Snorkeling in the Andaman Islands at a glance
Snorkeling here usually means a short boat ride to a reef, not a swim from your hotel. You can snorkel at Elephant Beach on Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep), Bharatpur on Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep), North Bay near Port Blair and Jolly Buoy in the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. Whether an activity runs on your day is a separate question, so confirm it with the provider.
Three activities get mixed up. Snorkeling means floating at the surface with a mask and snorkel. A sea walk is a guided walk on the seabed. A glass-bottom boat lets you look at the reef through a glass floor without entering the water. They are sold as separate activities, and none of them replaces a snorkeling trip.
Our picks: snorkeling on Havelock
A short reef session, a guided trip to Tribe Gate and a four-hour boat trip with two snorkel stops.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Ritchie's Archipelago snorkel and beach boat trip
- Two guided snorkel stops
- Turtle Beach stop
- Water, juice and snacks
Four hours by boat with equipment and life jackets. The special-area permit is extra and paid in cash on the day.
Check availability →Guided snorkeling trip to Tribe Gate
- Speedboat to Tribe Gate
- Mask, fins and life jacket
- GoPro photos and videos
A 2.5-hour trip with a guide in the water if you choose the guided option. Ferry to Havelock extra.
Check availability →
Nemo Reef snorkeling on Havelock
- Mask, fins and life jacket
- 20 GoPro photos, 2 videos
- Hotel transfer within 5 km
A short 1.5-hour session in the water. Ask how you reach the reef before you book, and note that the ferry to Havelock is extra.
Check availability →Andaman snorkeling, sea walk and reef trips
Snorkeling, glass-bottom boat and sea walk trips from Havelock, Neil and Port Blair, with live prices and availability.
Sea walk in the Andamans, glass boat and snorkeling compared
What each activity is and where it is offered.
| Activity | What it is | Where it is offered |
|---|---|---|
| Snorkeling | Swimming at the surface with mask and snorkel | Elephant Beach, Bharatpur, North Bay, Jolly Buoy |
| Sea walk | A guided walk along the seabed, booked as its own activity | North Bay |
| Glass-bottom boat | A boat ride with a glass floor to view the reef from above | North Bay area |
For most first-time visitors, North Bay is the easiest start, since it is a short crossing from Aberdeen and entry is free. Elephant Beach suits you if you stay on Havelock and want one organised water-activity day.
North Bay Island
North Bay is a day destination, not a place to stay. The boat crossing takes 15 to 20 minutes, with departures from 08:30 to 11:30 and returns from 14:00 to 16:00. Times can change, so ask your operator for the exact schedule.
Coral viewing and organised water activities run through approved providers. The island has a lighthouse, but do not count on being able to go up it. Read the Ross Island and North Bay guide for the combined trip.
Elephant Beach, Bharatpur and Jolly Buoy
Three places with different rules.
Elephant Beach (Havelock)
Elephant Beach is the usual choice for organised water activities, while Radhanagar is the beach for the sunset. Pick one for your snorkeling day and keep Radhanagar for the evening.
Havelock guide →Bharatpur (Neil)
Bharatpur is one of the beach areas of Neil. The beach names on Neil are not an automatic swimming permission, so follow the local signs and ask the boat crew.
Neil guide →Jolly Buoy (marine park)
Jolly Buoy is open from mid-November to mid-May, needs a forest permit and admits no more than 280 visitors a day. Plastic is not allowed on the island, so bring a reusable bottle.
Jolly Buoy guide →What rough seas change
Weather decides more than the calendar.
Rough seas can cancel boat departures and cloud the water. Port Blair gets about 14.2 mm of rain in February and 505.2 mm in September on average, so January to March is the driest stretch, though no month guarantees calm seas. Check the forecast the evening before and keep a spare day, especially if you have a ferry or a flight the next morning.
The 2023/24 bleaching affected an estimated 15 to 18 percent of coral in South Andaman, with mostly good recovery since. That number does not cover every reef, so do not expect the same coral at every stop.
Snorkeling in the Andamans: frequently asked questions
Where can I snorkel in the Andaman Islands?
At Elephant Beach, Bharatpur on Neil, North Bay and Jolly Buoy. Which one suits you depends on where you stay, the weather and whether the provider runs the activity that day.
Is a sea walk the same as snorkeling?
No. A sea walk is a guided walk on the seabed and is sold as a separate activity. Snorkeling is swimming at the surface with a mask and snorkel.
Can I do a glass-bottom boat trip in the Andamans?
Glass-bottom boats are part of the offer around North Bay. They show the reef through the floor of the boat and do not replace a snorkeling trip.
Is it free to visit North Bay?
Entry is free. The boat ride and the activities are paid separately and booked through an approved provider.
Do I need a permit to snorkel at Jolly Buoy?
You need a forest permit to visit Jolly Buoy at all, and the island is open only from mid-November to mid-May. Snorkeling on a given day depends on the conditions, so ask when you book.