Swimming across colorful corals, beautifully patterned fishes, and seabed gardens in silent-as-night waters – that’s scuba diving in Andaman for you; one of the best experiences for diving enthusiasts in India. The cluster islands are all about silver shores embraced by playful ocean waves. But if you dare to go deeper, there’s another world inside the oceanthat will leave you amazed and bedazzled.
On your Andaman vacation, prepare to explore and unravel the mysterious ocean world and its vivid inhabitants. Here are the top 15 sites for scuba diving in Andaman you can map. Whether you are a beginner, an intermediate, or an expert, there is enough option for all.
In and around Havelock Island
Havelock Island is one of the most famous places for scuba diving in Andaman. The island is about 50 km from Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar, and has many unexplored diving sites.
Best diving spots in Havelock Island
1. Lighthouse – Experience night diving
Depth: 6-18 meters
Suitable for: All
Suitable for: All
A large diving site, Lighthouse has its arms wide open for all kinds of divers. However, the site is famed for night diving for PADI/SSI certified divers. During this experience, you’ll come across variety of hard and soft corals, along with interesting water beings like Humpback Parrotfish, Octopus, Fusiliers, Lobsters, and Lionfish.
2. Aquarium – A beginner’s paradise
Depth: 10-12 meters
Suitable for: Beginners
Suitable for: Beginners
With mostly hard corals strewn throughout, Aquarium is a fringing reef spot where you can treat your eyes to colorful schools of fish. It is located in the southwest of Havelock and the currents usually are soft and can be easily predicted.
3. Mac Point – Swim with the dugongs
Depth: 10-14 meters
Suitable for: All
Suitable for: All
Mac Point is a popular place for scuba diving in Andaman and Nicobar Islands especially because one gets to spot Dugongs here, along with rugged hard corals which actually add on to the beauty of this underwater paradise. This Sirenian tusked mammal is usually found in Australia and Eastern Africa.
4. Barracuda City – Meet the sea turtles
Depth: 25-30 meters
Suitable for: Intermediate and expert divers
Suitable for: Intermediate and expert divers
Barracuda City is again an unexplored destination for scuba diving in Andaman. Swim with the turtles, and explore the deep secrets of marine wonderland as you spot colorful corals and a variety of fish, including Blue spotted sting rays, Coral fish, and Surgeonfish.
5. Seduction Point – The rock with staghorn corals
The Seduction Point is a massive rock embraced with a varied aquatic life. You’ll find numerous Staghorn corals, which are inhabited by Napoleons and other marine organisms.
Best scuba diving resorts and organizers in and around Havelock Island
Being a famed spot for scuba diving, Andaman and Nicobar Islands are home to numerous resorts and organizers that arrange different water activities for tourists. Talking of the best, we recommend:
Alternatively, you can stay at any of the hotels in Havelock and contact:
In and around Neil Island
If you’re thinking of scuba diving in Andaman, Neil Island has to be on your list. This tiny island is ideal for those looking for complete peace. A two-hour stroll is enough to explore the whole island, which is actually affluent in terms of biodiversity. Not just the land, even the underwater world is a fairly unexplored.
Best diving spots in Neil Island
6. Margherita’s Mischief – Myriad shades of life under water
Depth: 7-16 meters
Suitable for: All
Suitable for: All
Having smooth current, Margherita’s Mischief is not quite a mischief. It is in fact a calm diving spot with crystal clear water and boulders on the soft sand. Dugongs are often spotted here, and you may also get to see Batfish, Pufferfish, Blue-spotted stingrays, Angelfish, Soldierfish and Yellow Snappers.
7. K Rock – Diving near a volcanic rock
Depth: 12-19 meters
Suitable for: All
Suitable for: All
K Rock is perfect for all levels of divers, thanks to the easy current. As the name suggests, it is a volcanic rock that’s huge and stands on a sandy seabed. Butterflyfish, Soldierfish, Snappers and Sweetlips are frequently seen around the K Rock.
