On December 30, 2018, the Indian Prime Minister announced that Havelock would henceforth be called Swaraj Dweep. Neil became Shaheed Dweep on the same day. Centers, ferries, and booking sites still use both names, so you will encounter both while preparing your trip.
Our old page on Havelock promised visibility of 30 to 40 meters, water at 27-29 °C, hammerhead sharks, and a leatherback turtle spotted early morning at Dixon’s Pinnacle. None of this was dated or sourced. We have removed it.
What remains is what can be verified: sites cited by identifiable sources, the normal arrival date of the monsoon, entry formalities, and the nearest decompression chamber. All passed through our usual framework (level, current, season, supervision, fallback plan).
Which dive sites around Swaraj Dweep, and for what level?
The names that come up in public sources are Dixon’s Pinnacle, Johnny’s Gorge, The Wall, and Jackson’s Bar, plus Lighthouse, Aquarium, and Mac Point, much less documented. All four are associated with currents. For Johnny’s Gorge, the PADI blog advises Advanced Open Water level and familiarity with currents.
| Site | Described type | Current | Indicated level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dixon’s Pinnacle | Three pinnacles rising from the bottom | Present, strength not specified | Not specified |
| Johnny’s Gorge | Open sea site, low rocks surrounded by sand | Familiarity with current required | Advanced Open Water (PADI blog) |
| The Wall | Drop-off | Medium to strong | Not specified |
| Jackson’s Bar | Rocky plateau | Dive described as demanding | Not specified |
| Lighthouse, Aquarium, Mac Point | Few public details | Not specified | Ask the center |
Dixon’s Pinnacle consists of three pinnacles rising from the bottom, according to a PADI blog article updated in April 2023. Depth is not mentioned. The same article describes The Wall with a “medium to strong” current, making it a dive where the actual experience of the group counts as much as the certification level. Jackson’s Bar is a rocky plateau. The magazine Scuba Diving, in May 2024, presents it as a demanding dive due to the current.
The current matters more than the site name.
But none of these sources provide maximum depth or official level site by site. The required level depends on the center and the day’s conditions. If you have just completed your first level, ask which sites the center reserves for divers with your experience, and what they plan when the current picks up during the dive.
When to dive at Havelock, and what does the monsoon change?
Our old page recommended October to May and discouraged June to September. The official reference used here is the normal arrival date of the southwest monsoon on the Andaman Sea, around May 22 according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), in a statement published on May 14, 2021.
This date is an average. It varies from year to year. In 2021, the same statement announced sustained rains on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands starting May 21. For the end of the rainy season, we found no official reference on the resumption of outings in October or November. Impossible to decide from here.
Water temperature and visibility have been removed from this page due to lack of dated measurements.
And visibility says nothing about the safety of a dive. Clear water can hide a strong current. If you book in April or May, keep in mind that the window closes with the arrival of the monsoon, and plan some buffer days on site rather than a tight schedule that cannot tolerate any canceled outings.
What formalities to dive at Havelock: e-Visa and RAP permit?
You need an Indian visa, and the e-Visa suffices: Port Blair is among the airports and ports designated for entry into India with an e-Visa, according to the official portal indianvisaonline consulted on October 3, 2026. For most categories, the application must be made at least four days before arrival.
The same portal specifies that the e-Visa is not valid for protected or regulated areas without authorization from the civil authority. This is where the Restricted Area Permit, or RAP, comes into play. In August 2018, according to the Indian press at the time, the government removed 29 inhabited islands from the RAP regime, including Havelock and Neil, until December 31, 2022. A document from the Andaman and Nicobar Tourism Department, posted online in 2026, still indicates 29 islands excluded from the RAP, plus 11 islands open for day visits until 12/31/2027. The version we were able to read does not provide the list of islands.
However, these exemptions do not apply to everyone.
Nationals of Afghanistan, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), and Pakistan, as well as people originating from these countries, must still obtain a RAP with the approval of the Ministry of the Interior. Burmese nationals need it for Mayabunder and Diglipur. The application is made online at indianfrro.gov.in.
