For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Diving Andaman Islands....and some more pics.
Diving Andaman Islands with Andaman Bubbles
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
Diving in the Andamans! Some more pics for you!
DIVING ANDAMAN ISLANDS WITH ANDAMAN BUBBLES
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
Diving Andaman Islands with Andaman Bubbles
For certified divers, we run 2 tank trips to some of the most amazing dive sites around Havelock and Neil Island. We keep our groups small, usually no more then 5 divers per divemaster for both your safety and enjoyment. And to the best we can, arrange groups by experience, ability and interest.
Every morning our experienced staff will assemble the gear of our certified divers and place it on the boat. For typical day trips, we meet everyday at the dive shop at 7:00am for breakfast. We are usually back at the shop around 2:30pm, depending on the distance to the site and length of the dive. But we are not in a hurry. Our bottom times are only limited to your air consumption and the dive tables or your dive computer. Lunch and snacks are provided in between dives as well as plenty of purified drinking water.
We follow the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) general standards and recommendations.
Most of our dive sites are suitable for all diver levels and certifications. But, a few require Advanced open water certificate and more experience due to depths and possibilities for strong currents. If you wish to further your diving education, one of our experienced PADI instructors would be happy to assist you.
Let us show you the treasures hidden beneath the Andaman Sea.
PACKAGES AND RATES 2009/2010
http://www.andamanbubbles.com/packages.html
Diving Andaman Islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Every morning our experienced staff will assemble the gear of our certified divers and place it on the boat. For typical day trips, we meet everyday at the dive shop at 7:00am for breakfast. We are usually back at the shop around 2:30pm, depending on the distance to the site and length of the dive. But we are not in a hurry. Our bottom times are only limited to your air consumption and the dive tables or your dive computer. Lunch and snacks are provided in between dives as well as plenty of purified drinking water.
We follow the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) general standards and recommendations.
Most of our dive sites are suitable for all diver levels and certifications. But, a few require Advanced open water certificate and more experience due to depths and possibilities for strong currents. If you wish to further your diving education, one of our experienced PADI instructors would be happy to assist you.
Let us show you the treasures hidden beneath the Andaman Sea.
PACKAGES AND RATES 2009/2010
http://www.andamanbubbles.com/packages.html
Diving Andaman Islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Diving Andaman Islands with Andaman Bubbles: Dive sites
The Andaman Islands are a kaleidoscope of colors and coral, pristine reefs and a mind-boggling array of fish. The seas around the Andamans are some of the world's most unspoilt. Marine life is abundant and many species of fish and coral are unique to the area.
From the depths of Johnny’s Gorge to the gardens of Minerva ledge, there is something here for everyone. But what makes the Andamans so special is not only the amazing treasures you’ll find with in her. The Andaman Islands have managed to escape the mass amount of divers you’ll find at other dive locations. Here diver impact is minimal and you’ll always see more fish than divers.
SOUTH BOTTON 6/25 METERS, ALL LEVELS
This is one of our popular places to dive, however the farthest away but full of fish and coral (soup), also the best place to snorkel, it has something for everyone with a Manta Ray or even the odd little Devil Ray passing by, it’s a great place to see Barracuda watching the Big Eyed Trevally below, Batfish as well as Crocodile Fish, Moray Eels, turtles, Angelfish, Blue Fin Trevally and Nudibranch, these are all on a large list of things that can be seen here, even above the water the sea is alive with Sweepers being chased from below as well as the White Bellied Sea Eagle from above.
THE WALL 10/30 METERS, ALL LEVELS
A small wall 50 meters long that drops in to the shipping channel near the jetty on Havelock, this is the best local site and is visited by a very large Napoleon Wrasse called Pierre, who’s very friendly to divers. The top of the wall is very colorful with purple, red and yellow soft corals, alone the wall has many beautiful fans with Puffer Fish and Lionfish peering out at you and Nudibranchs trying to race around the wall. We see many octopuses and Scorpion Fish here and even Anglerfish are seen tucked into holes. On the sandy parts Kulhs Rays are spotted with or without their tails.
DOXON'S PINNACLE 18/30 METERS, ADVANCED
Three large pinnacles are surrounded with excitement from all the active feeding frenzy from the pelagics, Barracuda, Giant Trevally, Giant Groupers, Tuna and Mackerel. Beautiful Big Barrel Sponges perch on the edges of the larger pinnacle that is covered with Glass Fish that make it hard at times to look out at the schools of Batfish floating in the currents and then suddenly a shadow appears from the deep, it’s a Manta Ray cruising by to take a look at the commotion. There are many colors here with lots of juvenile Emperor Angelfish and shy Red-Toothed Triggerfish looking for holes to hide from the glares from the Napoleon Wrasse circling the reef.
