Getting to your PADI Divemaster &/or Instructor Internship on the Andaman Islands, India

GETTING TO YOUR ANDAMANS DIVING INTERNSHIP - THE BEST WAY TO GET TO THE ANDAMANS IS TO FLY EITHER FROM CHENNAI OR CALCUTTA TO PORT BLAIR AIRPORT IN THE ANDAMANS - Port Blair is connected to Chennai, Kolkata and lots of different cities within the country.

Jet and Air India are the most important flight operators for the Andamans. throughout the tourist seasons discounted airfares are provided by the airlines. the price of the tickets is usually cheap, particularly if reserved earlier.

TRAVEL & VISA INFORMATION...

Non-Indians need a Restricted Area Permit to visit the islands, but these are now issued on arrival at the Port Blair airport. If you plan to arrive by sea, you’ll need to arrange your permit before arrival, either in Chennai or when applying for your Indian visa. Visitors usually receive a 30 day permit, although some travellers arriving without a confirmed flight back have only received a 15 day permit. Ask for the full 30 days in your application; if you write in your return flight date, your permit will be issued to end on that date, which will cause unnecessary pain if you choose to extend your stay or, worse yet, get unexpectedly delayed by weather.

Permits can be extended by 15 days in Port Blair, for a maximum single stay of 45 days, although this extension is granted only in, to quote the local police guidelines, “deserving cases”. You must then leave the islands and can return after 72 hours. The permit is checked when arriving at most islands, checking into hotels and booking ferries, and must be surrendered when you leave the islands, so don’t lose it.

Indian nationals do not require a permit to visit the Andamans. However, permits are required to visit Nicobar Islands and other tribal areas, which are rarely given. Application on a prescribed form may be addressed to the Deputy Commissioner, Andaman District, Port Blair.

For India, a 30 day visa upon arrival is now available for nationals of many countries. To confirm visa requirements as a foreign national, please check: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/

PICKUP SERVICE  

During season, tickets to Havelock or Neil are very hard to get. Our pickup service greatly reduces the risk of not getting a ticket. However, as the rules of advance purchase of tickets keep changing, it is not a guarantee. 

Our pickup service includes:  − pickup from airport; − transfer to jetty − round trip ferry tickets to Havelock or Neil − round trip jetty-resort transfers in Havelock or Neil − transfer to hotel of your choice on return to Port Blair [extra charge if your hotel is outside city limits] − transfer to the airport the next day.  

If you are arriving and have a few hours to kill, our driver will be happy to drop you off at a restaurant or hotel of your choice (we recommend Fortune Bay - the food is average but the ambience is perfect!).   Other sightseeing are NOT included but we do have options available that you can select, if you want (subject to vehicle availability). 

COST:  -1 person: Rs 4,000 - 2 people: Rs 7,000 - 3+ people: Rs 3,500 per person. 

If a private ferry service is not available and we use a government ferry, a discount of Rs 600 per person per leg will be given 

Ferry info - to/from Havelock: If you are landing by 7:00am, you can take a private ferry over (3 options, departing at 7:00am, 7:30am and 8:00am).   In season, the Makruzz also departs at 1:45pm most days of the week, so as long as you land by 12:30, you are good to make it over on the same day.  The return trip from Havelock is between 3-4pm for the various private ferries. 

Government ferries depart at 6:20am 11:30am (via Neil; 3.5 hrs, tickets very hard to get) or 2:00pm (2.5 hrs).     The return ferries are at 9:00am and 4:30pm (2.5 hrs).    If you are flying out of Port Blair at 1:00pm or later, the 9:00am government ferry is the only option that lets you come back to Port Blair the same morning. 

By default, our transfer price includes tickets on a private ferry - with the Makruzz being our preferred choice but sometimes, we may put you on a different ferry if tickets are not available or as a last resort.   

Ferry info - to/from Neil: There are ferries to Neil at 6:30am (only an option if you are staying in Port Blair) and at 11:30am (and in season, at 1:30pm as well - pls confirm this with us).     Return ferries are at 9:00am and at 3:00pm.    Approx travel time is 1 hr 30 min. 

The private ferry service does not cover Neil on the way in, but Coastal Cruise (and sometimes Makruzz) does stop over at Neil on the way back to Port Blair - and we use this as default, if timings allow. 

If you have a flight after 12:30pm, you can take the 9am govt ferry from Neil back to Port Blair and catch the flight on the same day. 

HOW IT WORKS: Someone will be waiting for you at the airport with a DIVEINDIA / ISLAND VINNIE sign and will take care of things from there onwards. 

In case you do not see anyone, please ask around (they may be taking another guest to the car), or call Vijay, our pickup agent, on +919679539092 or +918001007707