Best Scuba diving spots in India

Who among you has gone completely crazy after seeing Finding Nemo?

Guess what! Now, you can dive and witness the wonders of underwater life by yourself. Indian scuba diving lets people observe different types of marine animals. From the clear waters of Andaman Islands to the magnificent coral reefs in Lakshadweep, India boasts some of the best sites for scuba diving.

So grab your bags, bring along your wetsuit and prepare to immerse yourself in an extreme underwater adventure that will blow your mind. Below is a collection of locations that every fan should visit.

1. Andaman & Nicobar islands: A paradise for divers

There are several places in India where you can go scuba diving but Andaman Nicobar remains a popular choice among them all. This chain has got crystal-clear sea waters, untouched beaches and beautiful reefs that any diver would want to be part of.

Some of their best sites include Havelock Island, Neil Island, Barren Island volcano.

Captivating views of crystal clear waters of Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Credits: Canva)

A. Havelock Island

Havelock possesses splendid beaches with transparent waters having good spots for divers such as Elephant beach, The Wall and Dixon Pinnacle where amazing coral gardens filled with multicolored fish and huge manta rays exist.

B. Neil Island

Neil is one laid-back island destination where Margherita's Mischief or Junction are some of its famous dive sites. These places are good for both new and expert divers and they are full of wildlife like turtles and barracudas.

C. Barren Island

Also at Barren Island adventure enthusiasts can try something different by taking drives within an active volcano zone here. Here lava formations as well as several species of marine life create a dramatic underwater landscape.

2. Lakshadweep: Coral wonderland

Lakshadweep is another top destination in respect of the love for diving in India because it has untouched coral reefs with abundant marine life in tropical beauty.

Breathtaking beauty of the untouched paradise, Lakshadweep (Credits: Canva)

A. Agatti Island

Agatti’s beautiful coral reefs and shallow lagoons make it an ideal location for both newbies and seasoned divers. This place has some of India’s best coral formations that are teeming with brightly colored fish, sea anemones as well as reef sharks.

B. Bangaram Island

This is the place where you can come across the dolphins, turtles or even eagles flying at the same time when popular dive sites on or around Bangaram offer crystal clear waters, vibrant corals.

C. Kadmat Island

Only for brave ones, Kadmat Island boasts diverse marine life and marvelous coral formations. It also permits night diving hence makes scuba diving more interesting underwater.

3. Goa: a crazy, under-the-water party twist

Goa is recognized not only for its beaches and nightlife but it has also got excellent infrastructures that provide opportunities for scuba diving. Its warm waters and rich marine life attract many scuba divers.

Sun kissed shores of Goa (Credits: Canva)

Grande Island

Grande is one of the most visited Goa diving spots known for shipwrecks and underwater caves. In such a site you will find remains from SS Rita while fishes like parrotfishes, angelfishes, moray eels among others can be seen during the dives.

4. Maharashtra: Marine wonderland

Maharashtra's diving season extends throghout the year with well trained infrastructures and diverse marine life making it a best spot for both the beginers and experts to enjoy this underwater thrill.

A. Suzy’s Wreck

The town of Malvan is home to many unspoiled treasures including beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters. The place is full of untouched beauty ranging from fine-looking sandy beaches to glassy water.

B. Chivla Beach

The beach is lovely, with its sandy yellow shores and glassy clear water that offers a perfect place for swimming. Comparatively the sea here is calm and teems with fish which no other place can be preferable to.

C. Sindhudurg Fort

On the Malvan coast it was built by Shivaji in 1664 AD who was an Indian warrior king. The location of this fort lies on the Malvan coast where it was situated by one of the greatest Indian warrior Kings named Shivaji during 1664 AD.

D. Tsunami Island

Boats bring people across the narrow channel from Tarkarli beach to this little patch of land which becomes an island during high tide. People come to this tiny strip of land on boats when there are high tides making it an island as well.

