Best places to scuba dive and skydive in India, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara style
- Featured Travel & Hospitality
Schenelle Dsouza- 12 minutes read
Schenelle Dsouza
Ten years ago today saw the release of one of the greatest movies of this generation– Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. A movie so amazing, ZNMD ignited a sense of wanderlust in pretty much anyone who saw it while making Spain one of the most popular holiday destinations ever.
While Spain might be off-limits amid the pandemic, there’s no reason why your travel dreams can’t still come true. So here are some of the most exciting and alluring adventure spots in India, to live out your very own ZNMD moments.
1. Havelock Islands, Andaman
One of the most pristine islands in Andaman, Havelock Island is one of the best places in India for scuba diving. Located about 50km from Port Blair, this island has a wide range of exotic marine life, including Humpback Parrotfish, Lionfish, soft corals as well as rare dugongs and a swarm of colourful fish. The turtle bay is the most popular diving spot here.
Best time to visit: October-April
Price: Rs 4500-6000 per person
Organisers: Barefoot Scuba, India Scuba Explorers, Eco Diver, Dive India Outbound, Ocean Tribe Scuba
2. Kadmat Islands, Lakshadeep
Also known as Cardomom Islands, Kadmat is a beautiful coral island in the union territory of Lakshadweep. The island houses several marine turtles, tortoises and beautiful live coral as well as several marine species. Exotic turquoise coloured waters and white sands make this island is a wonderful piece of heaven on earth.
Best time to visit: November-March
Price: Rs 6000 per person
Organisers: Laccadives
3. Kovalam, Kerala
Located about 16km from Thiruvananthapuram, Kovalam in Kerala has become quite a popular scuba diving site all thanks to an underwater scooter ride organised by a company called Bond Safari. With a very rich and exotic sea life, Kovalam has shoals of anchovy, silver moony, bluefin trevally, pufferfish, boxfish, sergeants and pipefish etc. The best diving spots are Lighthouse Beach and Hawah Beach.
Best time to visit: September-February
Price: Rs 4500 per person onwards
Organisers: Bond Safari, Scuba Cochin Dive Centre
4. Grand Island, Goa
A popular destination for all adventure seekers, Grand Island is deemed as a haven for aquatic adventure lovers. It is located a few kilometres west of the Mormugao peninsula. Some of the popular dive sites include Suzy’s Wreck, a British ship sunken in the 1930s and Davy Jones Locker shipwreck, both of which are now home to several mussels and corals. The Uma Gumma Reef is said to be a good start for beginners as the waters are much calmer with a wide range of sea creatures like needlefish, lobsters, white tip reef sharks etc.
Best time to visit: November-March
Price: Rs 4000 per person
Organisers: Barracuda Diving, Dive Goa and Elan Adventures
5. Pristine Island, Pondicherry
As the name suggests. Pristine Island in Pondicherry is a beautiful, serene island that is also the only diving spot in India’s eastern coast. Characterised by several natural coral reefs, rocky pop-ups, and marine life, including jackfish, sea snakes, manta rays and fan corals, this island is a perfect scuba destination for beginners. Some of the popular diving spots include Cool Shark Reef, Aravind’s Wall, Temple Reef, 4 Corners, Ravines and The Hole.
Best time to visit: February-April and September-November
Price: Rs 6500-8000 per person
Organisers: Temple Adventures and Elan Adventures
6. Amby Valley, Maharashtra
One of the best diving spots in India, Amby Valley is a definite must for all adventure seekers in Maharashtra. Their popular Tandem Jump is a 10,000 ft jump which is a very thrilling experience, complete with a picturesque view of the Amby Valley. Trained American and European instructors will brief and prepare you with the best equipment, ensuring a safe and memorable experience.
Price: Monday-Thursday: Rs 20, 000 Friday-Sunday: Rs 25,000
Timings: 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Operator: Travel Triangle
7. Mysore, Karnataka
Located at the base of the Chamundi Hills, Mysore is another top sky diving site in India that has become a popular sky diving hub in the south. They offer two types of jumps- the Tandem Jump and the Accelerated Freefall Jump from about 9000 ft. giving you a spectacular bird’s eye view of the entire city.
Price: Tandem Jumps: Rs 35,000 Accelerated Freefall (AFF): Rs 25,000
Timings: 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Operator: Skyriders
8. Deesa, Gujarat
India’s first-ever diving spot, Deesa is a beautiful lakeside city in Gujarat. One of the best skydive locations in the country, Deesa offers 3 amazing jumps including a Tandem Jump, Static Jump and an Accelerated Freefall jump from about 4,000 ft., where you are trained for each, for at least one and a half-day by specially trained authorities.
Price: Static Line Jumps: Rs 16,500 Tandem Jumps: Rs 33,500 Accelerated Freefall (AFF): Rs 37,500
Timings: 7:00 AM
Operator: Indian Parachuting Federation
9. Narnul, Haryana
In an attempt to promote adventure tourism in the state, the Government of Haryana started the sky diving sport in Narnul which is also the only international sky diving zone in India. Located just two hours from Delhi, at the Bachhod Airstrip, Narnul is a 10,000 ft. jump with two skydiving options- Tandem Jump and Static Line Jump for which one is provided with at least one hour of training prior to the main jump.
Price: Static Line Jumps: Rs18,500 Tandem Jumps: Rs 27500
Timings: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Operator: SkyHigh India
10. Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
