Andaman/ Nicobar Islands 
Thailand(see the GPS coordinates)N 11°37'12'', E 92°40'21''
Keywords: practical life, thailand, padi, phuket, euro divers, diving plongee, andaman
added on 01/23/2008
Andaman/ Nicobar IslandsA part of India, the Andaman Islands are one of the world's newest diving destinations and have yet to be properly explored for diving.
After a 60 year period of virtual isolation from the outside world the Indian government has made a decision to allow limited, environmentally conscious tourism development in the islands.
The Andaman Islands are a group of 274 islands of which 26 are inhabited.
They are located 480 nautical miles west-north-west of Phuket. The distance from India, to which they belong, is more than 600 miles. The Nicobar Islands are strictly off-limits but the Andamans opened up to cruising yachts and live-aboard dive boats a few years ago. Recently, the Chambers of Commerce of Phuket and the Andaman Islands signed several friendship and cooperation treaties and communication between the two island provinces is improving.
The Andamans have no modern fishing fleet and only very few commercial fishing licenses are granted to foreign operators. Thus, the islands’ fish stocks are plentiful and most of the diving areas have been dived by only a few people. In a short time some places, such as Barren Island (live volcano) and Narcondam Island (extinct volcano), became established divesites but most of the archipelago remains under-explored.
Although in many of the near shore areas the visibility is limited, the offshore islands such as Passage Island, Barren Island, and Narcondam are rich in marine life, huge fish, sharks, manta rays, unbelievable coral growth-and are blessed with crystal-clear water.
About 70 kilometers to the south of Port Blair, the capital and main port of the Andamans, Passage Island features an offshore pinnacle-appropriately named Fish Rock, where two meter long dogtooth tunas compete with sharks for food. Groupers larger than most men cruise the reef unafraid of divers. Large eagle rays patrol the plankton rich waters completely at ease in the strong currents.
The active volcano, Barren Island, almost 100 nautical miles cruising northeast of Port Blair, last erupted in January of 1994. The eruption covered almost everything underwater and above with a thick layer of black sand, creating an unusual landscape to explore. Although most of the coral was killed by this layer of sand, tunas and sharks swim along its black walls, which plunge to over 500 meters. Hammerhead sharks have been seen here. Visibility can exceed 50 meters, and even though there is not much coral left, the contrasting vivid colors of bright fish against the jet-black walls is almost psychedelic.
The Andamans are certainly not for everyone. It requires spending long periods of time on the boat and traveling almost every night in order to get to the best spots. However, for those interested in the best of frontier diving, this is it!
After a 60 year period of virtual isolation from the outside world the Indian government has made a decision to allow limited, environmentally conscious tourism development in the islands.
The Andaman Islands are a group of 274 islands of which 26 are inhabited.
They are located 480 nautical miles west-north-west of Phuket. The distance from India, to which they belong, is more than 600 miles. The Nicobar Islands are strictly off-limits but the Andamans opened up to cruising yachts and live-aboard dive boats a few years ago. Recently, the Chambers of Commerce of Phuket and the Andaman Islands signed several friendship and cooperation treaties and communication between the two island provinces is improving.
The Andamans have no modern fishing fleet and only very few commercial fishing licenses are granted to foreign operators. Thus, the islands’ fish stocks are plentiful and most of the diving areas have been dived by only a few people. In a short time some places, such as Barren Island (live volcano) and Narcondam Island (extinct volcano), became established divesites but most of the archipelago remains under-explored.
Although in many of the near shore areas the visibility is limited, the offshore islands such as Passage Island, Barren Island, and Narcondam are rich in marine life, huge fish, sharks, manta rays, unbelievable coral growth-and are blessed with crystal-clear water.
About 70 kilometers to the south of Port Blair, the capital and main port of the Andamans, Passage Island features an offshore pinnacle-appropriately named Fish Rock, where two meter long dogtooth tunas compete with sharks for food. Groupers larger than most men cruise the reef unafraid of divers. Large eagle rays patrol the plankton rich waters completely at ease in the strong currents.
The active volcano, Barren Island, almost 100 nautical miles cruising northeast of Port Blair, last erupted in January of 1994. The eruption covered almost everything underwater and above with a thick layer of black sand, creating an unusual landscape to explore. Although most of the coral was killed by this layer of sand, tunas and sharks swim along its black walls, which plunge to over 500 meters. Hammerhead sharks have been seen here. Visibility can exceed 50 meters, and even though there is not much coral left, the contrasting vivid colors of bright fish against the jet-black walls is almost psychedelic.
The Andamans are certainly not for everyone. It requires spending long periods of time on the boat and traveling almost every night in order to get to the best spots. However, for those interested in the best of frontier diving, this is it!
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