JOHNNY'S GEORGE 20/30 METERS ADVANCED
Just 3 minutes from Minerva ledge also visited by dolphin is the famous Johnny’s gorge, divers fight to dive here, its not a big reef but most diver don’t notice the beautiful colored coral because they are surround by a kaleidoscope of swirling Barracuda, giant friendly Grouper, Unicorn Fish and Snappers, not to forget one of the few place to see shark on a regular basis and groups of Eagle Rays often drop in to add to the experience.
LIGHTHOUSE, 6/20 METERS, ALL LEVELS
A sloped reef about 30 minutes away from the dive shop , the coral tends to be better in the shallows with lots of Fusiliers, Lionfish, octopus and if divers are lucky a big gang of Humpback Parrotfish. This site is a great place to do night dives; we see lots of macro life as well as very small Lionfish, sleeping Parrotfish in their bubbles and of course lobsters.
ELEPHANT BEACH 6/25 METERS, ALL LEVELS
A popular reef for snorkeling and dive training, it’s the only dive site where you can walk straight of the beach. It has a large open sand area with several rocks and coral patches with lots of small macro life, like Pipefish, many different shrimps and porcelain crabs. We’ve also seen young Eagle Rays, Scorpionfish lazing around in the sand. The reef itself has colorful hard coral including Staghorn as well as Feather/Basket/Sea Stars, juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips, Groupers and many more common reef fish busy on their daily routine.
MV MARS 7/15 METERS, ALL LEVELS
This small wooden local cargo ship went down during a storm 2006, it sits upright and has become a new home to many fish which inhabited the near by reef ten meters away. It a short dive around the wreck, then on to the reef and finish back at the wreck, visibility tends to be not so good but great when it appears through the gloom.
NEIL'S COVE 12/18 METERS, ALL LEVELS
This site is a extension of another very similar dive site called the aquarium, both gentle slope out to sea with the reef running from a beautiful cove almost Elephant Beach, mainly hard coral and hosts a large array of fish, Stingrays are often spotted in the sand as well as big schools of Blue Stripped Snappers. It’s a great place to find Humpback Parrotfish crunching away at the coral.
7TH HEAVEN 6/12 METERS ALL LEVELS
Just 300 meters off Number Seven Beach is a small coral patch that is a great place to see many anemones with several different Damselfish including the famous Nemo (Clown Fish). Also Ornate Ghost Pipefish have been spotted around the mooring line and keep looking out on to the sand so as not to miss the passing stingrays, On rare occasions its possible a Dugong might even pass on his way to graze in his garden.
MINERVA LEDGE 10/18 METERS ALL LEVELS
A large plateau of colorful coral, you need more than one dive to cover this place, with abundance of life, we never really know what we see from one dive to the next, With a gentle current (sometimes strong) you could pass by Napoleon Wrasse, Eagle Rays, White Tip Sharks, an uncommon Tiger Shark was recently seen by another dive shop but this is Minerva ledge. Even on the quiet days there’s lots to see.
PILOT REEF 8/20 METERS, ALL LEVELS
The closest dive site to the dive centre, a large reef sister to Minerva ledge. This site has lots of small Reef Fish with Napoleon Wrasse, occasional young Manta Ray and Leopard Shark have been spotted at times alone with big Stingrays, turtles, Scorpionfish, sea snakes and Trevally.
The above sites are just a few of the most visited during the dive season, some of the other sites are: Ghost Reef, i-95, Mystery Mountains, Duncan’s Wreck, Jacobs Table, Guddo’s Garden, and Jackson’s Bar.
Diving around the Andaman’s is limited to mainly Havelock and we’ve barely scratched the surface, new dive sites are being discovered all the time and we find new fish previously not seen before in the Andaman islands every season, it’s a great place to dive, so join us and our team of professional staff in discovering the treasures hidden beneath the sea.
FOR MORE INFO:
DIVING ANDAMAN ISLANDS: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
From the depths of Johnny’s Gorge to the gardens of Minerva ledge, there is something here for everyone. But what makes the Andamans so special is not only the amazing treasures you’ll find with in her. The Andaman Islands have managed to escape the mass amount of divers you’ll find at other dive locations. Here diver impact is minimal and you’ll always see more fish than divers.
