Scuba Diving in Andaman – The Complete Guide

DIVE IN THE SCUBA CAPITAL OF INDIA

What is Scuba Diving?

Scuba Diving is a recreational sport that allows you to go underwater with the help of a breathing apparatus that keeps you afloat. Scuba Diving is a popular adventure activity that moves people and shows the wonders of underwater life.

Who can Scuba Dive in Andaman?

While it may seem highly complex, scuba diving is a very safe sport that allows people of varying capabilities to dive safely and enjoyably. Non Swimmers included. The minimum age requirement for Scuba Diving in Andaman is 10 years. Anyone above 45 years of age requires a fitness certificate from their doctor saying said person is fit to dive. 

When is the best time to Scuba Dive in Andaman?

Enjoyable throughout the year, non monsoon seasons, October- May provide the best water temperature and underwater visibility. Cyclonic weather or unexpected rains call for a prior check. Diving early in the morning is the most common practice because of lighter sun and milder winds. Moon phases also affect water behavior. 

Why Scuba Dive in Andaman?

A valuable part of  the Coral Triangle, Andaman has a varied marine ecosystem, vibrant coral reefs, high clarity water, and a culture of diving found nowhere else. There are dive sites that cater to all levels of diving- from beginner to a professional.

BEST PLACE TO DIVE IN ANDAMAN ISLAND

Choosing where to dive in Andaman when you’re going to all the marine life hotspots cna be a big confusion, so we’re breaking it down for you. The Port Blair vs Havelock vs Neil Island Scuba Diving Dilemma is now solved!

Scuba Diving in Port Blair: 

Right here in the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair offers wonderful diving spots. Fishpoint, Lighthouse, Corruption Rock are some of the beautiful places to dive at. Chidiyatapu is where all the Scuba Diving in Port Blair happens. Because of the distant reefs, boat dive is the only option available here. 

Scuba Diving in Havelock:

To experience the more established and explored Scuba Diving in Andaman, Havelock proves to be the best location. Few of the best sites for Scuba Diving in Havelock are White Tip Shark, Dixon’s Pinnacle, Jackson’s Bar, Johnny’s George, Nemo Reef and so many more. Scuba Diving in Havelock also gives you both the options of shore dive and boat dive which aren’t available elsewhere. 

Scuba Diving in Neil Island:

On the other hand, if you’re an experienced certified diver,  Scuba Diving in Neil Island is a good option as the dive sites are relatively deeper and less explored. The best sites for Scuba Diving in Neil Island are Junction, K-Rock, Margarita’s Mischief, Jetty Channel Marker, Bus Stop and so on. Neil Island is also better for those divers who prefer boat dives, and untouched reefs and a quieter experience overall.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR DIVE?

With a wide variety of options available in Andaman, scuba diving can seem a bit confusing in the beginning. We’ve curated a list of all the dives and how to choose the right one for yourself!

Choosing Scuba Dives for a First Time Diver:

DSD:

Discover Scuba Dive (DSD) is a single-day program designed for non-divers, offering a firsthand experience of underwater diving under the direct supervision of a dive professional. During a DSD dive, one can go down to 12 meters (40 feet) or shallower.

A DSD usually has these:

• A brief theory lesson and equipment familiarization
• Skill practice with an instructor in confined/shallow water
• A 45 minute to 1-hour dive underwater with an ideal instructor-diver ratio of 1:1
• GoPro Underwater photography.
  

Wondering what’s PADI? Trusted dive schools are registered with “Professional Association of Diving Instructors” (PADI) which is an international diver training organization that offers certified training programs.

In Andaman, ‘Try Dives’, a variant of DSD, are shorter, budget-friendly options offered locally. However, lacking formal recognition, divers are advised to prioritize safety and opt for officially recognized scuba programs for their first underwater experience.

Apart from this, PADI also offers diver certifications for various difficulty levels and durations.

