Do you know that there is a secluded spot in India where scuba diving is popular? Located west from mainland India on the Bay of Bengal, Andaman island is a popular tourist destination for scuba divers. Formally known as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory of India or “The Andamans” for short, this offshore island houses several dive spots where divers can see pristine reefs and a lot of tropical fish.
Diving Conditions in the Andaman Islands
In general, the Andaman Islands has a tropical climate and experiences no severe climate conditions, except for some tropical storms and rain showers towards the end of the summer season. While scuba diving is a year-round activity in the Andaman Islands, many have considered October to May as the best time to go diving. These are the months where the seas are at its calmest and clearest.
In terms of the clearness of water when diving in the Andaman islands, underwater visibility may reach up to 20 meters (60 feet). However, this can be affected to a certain degree by physical factors such as rain. You have to take note that Andaman island has a rainy season that runs for at least 100 days in a year which can be influenced by the onset of the southwest monsoon from mid May to September and northeast monsoon from November to January. Water temperature usually ranges from 80-84˚F (27-29˚C).
Dive Sites in the Andaman Islands
Havelock Island
Named after from a British General who served in India, Havelock island is one of the few places in the Bay of Bengal that encourages development which is geared towards ecotourism. This 18 kilometers (11.2 miles) long island is dotted with tourist facilities offering several aqua-sports where scuba diving is a big hit. Completely surrounded with marine waters, scuba divers from around the globe can select from a long-list of diving sites where most of the reefs are located in just a nearby distance.
As for its dives, you can either go to the Lighthouse which is famous for night diving, the Aquarium, Mac Point where you can swim with dugongs, Barracuda City or at the fish-loaded Minerva Ledge.
Neil Island
Neil Island is another popular diving destination in the Andamans. Located 17.4 kilometers (10.8 miles) south of Havelock Island, this former resettlement area for refugees in the early 70’s is now converted in to an ecotourism attraction. And mind you, while its tourism facility is nothing when compared to the flourishing businesses in Havelock Island, a lot of tourist have preferred to settle down in Neil Island. This is primarily due to its tranquil and untouched state. Walking around the island is a popular fad where it only takes a 2-hour walk to completely explore its landmass.
When it comes to scuba diving, this 3.7 square kilometer (5.3 square mile) island is completely surrounded with marine waters. Healthy reefs can be found all over creating a selection of diving sites that suits your preference. You can either explore the Bus Stop which is famous for its garden eels, K Rock, Margherita’s Reef where it is a know spot for dugong or go deep diving at the Junction.
Port Blair
Aside from being the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair is your gateway to the diving paradise of Havelock and Neil islands. While you need to travel at least 40 kilometers (25 miles) to reach these popular island destination, many do not know that Port Blair itself is a haven for scuba diving where several dive sites awaits divers from all parts of the globe.
Among its popular dive site are the world-renowned Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, the twin islands of Cinque and the fish-loaded rocky protrusion of Littla Andaman called Fish Rock.
Video courtesy from Annika Andresen
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