The Wall, Havelock Island

Answer: The depth of a dive at The Wall, Havelock Island starts at 10 metres, but from there the dive drops to as deep as 55 metres. From Havelock Island, the dive spot of the Wall extends close to Peel Island. The diving spot also experiences medium to strong currents at its depth; thus making it a great diving spot for experienced divers. However, the diving spot can also be explored by beginners as long as they are guided by an instructor.

Answer: The current at the Wall can be strong at times and makes for an excellent dive for experienced divers. However, beginners are also encouraged to dive at the Wall. You just have to make sure that you are guided by an experienced scuba trainer, which is the case for anyone who is a beginner in scuba diving. Also, beginners can glide on the shallower side of the diving spot. Because the water current may get a bit strong, it does help to know how to swim though, so that you can easily glide through the water and regulate your breath.

Answer: Like in any other place on the Andaman Islands, scuba diving at the Wall can start at around INR 4500 to INR 7000. If you are a beginner and would just like to try diving, you’ll be asked to buy a package that covers everything from the 15-minutes boat ride to the dive spot from Havelock to an instructor. In most cases, the cost of videos and photos underwater is also covered in the package. If, however, you decide to learn scuba diving and wish to give the training more time, you may have to spend anything between INR 6000 to INR 20,000 or even upwards depending on the number of days you want to train and the number of dives you want to take. Experienced divers may have to pay anything between INR 4500-6500 per dive.

Answer: The Wall’s excellent position near a channel between Havelock and Peel Island ensures that there is a very rich marine ecosystem at its depth. You’ll find yourself flanked by fan corals on almost all sides. You’ll also come across massive groups of butterfly fish, snappers, parrotfish, and angel fish. Moray eels and Barracuda are also very common at the Wall. But that is just the small fish. The Wall attracts many giant fishes like the puffer, scorpion fish and napoleon wrasse. You may also spot some dog tooth tuna and giant trevallies. In terms of beauty, the Wall surpasses all diving spots. You’d be able to spot small caves, many feather stars and hydroid trees floating in the water.

Answer: The Wall is one of the best places to scuba dive if you are in the Andaman Islands. It was the first diving spot to be discovered on Havelock Island in 2004. The scuba diving site attracts divers from across the world to explore its immensely beautiful marine life and experience the challenge of a deep dive. It is a favourite spot among advanced-level scuba divers. The strong current and the depth attract a lot of incredulous and giant aquatic fauna like napoleon wrasse and giant trevallies. The fan-shaped corals colour the entire diving spot red.

Answer: The Wall diving site is close to Havelock Island in Andaman and Nicobar Island. You’d have to first reach Havelock Island via a ferry as there is no other way to go to Havelock. Also, as a tourist, you’d only get ferries from Port Blair. Port Blair also has an international airport and has regular flights from many places in India and some neighbouring countries. Your flight ticket is the only big travel expense that you have to make. The ferries that start from the Phoenix Jetty at Port Blair are very cheap and cost you just around INR 300-500 per person. You can also get chair cars to sit and enjoy the stunning view. Havelock Island is around 70 km away from Port Blair, so you may need 2-3 hours to reach the island. The Wall’s diving spot is again another 15-20 minutes away from Havelock. You’ll get many boat rides to the spot at diving centres. The diving centres usually add the cost of a boat ride to the full diving package.

Answer: Post the discovery of the Wall, divers started to explore the underwater to discover many other incredible diving spots. Today, Havelock is teeming with diving spots all around the island. If you are new to scuba diving or just want to try it, go to Aquarium, Lighthouse, and Slope. They are the most popular diving spots for beginners. There are also many other diving spots like Inket Wrek, White House Rock, Broken Ledge, Jackson’s Bar, and Johnny’s Gorge.

Answer: Diving requires a strong respiratory system as you have to regulate your breath underwater. Hence, if you have a weak respiratory system, you might want to consult your doctor before going for a dive. The same applies to heart patients. Pregnant women are also not allowed to dive.

Answer: You can try sea walking and snorkelling other than scuba diving at the Wall. Sea walking requires you to walk on the shallower side of the sea bed. In snorkelling, you can float on the surface of the water and use a device called a snorkel to enjoy a panoramic view of the sea and its marine life. A lot of beginners and non-swimmers opt for snorkelling at the Wall.

Answer: Havelock Island has a very rich biodiversity. The island also boasts a mangrove forest; so, you can take a quiet kayaking trip through the mangrove waterways on the island. The biggest attraction at Havelock is the beaches. You can visit Govindnagar beach, Radhanagar beach, and Elephant beach, three of the most popular beaches at the Wall.