SOUTH BOTTON 6/25 METERS, ALL LEVELS
This is one of our popular places to dive, however the farthest away but full of fish and coral (soup), also the best place to snorkel, it has something for everyone with a Manta Ray or even the odd little Devil Ray passing by, it’s a great place to see Barracuda watching the Big Eyed Trevally below, Batfish as well as Crocodile Fish, Moray Eels, turtles, Angelfish, Blue Fin Trevally and Nudibranch, these are all on a large list of things that can be seen here, even above the water the sea is alive with Sweepers being chased from below as well as the White Bellied Sea Eagle from above.
THE WALL 10/30 METERS, ALL LEVELS
A small wall 50 meters long that drops in to the shipping channel near the jetty on Havelock, this is the best local site and is visited by a very large Napoleon Wrasse called Pierre, who’s very friendly to divers. The top of the wall is very colorful with purple, red and yellow soft corals, alone the wall has many beautiful fans with Puffer Fish and Lionfish peering out at you and Nudibranchs trying to race around the wall. We see many octopuses and Scorpion Fish here and even Anglerfish are seen tucked into holes. On the sandy parts Kulhs Rays are spotted with or without their tails.
DOXON'S PINNACLE 18/30 METERS, ADVANCED
Three large pinnacles are surrounded with excitement from all the active feeding frenzy from the pelagics, Barracuda, Giant Trevally, Giant Groupers, Tuna and Mackerel. Beautiful Big Barrel Sponges perch on the edges of the larger pinnacle that is covered with Glass Fish that make it hard at times to look out at the schools of Batfish floating in the currents and then suddenly a shadow appears from the deep, it’s a Manta Ray cruising by to take a look at the commotion. There are many colors here with lots of juvenile Emperor Angelfish and shy Red-Toothed Triggerfish looking for holes to hide from the glares from the Napoleon Wrasse circling the reef.
JOHNNY'S GEORGE 20/30 METERS ADVANCED
Just 3 minutes from Minerva ledge also visited by dolphin is the famous Johnny’s gorge, divers fight to dive here, its not a big reef but most diver don’t notice the beautiful colored coral because they are surround by a kaleidoscope of swirling Barracuda, giant friendly Grouper, Unicorn Fish and Snappers, not to forget one of the few place to see shark on a regular basis and groups of Eagle Rays often drop in to add to the experience.
LIGHTHOUSE, 6/20 METERS, ALL LEVELS
A sloped reef about 30 minutes away from the dive shop , the coral tends to be better in the shallows with lots of Fusiliers, Lionfish, octopus and if divers are lucky a big gang of Humpback Parrotfish. This site is a great place to do night dives; we see lots of macro life as well as very small Lionfish, sleeping Parrotfish in their bubbles and of course lobsters.
ELEPHANT BEACH 6/25 METERS, ALL LEVELS
A popular reef for snorkeling and dive training, it’s the only dive site where you can walk straight of the beach. It has a large open sand area with several rocks and coral patches with lots of small macro life, like Pipefish, many different shrimps and porcelain crabs. We’ve also seen young Eagle Rays, Scorpionfish lazing around in the sand. The reef itself has colorful hard coral including Staghorn as well as Feather/Basket/Sea Stars, juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips, Groupers and many more common reef fish busy on their daily routine.
MV MARS 7/15 METERS, ALL LEVELS
This small wooden local cargo ship went down during a storm 2006, it sits upright and has become a new home to many fish which inhabited the near by reef ten meters away. It a short dive around the wreck, then on to the reef and finish back at the wreck, visibility tends to be not so good but great when it appears through the gloom.
NEIL'S COVE 12/18 METERS, ALL LEVELS
This site is a extension of another very similar dive site called the aquarium, both gentle slope out to sea with the reef running from a beautiful cove almost Elephant Beach, mainly hard coral and hosts a large array of fish, Stingrays are often spotted in the sand as well as big schools of Blue Stripped Snappers. It’s a great place to find Humpback Parrotfish crunching away at the coral.
7TH HEAVEN 6/12 METERS ALL LEVELS
Just 300 meters off Number Seven Beach is a small coral patch that is a great place to see many anemones with several different Damselfish including the famous Nemo (Clown Fish). Also Ornate Ghost Pipefish have been spotted around the mooring line and keep looking out on to the sand so as not to miss the passing stingrays, On rare occasions its possible a Dugong might even pass on his way to graze in his garden.
MINERVA LEDGE 10/18 METERS ALL LEVELS
A large plateau of colorful coral, you need more than one dive to cover this place, with abundance of life, we never really know what we see from one dive to the next, With a gentle current (sometimes strong) you could pass by Napoleon Wrasse, Eagle Rays, White Tip Sharks, an uncommon Tiger Shark was recently seen by another dive shop but this is Minerva ledge. Even on the quiet days there’s lots to see.
