TravelTriangle’s travel desk has planned 200,000+ Andaman and island trips; our writers cross-check every activity, spot and price range with on-ground operators in Port Blair, Havelock and Neil before publishing.
Most activities here need NO swimming – they are guided, life-jacketed and beginner-safe.
Water sports in Andaman cost roughly ₹500 to ₹6,500 per person (indicative, as prices vary by operator and season), run for about 10 to 45 minutes, and most need no swimming at all. You go in with a certified guide and a life jacket or air helmet. Many Andaman family tour packages include a full day of activities at North Bay or Elephant Beach, making it easy to experience the islands’ most popular water sports. Below is every activity, where to do it, what it costs, how long it takes and how to plan the trip.
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Water Sports in Andaman at a Glance - Price & Where-to-Do Table
Here is every water sport in Andaman in one place – where to do it, the typical price, how long it lasts and whether non-swimmers can join. Prices are per person and indicative; they vary by operator, group size and season, so confirm the rate at the counter when you book.
| Water Sport | Best Place(s) | Cost / person (indicative) | Duration | No-swim? |
| Scuba Diving | Elephant Beach, North Bay, Havelock, Neil | ₹3,500–6,500 | 30–45 min | Yes (guided) |
| Snorkelling | Elephant Beach, North Bay, Neil | ₹600–1,500 | 30–45 min | Yes |
| Sea Walking (Sea Walk) | North Bay | ₹3,500 | 20–30 min | Yes |
| Parasailing | Corbyn’s Cove, Elephant Beach | ₹3,200–3,500 | 10–15 min | Yes |
| Jet Ski Ride | Rajiv Gandhi Complex, Corbyn’s Cove | ₹500–1,200 | 10–15 min | Yes |
| Banana / Sofa Boat | North Bay, Corbyn’s Cove | ₹500–600 | 10 min | Yes |
| Glass-Bottom Boat | North Bay | ₹500–2,500 | 20–30 min | Yes (no contact) |
| Speed Boat Ride | North Bay, Corbyn’s Cove | ₹500–1,000 | 10–15 min | Yes |
| Seakart | Havelock | ₹3,500 | 20–30 min | Yes |
| Kayaking (mangrove) | Havelock, Mayabunder | ₹1,000–2,500 | 1–2 hr | Yes |
| Coral Safari (semi-sub) | North Bay | ₹2,000–2,500 | 20–30 min | Yes (no contact) |
| Sport / Game Fishing | Havelock, Port Blair | Varies | 3–4 hr | Yes (boat) |
| Stand-Up Paddleboarding | Havelock, Neil | ₹1,000–2,000 | 30–60 min | Yes (calm bay) |
| Ocean Walk (deep sea walk) | North Bay | ₹3,000–3,500 | 20–30 min | Yes |
Note: prices above are indicative per-person ranges and change with operator and season – treat them as a budgeting guide, not a fixed quote.
14 Best Water Sports in Andaman
Each entry below tells you the same things - where to do it, the indicative cost, how long it lasts, the best season and whether non-swimmers and minors can join - so you can build a day around what suits your group. Our writers rank them by how easily a first-timer can do it safely.
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Scuba Diving - the headline experience
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Snorkelling - the easiest way underwater
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Sea Walking - walk the ocean floor
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Parasailing - the aerial view
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Jet Ski Ride - the adrenaline pick
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Banana & Sofa Boat Rides - the group laugh
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Glass-Bottom Boat Ride - coral without getting wet
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Speed Boat Ride - point-to-point thrill
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Seakart - drive your own mini-boat
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Kayaking - mangroves and bioluminescence
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Coral Safari (Semi-Submarine) - reef from a cabin
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Sport & Game Fishing - half-day on the water
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Stand-Up Paddleboarding - calm-bay balance
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Ocean Walk (Deep Sea Walk) - the premium walk
Explore Popular Destination In Andaman
Scuba Diving - the headline experience
📍 Where: Elephant Beach & North Bay (beginners); Havelock & Neil (certified dives)
💰 ₹3,500–6,500 (indicative)
⏱ 30–45 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes — guided
👶 Age: 10+ (PADI Discover Scuba)
This is the activity most travellers come for. For a beginner “Discover Scuba” dive you need no certification and no diving experience — a certified instructor stays with you the whole time and you breathe through a regulator; you should simply be comfortable in the water. Our writers consistently rate North Bay and Elephant Beach as the easiest first dives — calm, shallow (about 6–12 m) and thick with coral and reef fish. PADI sets the minimum age for a Discover Scuba dive at 10. For a full guide to dive sites, certification levels and the best reefs, read our guide to scuba diving in Andaman.
