Say ‘scuba diving in India’ and the first name to come to mind will be the pristine Lakshadweep or the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. But, do you know Pondicherry too is one of the most unexplored places in the country, where you can experience some captivating underwater life and ecosystems!
Pondicherry is a union territory in India with an Indo-French culture. The whole union territory portrays a fusion of Indo-French culture not only in its population but also in its architecture, language & cuisine. One of the major attractions in Pondicherry apart from the beautiful French settlements & food is Scuba Diving. It is one of the most underrated scuba diving destinations in India.
Can’t swim? No Problem!
If you’re a tourist on vacation, apart from cycling through the pleasant streets of the French town, devouring offbeat Pondy cuisine, and enjoying the calm of the peaceful beaches of Pondicherry, you can go Scuba Diving. Even if you’re a non-swimmer!
The visibility in Pondicherry is pretty stable year-round, and there are no seasonal fluctuations here! It is something awe-inspiring for a mainland diving destination. You can spot a wide range of marine life in the waters of the Bay of Bengal like batfish, silvery moonies, jackfishes, pufferfishes, and many more!
As a beginner, you will be diving to a depth of 12 meters (40 feet) with an instructor (1:1 ratio). You will be taken 6 km offshore, which is a 20-minute boat ride starting from the backwaters surrounded by mangroves. You can opt for a discover scuba diving program, in case all you want is to go for an underwater adventure.
Here you can find out more about the Discover Scuba Diving Program
The Wonderful Dive Sites Of Pondicherry
Diving in Pondicherry is pretty versatile, it offers an opportunity for various levels of divers to go exploring. There are more than 23 explored dive sites and a lot many are still to be explored. There is a mix of dive sites, right from shallow sites for beginners & first-timers, deeper sites for advanced divers and even dive sites that require you to be a technical diver.
The most famous dive site over here is ‘Temple Reef’ which is 18 meters deep and has a wide range of marine life thriving, right from macro life like nudibranchs to the gentle giants of the oceans, the whale sharks! Temple Reef is an artificial reef, which took us 5 years to build. It portrays an underwater city of fish. The reef is home to more than 100 species of marine animals and since its inception has been attracting newer species every year! A perfect place to work on marine conservation projects, indeed!
One of the other famous dive sites among certified divers is Aravind’s Wall. It is a deep dive site that starts at a depth of 32 meters and goes down to 42-45 meters. What makes Aravind’s Wall exclusive is, it is a tectonic plate and is a 2.5 km long reef where you can find gorgonian fan corals of the size of a car. If lucky, you will spot Manta Rays too. It is a brilliant place for Tech divers. You can hover over the long reef and witness the beautiful life thriving on it.
Check out all the dive sites you can go diving at in Pondicherry over here!
Programs Best Suited For Beginners
If adventures get you high on life, then diving is one such activity that will take you to places that have been explored by very few. Let us tell you about the 3 entry-level level options you have got when it comes to scuba diving!
PADI Open Water Course: An entry-level program that certifies you to dive to a depth of 18 meters anywhere in the world. It is conducted over 4 days but can also be finished in 2 days (If participants complete the pool sessions in their own city). To know more about the Open Water Course, follow this link
PADI Scuba Diver Course: A 2-day entry-level program that certifies you to dive to a depth of 12 meters anywhere in the world under the supervision of a dive professional. The scuba diving course can be completed in a single day, for that the participants need to complete the pool sessions in their own city. To know more about the Scuba Diver Course, follow this link!
PADI Discover Scuba Diving Program: A perfect choice for someone who either has time constraints or wants to try scuba diving before going for a certification. You can complete it in a single day or split it over two days. To know more about the Discover Scuba Diving Program, follow this link
For more details and to know about how your days will look like during these entry-level programs at Temple Adventures, follow this link
How To Reach Pondicherry
There are multiple options to head to Pondicherry. It can either be through a road, railway, or flight. You can take a flight straight to Pondicherry airport, or the other option would be to fly to Chennai and then board a bus from Chennai to Pondicherry via the ECR road (It’s a very scenic road). Pondicherry has a railway station too!
Best Time To Visit Pondicherry
Year-round, there are no seasonal fluctuations in Pondicherry! The diving never stops here. You can always feel free to call us before planning a trip and figure out the weather, accommodation, and ocean conditions for diving!
So what are you waiting for? Come explore the most underrated diving destination in India and experience the magic of the underwater world.
Want To Book?
If you’ve already made up your mind and want to book either a diving experience or a course with us, then visit Instamojo, choose the program, and book the dates or you can also write to us at bookings@templeadventures.com
We hope this information helped! We look forward to taking you diving 😀