PILOT REEF 8/20 METERS, ALL LEVELS
The closest dive site to the dive centre, a large reef sister to Minerva ledge. This site has lots of small Reef Fish with Napoleon Wrasse, occasional young Manta Ray and Leopard Shark have been spotted at times alone with big Stingrays, turtles, Scorpionfish, sea snakes and Trevally.
The above sites are just a few of the most visited during the dive season, some of the other sites are: Ghost Reef, i-95, Mystery Mountains, Duncan’s Wreck, Jacobs Table, Guddo’s Garden, and Jackson’s Bar.
Diving around the Andaman’s is limited to mainly Havelock and we’ve barely scratched the surface, new dive sites are being discovered all the time and we find new fish previously not seen before in the Andaman islands every season, it’s a great place to dive, so join us and our team of professional staff in discovering the treasures hidden beneath the sea.
FOR MORE INFO:
DIVING ANDAMAN ISLANDS: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Diving with Andaman Bubbles: some pictures
Diving Andaman Islands with Andaman Bubbles
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
Diving on Havelock with Andaman Bubbles - Courses
PADI DISCOVER SCUBA DIVING
This course allows you to experience the magic of the underwater world. You will be educated on the basic breathing skills in shallow water and some theory to allow you to experience Scuba Diving. Our experienced PADI Certified Divemasters and Instructors will help you experience breathing underwater and see the beauty that lies beneath the sea, this is your first step to as the name suggests to Discover Scuba Diving. What’s more, you will get a PADI Certificate confirming you have done the DSD course and the skills you learn in this course can be credited towards the Scuba Diver and Open Water certified courses of PADI.
* Minimum Age: 10 years
* Duration: 1 day
* Prerequisites: None
* Swimming Skills: Not required
* Maximum Dive Depth: 12 meters / 40 feet
* For rates please refer to our packages and rates page
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
PADI SCUBA DIVER
If you want to be a certified diver but do not have a lot of time, the PADI Scuba Diver Course is the one for you. You will need to have basic swimming skills for this course. The course consists of a mixture of 3 theory sessions, 1 day of water skills and 2 open water dives with a maximum depth of 12 meters / 40 feet. Once you have completed the course you will receive a diving license to dive upto a depth of 12 meters / 40 feet under the supervision of our PADI Certified Divemaster or instructor. This Certificate and licence is valid worldwide. This is a good warm up program for the PADI Open Water Diver course.
* Duration: 3 days
* Prerequisites: None
* Swimming Skills: Required
o You will also need to float and tread water for 10 minutes, using any method that you want
o You will need to be able to swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). You can use any swimming stroke you want and there is no time limit to complete this distance
* Minimum Age:
o 10 years - Junior Scuba Diver
o 15 years - Scuba Diver
* Maximum Dive Depth: 12 meters / 40 feet
* For rates please refer to our packages and rates page
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
PADI OPEN WATER DIVER
This is the most popular diving course in the world. In order to complete the Open Water Diver course you will need to complete a combination of 5 theory sessions, water skills in confined water; an introduction to diving equipment and 4 open water dives that will include skills exercises, all this under the constant supervision of our experienced and PADI Certified Divemaster or Instructors. This Certificate / Licence is valid worldwide and does not need to be renewed. If you have done the Discover Scuba or Scuba Diver course you can earn credits for the skills learned in those courses.
* Duration: 3-4 days
* Prerequisites: None
* Swimming Skills: Required
o You will also need to float and tread water for 10 minutes, using any method that you want
o You will need to be able to swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). You can use any swimming stroke you want and there is no time limit to complete this distance
* Minimum Age:
o 10 years - Junior Open Water Diver
o 15 years - Open Water Diver
* Maximum Dive Depth:
o 12 meters / 40 feet - Junior Open Water Diver
o 18 meters / 60 feet - Open Water Diver
* For rates please refer to our packages and rates page
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
PADI ADVENTURE DIVER
Want to build you scuba diving skills and gain experience or do some underwater photography or maybe experience Night Diving or Deep Diving? Why not try the Adventure Diver course. You will need to be a Certified Open Water Diver. What’s more you can choose the type of dive you want from the list below:
* Boat Diver
* Peak Performance Buoyancy
* Underwater Naturalist
* Underwater Navigator
* Underwater Photography
* Deep Diver
* Diver Propulsion Vehicle
* Drift Diver
* Multilevel Diver
* Night Diver
* Search and Recovery Diver
* Wreck Diver
Under the watchful eyes of our PADI Certified Divemaster or Instructor you can choose any 3 of the dives listed above. These dives can be credited towards your Advanced Open Water Diver certificate as well as can be credited towards the PADI Speciality Course which means you can be on your way to becoming a Master Scuba Diver.
