Andaman scuba diving
- Private tour
- Private guide and transfers arranged across the island hop
- Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
- No payment to start planning
- Havelock's Radhanagar Beach is regularly rated among Asia's better beaches, and dive centres there run trips for both certified divers and first-timers on introductory dives.
- Not all Andaman beaches are lifeguard-patrolled; the same caution about currents and swimming outside marked areas applies here as on the mainland coast.
- If you are not certified to dive, an introductory dive is the way in — no prior experience is required, but a basic swimming ability is.
- Modest swimwear norms apply as elsewhere on Indian beaches, though the islands' tourist beaches are used to international visitors.
What’s included
- Guide support and transfers arranged across the Port Blair to island hop
- Coordination with a local dive operator
What’s not included
- Domestic and international flights
- Ferry tickets
- Dive and certification course fees (which vary by operator and are confirmed on your quote)
- Travel insurance
Cancellation terms are confirmed with your written quote
- No payment is taken until you approve the itinerary.
Fly to Port Blair
A domestic flight from a mainland hub (commonly Chennai or Kolkata) into Port Blair, the Andamans' main airport.
Transfer to Havelock or Neil
A further ferry (or, on some routes, a short flight) from Port Blair to Havelock Island or Neil Island, where the dive centres and beach stays are based.
Dive days
Diving is arranged by the day with a local operator, timed around your certification level and the reef sites open that season.
Beach time and the return
Non-diving days are for Radhanagar Beach and the islands themselves, before the reverse ferry-and-flight route back to the mainland.
The Andaman Islands, reached by domestic flight from mainland India, offer coral reef diving that is genuinely clearer and richer than anything on the Kerala or Goa coast, centred on Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep). Havelock's Radhanagar Beach is regularly rated among Asia's better beaches, and dive centres there run trips for both certified divers and first-timers on introductory dives. It is the one item on this list that requires flight time and forward planning rather than fitting into a beach-hopping day.
Why the Andamans are different from Kerala and Goa
Everything else on this hub is mainland India: Kerala's backwaters and Goa's beaches are reached by road once you land. The Andaman Islands sit out in the Bay of Bengal and require a domestic flight, commonly connecting through Chennai or Kolkata, into Port Blair, followed by a further ferry or short flight to reach Havelock or Neil Island.
The payoff is water clarity that mainland India's coast does not offer. Havelock Island (officially renamed Swaraj Dweep) and Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) both have established dive centres working coral reef sites, and Havelock's Radhanagar Beach is widely known as one of the region's most attractive beaches.
What diving here involves
- Introductory (discover) dives for non-certified divers, run with an instructor, typically a shallow single dive after a briefing on shore.
- Certification courses (such as an Open Water course) for those who want to dive independently afterwards, run over several days.
- Dives for already-certified divers on the islands' reef sites, booked by the dive or as a multi-dive package with a local operator.
- Radhanagar Beach on Havelock is a beach stop in its own right, separate from the diving, and is often combined with a dive day.
- This requires more advance planning than anything else on this hub: flights, ferries and dive-centre availability all need booking ahead, especially in peak season.
- Not all Andaman beaches are lifeguard-patrolled; the same caution about currents and swimming outside marked areas applies here as on the mainland coast.
- If you are not certified to dive, an introductory dive is the way in — no prior experience is required, but a basic swimming ability is.
- Modest swimwear norms apply as elsewhere on Indian beaches, though the islands' tourist beaches are used to international visitors.
Best season and starting point
The Andamans have their own season, distinct from Kerala's and Goa's, since they sit in the Bay of Bengal; the calmer, clearer diving window generally falls outside the region's own monsoon period, which we confirm against your travel dates on enquiry. Because the flight and ferry connections take real time, this is usually planned as a dedicated Andaman leg of a wider India trip rather than a same-day add-on.
How do I get to the Andaman Islands?
By domestic flight from a mainland Indian hub, commonly Chennai or Kolkata, into Port Blair, followed by a ferry or short flight onward to Havelock or Neil Island.
Do I need to be a certified diver?
No. Dive centres on Havelock and Neil Island run introductory dives for first-timers with an instructor, as well as courses and dives for certified divers.
Is Andaman diving better than anything in Goa or Kerala?
For water clarity and reef life, yes — the Andamans offer genuinely clear water and coral reefs that mainland India's Arabian Sea coast does not have.
What is Radhanagar Beach?
A well-known beach on Havelock Island, often visited alongside diving, and regularly rated among the region's better beaches.
How many days should I allow for an Andaman trip?
Allow for the flight and ferry connections on top of your island time; this is best planned as a dedicated leg of your trip rather than a quick add-on, and we confirm a suggested length once we know your diving goals.
Is the Andaman trip suitable for non-divers?
Yes. Radhanagar Beach and the islands themselves are worth visiting even without diving, and snorkelling is a lower-commitment alternative to a full dive.
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What our guests say
Daniel M
Family · Verified trip
5/51 week agoHeritage hotels were a real treat — the one near the lake had a rooftop where we watched the sunset every evening. All three properties were well chosen and the transfers between them were seamless.
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Charlotte B
Family · Verified trip
4/51 month agoReally enjoyable day. The guide was knowledgeable and funny. It did run about forty minutes over, which mattered because we had a train to catch, but they got us there with minutes to spare.
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Ananya D
Group · Verified trip
5/51 month agoPerfect balance of monuments and everyday life — a spice market, a morning at a ghat, then the big sights in the afternoon light. Our guide read the group well and adjusted the pace.
via Tripadvisor
Neha P
Couple · Verified trip
3/52 months agovia Google
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