Diving the Andaman Islands ^*

The Andaman Islands are part of an archipelago off the coast of India in the Indian Ocean’s Bay of Bengal. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands within the archipelago are territories of India while the Coco Islands belong to Myanmar, which lies to the northeast of the island chain. Scuba diving in Andaman generally takes place on two of the southern islands, Havelock and Neil. This is partly because many of the other islands are home to the Andamanese people, an indigenous group whose privacy is protected by the Indian government. Many islands that are inhabited by the Andamanese are only allowed to be visited with a permit and some do not allow visitors at all. Some of the Andamanese tribes such as the Sentinelese are known to be hostile to outsiders and have had little to no contact with the outside world over the years. The Andaman Islands that you are allowed to visit are a tropical paradise with mangrove-lined coast, beautiful beaches, amazing fresh seafood, and extraordinary birdlife, offering some of the best diving in India. Once you fly into the capital, Port Blair, it is easy to catch a boat ride with a local out to the best diving locations of Havelock, Neil, and Long Island.