* Duration: 1-2 days
* Prerequisites: Open Water Diver certification
* Swimming Skills: Required
o You will also need to float and tread water for 10 minutes, using any method that you want
o You will need to be able to swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). You can use any swimming stroke you want and there is no time limit to complete this distance
* Minimum Age:
o 10 years - Junior Adventure Diver
o 15 years - Adventure Diver
* Maximum Dive Depth:
o 18 meters / 60 feet - Junior Adventure Diver
o 40 meters / 130 feet - Adventure Diver
* For rates please refer to our packages and rates page
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
PADI ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVER
This course is designed for those who are comfortable with diving and want to take the next step in certification. This is a good way to log in more dives and get more comfortable with scuba diving. It also allows you to experience deeper dives which could be anywhere from 18-30 metres/ 60-100 feet. You will learn about underwater navigation and do 3 more Adventure dives of your choice. You can take this course right after you get your Open Water Diver Certification.
* Duration: 1-2 days
* Prerequisites: Open Water Diver certification
* Swimming Skills: Required
o You will also need to float and tread water for 10 minutes, using any method that you want
o You will need to be able to swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). You can use any swimming stroke you want and there is no time limit to complete this distance
* Minimum Age:
o 12 years - Junior Advanced Open Water Diver
o 15 years - Advanced Open Water Diver
* Maximum Dive Depth:
o 21 meters / 70 feet - Junior Advanced Open Water Diver
o 30 meters / 100 feet - Advanced Open Water Diver
* For rates please refer to our packages and rates page
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
PADI ENRICHED AIR/NITROX COURSE
This course is becoming the most popular specialty scuba diving course and the reason is simple: diving with enriched air also known as Nitrox reduces your decompression time. This basically translates to more time underwater even when you do repetitive dives. Therefore you can ideally stay down longer as well as get back to the water sooner. This is why many divers choose this as their very first specialty. You will learn the techniques for getting more dive time by using enriched air Nitrox and also enriched air scuba diving equipment considerations which includes including managing oxygen exposure, which is how to tell what’s in your tank and how to set your dive computer. You can do the course along with your Open Water or Advanced Open Water Course.
* Duration: 2 days
* Prerequisites: OWD or AOWD certifications
* Swimming Skills: Required
o You will also need to float and tread water for 10 minutes, using any method that you want
o You will need to be able to swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). You can use any swimming stroke you want and there is no time limit to complete this distance
* Minimum Age:
o 15 years or older
* Maximum Dive Depth:
o 21 meters / 70 feet - Junior Nitrox Diver
o 30 meters / 100 feet - Nitrox Diver
* For rates please refer to our packages and rates page
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
PADI EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDER
First Aid is a tool that is useful for any one. This course is specifically designed to teach essential life saving skills, thereby boosting your confidence if faced with an emergency both in and outside the water. You will learn about CPR, spinal injury management, basic first aid and also care and prevention for shock. This course is a pre requisite to the Rescue Diver course. You can do this course in combination with any of the courses.
* Duration: 1-2 days
* Prerequisites: None
* Swimming Skills: None
* Minimum Age: None
* For rates please refer to our packages and rates page
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
PADI RESCUE DIVER
This course is aimed typically at taking your diving skills to the next level by incorporating skills to prevent problems and manage them in case they do occur. This course has been described as a very challenging and yet rewarding experience. Here you will learn self rescue as well as rescuing other panicked or divers in problems and learn to recognize and manage stress in other divers. You will also learn to manage equipment in case of an emergency.
* Duration: 3-4 days
* Prerequisites: OWD + EFR Certifications
* Swimming Skills: Required
o You will also need to float and tread water for 10 minutes, using any method that you want
o You will need to be able to swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). You can use any swimming stroke you want and there is no time limit to complete this distance
* Minimum Age:
o 12 years - Junior Rescue Diver
o 15 years - Rescue Diver
* For rates please refer to our packages and rates page
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
PADI MASTER SCUBA DIVER
This is the highest level in non-professional Scuba diving. If you have the eagerness to live the dive lifestyle and continue to discover the ever-changing underwater world in various places around the world, then this is the course for you. You need to contact us for to plan your schedule for this course.
