Ultimate Coral Quest: 8 Nights of Diving & Island Research | 8 Nights and 9 Days Andaman Package
- Transfer Included
- Stay Included
- Meals Included
- Sightseeing Included
Overview
Itinerary
Arrival, Welcome & Orientation in Port Blair
Arrive at Veer Savarkar International Airport (Port Blair). Meet-and-greet followed by hotel transfer and check-in. Afternoon orientation covering safety, diving schedule, research goals, and gear briefing. Visit the Cellular Jail in the evening and attend the famous Light and Sound Show — an evocative account of India's freedom struggle. Brief welcome dinner with the team and fellow participants.
Meals included: Dinner.
Research/Diving focus: initial briefing, medical checks, and equipment sizing.
Transfer to Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) & Beach Intro
Early morning ferry to Havelock. Check-in followed by beach orientation and safety drills. Afternoon relaxation at Radhanagar Beach (often listed among Asia's best beaches) with sunset time for beach reconnaissance and light snorkeling near shore.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Research/Diving focus: surface-supplied snorkeling assessments and environmental briefing for coral monitoring protocols.
Introductory Dives & Coral Reef Workshop
Start the hands-on portion with two guided dives (or a single long dive for certified divers) at world-class sites near Havelock. Morning: skills review and two shallow dives focusing on reef identification and health assessment techniques. Afternoon workshop on coral taxonomy, data recording, and photography for research logs.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Research/Diving focus: reef assessments, species ID, transect techniques, and underwater photo documentation.
Advanced Dives: Deep Reef & Nocturnal Survey
Two morning dives targeting deeper reef zones and overhang sites to observe reef zonation and larger reef fauna. Return for midday rest. In the evening, optional guided night snorkel or nocturnal biological survey to observe night-active reef creatures and coral polyps.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Research/Diving focus: deeper reef ecology, behavior observations, night survey techniques (optional night dive/snorkel).
Citizen Science Day & Community Visit
Half-day dedicated to data consolidation and citizen science activities: uploading logs, mapping sightings, and preparing short presentations. Afternoon visit to a local fishing village or marine NGO to learn about community conservation efforts and sustainable livelihood initiatives.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Research/Diving focus: community engagement, data management, and collaborative conservation planning.
Specialty Dives & Underwater Photography Session
Two specialty dives focusing on macro biodiversity and underwater photography/composition. In-water assist by an instructor to capture reef species for research archives. Post-dive editing and cataloguing session where participants tag and annotate images with species and GPS-linked site data.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Research/Diving focus: macro surveys, image-based species validation and database curation.
Transfer to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) & Relaxation
Morning ferry to Neil Island. Check-in and a relaxed day exploring Bharatpur Beach and Laxmanpur/Howrah Bridge for sunset. Easy snorkeling access and coral viewing from shallow shore areas.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Research/Diving focus: shallow coastal reef observations and tartan-scale shore transects.
Return to Port Blair via Havelock / Free Time
Morning transfer back to Havelock if required for connecting ferry to Port Blair. Alternatively, direct ferry to Port Blair depending on schedule. Afternoon free for souvenir shopping or optional visit to Ross Island (time permitting) — an evocative colonial-era site close to Port Blair.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Research/Diving focus: final data audit, group debrief and preparation of a participant action plan for post-trip conservation involvement.
Final Presentations, Certification & Departure
Morning session: participants present findings, photo highlights and receive certificates for completed dives and research modules. Final check-out and transfer to Veer Savarkar International Airport for onward flights.
Meals included: Breakfast.
Important: Ensure at least 3 hours buffer before your flight for island-to-airport transfers and permit formalities.
Inclusions
- Accommodation for 8 nights in select 3★/4★ hotels or island cottages (twin/ double sharing basis)
- Daily meals as specified (BD: Breakfast & Dinner; plus Lunch on diving days where indicated)
- All inter-island ferry transfers on scheduled routes (seat-class)
- Guided activities: 4 days of boat dives/snorkel sessions, dive instructors/guides, and research workshop facilitation
- Dive equipment rental (BCD, regulator, wetsuit, tanks) for certified divers; introductory gear for discovery dives
- Permits & park entry fees where applicable
- Airport transfers on arrival & departure in Port Blair
- Certificates for diving and research participation
- Local taxes (unless otherwise specified)
Tip: Carry waterproof field notebooks and spare camera storage for research imaging.
