Diving past vivid corals, stunningly patterned finishes, and seabed greens in the calm and turquoise blue waters – that’s Andaman for you. And there is no better water sport than scuba diving in Andaman for best experiences. The cluster of islands includes silver shores coupled with tranquil ocean waves. For those brave hearts who want to go deeper, scuba diving is the best opportunity for them to explore another world in the ocean to leave them bedazzled and excited.
On your trip to Andaman, brace yourself to unearth the mysteries of the underwater world and its incredible habitats. Here are some of the best places for scuba diving in Andaman. You can find plenty of options, whether you are an expert or a beginner.
1. Havelock Island
In Havelock Island, Elephant Beach is well known to provide a great experience of scuba diving in Andaman for both new and expert divers. It is well regarded to have plenty of vivid corals and rich marine life to have an experience that is second to none. The divers are usually encountered with vibrant sea dwellers and fishes in their dive. It is known to have the right blend of low water currents and clear waters to dive without any stress and with safety.
You can easily reach the beach by boat, and you can find a considerable number of PADI certified and experienced scuba providers. You can spot plenty of scuba providers where you can have a lot of options to compare and choose the best package. Every package and every trip offers a tour to Havelock Island. So there is nothing to worry about extra travel time and expenses.
Best Dive Sites in Havelock Island
- Barracuda City – Barracuda City is well known for long coral belt strips, including both soft and hard corals. Its vibrant ecosystem has lots of radiant fishes of different colors and species along with sea turtles.
- Turtle Bay – Along with a vast population of sea turtles, Turtle Bay also has a decent number of rays and coral populations.
- Aquarium – It is located a bit offshore around 3km from Elephant Beach but has a lot of activities for first-time divers. Fingering reefs are capped with a lot of vivid fishes. Visibility underwater is ideal for exploring marine life, and it has hard corals.
- Lighthouse – The Lighthouse is located around the shallow waters and has the right balance of hard and soft corals as well as colorful fish. It is known to have shallow water, which is bright enough for night diving as well.
- The Wall – It is a giant underwater rock drop around 56m down and provides an in-depth insight into marine life. It is capped with marine life and soft corals.
2. North Bay Island
Located in the proximity to Ross Island, North Bay Island is another excellent place for diving in Andaman. The shoreline of the island offers turquoise blue waters and a plentiful number of corals for a great diving experience.
When it comes to diving, prices are also low in comparison to any other destination in Andaman, but the cost for transportation and boat even pile up. You can easily plan and pre-book. The island is tiny, and there is no other option for further exploration and sightseeing. If you are strictly on a driving tour and you can spend a whole day here for this activity, you can add this place to your bucket list.
3. Neil Island
This island is well regarded for beautiful resorts and hotels, along with offering one of the best places for diving. The water is not that clear here, but it provides a tremendous underwater experience with preserved marine life and lively corals across the shoreline. It receives medium currents and decent depth for a great underwater experience. The prices for diving are quite high because of less population of tourists and low competition. If you cannot visit one of the two top places, you can prefer diving here for the small crowd.
Here are some of the best dive sites in Neil Island –
- Rocky’s
- Busy Burro
- Margarita
- Junction
- Bus Stop
- Nursery/One Bottle
- Manta Point
- Aquarium
- Lighthouse
4. Port Blair
The capital of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, is also an excellent place for diving. Located around 12km from the airport, the Carbyn’s Cove Beach offers an excellent place for underwater adventure and fun. Near Snake Island, live corals are found in abundance and well preserved in clear water to have a great view of marine life.
As compared to other spots listed here, the marine life is quite low here, but you cannot differentiate when you feel it. Even though it is not the cheapest, the prices are quite small, and no additional boat and transport costs are charged. So, it is ideal for budget travelers.
Some other great places for diving are –
- Corruption Rock
- Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
- Snake Island
- Rutland Island
5. Barren Island
The only active volcano in Asia, Barren Island, is one of the best places for scuba diving in India. For tourists, the island is off-limits for basic reasons, and water around it is untouched and has a vast massive range of fishes and several sea creatures. By diving around the Barren Island, you can also spot silver garden eels, white-tip reef sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, and even giant manta rays up to 6 meters.
Along with it, you will be greeted by schools of dogtooth tuna, trevally, barracuda, and other fishes while swimming by living reefs. The trip usually lasts up to 12 hours, and you can get around the island through the boat. All in all, it is an excellent place for diving. If you are a crazy fan of scuba diving and if your budget allows for a great adventure, it is an excellent place in Andaman for scuba diving.
6. Cinque Island
With around 80 ft of crystal clear waters, Cinque Island is one of the best dive spots in Andaman. North Point is well regarded to have a vast diversity of fish and plenty of small corals and sponges. So, it is a dream spot for many divers. You can find a kaleidoscope of sea life in the vicinity, such as sharks and black corals. You can get here only through chartered boats from Port Blair.
How Much Does Scuba Diving Costs in Andaman?
The cost of this activity depends on the island where you would love to dive and scuba the provider you choose. If you want to dive into places that are accessible only by boat, the prices also add up because extra charges are applied.
By considering these facts, you can prefer the Elephant Beach to save more on diving along with Nemo Reef in Havelock Island. You can choose from different vendors offering this activity at competitive prices.
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