Rate Cards:

DSD Shore Dive- INR 5000/- taxes included

DSD Boat Dive- INR 6799/- taxes included

Boat Dive:

Once you’ve completed the paperwork, theory, and skill practice, you hop on a boat (usually just a 15-minute joyride), taking your way out into the ocean to this secluded reef spot – far, far away from the crowded hustle. And here’s the fun part, forget the typical water entry, we’re talking a thrilling ‘back-roll’ here! The whole program, from boat logistics to gearing up and the all-important dive briefing, clocks in at a little over 2 hours.

Cost: starts from INR 6799/-

Duration: 2 hours.

Top Sites: Havelock & Neil Island.

Pros: it offers exclusive and more secluded spots on which you can explore a wide range of marine life.

Cons: Not perfect for beginners who are not comfortable in the water. 

Shore Dive:

Alright, the shore dive is pretty much the same as a boat dive, but here’s the twist, this time, we’re going for a stroll. Yeah, you heard it right, a stroll into the water from the shore. As you get in, the water gets deeper, and boom, you’re on this underwater adventure heading to your dive spot, all cool and submerged.

Once you’ve explored the chosen reef patch, it’s time to exit. How? Well, just swim back to the shore. It’s like a casual underwater walk with a dash of exploration. Easy peasy, right?

It’s comparatively lower than the cost of a boat dive due to logistic differences.

Cost: starts from INR 3500/-

Duration: 45 minutes.

Top sites: Havelock (Nemo Beach) 

Pros: Cost-efficient. It’s great for budget travelers who are interested in exploring the marine life of Andamans. 

Cons: More crowded during peak seasons.

Choosing Scuba Dives for an Experienced Diver: 

Fun Dives:

Have obtained an Open Water or Advanced Open Diver certification or for that matter, any scuba diving certification, and now you want to go dive for recreation and fun? Fun Dive is what you ask for. These dives are often conducted in interesting or picturesque underwater locations such as coral reefs, shipwrecks, or marine sanctuaries. Scuba Diving in Havelock has one such site where a jeep is wrecked and you get to dive around it!

Fun dives usually go on for 30-45 minutes and are a visual as well as a sensory treat to the body and soul! If you have a certification, we urge you to go for at least one dive because trust us, you don’t want to miss one of the most beautiful coral reefs around the world.

Becoming a Certified Scuba Diver: 

Scuba diving is a sport of multiple skills. Becoming a professional scuba diver involves learning, training, and gaining experience. It typically begins with obtaining basic certification through courses offered by globally recognized scuba diving organizations like PADI, SSI, or NAUI. 

Open Water Diver provides fundamental knowledge and skills necessary for safe diving. The course includes both theory and practical learning. First, you complete your theory and then apply it practically.

This is a 3 day course that involves a total of 5 dives- a confined swimming pool session on day 1, 2 dives on day 2,  and 2 dives on day 3. This course equips you to dive up to 18 m with a buddy! 

Advanced Open Water Diver is the second level course that comes after Open Water Diver. The Advanced Open Water Diver course focuses on enhancing your abilities in various aspects of diving. 

You’ll gain experience in navigation and buoyancy, explore deep diving, and complete three specialty dives of your preference. This course, again involves theory and practical. The time required to complete this is 2-3 days and it lets you dive up to 30 m, how exciting is that?!

Rescue Diver focuses on developing skills to effectively respond to dive emergencies, the Rescue Diver course enhances a diver’s ability to handle challenging situations. It teaches you to identify and respond to the slightest problems before they turn out to be something critical. 

This course improves your navigation skills, equips you to enroll in a divemaster course, fix minor gear issues and teaches you to use an emergency oxygen kit. Along with a few prerequisites, this course takes around a week’s training.

Underwater Photographer is a specialty course focused on the techniques and equipment used in underwater photography, catering to both beginners and experienced photographers. 