* Duration: 15 days
* Prerequisites: (Junior) AOWD, (Junior) RD
* Swimming Skills: Required
o You will also need to float and tread water for 10 minutes, using any method that you want
o You will need to be able to swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). You can use any swimming stroke you want and there is no time limit to complete this distance
* Minimum Age:
o 12 years - Junior Master Scuba Diver
o 15 years - Master Scuba Diver
* For rates please refer to our packages and rates page
For more info: www.andamanbubbles.com
PADI DIVEMASTER
This is the first step into the professional world of Scuba diving. This course will transform your passion for the underwater world from merely a recreational sport into a career. In this course you will learn about motivational skills and also how to manage dive activities and assist other instructors with the students. You will also learn to manage a dive centre. You will complete all your water skills and leadership skills through a well-structured internship. Once you have completed this course you can assist with and instruct on any diving course, assist in planning, organising and directing dives; and independently guide Open Water Diver students. This course is the prerequisite for the Assistant Instructor and Open Water Scuba Instructor.
* Duration: 25-30 days
* Prerequisites: Rescue Diver Certification + 20 Logged Dives and Current EFR. You will also need to do a Dive Medical
* Swimming Skills: Required
o You will also need to float and tread water for 10 minutes, using any method that you want
o You will need to be able to swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). You can use any swimming stroke you want and there is no time limit to complete this distance
* Minimum Age: 18 years
* For rates please refer to our packages and rates page
***Please note: before participating in a scuba diving course you will need to answer a medical statement. If you have any pre-diagnosed medical problem, it’s advised to visit your doctor prior to arrival, as this service is not available on Havelock. For those planning to do the divemaster course, a dive medical is compulsory before arrival.
Download Medical Statement on www.andamanbubbles.com
FOR MORE DETAILED INFO:
Diving Andaman Islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Getting to Andaman Bubbles, Havelock Island
We are located on Havelock Island in the Andamans, India. To get to the Andamans you will need to go through Port Blair, the capital city of the Andaman Islands. The quickest and easiest way is to fly. Quite a few airlines offer daily flights from both Chennai and Kolkata and the flying time is about 2 hours.
Jet airways: www.jetairways.com
Jet Lite: www.jetlite.com
Indian Airlines: www.indianairlines.in
Kingfisher: www.flykingfisher.com
It is also possible to get to Port Blair by ship, with departures from Kolkata, Chennai and Vishakapatnam. Although far cheaper than flying, the crossings are long 3-5 days, and with only basic amenities on board, and possibilities for rough seas, the journey can be a little tiring.
For information on ship schedules visit www.and.nic.in/spsch/sailing.htm or call +01 22 2292 2431.
Once you’ve arrived in Port Blair, it’s a 2 to 3 hour ferry ride to Havelock. Ferries leave from the Phoenix Bay jetty twice a day. One in the morning at 0630 hrs and one in the afternoon at 1400 hrs. (ferry times are subject to change) Most flights into Port Blair arrive in enough time for you to catch the afternoon ferry. In theory tickets have to be purchased a day in advance, but if you arrive at the Phoenix Bay jetty a half hour before the ferry departs, you might be able to get a ticket.
Once in Havelock our dive shop is located right next to Wild Orchid on beach No. 5 about a 5 minute auto-rickshaw ride from the jetty.
Andaman bubbles can assist you with all your travel arrangements in India, from flights to hotel reservations. We will meet you at the airport in Port Blair, arrange transfers to the jetty, organize ferry tickets, and once in Havelock, transfer you to your resort. Please contact us for more information about this service and leave the entire running to us.
FOR MORE INFO:
Diving Andaman Islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Jet airways: www.jetairways.com
Jet Lite: www.jetlite.com
Indian Airlines: www.indianairlines.in
Kingfisher: www.flykingfisher.com
It is also possible to get to Port Blair by ship, with departures from Kolkata, Chennai and Vishakapatnam. Although far cheaper than flying, the crossings are long 3-5 days, and with only basic amenities on board, and possibilities for rough seas, the journey can be a little tiring.
For information on ship schedules visit www.and.nic.in/spsch/sailing.htm or call +01 22 2292 2431.
Once you’ve arrived in Port Blair, it’s a 2 to 3 hour ferry ride to Havelock. Ferries leave from the Phoenix Bay jetty twice a day. One in the morning at 0630 hrs and one in the afternoon at 1400 hrs. (ferry times are subject to change) Most flights into Port Blair arrive in enough time for you to catch the afternoon ferry. In theory tickets have to be purchased a day in advance, but if you arrive at the Phoenix Bay jetty a half hour before the ferry departs, you might be able to get a ticket.
