LAGOS SCUBA FIELD GUIDE
Deep dives, photo safaris and a famously clever octopus off the Ponta da Piedade cliffs
A three-day PADI Advanced Open Water course run by Lagos Divers that builds navigation and deep-diving skills, includes five open-water dives and three specialty dives of your choice.
Deep dives, photo safaris and a famously clever octopus off the Ponta da Piedade cliffs.
Adventure brief
Deep dives, photo safaris and a famously clever octopus off the Ponta da Piedade cliffs
Over three days, the PADI Advanced Open Water course in Lagos is designed to push your comfort zone beneath the Algarve’s sunlit surface: practice navigation, go deeper, and sample three specialty dives while exploring rich reefs and the dramatic Ponta da Piedade cliffs.
Lagos, located in Faro, Portugal, sits along a rugged stretch of the Algarve coast known for dramatic cliffs and crystal-clear waters. It’s here that Lagos Divers offers an Advanced Open Water Diver course, a gateway for certified divers to raise their skills and dive deeper beneath the Atlantic’s surface. This course, based out of Lagos’s vibrant seaside, is an invitation to dive beyond recreational limits, navigating underwater landscapes framed by the iconic Ponta da Piedade cliffs — a natural complex of golden limestone formations sculpted by centuries of ocean tides.
The Advanced Open Water course at Lagos Divers builds on your current certifications with specialized training in underwater navigation and deep diving. You will undertake three specialty dives tailored to your interests, including deep exploration and natural underwater photography, enhancing both your technique and confidence. Beyond improving your diving prowess, the experience offers encounters with extraordinary marine life, highlighted by the local legend of a remarkably intelligent octopus that resides near the caves and reefs.
What sets Lagos Divers apart is their local expertise and intimate knowledge of these waters, allowing them to guide divers through lesser-known dive sites rich in biodiversity. The interplay of sunlight and limestone caves creates a unique underwater topography, teeming with colorful fish, delicate sponges, and dense kelp forests. This location’s combination of geological features and marine richness makes it one of the prime spots on the Algarve coast for advanced diving.
Lagos itself offers a rich maritime history, with centuries-old seafaring traditions reflected in the town’s architecture and culture. This blend of natural spectacle and historical flavor makes Lagos Divers more than a dive school — it is a doorway to the ocean’s depths, enhanced by a strong conservation ethic aimed at protecting these fragile marine ecosystems. Whether refining your underwater navigation or seeking encounters with marine fauna, diving with Lagos Divers ensures a memorable and impactful adventure along Portugal’s southern shores.
Route Schematic
Itinerary route schematic
A short, focused progression from briefing and skill practice to five open-water dives and specialty sessions around Lagos and the Ponta da Piedade area.
Meet at Lagos Divers
Course begins at the operator base for briefings, paperwork and equipment checks before water sessions.
Skill practice with your instructor
Initial sessions concentrate on practicing navigation and other in-water skills with direct instructor supervision.
Open-water dives around Ponta da Piedade
Five open‑water dives take you to local dive sites where you’ll work on deep diving, navigation and your three chosen specialty dives while surveying marine life and underwater scenery.
Debrief and next steps
After the final dives you’ll review skills with your instructor and discuss any PADI specialty credits earned toward future certifications.
If you haven’t been diving for longer than six months and have fewer than 30 dives, or if it’s been more than one year and you have fewer than 60 dives, a review dive is required before starting the course — contact the operator to schedule it.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Meet the local super-intelligent octopus
One of the standout moments described by the operator is an encounter with a notably clever local octopus during dives in the area — a memorable example of the marine life divers are likely to encounter.
Dives beneath the Ponta da Piedade cliffs
The course runs dives that take in the striking coastal scenery around the Ponta da Piedade cliffs, combining dramatic above‑water geology with rich underwater habitats.
Navigation, deep diving and three specialty dives
The Advanced Open Water curriculum focuses on underwater navigation and deep diving, and lets you pick three specialty dives from options such as Digital Underwater Imaging, Enriched Air Nitrox, Wreck, Night and more.
What the day feels like
What the course feels like
Expect a mix of in‑water skills practice with your instructor followed by five open‑water dives spread over three days: sessions focus on navigation, deep diving and three chosen specialty dives, with an emphasis on gaining experience rather than testing via an exam.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this course is for — and who needs a brief refresher first.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The course runs over three days.
Start and check in at Lagos Divers.
Bring swimwear and a towel.
The program includes skill practice with an instructor and five open-water dives, plus three specialty dives of your choosing; there is no formal exam for this course.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long does the Advanced Open Water course take?
The course lasts three days.
Where do I meet for the course?
Meet at Lagos Divers for briefings, equipment checks and the course start.
How many open-water dives are included?
The course includes five open-water dives following initial skill practice with your instructor.
Are there written exams for this course?
There is no exam; the course emphasizes practical experience and skill development.
Can the specialty dives count toward PADI specialty certifications?
Yes — for every specialty dive you complete during the course, you can earn credit toward corresponding PADI specialty certifications.
What if I haven’t been diving recently?
If you haven’t been diving for longer than six months and have fewer than 30 dives, or it’s been more than one year and you have fewer than 60 dives, a review is required before starting the course; contact the operator to schedule it.
How this guide was prepared
This field guide is synthesized using verified supplier specifications, route descriptions, and destination data. Some booking links may generate affiliate revenue for ADV Guides.
- Verified: 2026-08-07T13:09:11.857Z
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