Scuba Diving in India — the top 14 dive spots to explore.
Are you getting bored on land? Now it’s time to get into the depths of the sea to explore the diverse marine life. The life beneath the sea surface is enchanting, and energetic. Recreational scuba diving is one of the best ways to explore and admire colorful aquatic life. Here are the top 14 best dive spots as per your budget and comfort for scuba diving in India.
Scuba, or Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, is really helpful for swimming underwater and having fun, thrill, and a lifetime experience. Swimming is not a prerequisite for scuba diving — even beginners or non-swimmers can easily dive underwater with the assistance of a dive professional.
The maximum allowed dive depth limit is 40 metres (130 feet) for recreational scuba diving. Non-certified divers can dive up to 12 metres, while certified divers can dive up to 40 metres depending on their certification and experience level.
Before You Dive
Points to consider for scuba diving in India (safety rules).
- Don’t insist on diving if you have a flight within the next 12 hours.
- Never try to dive alone — always dive with a buddy for support and assistance in emergencies.
- Scuba diving after consuming alcohol, drugs, or medication is prohibited.
- Non-swimmers are advised not to venture into the sea on their own.
- Never hold your breath underwater — slow and deep breathing is recommended.
- Don’t dive too deep; start with shallow waters.
- Double-check your scuba equipment before each dive to ensure everything is working well.
- Don’t risk yourself or your diver by insisting on diving with a medical condition.
- The age limit for recreational scuba diving is a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 50 years, with a medical certificate required above that.
- You must follow all the instructions of your dive master to have a safe and smooth scuba dive experience.
- Don’t touch anything underwater or pollute marine flora and fauna.
The Checklist
Top 14 best dive destinations for scuba diving in India.
Explore diving opportunities below and choose your dive spot as per your budget and travel itinerary.
Andaman Islands: Exploring new depths in the deep blue sea
The incredible Andaman Islands are the top dive destination, located southeast of the Bay of Bengal. It is also considered the best place for scuba diving in India to witness manta rays, turtles, octopus, moray eels, trevally, and batfish during the dive. The Islands are famous for their vibrant marine life, wide open virgin white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, and colorful species of sea dwellers and coral reefs just a few metres away from the coastline. Port Blair, Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep), and Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) are popular destinations for scuba diving in Andaman.
Havelock Island is the best place with multiple dive sites to learn scuba diving in Andaman, with dive operators offering basic to advanced dive courses.
Havelock Island: Dive into the underwater paradise
The Island offers some of the best dive sites in India and is suitable for all scuba diving enthusiasts. Havelock Island is home to diverse species of marine life including reef sharks, turtles, octopus, manta rays, clownfish, and many other species of soft corals and sea dwellers. The Island is popular for its virgin beaches, transparent water bodies, and tropical rainforests.
Havelock Island offers more dive sites than any other scuba diving destination in India.
Explore Havelock’s Dive Sites →
Lakshadweep: Colourful coral reefs
Lakshadweep is one of the prime locations to experience the best scuba diving in India. The group of islands is famous for its blue transparent lagoons and coves, home to spacious species of marine life including turtles, manta rays, colourful fish life, sharks, and other sea dwellers. The place offers a rich and vibrant formation of coral reefs — a hidden paradise for scuba dive lovers.
You may spot the debris of a warship near the Princess Royal dive site that sank 200 years ago during a war between France and England — exciting to explore for traces of cannons and pottery.
Goa: Diving here is fun
The place is stunning for a variety of marine life, crystal clear waters, live coral reefs, and multiple scuba diving options. Most of the dive sites are shallow, between 5 to 15 metres, with a lack of underwater current. Goa is one of the safest places for scuba diving in India.
Goa is one of the more budget-friendly places for scuba diving in India. Water temperature stays around 28°C, with underwater visibility around 4 to 8 metres.
Kovalam, Kerala: Unforgettable diving experience in God’s Own Country
Kovalam is one of the best places for scuba diving in tranquil waters and exploring multiple species of sea animals. The dive site is blessed with colourful sea dwellers and vibrant coral reefs in crystal-clear water. Kerala is rapidly becoming a well-known dive destination.
Kerala has multiple vibrant dive spots, and Kovalam is an emerging dive site for a wonderful dive experience.
Pondicherry: Dive into a vibrant underwater paradise
Pondicherry is the sole diving spot located on the eastern coast of India. The dive destination consists of natural coral reefs, man-made ridges, rocky structures, and beautiful marine organisms including fan corals, manta rays, parrotfish, jackfish, and sea snakes. The place suits both beginners and certified divers.
Attractive beaches, cosmic marine life, and pleasant weather draw a large number of divers to Pondicherry every year.
Kadmat Island: Embark on a breathtaking underwater journey
Also known as Cardamom Island, Kadmat is part of the union territory of Lakshadweep, located on the western side of India in the Arabian Sea. The dive site is popular for its marine turtles and many other marine species. The Island looks like a paradise, with clear blue waters, pristine white sandy beaches, and lush green forests.
Scuba diving here is good for witnessing species of marine turtles and other marine life.