Once in Havelock our dive shop is located right next to Wild Orchid on beach No. 5 about a 5 minute auto-rickshaw ride from the jetty.
Andaman bubbles can assist you with all your travel arrangements in India, from flights to hotel reservations. We will meet you at the airport in Port Blair, arrange transfers to the jetty, organize ferry tickets, and once in Havelock, transfer you to your resort. Please contact us for more information about this service and leave the entire running to us.
FOR MORE INFO:
Diving Andaman Islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Diving Andaman Islands: Andaman Bubbles dive center, Havelock Island
Andaman Bubbles is a small, friendly dive centre located on Havelock Island in the Andamans. We opened our doors in December 2008. With a strong emphasis placed on safety, we offer professional quality service, but in a flexible relaxed manner. We here at Andaman Bubbles have a strong passion for the island and the sea that surrounds it. We look forward to sharing that passion with you, not just as our customers but also as our friends.
Jeremy Blake known as Jez has been working in Havelock as a diveshop manager for the past three years and has now joined us to help open Andaman Bubbles and to run the dive centre as a partner/manager. His experience teaching diving here in Havelock and his unique style has created a Dive Center that has raised the standard of service, quality of equipment, and safety. This has produced a very friendly, flexible and well organized dive centre.
We have new and well-maintained equipment and have taken the step to have equipment quality above that of standard rental gear you find with most dive centers. We hope this will offer our customers as well as experienced divers the opportunity to consider if they really need to bring their own equipment. We stock Apeks fully balanced regulators, Seaquest BCDs, open heel fins, shoes, masks and a selection of short/long wetsuits. Also Suunto dive computers/compasses and digital cameras are available for rent. We also have 72 12-liter cylinders with yoke valve and 10 with din inserts for customers with Din first stage. For those that tend to be a bit heavy on air, we have four 15 liter cylinders and for the smaller divers four 10 liter cylinders. We have a German built L&W 300 Nautic compressor with digital maintenance system to prevent any contamination in the cylinders.
We follow the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) general standards and recommendations.
Most of our dive sites are suitable for all diver levels and certifications. But, a few require Advanced open water certificate and more experience due to depths and possibilities for strong currents. If you wish to further your diving education one of our experienced PADI instructors would be happy to assist you.
The courses offered by us are
Discover Scuba Diving (DSD)
Scuba Diver (SD)
Open Water Diver (OWD)
Adventure Diver (AD)
Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD)
Emergency First Response (EFR)
Rescue Diver (RES)
Divemaster (DM)
Let us show you the treasures hidden beneath the Andaman Sea.
Diving Andaman Islands.
For more information: www.andamanbubbles.com
Andaman Bubbles
Havelock Island
(Next to Wild Orchid Resort)
The Andamans
India
Phone: +91-3192-282140 / + 91-98452 36747
Fax: +91-80-25357707
E-Fax: +1-815-364-6040 (USA) / +44 208 711 2301 (UK)
Email: bookings@andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Here some pics of Emerald Geko Resort, Havelock Island.
http://www.emerald-gecko.com/
diving andaman islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
Pics by Nadia Aiolfi
Accomodation on Havelock Island
Accommodation is available at 2 Andaman Bubbles affiliated resorts designed to suit all budgets, to boat transfers, or any of our additional actives, like deep sea fishing, and snorkeling. In addition to our affiliated resorts, Havelock offers a wide variety of accommodations to suit all travelers.
For those looking for something simpler, there are several smaller "resorts" run by local villagers. These usually consist of simple thatched huts with common bathrooms and shower areas and a restaurant serving Indian food. They are not fancy, but they’re clean, quiet and relaxing.
AFFILIATED RESORTS
The Emerald Gecko is the brainchild of Benny and Lynda who gave up their city lives to make the fantastic Andaman Islands their home. For the past 5 years they have nurtured their first project, a mid-range resort called The Wild Orchid into a tremendous success.
It was during this period that they interacted with many travelers from all across the globe and saw that there was no where on Havelock that catered to the conscious budget traveler who not only wanted affordable accommodation but also a bit of comfort.
http://www.emerald-gecko.com/
The Wild Orchid nests between the aqua blue waters of the Andaman Sea and the green hills of Havelock. Built with the produce of the land, in authentic Andamanese style, the spacious cottages are just a few meters from the sea.
Wild Orchid offers exclusive luxury and simple elegance that immediately makes one feel at home, although miles away from bustling cities. The dedicated staff at Wild Orchid will attend to your every need and help you create that dream vacation you always wanted.
http://www.wildorchidandaman.com/
Diving Andaman Islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
For those looking for something simpler, there are several smaller "resorts" run by local villagers. These usually consist of simple thatched huts with common bathrooms and shower areas and a restaurant serving Indian food. They are not fancy, but they’re clean, quiet and relaxing.
