Wreck Diving in Andaman - Andaman Tourism

Wreck Diving: Introduction

Wreck diving involves exploring sunken ships, aircraft or other structures beneath the ocean’s surface. In the Andaman Sea, several wrecks have become artificial reefs, hosting an abundance of marine biodiversity and offering a thrilling underwater experience.

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Glorious Andaman for Wreck Diving

Andaman has got a rich maritime history. Andaman’s location in the Bay of Bengal has made it a hub for maritime trade for centuries. This history, coupled with storms and wartime activity, has resulted in numerous shipwrecks scattered along its ocean floor.

Moreover, to add to the excitement and fun of wreck diving, there is abundant marine life in and around the wreck site. The wrecks serve as artificial reefs, attracting a variety of marine creatures such as vibrant corals, schools of fish and even larger species like rays and sharks. The pristine waters offer clear visibility. The Andaman Islands are popular among divers for their crystal-clear waters, offering excellent visibility for divers. The exclusive and untouched waters are home to many wreck sites in Andaman and they are relatively unexplored. Thus they provide an exclusive experience for adventurous divers.

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Popular Wreck Diving Sites in Andaman

The Inket Wreck: Port Blair: Andaman

This is a notable wreck site of a Japanese cargo ship sunk during World War II. It is now home to colourful corals, reef fish and even occasional visits from barracudas.

MV Mars: Havelock Island: Andaman

This is the wreck of a small cargo shipwreck surrounded by stunning marine life. It offers a beginner-friendly wreck diving experience due to its manageable depth.

Wall Wreck: Near Chidiya Tapu

This is a more mysterious and a lesser-known dive site featuring a small wreck with dense coral growth. This site is great for macro photography enthusiasts due to the diverse small marine creatures.

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Marine Life around Wrecks in Andaman

Fish Species: Snapper, angelfish, lionfish and groupers.
Macro Life: Nudibranchs, shrimps and seahorses.
Pelagic Visitors: Rays, barracudas and sometimes reef sharks.
Coral Growth: Hard and soft corals create a vivid, colourful underwater landscape.

What Makes Wreck Diving in Andaman So Unique

Historical Exploration: Many wrecks have fascinating stories, from wartime sinkings to trade route mishaps.

Mystery and Adventure: Exploring the hidden chambers and remains of sunken vessels adds a sense of discovery.

Ecological Value: Wrecks serve as thriving marine ecosystems, offering an insight into the underwater food chain.

Who Can Try Wreck Diving

Certified Divers: Most wreck dives require at least an Open Water Diver certification. Some deeper or more complex wrecks may need Advanced Open Water certification.

Beginners: There are wreck sites at shallower depths suitable for less experienced divers, often combined with coral reef diving.

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Best Time for Wreck Diving in Andaman

The months from November to May usually have calm seas and excellent visibility that make this the ideal time for wreck diving.

The monsoon Season stretching from the months from June to September is not recommended due to rough seas and poor visibility.

Tips for Wreck Diving

To be a wreck diver you need proper training. Wreck diving involves overhead environments, so additional training, such as a Wreck Diver Specialty Course, is beneficial.
Use of safety gear is mandatory. Use a dive light for exploring interiors and a line reel for navigation.
It is essential that you practice ethical diving. Respect marine life around you. Avoid touching the wreck or disturbing marine habitats.
Having a calm and composed mind is a skill that you need to possess while wreck diving. Wreck diving can feel confined stay relaxed and maintain buoyancy control.

Wreck diving in Andaman combines the thrill of underwater exploration with the wonder of discovering thriving marine ecosystems. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, an adventurous diver, or a marine life lover, the Andaman wrecks promise unforgettable experiences.