Related Tour Packages
Snorkelling - the easiest way underwater
📍 Where: Elephant Beach, North Bay, Neil
💰 ₹600–1,500 (indicative)
⏱ 30–45 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes
👶 Age: All ages (with a guide)
If you want the reef without the gear or the price of a dive, snorkelling is the pick. You float on the surface in a life jacket and look down through a mask, so swimming ability is not needed. Elephant Beach off Havelock has the most accessible coral garden; North Bay and Neil’s Bharatpur Beach are calmer and good for children. If snorkelling is the main thing you want, see our dedicated guide to snorkelling in Andaman.
Related Tour Packages
Sea Walking - walk the ocean floor
📍 Where: North Bay
💰 ₹3,500 (indicative)
⏱ 20–30 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes
👶 Age: ~7+ (under-7 not allowed)
Sea walking is the most reassuring way for a non-swimmer to get underwater. A weighted helmet feeds you a steady supply of surface air while you walk the seabed about 6–7 m down — you breathe normally, need no swimming skill, and barely get your hair wet. Operators do not allow children under about 7, and children between roughly 7 and 15 must be accompanied; some operators set the limit at 12. It is not advised for anyone with a heart, ear or respiratory condition, or for pregnant travellers — tell the operator before you start.
Related Tour Packages
Andaman 7 Nights 8 Days Tour Package & Itinerary - Port Blair, Havelock & Neil Island
₹26,084 (8D / 7N)
Parasailing - the aerial view
📍 Where: Corbyn’s Cove, Elephant Beach
💰 ₹3,200–3,500 (indicative)
⏱ 10–15 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes
👶 Age: Varies (children with an adult)
Strapped into a harness under a canopy and towed behind a speedboat, you rise 30–50 m above the water for a wide view of the coastline. There is no swimming involved and the boat crew handles the launch and landing; you are clipped in and lifted gently from the deck. It runs in calm conditions only, so mornings in peak season are the surest window.
Jet Ski Ride - the adrenaline pick
📍 Where: Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex, Corbyn’s Cove
💰 ₹500–1,200 (indicative)
⏱ 10–15 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes
👶 Age: Adult-driven; pillion for kids
A short, fast ride across a marked stretch of bay. Beginners ride pillion behind a trained operator; confident riders can take the controls in a roped-off zone. A life jacket is provided and required, so swimming ability is not needed. The Rajiv Gandhi complex near Aberdeen Jetty and Corbyn’s Cove are the main spots in Port Blair.
Banana & Sofa Boat Rides - the group laugh
📍 Where: North Bay, Corbyn’s Cove
💰 ₹500–600 (indicative)
⏱ 10 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes
👶 Age: Family-friendly
An inflatable banana or sofa is towed behind a speedboat while a group of four to six hold on. It is the cheapest and most light-hearted activity on the water, ideal for families and first-timers warming up to the bigger rides. Everyone wears a life jacket; falling off into the warm shallow water is half the fun.
Glass-Bottom Boat Ride - coral without getting wet
📍 Where: North Bay
💰 ₹500–2,500 (indicative)
⏱ 20–30 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes (no contact)
👶 Age: All ages
If anyone in your group will not go in the water, the glass-bottom boat brings the reef to them. You sit dry in a boat with a transparent floor and watch coral, reef fish and sometimes turtles drift past at North Bay. It is the gentlest underwater experience of the lot and works for elderly travellers and toddlers alike.
Speed Boat Ride - point-to-point thrill
📍 Where: North Bay, Corbyn’s Cove
💰 ₹500–1,000 (indicative)
⏱ 10–15 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes
👶 Age: All ages (with adult)
A quick, powered hop across the bay — part transfer, part thrill ride. Most travellers do it on the way to North Bay or as a short joy ride from Corbyn’s Cove. Life jackets are provided and no swimming is needed.
Seakart - drive your own mini-boat
📍 Where: Havelock
💰 ₹3,500 (indicative)
⏱ 20–30 min
📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes
👶 Age: Adult-driven
A Seakart is a small two-seat personal watercraft you steer yourself across the open sea off Havelock, with a guide on a parallel craft. It sits between a jet ski and a speedboat for stability and is one of the newer, more photogenic activities on the islands. Comfortable for non-swimmers in the provided life jacket.
