Scuba diving in Havelock Island: season, what to expect, how to book

The short version

Havelock Island, renamed Swaraj Dweep in 2018, is the Andamans' main base for scuba diving, with several PADI and SSI dive schools. You reach it by ferry from Port Blair, about 90 minutes on a private catamaran. Dive centres reopen in October after the monsoon and run to May, with December to March the busiest stretch.

For a first dive, plan one full day on the island. For a course, plan several. Prices vary by shop and by which site you dive, so compare listings and ask the shop what your price covers.

Getting to Havelock

Havelock is about 41 km northeast of Port Blair. Most visitors fly to Port Blair first, then take a ferry from the jetty. Flights, schedules and fares change, so check them close to your dates.

Two kinds of ferry run. Private catamarans such as Makruzz, Green Ocean and Nautika are faster and can be booked online. Makruzz puts the crossing at about 90 minutes and advises booking 7 to 10 days ahead in peak season, which it gives as October to May. The government ferries, run by the Directorate of Shipping Services, are slower and harder to book ahead. Sailings depend on weather, so do not tie a dive to the same day you land.

Carry a valid photo ID with your e-ticket. Makruzz asks for it.

The diving season

The Hans India reported in September 2026 that dive centres on Havelock reopen in October and run until May. From June to September the monsoon brings strong winds, rough seas, short-notice boat cancellations and lower visibility. The same report puts the peak at December to March, and says October and November have clear water and fewer visitors. A dive-travel site, Private Scuba, gives the same pattern: peak diving from the end of October to May.

One thing to know before you search: the Havelock destination record on Coral Circuit lists the season as year round. That is the record, not a promise about the sea. In the monsoon months, expect cancellations and ask the shop what it is running. Our best time for scuba diving in India guide covers the other coasts.

What you can see

Private Scuba lists groupers, barracuda, octopus, nudibranchs, giant clams, seahorses and stingrays around Havelock. It also lists eagle rays, manta rays, reef sharks, leopard sharks and hawksbill turtles as sightings, which are not guaranteed on any dive. The Hans India gives typical visibility as 15 to 30 metres and water at 26 to 29 degrees Celsius, so most divers need only a thin suit.

Shore dives and boat dives

The Hans India describes a shore dive from Govind Nagar beach, at a reef locally called Nemo Reef, at about 6 metres. Private Scuba also lists Nemo Reef as a sheltered bay with little current. That suits nervous first-timers and families who would rather not sit in a boat.

Boat dives go to other reefs. The Hans India names Lighthouse, Slope and Aquarium among the boat sites for beginners, and says coral and fish life are generally better there. Private Scuba lists Dixon's Pinnacles, and flags Minerva Ledge and Jackson's Bar as strong-current sites for experienced divers. Which sites you dive on a given day is the shop's call, so ask which one your price includes.

Elephant Beach is mostly a snorkelling and water sports beach, according to the Hans India. If you want a scuba dive there, confirm it before you pay.

What a first dive costs on Coral Circuit

These are the prices operators published on their own Coral Circuit listings as of 17 October 2026. Shore try dives start at ₹3,500 at Seahawks Scuba, Andaman Bubbles, Dive Andaman and The Dive Master. Seahawks Scuba also lists 40 minutes for ₹4,500. Boat try dives are listed at ₹5,500 at Dive Andaman and ₹6,500 at Lacadives and Barefoot Scuba. The record shows twelve dive operators for Havelock.

Operators change prices, so the listing is the one to trust. For a wider breakdown of courses and fun dives, read scuba diving cost in the Andamans. The Hans India also advises booking directly with the dive centre, because hotel desks and agents add commission and may not name the operator who will take you out.

Rules that affect divers

The Andaman and Nicobar Administration's Directorate of Tourism has published guidelines for scuba diving centres, dated August 2025. They say dives must be supervised by centre staff with a briefing first, and that diving alone is not allowed. Divers fill in a medical form, and a yes to any condition needs a physician's approval. The guidelines also limit diving to permitted areas, which include parts of Havelock but exclude some, such as Radhanagar Beach. Diving inside a marine national park carries a daily fee, so ask whether your shop's price includes it.

Tell the shop about asthma, ear or sinus trouble, heart conditions, pregnancy or recent surgery, and see a doctor if you are unsure. The Hans India reports that most centres accept ages 12 to 49 for an intro dive and want a medical certificate for older guests, but that varies, so ask.

Do not fly the same day. DAN recommends at least 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive and 18 hours after multiple days of diving. Leave your last day free.

How long to allow

A try dive fits in a day, with a briefing, shallow practice and the dive itself. Give yourself a buffer day on each end for ferry delays. The Hans India puts an entry-level Open Water course at about four days. If you are certified and want several boat dives, plan more days than dives, because rough weather can cancel a morning.

Ask the shop for the earliest slot. The Hans India says the sea is usually calmest then.

Havelock or Neil Island

Neil Island is about 60 minutes from Havelock by Makruzz ferry. PADI says Neil's marine life and conditions are quite similar to Havelock's. Coral Circuit lists twelve operators for Havelock; ask each shop what it offers and how many dives per day it runs. Our Andaman Islands diving guide covers both islands.

Next step

Open scuba diving in India or browse all dive shops, pick a Havelock shop, and tap Check availability. Tell the shop your date and group size. They reply by phone or email. Nothing is paid now.