My Scuba Diving Experience At The North Bay Island, Andamans

It all started in 2012 when I watched Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (a travel-based Bollywood film) for the first time. Since that day, I had been waiting for the opportunity until October 2016 when finally I made my first dive.

Scuba diving is one of the must-do activities in Andamans. You can either pre-book or book on the spot. I recommend that you book on the spot, as the weather conditions are unpredictable. You can do this activity ofn several islands like Havelock islands, Neil Island, Barren Island, Elephant Beach, North Bay Island, Mahatma Gandhi marine national park and Cinque Island.

I did my scuba diving at the North Bay Island, which is very close to Port Blair. The island offers a plethora of water activities suitable for all age groups. From glass-boat rides to submarines, snorkelling to sea walk. The ticket includes diving gears, instructor fees and complimentary photos and videos of your experience.

How to reach

Take a ferry from the Aberdeen Jetty near the Rajiv Gandhi Sports complex. Buy a two-way ticket to the island to save time and hassle.

We were a group of 5 friends doing this together. We kept our belongings safely in the lockers provided by the diving school. We had a 30 minutes training session before our dive, where the instructor taught us to hold the oxygen cylinder, breathe through it and few signs (UP, DOWN, OKAY, NOT OKAY and EQUALIZE) to communicate underwater.

We had a quick photo session before our dive. Soon after it, the instructor asked us to float in a sleeping position. The instructor dragged us a few meters and then told us to change to a standing position and signalled DOWN.

It took me a few seconds to adjust my eyes. It was dark initially but became bright as the sun rays pierced through the water. We passed through a few caves, where the corals were dancing with the waves. I saw many beautiful fishes like blue tang, clownfish and angelfish. The experience lasted for 30 minutes, yet I couldn’t get enough of it.

All good things come to an end. So did my fascinating journey of exploring underwater life. If you’re planning to visit Andamans, here’s a complete itinerary to help you plan your trip better. Also, here’s a video to sum up my scuba diving experience.