Scuba Diving, Havelock Island, Andaman & Nicobar India

Our scuba diving resort is located in one of the few nearly untouched paradises left on this planet! Havelock Island and its dive sites are home to an incredible variety of marine life and listing it all here would simply be impossible.

Divers from all over the globe come here just to witness the splendour of our vast schools of fish, clear tropical water and many other rare underwater creatures.

If you're looking for a quiet, mass-tourism free diving paradise, look no further than the Andaman and Nicobar Islands! These islands are located in the Bay of Bengal, 900 kms away from Indian mainland. The name Andaman is said to be derived from the word Hanuman, the monkey-god who is known in these parts as Handuman. These islands are inhabited by prehistoric aboriginal tribes such as the Shompen, the Sentinelese, the Jarawas, the Andamanese and the Onge. Havelock is the most popular island for scuba diving and snorkeling due to its two pristine white sandy beaches and clear turquoise blue waters. Havelock is located 57 kms from Port Blair and the best diving season is considered to be from December to April. The two main beaches are Vijayanagar and Radhanagar. The coastal belt of this island is home to rich coral reef ecosystem making scuba diving here an once-in-a-lifetime experience. Several shallow reefs are here ideal for snorkelling. Hammerhead sharks swim in the waters around the Andaman and Nicobar islands, away from the reefs while Nurse and Leopard sharks are found nearer to the coast. Rare sightings include Silvertips, Ocean Whitetips and large Manta Rays. The diving instructors here are PADI certified experts and ensure the participantsﾒ safety. The waters are warm in this tropical paradise and there is a daily boat service from Port Blair which leaves at 7 am and reaches Havelock at 9.30 am, returning in the afternoon. Some dicing operators also arrange for daily trips to Barren Islands and Invisible Islands. The visibility in the waters at Andaman and Nicobar is up to 40 metres and the best diving sites on Havelock Island are Barracuda City, Turtle Bay, Johnny's George and South Button. Participants are given thorough training before the actual diving commences.

Ever had the feeling on visiting a place so pristine, you are almost afraid to share it with the world? Neil Island, about 1400km from the Indian mainland and 40km east of Port Blair, is one such place. Uncluttered by ATMs, internet connectivity and mobile signals, here coconut water does not come in tetrapaks and even the morning newspaper is a luxury. Located at the southern tip of Ritchie’s Archipelago in the Andamans, the island remains virtually marooned, except for two daily boats that disgorge the few travelers who make it thus far. Neil almost lies beyond the time-space continuum and reaching it is like approaching an Event Horizon, a point of no return.

After the mandatory tour of Cellular Jail, Chidiya Tapu and a 3-island boat ride around the capital Port Blair, most travellers head to Havelock Island for a luxurious holiday and the rush of ocean adventure sports. But like characters from a classic Victorian saga, Neil is the lesser known but more intriguing stepbrother of Havelock, the flamboyant aristocrat who hosts extravagant parties on its fabulous tropical estate. Havelock and Neil are spoken of like salt and pepper, but they are just as different in flavour. While Havelock is a bustling tourist hub, Neil is a sleepy corner of the earth where even time decides to dawdle and often slows down to a stop.  We realized it the instant we alighted from our Incredible India ferry at Bharatpur Jetty after the 1hr chug on the Andaman Sea from Havelock.

The sun scattered silver dust on the sea, which spread like an unending ream of blue silk, seamlessly blending into deeper hues. If one accidentally dozed off on the beach, it wouldn’t be surprising to wake up with the strange feeling of having been washed ashore on some Lost Continent. Or imagining one was still dream travelling, for the scene is picture perfect – a beach with crystal clear waters fringed by trees and baby soft sands with an unbroken symphony of waves playing in the background. A lone cab driver offered to drop us at the Hawabill Nest Government Lodge, at one time the only accommodation on the island. A third generation Bengali immigrant, Babul spoke Hindi with a bewildering tropical Bengali accent and offered us a crash course in history. The entire chain of islands were once so deserted that after the 1971 Bangladesh War, the Indian Government decided to populate the area with displaced refugees, which explains why the lilt of their language was adrift so far out at sea!

Barring a few that have retained their aboriginal names, many islands in the Andamans were named after British heroes of the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny while the modern colonies created by the Government for the refugees were numbered for convenience. Over time, the settlements, beaches and landmarks acquired names inspired from mythology, thanks to the resettled Hindu migrant population. It was ironic to find Hanuman absent, considering the monkey god allegedly used these islands as stepping-stones to Lanka. The word Andaman is believed to be a derivative of Handuman. More than the legend, it was Hanuman’s wayward flight, off-course from Lanka and perilously close to Phuket that seemed more perplexing.

It was dusk by the time we said goodbye to Babul, who offered to pick us up the next morning for a tour of the island. After a home-style dinner of fish curry, prawn fry, hot tawa chapatis and rice at Hawabill, we set out for a late night stroll. Fairy lights wrapped around a tree lured us to Gyan Garden Restaurant where a group of travelers were playing cards awaiting their food, which arrived like an enviable Asterix style Gaulish feast! Like some bizarre marine Show and Tell, the platter brimmed with large lobsters, grilled fish, prawns, crispy calamari and all the creatures of the sea, with garlic bread, garden fresh salad and potato chips. They asked us to join in but we graciously declined, inwardly cursing ourselves for having eaten earlier. However, we settled for fresh juice and exchanged stories.

One gentleman had escorted two elderly ladies from Europe and the trio headed to Neil because “It was perfect. Er… will you write about it?” they half entreated. “These are by far the most beautiful beaches,” Anne said, petting a stray dog. “We have stayed in fancier places in Port Blair and Havelock, but we prefer the simplicity of this place,” added another. Chris, an avid diver gushed, “This a great place for snorkelers and divers. We have spotted dugongs and the coral reefs are fantastic. It is more beautiful than anywhere else. You can spend hours drifting with the currents or practically swim across to Havelock!” Fabien, a deep sea diver and photographer added, “Once you get a taste of it, you cannot have enough. So one does it day over and over again…We jump in, throw down a line and lower ourselves in the clear waters. The deeper you go… more surprises unfold in this underwater garden.” A duo we met earlier on the boat revealed they were into sportfishing, “The sea off Ritchie’s Archipelago holds some of the best catches of giant trevally, barracuda and marlin!” It was really late by the time we crawled back to Hawabill Nest for our tryst with sunrise.