Havelock Full-Day Tour

Ajay

This is an absolute gem!

We had an amazing boatman – a lot of your ability to do your activities depends on this guy! choose carefully (if you can)

You can get a fill of everything undersea, on sea, above sea here and the ride both ways is just too good!

Keep money and phone safe in a waterproof pouch, limit stuff you carry, change of clothes is desirable but not a deal breaker – keep it light. Leave footwear in the boat – absolutely safe

There are safes there to store, changing rooms and toilets

Lots of shade to chill out

Basic food is also available for hunger pangs!

Try and leave by 10, the boat is allotted only 3 hours parking at the beach. Departure at 10 means the crowd is less

Ramya

Elephanta Beach is essentially a giant swimming pool =) The waters are light blue-green , crystal clear and warm. To get to Elephanta beach , we took a package boat trip – which included an auto rickshaw pick up to and back to our hotel , the up and down boat ride and some snorkeling . We were told that the beach is approachable , only via water.
The waters are lovely , but the beach itself is very small , usually crowded and dirty . By default – due to the reef , the clear waters and the proximity to the shore – we enjoyed the experience itself and saw myriad varieties of fish .
We did have some problems – We went with Mr. Ranjit Kulla – the owner of the rickshaw and the boat , and his nephew . It was the nephew who took us snorkeling. he was absolutely unenthusiastic and not very helpful when we faced difficulty with the snorkeling gear . We were promised unlimited snorkeling – however that was not what we got . A couple quick forays , not too far from the shore and we were done. The guide did not give us any information on the fish either. The regulations he imposed on us also seemed a little odd – even though my boyfriend is a fantastic swimmer he was unwilling to let him swim without the tube and then refused to accompany him on a longer trip.
I had a quick go on the water scooter for Rs 600. You are not allowed solo self drive , but it was a fun couple of minutes where you get to be privy to some daredevil antics at the end . There were also banana boat rides , water sofa rides and the sea walk available . There is no bottled water available and snacks are limited to fresh fruit , so bring your own food. There are no bathrooms either .
There are floats and tubes available for rent for a nominal price .
The trip was all in all about 4 hours and cost Rs 2600 . We found it to be fun , but would not consider it among the high points of the trip. Make sure you bargain with your guide and lay down clear conditions for the duration and terms of snorkeling .
We later found out and saw , that there is a walking trail to Elephanta beach that starts on the road to Radhanagar , so maybe the adventurous sort could pursue that .