AFFILIATED RESORTS
The Emerald Gecko is the brainchild of Benny and Lynda who gave up their city lives to make the fantastic Andaman Islands their home. For the past 5 years they have nurtured their first project, a mid-range resort called The Wild Orchid into a tremendous success.
It was during this period that they interacted with many travelers from all across the globe and saw that there was no where on Havelock that catered to the conscious budget traveler who not only wanted affordable accommodation but also a bit of comfort.
http://www.emerald-gecko.com/
The Wild Orchid nests between the aqua blue waters of the Andaman Sea and the green hills of Havelock. Built with the produce of the land, in authentic Andamanese style, the spacious cottages are just a few meters from the sea.
Wild Orchid offers exclusive luxury and simple elegance that immediately makes one feel at home, although miles away from bustling cities. The dedicated staff at Wild Orchid will attend to your every need and help you create that dream vacation you always wanted.
http://www.wildorchidandaman.com/
Diving Andaman Islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Getting around Havelock Island
Getting around Havelock is fairly simple. The ferry arrives on the northern part of the island in village 1 (all locations are numbered in Havelock). Going down the northeastern side of the island are beaches 2, 3 and 5. On the southwestern side of the island is Beach 7 (a beautiful place to watch sunset) and somewhere in the middle is Village 6. Most resorts and activities are located along the northeast (1-5) or along number 7. You can walk from beach 1 to 5 in about an hour. To get to beach 7, (which is about 30 min away by bus) you’ll need auto transportation. There is a few local buses that run on Havelock and. Auto rickshaws are readily available. You can also rent a motor bike (remember to get your drivers license) or bicycle.
Other considerations
Most of Havelock runs off of cash, with a few of the larger resorts accepting credit cards and foreign currency for a nominal fee, usually 3 %. There is an ATM in Havelock but the money changing facilities are not dependable on Havelock. There are money changing facilities and ATMs in Port Blair.
Havelock has a wide variety of activities to offer, which we at Andaman Bubbles will be happy to arrange for you. Whether you’re exploring the treasures of the sea by either scuba diving or snorkeling. Spending time deep sea fishing, hiking through the jungle, experiencing traditional village life, or enjoying the simplicity of the island. By simply laying in a hammock gazing at the wonders, lazing on the beach looking for treasures in the sand or floating in the sea. You’ll leave here with memories that you’ll treasure for a lifetime.
Diving Andaman Islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Pics by Nadia Aiolfi
Permit and Visa to visit the Andaman Islands
Foreign visitors require an Indian visa which can be obtained through your embassy. You will also need a Special Restricted Permit to visit the Andaman Islands. The permits are obtainable on arrival by both sea and air. They’re simple to get, it consists of filling out a little bit of paperwork when you arrive, takes maybe 10- 20 minutes and is free of charge. The permit is valid for 30 days and will give you permission to visit only certain parts of the Andamans. You can also apply for one through your embassy, while applying for your India visa. But you will still have paperwork to fill out when you arrive. We think it is much simpler and recommend applying for the permit on arrival.
Indian passport holders do not need any permits to visit the Andamans
Diving Andaman Islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Indian passport holders do not need any permits to visit the Andamans
Diving Andaman Islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
SOURCE: WWW.ANDAMANBUBBLES.COM
Havelock Island
Havelock Island (often just Havelock for short) with an area of some 92 km2 is the largest of the islands which comprise Ritchie's Arcipelago, a chain of islands to the east of Great Andaman in the Andaman Islands. Havelock is situated 57 km North East of Capital City Port Blair.
The island is named after Henry Havelock, a British general active in India. The island's current population consists of Bengali settlers.
It is one of the few places that the administration of the Andaman and Nicobare Islands Union Territory of India has permitted and encouraged development of tourism, with a focus on promoting eco-turism.
Havelock Island avoided much of the devastation which was visited upon most of the shores affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and its resultant tsunami, and there were no documented casualties.
Beach No. 7 on the western coast, better known as "Radha Nagar" Beach, is one of the most popular beaches on Havelock and was named "Best Beach in Asia" by Time in 2004. Other notable beaches include Elephant Beach on the northwest coast and Vijaynagar Beach (No. 5), Beach No. 3 and Beach No. 1 on the east coast.
Pics by Nadia Aiolfi (beach #7)
Source: Wikipedia
diving andaman islands: www.andamanbubbles.com
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