E. Tarkarli: Coral paradise

Tarkarli dive sites have a variety of coral species such as Staghorn coral, Brain Coral , Mushroom rock coral etc.. There are many kinds of corals found here such as staghorn, brain mushroom rock corals etc.

Idyllic views of Tarkarli's coast (Credits: Canva)

• Devbagh Beach: Other scuba diving areas in Tarkarli include Devbaug beach which is known for its dolphin spotting trips also. There are other diving spots like Devbagh Beach where dolphins can be spotted easily.
• Vengurla Rocks: This site is popular for its rich marine life including hard and soft corals that create stunning underwater landscapes with their different colors and shapes.
• Japanese Garden Reef: It’s another location in Tarkarli, where you will see some colorful fishes who share living space with sea cucumbers that dwell alongside.

5. Dwarka: Kingdom of lord Krishna

There are several unique qualities about Dwarka that makes it an ideal place for diving. It is one of the best diving destinations in India with diverse dive sites featuring reefs and wrecks.

Sacred splendor of Dwarka (Credits: Canva)

A. Dwarka Lighthouse Reef

The site is known for its rock formations and caves that harbor different marine organisms. There are no other places where you can find such kinds of underwater animals except Dwarka, such as lobsters, turtles, squids etc.

B. Nageshwar

The temple is said to be the exact location at which Sri Krishna built his palace after abandoning Mathura. This temple was where he built his palace after quitting Mathura.

C. Shivarajpur Beach

It has so far remained undeveloped thus has minimal human interventions into the natural system and hence its waters are clean and clear making good visibility available to divers who go there.

D. Bet Dwarka

When exploring those in Bet Dwarka by divers, they will be full of octopuses or eels.

E. Gulf of Kutch

Coral reefs are found here giving a home to many species of marine life. Moreover, it also mainly serves as the perfect destination for online shopping pictures and leisure dives.

F. Okha

For instance, Okha near Dwarka has clear water just like this with various creatures such as butterfly fish or Angelfish dolphins etc .

6. Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Urban diving adventure

Chennai may not be famous as a scuba diving destination although it is one of the most populated cities with plenty of hidden underwater treasures beneath it all.

The Urban charm of Chennai's coastal beauty. (Credits: Canva)

A. Covelong Beach

Covelong beach outside Chennai also offers good visibility and rich marine habitats for scuba divers who can see Nemo like clown fish, lionfish, turtles, etc. in coral reefs.

B. Mahabalipuram

The history of Mahabalipuram has underwater activities such as diving done over there Mahabalipuram is a well-known place globally where scuba divers can gain experience. The area of location at this dive site contains rocks that support a number of marine species.

C. Pulicat Lake

This is so because its ecosystem contains rare catfishes in addition to eels,certain crabs and other creatures as it has brackish water along with freshwater habitats in it.

7. Vizag, Andhra Pradesh: Hidden treasures

Visakhapatnam or Vizag also possess some amazing spots for diving that are still undiscovered yet. This makes it the best location for scuba diving due to its beautiful waters and diverse sea life forms found here.

Picturesque vistas of Vizag's coastline (Credits: Canva)

A. Rushikonda Beach

Different varieties of marine animals are found in these clear waters including parrot fish while others include butterfly fish, angel fish looking around corals.

B. Bheemunipatnam Beach

Bheemunipatnam Beach consists of rocks which have very diverse sea life populations like different types of fish, sea anemones and sporadically dolphins coming through them.

C. Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram has many rocky formations as well as several species that exist at these dive sites.

Final verdict

Across India’s vast coastline lie several opportunities for scuba diving, places that are unique and offer thrilling dives. Yes, indeed, you will never forget about the places because they harbor spectacular creatures underneath water bodies.

Whether you choose to dive into the crystal clear turquoise waters of Andaman or immerse in the coral beauty of Lakshwadeep, explore the hidden underwater treasures in Maharashtra and Andhra or dive into the holy kingdom of Dwarka, each destination offers a different charm for the diving enthusiasts.

Well, why wait? Let’s dive in!