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Frequently Asked Questions (last update: October 22, 2008)
 
  1. When is a good time to come visit?
    December-early May is our typical peak season. However, September-November offer excellent diving as well: as good, if not better, than peak season diving. The catch is that it does rain during this time, so top-side weather can vary. If you care just about diving, give it a shot though! May is another good time to come - usually, we start getting showers at this time, but the water is at its warmest and manta sightings are quite good at this time.

  2. Is it worth coming in June / July / August?
    Tough question. This is the monsoon period, which means periods of heavy rains followed by periods (often weeks) of calm and sun. During the heavy rain periods, we still dive but our closer sites. However, don't forget one other element: Havelock is really magical during the monsoons. You have the islands to yourself, the "tourism buzz" is over and it goes back to being a sleepy little island tucked away in a remote corner of the world. That is an experience that few other places can match. Generally, August has a lull in the rains - the last 2 years, we've had very good weather in August and some excellent diving.

  3. What will I see in the Andamans?
    The diving in Havelock is not about one single highlight, but all about variety (over 850 species found here). We are not a "big fish" destination, but we do have sites where you can spot 4-8 sharks on a single dive (and not just reefies, but also occasional bullsharks).Manta & dolphin sightings are quite frequent as well. Macro lovers - we have ghost pipefish, shrimps, nudibranches, crabs and more, even though we aren't a "macro only" destination, like Manado. We get some amazing coral, lots of fishlife (both in variety and quantity), some walls, some pinnacles, some deep dives in strong currents, some shallow relaxing dives - there is something here for everyone. We are biased but even after diving places like the Red Sea, Sipadan and Mozambique, we feel Havelock matches up to all those destinations although in a different way, simply b/c there is something to see virtually every minute of the dive. And best of all - you will be diving these pristine, virgin reefs in small groups

  4. How do I get to your dive centers?
    For starters, you need to fly to Port Blair. Then you need to take a ferry to Havelock or Neil. Up to date information on this can be found in our Trip Planning page.

  5. Where else in the Andamans can I dive?
    At present, there is no diving anywhere else in the Andamans other than Havelock & Neil, although we are running special dive safaris to the North Andamans, which allow access to some really special diving.

  6. Do I need to spend any nights in Port Blair?
    On your way in, you may not need to stay in Port Blair as there is a ferry departing for Havelock at 1230 hrs - if your flight is on time, you will make this ferry. On the way back, however, you have to spend your last night in Port Blair. You leave Havelock in the afternoon of the day prior to your flight, get into Port Blair after sunset and then stay overnight there. Next morning, you can catch your flight home. There is no way to avoid this. However, if you want to maximize your dives, it is possible to do 2 dives and then catch the later ferry.. so you don't lose any diving days.

  7. Can I get tickets for the 1230 ferry to Havelock on the spot prior to departure?
    Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, no. Of late, mostly no. A lot depends on how busy things are. In peak season (November - May), it is virtually impossible to get these tickets on the spot. As such, we recommend our Meet'n'Greet service, where we arrange your ferry tickets and also all Port Blair and Havelock transfers. It will save you a lot of potential hassles, as Port Blair is not a place where you want to spend your limited vacation time.

  8. Can you book our Port Blair hotel for us?
    Unfortunately no. We used to do this as a service for our guests, but sometimes, the hotels in Port Blair lost the bookings. Other times, guests didn't show up for the booking or opted for a cheaper room elsewhere. Yet other times there have been disputes regarding rates, service, etc. In all such cases, we were the ones who ended up looking bad. As a result, we have stopped booking these hotels. If you are here, we can provide you with the names and numbers of the hotels, as well as a phone, and you can book it directly. Our Trip Planning page has some recommendations on places to stay in Port Blair.

  9. How do I sign up for a course or for diving?
    Simple - email us and tell us when you are coming. We need a 50% deposit in order to hold your spot for diving. This is fully refundable for all cancellations made up to 48 hours in advance.

  10. What do I need as a pre-requisite, in order to be able to dive?
    Not a whole lot - you need to be in reasonably decent shape (able to walk 10-15 min without fatigue). You also need to know basic swimming (able to swim 200m). You also have to answer a Medical Form (click to download) - if you answer "no" to the questions in it, you are all set to go. If you answer "yes" to any of them, you need to get a doctor's clearance first.

  11. When can we start a course?
    Pretty much whenever you want. We have Open Water courses starting every 3-4 days. If you are short on time, email us and we'll arrange to have a course starting for you as soon as you arrive - even if it means a private course (and there is no extra charge for that).

  12. PADI or SSI? Which is better?
    At the Open Water level, both courses are virtually identical. Not surprising, as Open Water training standards are actually set by a committee called the Recreational Scuba Training Council, to which both PADI and SSI belong. At the continuing education level, there are differences which range from minor to significant. Which course is appropriate for you depends on your own interests & experience. We suggest speaking to one of our instructors when you are here, for more info. Both are high-quality agencies and will prepare you well for a lifetime of underwater exploration. See also our article on Which Agency is Better.

  13. Is SSI recognized everywhere? How come I haven't heard of it?
    Yes, SSI is recognized globally. It is the second largest agency in the world, and growing very fast, especially in Asia (where it is already bigger than PADI in many markets, for example). The reason you haven't heard of it is because they focus more on diving, and not as much on marketing. As far as divers and dive centers go, SSI certifications are just as universally accepted as PADI.

  14. How do I book accommodation?
    Just as simple - email us and tell us when you are coming and what sort of room you want. We do suggest checking out the Island Vinnie website for more info on the resort. We need a 100% deposit in order to hold your room - do note that this deposit is fully refundable for cancellations made up to 30 days prior to your arrival and not refundable after that.

  15. How do I pay the deposit?
    You can send us a payment via Paypal. Paypal is an affiliate of Ebay, and one of the largest online payment gateways in the world. They provide a safe and secure way of sending money worldwide from the comfort of your computer - no trips to the bank involved. If you are in India, you can deposit the money into our bank account. We will send you all the details via email.

  16. What modes of payment do you accept?
    We take Indian rupees, pounds, euros or dollars - cash or travellers checks are both ok. We also take Visa and Mastercard - there is a 3% surcharge for payments made in the Andamans with a credit card. This surcharge does not apply for payments made via Paypal.

  17. Is the cat really that grouchy?
    Oh yes. Take our word for it. Stick to the dogs - they are much nicer.

   
           
 
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