Diving Sites in Andaman

The Andaman Islands are renowned for their breathtaking diving sites, offering unparalleled underwater experiences for beginners and experts alike. Havelock Island features iconic spots such as The Wall, with its dramatic coral-encrusted drop-offs, and Elephant Beach, ideal for snorkelling and scuba diving beginners. Neil Island offers serene sites like Busy Burro, filled with vibrant coral gardens and diverse marine life. For thrill-seekers, Barren Island, India’s only active volcano, provides unique dives among volcanic formations and pelagic species. Around Port Blair, sites like Cinque Island and North Bay are celebrated for their crystal-clear waters, colourful reefs and thriving biodiversity. Whether exploring wrecks like the Inket Wreck, admiring coral-covered pinnacles, or encountering majestic sea turtles, reef sharks and rays, the Andaman dive sites promise unforgettable marine adventures.

Diving for Everyone in Andaman

The Andaman Islands offer diving experiences for everyone, from beginners taking their first plunge to seasoned divers seeking thrilling underwater adventures. For novices, locations like Elephant Beach and North Bay provide shallow reefs teeming with vibrant corals and tropical fish, perfect for introductory dives or snorkelling. The first timers will be taken in by the variety and charm of underwater creatures. Intermediate divers can explore Neil Island’s Busy Burro or Havelock’s Lighthouse that dazzles every diver with a mix of colourful marine life and coral gardens. Advanced divers can venture to Barren Island, with its volcanic underwater landscapes and encounters with pelagic species, or explore mysterious wrecks like the Inket Wreck. With crystal-clear waters, diverse ecosystems and professional dive centres offering tailored courses and guided tours, the Andaman Islands ensure a safe, enjoyable and unforgettable underwater experience for all.

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Advanced Diving in Andaman

The Andaman Islands are a haven for advanced divers seeking exhilarating underwater challenges. With dramatic underwater landscapes, deep wrecks and encounters with large pelagic species, the region offers some of the most unique diving opportunities in India.

Barren Island, Andaman

The highlight of this site comprises India’s only active volcano that opens a world of extraordinary underwater landscape with black sand and unique lava formations. Situated about 135 km northeast of Port Blair, the island is renowned for its surreal underwater terrain shaped by volcanic activity. Among the exquisite marine life, sightings of manta rays, reef sharks and large schools of barracudas are common. You can dive to a depth exceeding 30 meters, making it suitable for experienced divers. The site is accessible only by liveaboard dive boats departing from Port Blair or Havelock Island. Typically, liveaboard trips to Barren Island last 2-3 days, including multiple dives and surface intervals near the island. Barren Island is not just a dive site—it’s an adventure into one of nature’s most dramatic and untouched realms.

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Johnny’s Gorge, Havelock Island

Johnny’s Gorge is one of the most celebrated dive sites near Havelock Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This site is a favourite among advanced divers seeking adrenaline-packed underwater adventures. This site is famous for its vibrant coral gardens and teeming marine life that includes grey reef sharks, rays and giant groupers. The site features a bowl-shaped gorge surrounded by coral-covered walls. The seafloor is adorned with colourful hard and soft corals, creating a lively underwater landscape. The divers here will however require advanced skills due to strong currents and a depth range of 25-30 meters. The site experiences moderate to strong currents, which attract large pelagic species but also make it suitable only for experienced divers. Johnny’s Gorge is not just a dive—it’s an adventure into a bustling underwater ecosystem. From encounters with majestic reef sharks to the vibrant coral gardens, every moment at this site is packed with excitement and wonder. Whether you’re a marine life enthusiast or a thrill-seeking diver, Johnny’s Gorge offers an unforgettable experience that showcases the raw beauty of the Andaman Sea.