Exclusions
- Airfare to/from Port Blair
- Mandatory dive insurance or medicals (arranged separately)
- Costs for dive certification courses (PADI/SSI) if pursuing full certification — ask for add-on pricing
- Optional activities not listed (e.g., heli-tour, private charters)
- Personal expenses, tips/gratuities and alcoholic beverages
- Government Goods & Services Tax (GST) if applicable
- Any increase in ferry or fuel surcharge beyond quotation
Note: Minimum age for diving is generally 12 for supervised discovery dives and 10–12 for shallow snorkel programs; check pre-trip medical form for restrictions.
Starting from
Get in touch with a travel advisor
We process your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy
Planning Your Andaman Trip?
From handpicked experiences and personalized plans to hassle-free bookings and the best deals — we turn your Andaman travel dreams into reality.
Related Andaman Packages
Similar Packages from Other Destinations
Why Choose TourGrids?
End-to-end trip planning — customised itineraries, handpicked hotels, cabs, and a dedicated coordinator on WhatsApp from booking to your return home.
Expert-Guided Planning
Dedicated travel experts craft your perfect itinerary, from first call to last day.
Customisable Packages
Tailor every detail — dates, hotels, experiences, add-ons — exactly how you want it.
Hassle-Free Booking
Book over call or WhatsApp — no confusing forms, no hidden steps, no stress.
Best Price Guarantee
Transparent pricing, zero hidden charges. Best value for every rupee you spend.
Recent Andaman Reviews
Rebooking Done Before I Finished Panicking
We were at Port Blair airport when our inter-island ferry to Havelock got cancelled due to rough weather — no warning, just gone. My husband and I had no idea what to do. I messaged our TourGrids coordinator Priya on WhatsApp and she called back within minutes. She checked alternative slots, got us on the next available ferry, and adjusted the hotel check-in timing on the same call. No running around, no extra charges for the changes. The rest of the Andaman trip went exactly as planned — hotels were proper good, cabs always on time. That one moment honestly told us everything about how they work.
Our Andaman Coordinator Picked Up Every Time
We booked our Andaman trip with TourGrids about three weeks before travel — me and my husband, first time to the islands. Honestly, I was a little nervous handing everything over to someone we'd only spoken to on WhatsApp. But our coordinator, Rahul, was always reachable. Like, genuinely always. Ferry timings, hotel check-in confusion on day two, a last-minute activity reschedule — he replied within minutes every single time. The hotels were proper good, especially in Havelock. Itinerary felt personal, not just a copy-paste package. Pricing was transparent from the start, no surprise charges when we settled up. Andaman turned out better than we'd imagined, and a big part of that was just knowing someone reliable was on the other end.
Andaman Hotels Left Us Genuinely Impressed
We were a couple traveling to Andaman for our anniversary, and honestly the hotels TourGrids picked were the highlight of the whole trip. Each property was well-located, clean, and a step above what I expected at that price point. The resort in Havelock especially — proper good sea-facing room, no complaints at all. Transfers between islands and airports were all pre-arranged, drivers showed up on time every single time, no last-minute confusion. I'd spoken to their coordinator a few times on WhatsApp before booking and he had everything figured out — cab timings, ferry connections, all of it. No hidden charges, no surprises on arrival. Will definitely plan through them again.
Andaman Trusted to Strangers, Delivered Completely
Honestly, I was nervous handing over our entire Andaman trip to a company I'd only spoken to on WhatsApp. Me and my wife had never done this before — always planned everything ourselves. But from the first call, the coordinator was patient, answered every silly question, and built an itinerary that actually matched what we wanted. Flights, ferry transfers, hotels in Havelock — everything was pre-arranged and there were no surprise charges when we landed. Hotels were proper good, nothing felt like a random last-minute booking. Even mid-trip when our ferry timing changed, it was sorted within the hour. We came back genuinely relaxed, which honestly never happens after a holiday.
Coordinator Made Our Andaman Trip Stress-Free
Honestly, what stood out was how reachable our trip coordinator was throughout. We went to Andaman for our honeymoon and had zero clue about the ferry timings or which hotels were actually close to the beach. Our coordinator Priya was on WhatsApp literally from day one — sorted our Neil Island ferry booking on a call when we thought it was going to be a mess. Whenever something felt off, one message was enough. Hotels were proper good, no surprise costs at checkout, and the itinerary had the right balance of activities without feeling rushed. My wife and I just had to show up — everything else was handled.
