Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Pick Havelock Island for Your First Dive

There's something profoundly alluring about the underwater world - the vibrant spectrum of colours, the silence only interrupted by the rhythm of your own breath, and the feeling of weightlessness. If you're looking to immerse yourself in this aquatic wonderland, Havelock Island should be at the top of your list. 

Havelock Island offers a blend of beautiful marine life, magnificent coral reefs, and clear waters, along with safety and affordability. It's an ideal destination for your first dive, a place where you can plunge into the aquatic realm safely and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Here are the top 10 reasons why you should pick Havelock Island for your first dive.

1. Varied Dive Sites that are Perfect for Beginners

With over a dozen dive sites to choose from, Havelock Island provides a wide range of diving experiences. From the Aquarium, a shallow reef ideal for novices, to Johnny's Gorge and Dixon's Pinnacle, thrilling sites for experienced divers - there's a place for every diver's taste and skill.

The dive sites in Havelock Island also cater to all levels, especially beginners. With professional dive schools and instructors, you'll have plenty of guidance and training to make your first dive comfortable and safe. They offer various PADI certification courses, from beginner level to advanced ones, suiting your comfort and pace. 

Let's explore some of the key dive sites that Havelock Island has to offer.

The Aquarium (Level: Beginner): The Aquarium is a shallow reef site and the perfect spot for beginners and for those undertaking training dives. It's also an excellent location for snorkelers. The site is a large fringing reef with a depth of around 12 metres

Nemo Reef (Level: Beginner): As the name suggests, Nemo Reef is an excellent site to spot Clownfish (popularly known as 'Nemo') among the anemones. This shallow water dive site, ideal for beginners and snorkelling enthusiasts, offers a maximum depth of around 6 metres.

Lighthouse (Level: Beginner to Intermediate): Diving at the Lighthouse can be done day and night, providing an exciting opportunity for those who wish to experience the thrill of night diving. Suitable for beginners and intermediate divers, the site offers a depth of 6 to 18 metres. 

Pilot Reef (Level: Intermediate): Pilot Reef is a deeper dive site, going down to 24 meters. This spot is a large block of pristine coral, where you can see larger marine species like Grouper and Snapper, as well as sea turtles. 

Dixon's Pinnacle (Level: Advanced)

Dixon's Pinnacle is considered one of the best dive sites in Havelock Island. This site is a series of three underwater pinnacles teeming with life, including large pelagic fish, schools of trevally and barracuda

2.  Incredible Visibility

Visibility underwater is a crucial factor when diving. In Havelock, you can expect visibility up to 15-20 meters throughout the year, offering an unobstructed view of the aquatic panorama. During the peak season (January to April), the visibility can go up to 30-40 metres, making your diving experience even more incredible. The water clarity is thanks to the island's pristine environment and remote location, far from industrial pollution and heavy boat traffic.

The clear waters of Havelock Island allow the sun's rays to penetrate deep, illuminating the colourful corals and the variety of marine species in their true vibrant hues. This clarity results in breathtakingly vivid underwater views, creating perfect conditions for unforgettable dives and stunning underwater photography.

3.  Abundant Marine Life

Expect to be greeted by diverse marine life, from colourful coral gardens, impressive schools of fish, playful dolphins to graceful turtles, and even elusive dugongs. If you're lucky, you might even catch sight of a pod of dolphins or the majestic Manta Rays. Here's an introduction to the underwater inhabitants you might encounter while diving in Havelock Island.

Corals: The underwater world of Havelock Island is carpeted with vibrant coral reefs, creating a spectacular underwater garden. You'll find a multitude of both hard and soft corals, including Staghorn, Brain, and Mushroom corals. The colourful corals not only provide a feast for the eyes but also offer shelter and nutrients to various marine creatures.

Fish: The coral reefs of Havelock Island are teeming with numerous species of fish, presenting a symphony of colours, shapes, and sizes. Expect to encounter everything from tiny clownfish nimbly darting between anemones, to elegant angelfish and butterflyfish. Schools of snappers, fusiliers, and trevallies create a bustling spectacle, giving divers a sense of being in a mesmerising aquatic ballet.

