Aquarium – Havelock Island Dive Site

12m Max

15-35m Vis

boat

Site Overview

Aquarium is Havelock Island most popular beginner dive site and one of the finest training sites in the entire Andaman archipelago offering calm shallow conditions with extraordinary marine biodiversity in a sheltered bay environment. The gently sloping reef descends from 3 meters to a maximum depth of 12 meters across a series of coral bommies and sandy channels that create diverse micro-habitats supporting an incredible variety of marine life. The site earns its name from the remarkable density and diversity of reef fish that surround divers on every side creating an aquarium-like experience with parrotfish, butterflyfish, clownfish, angelfish, and surgeonfish present in abundance. Coral bommies rising from the sandy substrate provide sheltered habitats for moray eels, seahorses, and a variety of nudibranchs that make the site outstanding for macro underwater photography. The sheltered location means currents are minimal and visibility consistently ranges from 15 to 35 meters during the peak season creating ideal conditions for Open Water training dives, introductory scuba experiences, and confidence-building dives for newly certified divers. The combination of accessible depth, calm conditions, and extraordinary biodiversity makes Aquarium the perfect first dive in the Andaman Islands and an essential stop on any Havelock Island diving itinerary for divers of all experience levels.

Dive Briefing

"A typical dive at Aquarium begins with an easy entry from the dive boat in the shallowest area of the site at approximately 3 to 5 meters allowing divers to orient themselves over the sandy channels and coral bommies before beginning a gentle descent along the sloping reef. Once oriented divers should swim slowly over the sandy areas and around the coral bommies maintaining excellent buoyancy control to avoid contacting the fragile coral formations while exploring the diverse habitats. The most productive depth zone is between 5 and 10 meters where the highest concentration of reef fish and macro subjects are found with clownfish anemones, seahorses, and nudibranchs concentrated around the bommie bases. Navigate along the bommie edges watching for moray eels peeking from crevices and seahorses clinging to gorgonian sea fans in the filtered light. Check the sandy patches between bommies for garden eels, stingrays, and flatfish camouflaged against the substrate. The shallow depth profile allows extended bottom time with no decompression concerns making this site ideal for skills practice, buoyancy training, and relaxed photography dives. Conclude the dive in the shallowest section enjoying the abundant fish life before completing a safety stop at 5 meters and surfacing near the dive boat."