Before paying for a package, check the updated list of islands with the administration or your center, especially if you are aiming for Barren Island on a cruise. For this volcanic island, we found no recent public rules regarding diver visits.
What supervision and fallback plan at Swaraj Dweep?
The nearest identified hyperbaric chamber is located in Port Blair, at the Indian Navy’s clearance diver unit. Swaraj Dweep is about 50 km from Port Blair, approximately 90 minutes by ferry according to the PADI blog. This trip is part of your fallback plan.
The Indian Navy published the case of a foreign tourist treated for decompression sickness after a dive off Havelock. He received two recompression sessions, lasting 6 hours 25 minutes and then 5 hours 35 minutes, on two consecutive days. He then joined the GB Pant Hospital. The page is undated. It shows that a chamber has already been used for a diver from Havelock. Its availability during your stay remains to be verified with your center or your insurance.
However, the chamber does not replace oxygen on board nor a written evacuation plan.
Before booking, ask the center if they carry oxygen, who organizes the transfer to Port Blair in case of an accident, and if your insurance covers evacuation and hyperbaric treatment in India. Also ask if each dive group carries a surface marker buoy, useful when the current carries you away from the boat. Last question: to which sheltered site do they retreat when the current strengthens.
What wildlife can one encounter at Havelock, without any promise?
The sources consulted mention Kuhl’s stingrays at Jackson’s Bar, white tip sharks and eagle rays at Johnny’s Gorge, manta rays at The Wall, and, occasionally, dugongs in the archipelago. None guarantee an encounter.
Our former page went further. It announced hammerhead sharks, thresher sharks, “bull sharks,” and four species of turtles on night dives, including the leatherback turtle. It even recounted an encounter between a hammerhead shark and a leatherback turtle at Dixon’s Pinnacle, without date or identifiable witness. We removed all of that. A species absent from sources does not become an attraction just because it inspires dreams.
However, the morays reported at Jackson’s Bar also deserve your attention.
Do not touch corals or animals, even to stabilize yourself in the current (here is why you should never touch marine life). Regarding sun protection, choose a sun protection less toxic to corals. For other reefs in the Andaman Sea, we also have guides on the Surin Islands in Thailand and the Mergui Archipelago in Burma. The monsoon also plays a role there. Compare dates before choosing.
In short, a trip scheduled for late May leaves you little margin before the monsoon. Two days of buffer on site cost hotel nights, but they save you from returning with lost dives. Would you book it that way?
FAQ
Havelock and Swaraj Dweep, is it the same island?
Yes. The Indian Prime Minister announced on December 30, 2018, that Havelock would be renamed Swaraj Dweep. Neil became Shaheed Dweep the same day, and both names are still in use.
Is a RAP permit required to dive in Havelock?
Havelock is one of the 29 islands removed from the RAP in 2018, and an official document published online in 2026 maintains 29 excluded islands. Nationals of Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan, or those originating from these countries, must still apply for it. Check the updated list before booking.
What is the best season to dive in Havelock?
The Indian Meteorological Department places the normal arrival of the monsoon over the Andaman Sea around May 22. The preceding months are therefore the safest for weather, without guarantee. For the post-monsoon resumption, ask your center about recent conditions.
Where is the nearest hyperbaric chamber to Havelock?
In Port Blair, at the Indian Navy’s clearance diver unit, which has already treated a diver coming from Havelock. The ferry trip takes about 90 minutes. Ask your center how they arrange the transfer.
Can beginners dive in Havelock?
Public sources do not provide a level for each site. The PADI blog advises Advanced Open Water level and experience with currents for Johnny’s Gorge. The center decides on the day according to the current and your experience.
Sources
- Forecast of the Onset Date of Southwest Monsoon – 2021 over Kerala (India Meteorological Department, 2021)
- Restricted Area Permit (RAP) (Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Department of Tourism, 2026)
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