This course introduces you to the SEA (Shoot, Examine, Adjust) method and takes about 2 days to complete after finishing your theory. Not only do you learn to take photos underwater but also choose the right photo equipment.

Deep Diver teaches you to strategize for deep dives, effectively manage your gas consumption, and recognize and handle narcosis. The course takes 2-3 days to complete and lets you dive up to 40 m. 

Being a speciality course, you can do it along with the Advanced Open Diver Course. 

Divemaster and Instructor courses give your diving a professional touch and subsequently, the difficulty level also rises. But these courses equip you to dive independently with a buddy (of course!, it’s a buddy sport) and explore the most recreational diving. And we’re sure by the time you reach these courses, you’ve already become a water baby!

WHO DO YOU DIVE WITH WHEN YOU DIVE WITH GO2ANDAMAN?

Our Dive Partners:

While who we work with depends on the quality of the dive center and the dives they offer, safety and the feel of the whole thing, there are undoubtedly some names that have been associated with us since a while. They are trusted brands like:

DIVEIndia: 2003 is when it all started. Yes, that’s when DIVEIndia was born and Vinnie brought the culture of scuba diving in Andamans. Back then, there were only a very few dive sites but Vandit Kalia trained his staff and funnily the dive sites, primarily in Havelock, were named after these very people. Today, after a score of its existence, DIVEIndia offers scuba diving both in Neil and Havelock. 

Lacadives: Carrying the vision of making one feel like the “steward of the sea”, Lacadives came into existence 25 years ago in Lakshadweep by the very famous Prahlad Kakar. Lacadives have their dive centres near the big hotels from Symphony Samudra to Taj Exotica, aiming to provide 5 star services wherever you are. They have been progressively receiving positive feedback in both Port Blair and Havelock. 

Scubalov: Built by Mandira and Jurgen on the philosophy that one’s connection with nature is unique and truly believing that no diver or course is ever the same, Scubalov is a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development (IDC) Dive Resort. Started in 2011 in Mumbai with their confined pool sessions, ScubaLov came to Andamans in 2013. It currently operates in Havelock and Neil Island.

BOOKING YOUR DIVE WITH GO2ANDAMAN

Trusted Dive Partners: We at G02Andaman, where trust is the most valuable element, work only with PADI certified divers and diving schools.

Securing canceled dives: In case your booked dive gets canceled for whatsoever reason, we help you to find another one with the same standards without compromising on the quality.

Biggest catalog of Diving Options: We offer you the best and varied dive options at the most optimal rate possible.

Varied Diving Experience: Go2Andaman brings the best dives for all sorts of divers ranging from beginners to professional.

Promoting Diving Community: Our partners believe in being inclusive of the divers as a part of the community rather than passer-bys. So you’re sure to witness something very unique!

We’re 15 Years Strong. We started out in 2008 as a passionate blog to help people navigate their vacations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

We’re a Startup India recognized organization. In 2018, we were stamped by Startup India as the first and the only original private ferry booking platform in Andamans.

3 THINGS NO ONE WILL TELL YOU ABOUT SCUBA DIVING!

1. Pre book your dives because there are only very limited slots per day. Scuba Diving is a sport that depends on environmental conditions such as water current, water movement, high tide and low tide, moon cycle, sunlight and so on. Hence, to provide the best and safe experience, reputed dive schools have a fixed number of slots available. 
2. Be mindful of your sunscreen on the dive. Shocked? Well, it might not have crossed your mind but sunscreen can be fatally harmful for the marine ecosystem especially the coral reef. So if you’re planning to enter the water, make sure to use the sunscreen that does not have oxybenzone, octinoxate, nano zinc oxide and nano titanium dioxide.
3. Do not lie about the smallest medical related issues such as an upset stomach or a common cold because it affects your breathing and buoyancy and might be dangerous. Being new to scuba diving, one may not understand how critical these tiny everyday problems can be. Hence it’s a good idea to be as truthful as possible so your divemaster can be cautious while diving.