Kayaking - mangroves and bioluminescence
📍 Where: Havelock, Mayabunder
💰 ₹1,000–2,500 (indicative)
⏱ 1–2 hr 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes
👶 Age: 12+ (guided)
Paddling a sit-on-top kayak through the mangrove creeks of Havelock or Mayabunder is the calmest, most immersive way to see the islands’ inner waterways. Night kayaking on bioluminescent waters — when the plankton glows with each paddle stroke — is a standout when conditions allow. Trips go with a guide and a life jacket. For routes, timings and the bioluminescence window, see our guide to kayaking in Andaman.
Coral Safari (Semi-Submarine) - reef from a cabin
📍 Where: North Bay
💰 ₹2,000–2,500 (indicative)
⏱ 20–30 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes (no contact)
👶 Age: All ages
A semi-submarine sits you in an air-conditioned cabin below the waterline with large viewing windows, so you watch the North Bay reef glide past at eye level without diving. It suits travellers who want a longer, drier underwater view than a glass-bottom boat gives.
Sport & Game Fishing - half-day on the water
📍 Where: Havelock, Port Blair
💰 Varies by charter (indicative)
⏱ 3–4 hr 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes (boat)
👶 Age: Family charters available
A guided fishing charter takes you offshore for a half-day of trolling for trevally, barracuda and snapper. It is a slower, full-experience day rather than a quick activity, usually booked as a private boat. Catch-and-release is encouraged on most charters to protect the reef stock.
Stand-Up Paddleboarding - calm-bay balance
📍 Where: Havelock, Neil
💰 ₹1,000–2,000 (indicative)
⏱ 30–60 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes (calm bay)
👶 Age: 12+ (basic balance)
Standing on a wide board and paddling across the flat morning bays of Havelock and Neil is the most peaceful way to be on the water. Beginners start kneeling and most are standing within the first session. It is best in calm, shallow water with a guide nearby, and a life jacket is provided.
Ocean Walk (Deep Sea Walk) - the premium walk
📍 Where: North Bay
💰 ₹3,000–3,500 (indicative)
⏱ 20–30 min 📅 Oct–May
🏊 No-swim: Yes
👶 Age: ~7+ (operator rules)
A deeper, longer variant of the sea walk for those who want more time on the seabed, with the same surface-fed helmet system and a guide holding your hand throughout. The same health and age rules as sea walking apply — not for heart, ear or respiratory conditions or pregnancy. It rounds out a North Bay day for travellers who loved the standard sea walk and want a little more.
Best Time for Water Sports in Andaman (October–May)
The best time for water sports in Andaman is October to May, when the sea is calm, the sky is clear and underwater visibility is at its highest – commonly 15–20 m and often more at the best dive sites. November to February is the peak window, with the calmest water and pleasant temperatures of about 23–30°C. The monsoon months of June to September bring rough seas and rain, and many boat-based activities and the ferries to North Bay, Havelock and Neil are suspended on bad-weather days, per India Meteorological Department patterns for Port Blair and on-ground operators.
| Season | Months | Sea & visibility | Water sports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak (best) | Nov – Feb | Calmest sea, clearest water, ~23–30°C | All activities running; book ahead |
| Shoulder (good) | Oct & Mar – May | Mostly calm and warm; short spells | All activities; fewer crowds |
| Monsoon (avoid) | Jun – Sep | Rough sea, rain, lower visibility | Many boat sports & ferries suspended |
Practical tip: scuba and snorkelling are clearest at slack tide and in the morning, when winds are lowest. Even in peak season a storm can pause activities for a day, so keep a buffer day in your plan.
Best Islands & Beaches for Water Sports
Travellers plan island by island, so it helps to know where each activity actually happens. Three places hold almost all of Andaman’s water sports.
North Bay Island (Port Blair) – the water-sports hub
North Bay holds the biggest cluster of activities – sea walking, scuba, snorkelling, glass-bottom and coral-safari boats, jet ski, banana and speed boats. It is a 15–20 minute boat ride from the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex near Aberdeen Jetty. Best for your first day, or for non-swimmers who want to try several activities in one place.
Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)
Best for scuba diving – Elephant Beach plus the island’s open-water dive sites – along with Seakart, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Elephant Beach is reached by boat or a short trek and is the most beginner-friendly dive and snorkel spot on the island.
Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)
Quieter and calmer; good for snorkelling, scuba and paddleboarding in the shallow bays at Bharatpur and Laxmanpur. Best for travellers who want water sports without the North Bay crowds.
