Frequently Asked Questions

The cost of scuba diving in Port Blair may vary depending on what exactly you want to do. The price also varies for beginners who want to dive for recreational activity and those who want a scuba certification. Diving packages can start anywhere between INR 4000 to INR 6500. The cost of diving also changes depending on the spot and how far deep into the sea you wish to go for your dive. Most diving centres include the cost of pictures, travel, and instructor in a package for your convenience. A typical underwater dive may be anything between 40 minutes to an hour. Only those who know swimming can take the scuba diving course that can take place for 3 to 7 days. The cost for such certification courses can be around INR 6500 to 20,000. You’ll also get a PADI certification once you’ve completed the course.

Answer: Even though almost every traveler tends to go to Thailand or Maldives for scuba diving, India has some of the best marine life and reefs that one can witness while performing the adventurous water sport. In fact, when you go to Neil Island, when you see the crystal clear waters, you would want to take a plunge at that very moment. Believe us, it is that exhilarating!

What’s more, there are several dive spots and highly trained instructors on Neil Island who will ensure you have the most exciting and comfortable scuba diving experience. The equipment utilized is even maintained well so as to meet international standards.

Diving on Neil Island is the usual Indo-Pacific diving, which is a blend of everything. On good days, the visibility will be 20 to 25 meters, and on bad ones, it will be moderate, that is, between 10 and 15 meters. Now if you still have second thoughts about choosing Neil Island over other islands for scuba diving, there are several more reasons. The key highlight of the region is the school of dugongs that live in the area and can usually be seen right outside in the house reef.

Moreover, if you are finding it difficult to choose between Neil and Havelock for your diving experience, we have two key reasons why Neil is better than Havelock. First of all, there are lesser mangrove trees on Neil, which implies higher visibility and better clarity of water even on days of low visibility. And secondly, the marine life on Neil is rich and includes everything from macro to big fishes like occasional mantas, groupers, sharks, and barracudas.

The PADI Master Instructor Course covers a broad range of topics, including PADI standards and procedures, effective teaching methods, risk management, sales and marketing techniques, dive theory, and equipment maintenance. The course also includes workshops on skills development, dive rescue scenarios, and teaching presentations.

The course typically takes 2-3 days to complete, depending on the student's pace and schedule.

The diving season in Port Blair generally starts towards the start of October. Between October to March is the best time for scuba diving in Port Blair. Some diving centres are also open until May. The winter seasons are best because there are fewer chances of rain and storm, making the weather conducive for diving. The benefit of travelling for scuba diving during the off-season is that the crowd is less. Also, some diving centres may discount the price for diving around this time.

Situated in the western region of Shaheed Dweep or Neil Island, Bus Stop is a famous diving spot in the Andamans. Scuba divers here take a plunge to the top of the reef at 16 feet while entering the water. They reach the point that comprises soft coral patches. Since it slopes gently to 65 feet, it is an ideal spot for beginners since they can get to know a lot about buoyancy.

Once you reach the deeper edges down the slope, you will witness a reef consisting of branching, massive kinds of corals on the bottom of the spot. Further, you will spot plenty of garden eels that stick their heads out of the sand.

The PADI Master Instructor Course is a performance-based program, meaning that participants are evaluated based on their teaching and leadership skills. During the course, participants will be required to complete several workshops, assessments, and evaluations. These evaluations will focus on the participant's knowledge, teaching ability, and professionalism.

The course covers a variety of topics related to underwater navigation, including the use of a compass, natural navigation techniques, estimating distance, marking and relocating submerged objects, and creating a map of an underwater area.

It is a common misconception that since scuba diving is an underwater activity, you must know how to swim to be able to dive. That’s not true. Anybody can swim, irrespective of their swimming ability. And don’t worry, you won’t drown; your scuba gliders and jacket will keep you conveniently afloat. You’ll get proper training and a guide who will follow you into the depths of the sea.

Answer: Bus Stop diving spot has a rich underwater life. During your dive, you will spot schools of groupers, sweetlips, damselfish, and angelfish. Other species that you will get to see are butterflyfish, soft corals, and garden eels.