8. Bus Stop – A sloping seabed with small reefs
Depth: 14-20 meters
Suitable for: All
Suitable for: All
This gently sloping seabed is located on the western ends of Neil Islands. Bus Stop has asandy bottom with small reefs, and is perfect for an exhilarating diving experience.
9. Junction – Adventure for experts
Depth: 22-30 meters
Suitable for: Intermediate and experts
Suitable for: Intermediate and experts
Located between Neil Island and Havelock Island, Junction is a paradise for divers who seek a little adventure. One can find numerous soft corals, surrounded by Lionfishes. Marlin, Trevally and Barracudas and reef sharks are spotted too. The current of this diving spot can be strong, and thus this is not ideal for beginners.
Best scuba diving organizers in and around Neil Island
Scuba diving requires professional guidance and supervision. India Scuba Explorers in Neil island brings together a team of scuba experts that take tourists to the unseen realms of the ocean.
In and around Port Blair
The capital of Andaman, Port Blair has everything a tourist can imagine, right from an international airport, choices of accommodation and yes even water activities like Scuba diving, which is among the best things to do in Port Blair.
Best diving spots in Port Blair
10. Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Wandoor – An exclusive national park
Scuba diving in this one-of-a-kind national park is not to be missed when you’re going scuba diving in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Prepare to witness colorful sea flowers, and corals of more than 50 kinds, such as Fungia, Pocillopora, Acropora and Leptoseris.
Clown fish, Surgeon fish, Whitetip Shark, Parrot Shark, Butterflyfish and Angelfish are some of the marine species you’ll come across while exploring this aquatic wonderland.
11. Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Jolly Buoy – A rather secluded gateway to the park
A rather lonely and secluded island, located in Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Jolly Buoy is a heaven for scuba divers. Explore the most intriguing and colorful underwater life in the turquoise waters of Jolly Buoy. Those who are scared of going underwater can opt for a glass bottom boat and be thrilled by the views of the clear waters.
Best scuba diving resorts and organizers in and around Port Blair
Port Blair never disappoints when it comes to providing options, even when it comes to scuba diving in Andaman. If you’re looking for scuba diving organizers or resorts, then go for Sinclairs Bayview Hotel (Website | Reviews) or Dive Manta(Website | Reviews). These hotels offer comfy rooms, arrangement for adventure sports, and ease of sightseeing.
Other diving spots for scuba diving in Andaman and Nicobar Island
It’s always fun to go off the beaten track, and this is why we’ve also listed some places for scuba diving in Andaman and Nicobar Island that are a little known and are actually well-kept secret.
12. North Point, Cinque Island – Among the clearest waters in the world
Suitable for: Experts
With clarity up to 80 feet, this is one of the best places for scuba diving in Andaman and Nicobar Island. The varied diversity of fish species, and abundance of sponges and small corals make this spot a dream come true for the divers. In fact in the vicinity, there’s a kaleidoscope of marine life, including black corals and sharks.
13. Bala Reef, Little Andaman Island – A rainbow of corals
Though Bala Reef is located in Little Andaman Island, but the exploration area you get is 4.5 km sq. This diving spot is perfect if you want to witness varied kinds of corals, of different hues. It indeed is much like picture-perfect down under.
14. Fish Rock, Passage Island – Fishes galore!
Fish Rock is located near Passage Island and boasts of massive coral and sponge fans. Also, there are drop-offs, boulders, and rocky slopes.
15. Corruption Rock – Home to unicorn fishes & shipwrecks
This beautiful diving site, the Corruption Rock, has a dazzling maze of canyons, ridges and channels. Located between Rutland Island and Chidiya Tapu, one can spot Eagle Rays, Giant Napoleon as well here.
The underwater habitat consists of canyons, gullies, channels and ridges, where dolphins and Tuna are also sighted often. You’ll also spot many shipwrecks here!
Cost of scuba diving in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Wondering how much does scuba diving cost in Andaman? Well, cost of scuba diving in Andaman varies from location to location and organizer to organizer. However, the cost starts from INR 2500 and goes up to INR 6500 and more if you opt for Scuba diving packages. Also, you have the option of going for a short scuba diving course in the Andaman Islands if you want.
No comments:
Post a Comment