For where to base yourself, how to island-hop and the rest of the trip, see our Andaman travel guide.
How & Where to Book + Safety, Age Limits & Non-Swimmer Guide
How and where to book
Most water sports are booked on the spot at the activity counters at North Bay, Corbyn’s Cove, Elephant Beach and the Havelock and Neil jetties, or bundled into a tour package. In peak season (November–February) the popular activities – sea walking and scuba – sell out, so book ahead a day or two or pre-book through a package. Always use government-licensed, PADI- or SSI-certified operators for scuba and sea walking.
Safety basics (apply to every activity)
- A certified guide and a life jacket are provided for every guided activity – confirm both before you start.
- Tell the operator about any heart, ear, respiratory or pregnancy condition before sea walking, scuba or parasailing; these activities are not advised in those cases.
- Follow the instructor’s hand signals underwater, and never touch the coral – it is protected and fragile.
- Carry a valid photo ID. Underwater photos and videos are usually an add-on, not included in the base price.
Do you need to know swimming?
No – most water sports in Andaman need no swimming ability. Sea walking, snorkelling, guided Discover Scuba, parasailing, glass-bottom and banana boats are all done with a life jacket or air helmet and a guide who stays with you. The only activities that expect basic comfort in the water are open-water, certification-level dives. This is the islands’ real “no-swimming-required” promise – and the at-a-glance table above marks exactly which activity fits which swimmer.
Andaman Water Sports Packages
If you would rather have every activity, transfer and permit organised for you, a customisable Andaman water sports & scuba diving package bundles scuba, sea walk, snorkelling and island transfers into one trip — simpler than booking each counter separately, and often better value in peak season when the popular slots fill up.
For a full island itinerary that folds water sports into sightseeing, ferries and stays, browse our Andaman tour packages.
Plan Your Andaman Water Sports Trip
Andaman packs more water sports into one trip than anywhere else in India – and most of them need no swimming, just a guide and a life jacket. Plan for the calm October–May season, use the price table to budget each activity, and base yourself near North Bay or Havelock for the widest choice. Ready to plan it? Build a customisable Andaman water sports & scuba diving package and have the diving, sea walk and transfers sorted before you land.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most water sports in Andaman cost between ₹500 and ₹6,500 per person (indicative, varying by operator and season). Banana, speed and glass-bottom boat rides start around ₹500; jet ski and snorkelling run ₹600–1,500; sea walking and Seakart are about ₹3,500; and scuba diving ranges ₹3,500–6,500 depending on whether it is a beginner dive or an open-water dive. See the price table above for each activity.
October to May is the best time, when the sea is calm and underwater visibility is highest. November to February is the peak window. Avoid the monsoon (June–September), when rough seas and rain suspend many boat activities and the ferries to North Bay, Havelock and Neil.
No. Most activities - sea walking, snorkelling, guided scuba, parasailing, glass-bottom and banana boats - need no swimming. You wear a life jacket or air helmet and a certified guide stays with you the whole time. Only open-water, certification-level dives expect basic comfort in the water.
Sea walking and scuba diving are the most popular because they get non-swimmers underwater safely with a guide. For a first-timer, sea walking at North Bay is the easiest; for the best reefs, scuba at Elephant Beach or Havelock is the pick.
North Bay Island off Port Blair has the widest range - sea walk, scuba, snorkelling, jet ski and boat rides in one place. Havelock (Elephant Beach) is best for scuba and Seakart; Neil Island is quieter and good for snorkelling and paddleboarding.
Yes. Minimum ages vary by activity - scuba diving is commonly 10 and up, and sea walking is roughly 7 and up (under-7 not allowed), with limits varying by operator. Sea walking, scuba and parasailing are not advised for people with heart, ear or respiratory conditions, or for pregnant travellers. Tell the operator before you start.
Visibility is excellent in the dry season - commonly 15–20 m, and often more, at sites such as North Bay, Elephant Beach and Neil during November to April. It drops sharply in the monsoon when the sea is churned up.
On-the-spot booking works for most of the year, but in peak season (November–February) sea walking and scuba sell out, so book a day or two ahead — or bundle them into an Andaman water sports package.
Yes, when you use government-licensed, certified operators. Every guided activity includes a life jacket or helmet and a trained instructor, and the calm October–May sea makes conditions ideal. Avoid unlicensed operators and never do boat sports in rough monsoon weather.
