Red Skin Island – South Andaman Dive Site

18m Max

15-35m Vis

boat

Site Overview

Red Skin Island is the second major dive site within the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park offering a spectacular coral reef slope with vibrant coral colors that inspired the island name and extraordinary marine biodiversity protected through strict conservation management in the clear waters of South Andaman. The reef slope descends from 4 meters along the island shore to a maximum depth of 18 meters across a series of coral bommies, soft coral gardens, and sandy channels that support some of the most diverse invertebrate communities found anywhere in the Andaman Islands. The island is particularly famous for its remarkable nudibranch diversity with multiple chromodoris species and other colorful sea slugs inhabiting the bommie surfaces and soft coral branches creating outstanding macro photography subjects in the well-lit shallow environment. Hawksbill turtles regularly forage on the coral bommies while imperial angelfish patrol the reef slope in impressive numbers displaying their striking juvenile and adult color patterns. Giant moray eels occupy the larger bommie crevices and clownfish inhabit anemone gardens scattered throughout the reef system. The Marine National Park protection ensures that coral health remains exceptional with massive hard coral formations and vibrant soft coral communities covering the reef surfaces. The combination of pristine coral ecosystems, reliable turtle encounters, and outstanding macro biodiversity makes Red Skin Island a must-dive destination for divers visiting the Andaman Islands seeking to experience the best of South Andaman reef diving.

Dive Briefing

"A typical dive at Red Skin Island begins with entry from the dive boat at the shallowest point of the reef slope at approximately 4 to 6 meters allowing divers to orient themselves over the coral bommies and soft coral gardens before beginning the gentle descent along the reef slope. Once oriented divers should swim slowly across the sandy channels and around the coral bommies maintaining excellent buoyancy control to protect the pristine Marine National Park coral formations that have been carefully preserved through strict conservation management. The most productive depth zone is between 8 and 16 meters where the highest concentration of nudibranchs, turtles, and macro life are found among the coral bommies and soft coral gardens. Navigate along the slope watching for hawksbill turtles on the bommie tops, imperial angelfish patrolling the reef surfaces, and giant moray eels extending from the bommie crevices. Check the bommie surfaces and soft coral branches carefully for nudibranchs, juvenile fish, and other small marine species that make outstanding macro photography subjects. The shallow depth profile allows extended bottom time with no decompression concerns making this site ideal for photography dives, marine biology observation, and relaxed exploration of the pristine Marine National Park reef system. Conclude the dive in the shallowest sections enjoying the abundant coral gardens before completing a safety stop at 5 meters and surfacing near the dive boat."