The Grotto (Cinque Island) – Dive Site

30m Max

15-40m Vis

boat

Site Overview

The Grotto at Cinque Island is the most dramatic and exciting dive site in the Cinque and Passage Island region featuring spectacular underwater cave formations and grotto systems that create an extraordinary cavern diving experience for advanced divers seeking adventure beyond typical reef diving in the Andaman Sea. The grotto entrances open at depths from 8 to 20 meters with the main chamber extending to 30 meters creating a multi-level diving environment where shafts of sunlight penetrate through cave openings illuminating the interior formations and creating dramatic underwater photography opportunities. Grey reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks use the grotto system as shelter during the day while dogtooth tuna and schooling barracuda patrol the current-swept wall outside the cave entrances creating adrenaline-charged pelagic encounters on every dive. Giant groupers the size of small cars emerge from the deeper grotto chambers to investigate passing divers while the cave walls support extraordinary invertebrate communities including gorgonian sea fans, black coral trees, and colorful soft corals that thrive in the filtered light environment. The combination of dramatic geological formations, reliable pelagic encounters, and the adventure of exploring underwater caves in a remote offshore location makes The Grotto one of the most exciting and rewarding dive sites available in the entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands for experienced divers seeking unique underwater experiences.

Dive Briefing

"A typical dive at The Grotto begins with a timed entry from the dive boat at the shallowest point near the main grotto entrance at approximately 8 meters allowing divers to orient themselves and assess the current strength before beginning the descent toward the cave formations. Once established divers should swim toward the main grotto entrance maintaining excellent buoyancy control and situational awareness of the overhead environment while exploring the cave interiors and the dramatic wall sections between grotto openings. The most productive depth zone is between 15 and 28 meters where grey reef sharks shelter in the grotto chambers and dogtooth tuna patrol the wall outside the cave entrances. Deploy your reef hook on the up-current wall section outside the grotto to observe the pelagic action in the surrounding blue water without exhausting your air supply fighting the current. Check the grotto interiors carefully for whitetip reef sharks, giant groupers, and the extraordinary invertebrate communities that inhabit the cave walls. Monitor depth and NDL carefully particularly inside the grotto chambers where depth can increase quickly and nitrogen narcosis can become a factor at 30 meters. Always maintain awareness of your exit route from the grotto and communicate regularly with your buddy. Conclude the dive outside the grotto on the shallower wall sections enjoying the abundant coral gardens before completing a safety stop at 5 meters deploying your DSMB before the boat collects the group."