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Inket Wreck, Port Blair

The Inket Wreck near Port Blair is one of the most fascinating dive sites in the Andaman Islands. This historic World War II-era Japanese cargo shipwreck, now encrusted with corals and teeming with marine life, offers a perfect blend of history, adventure and biodiversity for divers with a penchant for exploration. This is a unique diving site as it presents a world of war. This is a World War II Japanese cargo shipwreck covered in corals. It offers a blend of history and biodiversity with schools of trevally and macro life like nudibranchs. You will need to dive to a depth of around 30 meters, suitable for wreck-certified divers. The ship is well-preserved in parts, offering divers the chance to explore its structure, including cargo holds and outer hulls, which are now home to marine life. The Inket Wreck offers a unique experience that combines the thrill of wreck exploration with the beauty of a thriving marine ecosystem. It’s a chance to dive into a piece of history while marvelling at how nature has reclaimed the structure. For experienced divers seeking a memorable adventure, the Inket Wreck is a must-visit site in the Andaman Islands.

Minerva Ledge, Havelock Island

Minerva Ledge is one of the most stunning dive sites around Havelock Island, known for its expansive coral reef and rich marine biodiversity. This site offers a mesmerizing underwater experience with crystal-clear waters, vibrant corals and an abundance of marine life, making it a favourite for divers seeking both beauty and adventure. This diving site of Andaman has a submerged plateau filled with stunning corals and large pelagic fish. You will be surprised Frequent visits from tuna, barracudas and eagle rays. Enjoy a fabulous descent to a depth up to 35 meters, which makes it a challenging dive. The site features a large underwater plateau or ledge, covered with colourful hard and soft corals. Schools of snapper, fusiliers, parrotfish and butterflyfish are common. Minerva Ledge is suitable for divers of all levels, with depths ranging from 10 meters to over 25 meters. The vibrant corals and diversity of marine life make it an excellent site for underwater photography, both wide-angle and macro. Thus, Minerva Ledge is a paradise for divers looking to immerse themselves in the vibrant marine ecosystem of the Andaman Sea. Its stunning coral gardens, abundant marine life and serene underwater environment make it a must-visit site for both novice and experienced divers. Whether you’re marvelling at the colourful reef or encountering majestic pelagic species, Minerva Ledge promises an unforgettable underwater adventure.

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The Dixon’s Pinnacle, Havelock Island

Dixon’s Pinnacle is a world-renowned diving site located near Havelock Island, now called Swaraj Dweep, in the Andaman Islands. Known for its breathtaking underwater topography, thriving marine life and thrilling currents, this dive site is a haven for experienced divers seeking a blend of beauty and adventure. Towering pinnacles that are an underwater photographer’s dream. Dixon’s Pinnacle consists of three massive underwater rock pinnacles that rise from the depths, with the shallowest point at around 18 meters. The pinnacles are surrounded by coral gardens and open water, creating an awe-inspiring seascape. Snapper schools, Napoleon wrasses and the occasional manta ray. You can drop down to 40 meters, requiring excellent buoyancy control. Dixon’s Pinnacle is a crown jewel among the dive sites in the Andaman Islands, offering a perfect combination of stunning underwater landscapes and thrilling marine life encounters. From exploring the towering pinnacles to witnessing the bustling activity of pelagic species, every dive here promises to be an unforgettable adventure. For those seeking the ultimate diving experience in Andaman, Dixon’s Pinnacle is a must-visit.

Challenges of Advanced Diving in Andaman

Not all sites are accessible for all divers. Many sites exceed recreational dive limits, requiring advanced or deep diver certifications.

As a cautionary measure you need to keep the ocean currents in mind. Strong currents are common, demanding skilled navigation and physical endurance.

Some diving sites are simply out in the ocean away from the main lands or any of the islands. Hence they have limited access. Such remote sites like Barren Island often require liveaboards or long boat trips.

Adventurous Marine Encounters in Andaman Diving Sites

Advanced sites in the Andaman Islands are known for thrilling encounters. Imagine the thrill of meeting sharks. Reef sharks, bull sharks and even hammerheads at certain sites. Then there are the all-favourite rays. Manta rays and eagle rays glide gracefully through the waters. Some divers are simply in awe of the macro life of the Andaman seas. Seahorses, nudibranchs and other fascinating small creatures thrive in deeper waters.