Underwater Adventures in Andaman & Nicobar Island
Indulge in a chance to swim amongst the breathtakingly beautiful aquatic fauna. As the sunlight filters through, making everything underwater seem mystical and magical, witness clams close up as you approach, swim amongst schools of colourful fish, make faces at a puffed-up puffer fish and soak in the beauty of the coral reef … Welcome to the Andamans! The seas around the Andaman Islands are some of the world’s most unspoiled. Marine life is abundant, with an estimated 750 species of fish existing on one reef alone, and parrot, trigger and angel fish living alongside manta rays, reef sharks and loggerhead turtles. Many species of fish and coral are unique to the area, and fascinating ecosystems exist in ash beds and cooled lava based around the volcanic Barren Island. This is the perfect destination for an adventure holiday underwater! For a sneak-peek of marine life, you could indulge in the simplest of all underwater activities, snorkelling. And for the more adventurous, you could venture into deeper waters, and indulge in a spot of scuba diving. Though there are quite a few diving schools and centres on the islands, the most frequented and undisputed home of diving is Havelock.
One of the diving instructors at the biggest diving school, Barefoot Scuba Diving Resort, Anne shares a bit about the history and logistics of the diving scene in this picturesque locale. According to her, in around 2008, there was hardly a diving centre or two, which were primarily run and staffed by foreigners. There were hardly any Indians in the profession working from the Andamans back then. Gradually local swimmers were hired and trained. Back then most of the visitors to the islands interested in diving were backpackers and mainlanders who were keen on fun-dives and a spot of underwater sightseeing. Keen divers who opted to complete a course in diving and earning a certificate in addition to the experience were few and far between.
Movies like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobbara have inspired a lot of interest in diving. All one needs to have is basic swimming skills. And with the ease of connectivity with the mainland improving over the years, it is very easy to reach Havelock from Visakhapatnam or any city in India.
Connectivity
Vizag to Port Blair: Every Monday and Thursday there is an Air India flight. Preferably opt for a flight that lands by 12:30 pm in order to catch the 2 pm jetty to Havelock. Alternatively, spend an evening at Port Blair and catch the next day’s jetty.
Port Blair to Havelock: Book a jetty – government and private jetties are available. Jetty ride time – 3 hours / 1 and half hour
Havelock to resort: Local rickshaws and cabs are available.
Havelock is a beautiful laid-back tropical island encompassing about 55 square miles, located about 2-3 hours northeast of Port Blair. Barefoot Scuba at Havelock Island is the highest rated PADI dive resort in the Andaman Islands and offers recreational diving in small groups for all levels of divers. Barefoot Scuba also provides you with opportunities to learn how to dive through a complete range of courses from the introductory level programs to the professional levels of Divemaster, Instructor and beyond.
This post was last modified on 30/09/2017 4:13 pm
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