Scuba diving in Port Blair is one of the best diving adventures you can experience in India. The Indian Ocean surrounding the Andaman Islands are fresh and clear and its underwater universe boasts wonderful coral reefs, vivid marine creatures and stunning seabed gardens.
The capital of the Andaman Islands, Port Blair is well connected to mainland India and attracts tourists from all over the world. Port Blair is the first stop for everyone coming into the Andamans, and is truly the perfect introduction to these lovely islands.
The land has a rich culture, immortalized in the many museums and historical sites. It has plentiful silver beaches fringed with swaying palm trees, tropical rain forests and mangroves, on the outskirts of the city. The warm, clean waters offer great visibility making scuba diving in Port Blair is one of the most popular activities.
Chidiya Tapu, a small fishing village, is a 2-hour ride away from Port Blair and is the gateway to a number of dive sites. To access most of the dive sites, you need to take a ferry out into the sea. You can enjoy the feel of the breeze blowing through your hair as you journey there. Dive destinations around Chidiya Tapu include Cinque Island, Passage Island, Munda Pahar Beach, Parrot's Rock and Suar Mundi. North Bay, Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and the islands of Rutland are other popular dive locations.
Once under the sea, you'll be swimming with a variety of vibrant fish like bump heads, wrasse, triggerfish, butterflyfish, sweetlips, giant trevally, barracuda, yellow snappers and neon fusiliers. You can spot tons of purple coral and white fan coral gracing the seabed and bobbing around; many parrotfish, dolphins, lionfish, turtles, giant lobsters, schools of bluefin trevally and many more.
Be sure to catch the sound and light show at the Cellular Jail, a colonial prison that stands grim with the tales of its tortured inmates. Port Blair has various museums to explore: the Samudrika Naval Museum and the Anthropological Museum are like a doorway to a whole new world. At Chidiya Tapu, you can walk along the beach and witness spectacular crimson-hued sunsets.
If you're a beginner who is just dipping your toes into scuba diving, then you can sign up for a Try Dive or a Discover Scuba Dive. You don't need to possess any swimming skills and it's perfect for those who do not have the time for a certified course. Find out more about scuba diving for non-swimmers in our blog post, Scuba Diving in Andamans for Beginners.
But, if you're looking to get certified, you can go in for a PADI Scuba diver or PADI Open Water Diver course. Both these courses will get you a PADI certificate; however, the PADI Open Water Diver course gives you an advanced skill set and offers more number of dives. You can enroll in a PADI Advanced Open Water Diving Course once you've completed the PADI Open Water Diver course.
The best time to go scuba diving in this Andaman Island is between October and May. During these winter and summer months, the weather is pleasant and the waters are still, hence accounting for excellent visibility.
You're not required to carry any scuba diving equipment as the tour operator will provide all the scuba diving gear including oxygen tanks and diving suit. Keep yourself informed and read about what equipment you’ll be using for scuba diving. You should carry an extra pair of clothes, sandals or flip-flops, sunscreen and sunglasses when you won't be diving.
27-03-2020
the service is good and the payment process is smooth. but they are just aggregators and you will be pooled to other service providers. I need to go on long treks to experience more about The Great Next services
27-03-2020
It was a phenomenal experience. My first trek and it was way above my expectations. You guys were so warm and friendly, it felt like we've known each other for a long time. Thankyou for making my first experience a memorable one.
27-03-2020
Very well organised. Ours was a last minute request but they were very helpful in arranging it seamlessly. The entire trek was very smooth. What was promised was delivered. The food could have been better but I am not complaining. On the whole a great experience.
27-03-2020
The coordinators are extremely helpful. They go to extra lengths for helping you in figuring out where do you want to go and will be there with you at every step whenever you need them. Amazing service, I wanted to book a last minute ticket, I didn't think I'd get any good treks, but they sorted me out. Highly recommended.
27-03-2020
The team is great. They properly guide you so that you can make the most out of your trip. They are very helpful and quick in resolving any of your queries. And the trip was amazing too. The way it was all planned was great. We didn't have to worry about anything. The guides with us on the trek were also very cooperative. The team makes sure that you have everything you need. Recommended 10/10 ❤️
27-03-2020
Trekking on new year's eve was an amazing experience. Adding to that thanks to the great next for making the overall experience wonderful. Supportive staff, good guides and the facilities were also nice. Keep up the good work
27-03-2020
On trek best arrangement what can be offered.
27-03-2020
Pathetic experience. They are broker they dont do anything . These guys just do the tie up with local treakking group who are responcible for all the activitites. They tie up with cheaper treakking group and they provide worst quality of food, worst tent, worst and dirty sleeping bags .
27-03-2020
Very polite and trained leads. Service was fantastic, food was on point. The trek was beautifully crafted by them. Can't wait for my next trip
27-03-2020
TGN has a very sophisticated and concise web page along with many optional details and information. This is one of the few sites that provides information about the operator. All the operators they recommend are safe, well-trained and reliable. They are easily accessible and offer reasonable deals. I've booked a trekking and river rafting trip with them already, and it was a very good experience. I'll always choose The Great Next to plan my adventure trips.
27-03-2020
'The Great next is a great platform to discover, explore and book some of the best trails and treks nature has to offer! Although our trek group was managed by the amazing 'Renok adventures' , it was the great next that put us through to them. Thank you !'
There are regular flights to Port Blair from major cities of India. Once there, you can use local transport to reach your dive centre. When your dive sites are off-shore, your operator will arrange for a ferry to take you there.
You will be provided with a dive suit needed for scuba diving by your scuba operator. You will have to wear a comfortable swimsuit, swimming trunks or bikini underneath the dive suit. Other than that, you will have to wear cotton or quick-dry t-shirts/dress, shorts, sunglasses and hats when you're on a boat ride travelling to the dive site.
All the necessary diving equipment and gear including scuba tanks, masks, wetsuit, etc will be provided by the scuba operator. Be sure to carry loose clothes for when you’re not diving, sun protective gear, a water bottle; to keep yourself hydrated and light snacks.
Scuba diving beginners don’t particularly need any preparation; however, it is an added bonus if you’re fit and you maintain an exercise regime. You can perform yoga, some breathing and cardio exercise prior to your scuba diving session (avoid 24 hours before dive) to gain control over your breathing and build stamina. Being fit makes your scuba diving trip that much more enjoyable.