Neil Island: Uncover the secrets of the deep
Neil Island is another popular island of Andaman, located 53 kilometres from Port Blair. It’s a remote and calm location, free from the chaos of the main town. The coral reefs of Neil are still untouched and offer a wide range of marine flora and fauna, with a wealth of unexplored and hidden beaches.
Most of the coral reefs are still unexplored and untouched, with a chance to spot the state animal of Andaman, the dugong (sea cow).
Explore Neil Island’s Dive Sites →
Cinque Island: Diving here never gets boring
Cinque is another popular island for scuba diving, part of the Andaman Islands, located in the southern part approximately 40 kilometres from Port Blair. The Island has one of the clearest water bodies, with underwater visibility up to 24 metres. You can explore numerous species of sea dwellers and corals, including black coral, sharks, and rare marine flora and fauna.
The Island is famous for its transparent water, up to 80 feet deep, and is home to unique marine species.
Netrani Island, Karnataka
Netrani, also known as Pigeon Island, is a tiny island in the Arabian Sea a few kilometres off the western coast of Karnataka. Murudeshwar is the main town from where you reach Netrani by speedboat, around 10 kilometres offshore. It’s a heart-shaped island rich with diverse marine life and fabulous coral formations — you might even spot whale sharks if you get lucky. Bhatkal, a shipwreck site, lies 25 kilometres off the coast nearby.
Netrani is an isolated location away from the coastline and offers crystal clear waters to dive in.
Tarkarli, Maharashtra
Tarkarli is an emerging tourist destination for scuba diving in Maharashtra, located near Sindhudurg Fort. The coastal waters are transparent and blessed with abundant marine life. Dive sites are located away from the coastline, with tourists transported out by speedboat.
A non-swimmer can also scuba dive in Tarkarli, up to a depth of 30 feet.
Dwarka: The place is religious but adventurous too
Dwarka is a popular religious destination for Lord Krishna devotees, and also a great place off the coast for scuba diving. It’s rapidly growing as a scuba diving destination, offering a wide range of marine ecosystems in reasonably clear waters.
The underwater city of Dwarka is a famous scuba diving attraction, located in the Gulf of Khambhat, off the coast of Dwarka, Gujarat.
Bangaram Islands, Lakshadweep
Bangaram is a popular scuba diving destination on Lakshadweep, with beautiful dive sites equal to Maldives and Mauritius in richness. It has some of the best white sandy beaches and unmatched scenic beauty.
The dive sites of Bangaram are transparent and vibrant, on par with the Maldives and Mauritius.
The Aravind Wall
The Aravind Wall is one of the best dive sites for scuba diving in Pondicherry, located 15 kilometres off the coastline. It’s home to numerous sea species including butterflyfish, parrotfish, clownfish, and various kinds of sea snakes. You can also spot moray eels hidden in the cracks of the wall. The dive site is 40 metres deep and suitable for deep divers only.
One can explore numerous rare sea animals hidden under the creeks of the Aravind’s Wall.
Before You Book
Important tips to undertake scuba diving in India.
Scuba diving is one of the best watersports and most fun-loving activities everyone must try at least once. However, it is a daring watersport and can feel intimidating, so adhere to the following tips before you book a dive.
- Safety must be your first priority before you book a scuba dive session — find a professional and experienced dive organiser for a much safer and smoother experience.
- Practice underwater swimming to overcome any fear of diving and feel confident before your real diving adventure.
- Carry out a medical examination to ensure you don’t have any medical issues and are perfectly fit for scuba diving.
- Your dive instructor is your boss — adhere to all the instructions and guidelines given for a successful dive.
- Plan your dive and dive your plan, and decide your emergency exit in case of contingencies.
- Double-check your scuba diving gear to make sure everything is fit enough before your actual dive.
Common FAQ
Scuba diving in India — your questions answered.
The Andaman Islands are the best scuba diving destination compared to other parts of India.
Tarkarli, Maharashtra is the cheapest place to scuba dive in India, with prices starting at Rs. 500 to Rs. 800 per person.
The Andaman Islands are much more peaceful and close to nature, with pristine beaches, vibrant marine life, and untouched coral formations. Havelock Island is the hub for all scuba diving enthusiasts.
Yes, beginners or non-swimmers can easily do scuba diving under the supervision of a professional dive instructor. Swimming is not a prerequisite for scuba diving.
Scuba diving is a completely safe underwater sport, provided it is conducted with a professional and experienced dive team.
Havelock Island is the best place to go scuba diving in Andaman. The Island offers multiple dive sites suitable for beginners, non-swimmers, and certified divers, with diverse marine life and crystal-clear waters.
With Seahawks SCUBA, scuba diving certification courses range from ₹6,500 for the Basic Diver course up to ₹25,000 for the SSI Open Water Diver course, depending on which certification you choose. Basic swimming ability is not required for every course.
October to April is considered the best time for scuba diving in India.
Beginners or non-certified divers can dive up to a maximum of 12 metres deep.
A person must be physically and mentally sound enough to go scuba diving. Anyone with a pre-existing health condition or on daily medication should consult a doctor and complete a medical questionnaire form before diving.
Ready to try scuba diving in Andaman?
Wherever your India dive trip takes you, Havelock Island remains one of the best places to start — with dive sites, courses, and instructors for every level.