Advance your diving with a two-day PADI course that runs from Cartagena to Barú. Five adventure dives—deep, navigation, wreck, buoyancy and fish ID—combine classroom refreshers with extended boat dives to expand your skills and certification.
More ways to explore the area's outdoor wonders
The day starts before dawn on Cartagena’s harbor, salt on your lips and the dive boat’s hum promising new routes. Offshore, Barú’s reefs—ridges of coral and sand—wait beneath a surface that shimmers like a challenge. Currents test your planning; fish scatter like startled coins as you slip beneath the blue.
Difficulty
challenging
Duration
2 days (approx. 48 hours)
Fitness Level
Moderate aerobic fitness and comfort swimming in open water; able to handle repeated surface swims and two days of diving.
Wildlife
History
Barú and Cartagena sit along historic Caribbean shipping routes; many shallow wrecks near Barú are relics of colonial trade and wartime losses now colonized by reef life.
Conservation
Reefs near Barú face pressure from overuse and anchor damage—use reef-safe sunscreen, avoid touching coral, and favor operators that use mooring buoys.
Reserve your spot on the Advanced PADI Diving Course today and enjoy a trusted, highly rated experience designed to help you make the most of your adventure.
Bring a personal mask
A well-fitted mask improves comfort, reduces fogging, and helps with navigation dives—fit it ashore before boarding.
Prevent seasickness
Take motion-sickness meds the night before and again before boarding if you're prone to nausea—the boat ride can be choppy.
Hydrate between dives
Drink water during surface intervals; tropical heat and exertion increase dehydration risk while diving twice a day.
Practice neutral buoyancy
Work on weighting and breath control during the buoyancy dive—good buoyancy protects reefs and saves air.
Personal dive mask & snorkel
Improves fit and visibility compared with rentals and speeds doffing/onboarding between dives.
Dive computer
Tracks no-decompression limits and surface intervals more reliably than tables during multiple dives.
3mm wetsuit (or 5mm if you get cold)
Thermal protection for extended bottom times and variable water temperatures around Barú.
Reef-safe sunscreen and rashguard
Protects skin from sun during surface intervals while minimizing harm to coral ecosystems.