Guide to Divine in the Andaman

Travel

This is what places the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands amongst the top diving destinations in the world. There are many specialist diving centers scattered around the islands’ beaches offering a variety of packages and tours. There are so many options, but what do you need? Here is a breakdown of diving in the Andaman Islands.

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What are the Andaman Islands?

The Andamans, a group of 572 islands located between India and Thailand, are the home to the Andamans. They combine a peaceful island vibe with Indian panache, great seafood, and extraordinary birdlife.

Port Blair is the capital of the Andamans. All flights land there. You can then island-hop using one of the local boats to Long Island, Neil, Havelock, and Neil.

There are also regular buses that run to North Andaman and Middle Andaman. However, there are some places that are included in Andaman Nicobar tour packages that are closed to tourists. One of the few remaining protected and isolated indigenous tribes on North Sentinel Island is one example.

Which are the best spots to dive?

Neil and Havelock are two of the most sought-after and rewarding spots to dive. They have hard coral and smaller macro marine life, as well as manta and sharks.

According to Steve Barreto from Barefoot Scuba, there are 25 dive spots on Havelock alone. The center is located on the island.

He said that Havelock has dedicated macro diving areas, where you can see nudibranchs and shrimps, juvenile, devil scorpionfish, wart slugs, or leaf fish. “I love macro. It’s a challenge to search for underwater objects. He says that the smaller the object, the more exciting it is to find it.”

There are dive sites with white tip reef sharks, giant moray eels, and wrecks. There are many options.

Steve has been diving for over 10 years. He says divers love the diversity of the sites.

Top dive spots in the Andamans

Andaman Bubbles is the most well-respected dive company in the Andamans. Barefoot Scuba and Dive India are also popular. All are based on Havelock island, with Barefoot Scuba being the largest outfit and Dive India being smaller.

Ocean Tribe is the smallest among them all. It is run by three brothers from the Karen tribe, Dickson, Jackson, and Johnny. They are living legends in the area, with three dive sites named after them.

You should ensure that the company you choose is a member of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.

What is the best time to travel?

It rains infrequently throughout the year in Andamans like many tropical areas, but it’s still possible to dive.

Steve believes that February through May is the best time to dive. The temperatures are slightly cooler, at 20o to 33o Celsius. The waters are also calmer. This is ideal for beginners.

The monsoon season runs from July to September, but don’t let that put you off. It’ll be cheaper than the summer and less crowded. Ocean Tribe says this time of year can offer interesting diving conditions for experienced divers.