islands.

However, an Advanced certification can give you access to a wider range of deeper and more challenging dive sites.

Here is how your certification level can affect your diving options in Okinawa.

Can Open Water Divers Dive in Okinawa?

Absolutely.

For PADI Open Water Divers, the training depth limit is 18 meters / 60 feet.

There are plenty of dive sites around Okinawa that can be enjoyed within this depth range.

The Kerama Islands in particular offer more than 40 dive sites, including coral reefs, white sandy bottoms and areas where sea turtles are frequently seen.

So being an Open Water Diver does not mean you will miss out on Okinawa diving.

In fact, Kerama is often one of our first recommendations for divers visiting Okinawa for the first time.

Can Open Water Divers Dive the Kerama Islands?

Yes.

The Kerama Islands are suitable for a wide range of divers, from newly certified Open Water Divers to highly experienced divers.

One of the biggest advantages of Kerama is the variety of dive sites.

Depending on the weather, waves, currents and experience level of the group, we can choose calmer sites for newer divers or more dynamic diving for experienced guests.

The same Kerama Islands can therefore offer very different diving experiences depending on your skills and experience.

What Changes When You Have Advanced Open Water?

Advanced Open Water training generally allows divers to gain experience at depths of up to 30 meters / 100 feet.

This can significantly increase your diving options in Okinawa.

Many interesting formations, drop-offs and deeper areas are located below 18 meters.

An Advanced certification can be especially useful if you are interested in:

Deeper dive sites
Drop-offs
Underwater topography
Drift diving
Sites with attractions around 20–30 meters

However, having an AOW card does not automatically mean that every dive site is suitable for you.

Your number of logged dives, buoyancy control, air consumption, recent diving experience and the conditions on the day are also important.

Do You Need AOW for Manza Dream Hole?

One of the most famous dive sites in Manza is Dream Hole.

Divers enter through an opening in the reef and descend through a vertical underwater shaft before exiting into the blue at approximately 27–30 meters.

Because of the depth and diving environment, TERIYAKI DIVERZ generally requires Advanced Open Water certification or above for Dream Hole.

Open Water Divers can still dive in Manza, but we will select another site that matches their certification and experience.

Manza is not only about Dream Hole. There are also coral reefs, sandy areas and excellent sites for smaller marine life.

Do You Need AOW for Drift Diving?

Not necessarily.

There is no simple rule saying that every drift dive requires an Advanced certification.

However, drift diving may require good control of:

Neutral buoyancy
Descents and ascents
Air consumption
Positioning with the group
Current awareness
Safe open-water ascents

For this reason, we consider your actual diving experience, not only the certification card you hold.

Even an Advanced diver may be taken to a calmer site if they have very little recent experience or if the conditions are challenging.

Safety always comes first.

When Is Open Water Certification Enough?

You may not need to rush into an Advanced course if you:

Are visiting Okinawa for your first diving trip
Want to enjoy coral reefs and white sandy bottoms
Prefer relaxed diving
Are not interested in deeper sites
Recently completed your Open Water course

There is nothing wrong with gaining more experience at Open Water level first.

Improving buoyancy, air consumption and general comfort underwater can often be more valuable than simply collecting another certification card.

When Is AOW Worth Getting?

Advanced Open Water is especially useful if you:

Want to dive Manza Dream Hole
Want to explore sites deeper than 18 meters
Enjoy dramatic underwater topography
Are interested in drift diving
Want more dive-site options in Okinawa
Plan to continue diving internationally

Think of AOW less as proof that you are an “advanced diver” and more as a way to expand the types of diving you can experience.

You Can Also Take Your AOW Course in Okinawa

Another option is to complete your Advanced Open Water course while you are in Okinawa.

The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course includes five adventure dives.

Deep and Underwater Navigation are required, and the remaining dives can include options such as Peak Performance Buoyancy, Boat, Drift, Naturalist or other adventure dives.

Okinawa is a great place to gain experience in different diving environments while working toward your next certification.

Details of the AOW course

So, Do You Need Advanced Open Water to Dive in Okinawa?

No.

You can enjoy plenty of excellent scuba diving in Okinawa with an Open Water certification.

A simple way to think about it is:

Open Water = plenty of great Okinawa diving options
Advanced Open Water = even more dive sites and diving styles become available

If you want to explore deeper sites, Manza Dream Hole, dramatic underwater topography or more advanced drift diving, getting your AOW can be a very worthwhile next step.

At TERIYAKI DIVERZ, we do not look only at the certification card.

We also consider your number of logged dives, how recently you have been diving, your comfort level underwater and the conditions on the day.

If you are unsure whether your certification and experience are suitable for a particular Okinawa dive site, feel free to ask us before booking.