Dive Sites in Havelock Island
Havelock Island, officially Swaraj Dweep, is the beating heart of Andaman diving — and it's home to the widest range of dive sites of any island in this project. Eighteen sites in total, spanning Nemo Reef and Purple Haze, calm shore-close reefs suitable for a first-ever dive, through comfortable Open Water reefs, all the way to some of the most demanding advanced and deep dives anywhere in the Andamans.
We've built full profiles for all 18: depths, marine life, pricing, and exactly who each one suits — from a first-time non-swimmer taking their very first breath underwater, to an Advanced Open Water diver chasing white-tip sharks at 35 metres.
What Makes Havelock Island Different
Where Port Blair's sites split by travel time and Chidiya Tapu's split by depth alone, Havelock is simply the biggest and most varied cluster of the four by far — 18 sites spanning the full range of what recreational diving offers. Eight sites (Nemo Reef, Tribe Gate, Turtle Beach, Juvis, Red Pillar, Light House, Aquarium, and Purple Haze) are genuinely open to non-certified beginners and non-swimmers with a personal instructor. Ten more step up to certified-divers-only, ranging from Open Water level all the way to Advanced Open Water and deep-diver-only technical sites.
Havelock also holds several genuine firsts and onlys across this entire project: Nemo Reef is the only true shore dive we've built a page for; Light House is one of the only officially-permitted night-diving sites in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands; SS Inchkeith Wreck is Havelock's only wreck dive, a real 1955 cargo ship; Minerva Ledge was personally discovered by Jacques Cousteau in 1970; and The Wall was the very first dive site ever discovered on Havelock, back in 2004. Then there's the "Holy Trinity" — Johnny's Gorge, Dixon's Pinnacles, and Jackson's Bar, named after three brothers from Havelock's Karen community who each discovered one of the three sites while working as local divemasters.
The 18 Dive Sites
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Which Site Is Right for You?
New to Diving or Non-Swimmer
- Nemo Reef — only true shore dive, no boat required
- Tribe Gate — clownfish, giant clams, and octopuses
- Turtle Beach — blue starfish, green sea turtles, and a garden of staghorn coral
- Purple Haze — no current, calm surface, starts at 5m
- Aquarium — best natural light, reliable sea turtles
Certified Divers (Open Water & Up)
- The Wall — Havelock's first-ever discovered site
- SS Inchkeith Wreck — Havelock's only wreck dive
- Pilot Reef — most reliable leopard shark site
Advanced & Deep Divers Only
- Johnny's Gorge — white-tip sharks on nearly every dive
- Dixon's Pinnacles — manta ray cleaning stations
- Jackson's Bar — strong current, pelagic life
FAQs
Eighteen, making it by far the largest cluster in the Andamans covered here — from Nemo Reef and Purple Haze, shore-close reefs suitable for a first-ever try, to Broken Ledge and the "Holy Trinity" of advanced sites at 20 to 35+ metres.
Nemo Reef, Tribe Gate, Turtle Beach, Juvis, Red Pillar, Light House, Aquarium, and Purple Haze all offer non-certified/non-swimmer pricing with a personal instructor. Nemo Reef is the only true shore dive of the group, Purple Haze has no current at all and starts at just 5 metres, and Aquarium offers the best natural light and the most reliable sea turtle sightings.
Several. Johnny's Gorge, Dixon's Pinnacles, Jackson's Bar, and Broken Ledge are all reserved for Advanced Open Water certified divers, with depths from 16 to 35 metres. The Slope, The Wall, and SS Inchkeith Wreck are certified-divers-only but open from Open Water level.
Johnny's Gorge, Dixon's Pinnacles, and Jackson's Bar are named after three brothers from Havelock's Karen community who each personally discovered one of the three sites while working as local divemasters. Together they're considered Havelock's most demanding and rewarding advanced dive circuit.
Yes — SS Inchkeith Wreck, Johnny's Gorge, and Dixon's Pinnacles all involve two dives per visit, largely due to the long boat transfer and the size of the site making a single dive impractical.
No — Nemo Reef, Tribe Gate, Turtle Beach, Juvis, Red Pillar, Light House, Aquarium, and Purple Haze all offer a non-certified/non-swimmer tier with a personal instructor. The remaining ten sites are certified-divers-only, ranging from Open Water level (The Wall, Pilot Reef, Minerva Ledge) to Advanced Open Water and deep-diver-only sites (Johnny's Gorge, Dixon's Pinnacles, Jackson's Bar, Broken Ledge, White House Rock).
Ready to Explore Havelock Island?
From a shore dive with clownfish to the advanced-only Holy Trinity 35 metres down, we'll help you find the right reef.