Rays and Sharks: Imagine gliding peacefully alongside a graceful Manta Ray or spotting the elusive Whitetip or Blacktip Reef Shark in its natural habitat. These magnificent creatures are regularly spotted around the deeper dive sites of Havelock Island, offering unforgettable encounters for divers.

4. xcellent Dive Schools and Instructors

Havelock Island is home to several renowned dive schools, each committed to providing an outstanding and safe diving experience. The instructors here are highly skilled, patient, and have a thorough understanding of the dive sites around the island. The dive schools in Havelock Island are internationally accredited, mostly by PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), ensuring adherence to stringent safety norms and best practices in dive training. This means you'll be in safe hands and receive quality instruction, whether you're a novice starting with an Open Water Diver course or an experienced diver looking to further your skills.

5. Year-Round Diving Season

One of the standout advantages of choosing Havelock Island as your first dive location is its year-round diving season. Unlike many other diving destinations around the world that have specific seasons, Havelock Island's tropical climate allows for diving all year round, making it an incredibly flexible choice for your first underwater adventure. Throughout the year, the sea waters around Havelock Island remain warm, generally ranging between 26°C to 30°C (79°F to 86°F). This warmth not only makes for comfortable diving conditions but also encourages the growth of vibrant coral reefs and attracts a wide array of marine life.

While you can dive throughout the year in Havelock Island, the two major seasons - the dry season (October to April) and the rainy season (May to September) - offer slightly different diving experiences. During the dry season, the seas are generally calm, and visibility can extend up to 25-30 meters, making it perfect for first-time divers and underwater photography. The rainy season, also known as the monsoon season, brings a different charm. While surface intervals might be a bit wet, underwater conditions remain largely unaffected.

6. Environmental Consciousness

Most dive centres in Havelock follow eco-friendly practices and are involved in marine conservation projects. They follow and teach good diving practices that minimise the impact on the reefs and marine life. Some dive centres even participate in, or organise, regular cleanup dives and conservation activities that you can take part in, turning your diving adventure into a chance to give back to the ocean. This means, by choosing Havelock Island, you're also contributing to the protection and preservation of these beautiful underwater ecosystems. 

7.  Exotic Island Experience

Havelock Island isn't just about diving. One of the biggest draws of Havelock Island, apart from its world-class diving, is the unique island experience it offers. This tropical paradise provides an exotic getaway that beautifully complements the underwater adventures, rounding out your diving trip into a full-fledged holiday experience.

The first thing that strikes you about Havelock Island is its sheer natural beauty. Pristine white-sand beaches, turquoise-blue waters, and lush tropical forests create a postcard-perfect setting that soothes the senses. The scenic beauty of the island is a significant part of the charm, setting the stage for relaxation and rejuvenation between dives.

8. Affordability

Diving in Havelock Island is quite affordable compared to other world-class diving destinations. The cost of dive courses, equipment rental, and accommodation options can fit a range of budgets, making it an excellent choice for those looking to experience diving without breaking the bank. The rates for a fun dive (a casual dive for certified divers) typically range between INR 3500 and INR 4500 per dive. These prices generally include the costs of equipment rental, boat fees, and a guide.

9. A Gateway to Other Andaman Dive Sites

Choosing Havelock Island as your diving destination also means you have easy access to other spectacular dive sites in the Andaman archipelago. Neighbouring islands like Neil Island and South Button Island are just a boat ride away, offering even more underwater exploration opportunities. This makes Havelock not just a single diving destination but a gateway to a multitude of diving experiences.

10. Unique Night Diving Experiences

If you've ever wanted to add an extra layer of mystery and thrill to your diving experience, Havelock Island offers unique opportunities for night diving. With the marine landscape bathed in the glow of your torchlight, night dives reveal a different side of the underwater world, as nocturnal creatures come out and daytime species go into hiding. It's like exploring an entirely different reef! Dive centres on the island offer night dives at several sites, allowing divers to experience this otherworldly spectacle. Remember, however, that night diving requires additional training and should only be undertaken by or with experienced divers.