List of "Must Visit" Places for Scuba Diving In Pondicherry

Discover the underwater wonders of Pondicherry with these top scuba diving spots. Explore vibrant coral reefs, encounter exotic marine life, and dive into the depths of ancient shipwrecks. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced diver, Pondicherry offers a thrilling underwater experience like no other.

1. Temple Reef

Temple Reef, located off the coast of Pondicherry, is a renowned scuba diving destination offering an unforgettable underwater experience. Named after an ancient temple submerged in its waters, Temple Reef boasts a rich marine ecosystem teeming with colorful fish, majestic manta rays, and unique coral formations. Divers can explore the intricate temple structures, now home to a diverse array of marine life. With excellent visibility and gentle currents, Temple Reef is suitable for divers of all levels, making it a must-visit destination for those seeking adventure and natural beauty beneath the waves.

Depth: 18 meters

Suitable for: Beginners – Intermediate

Cost: ₹8,000 onwards per adult

2. Aravind’s Wall

Arvind's Wall in Pondicherry is a renowned scuba diving site, offering an exceptional underwater experience. Named after the local diver who discovered it, this site boasts a stunning wall-like structure covered in colorful corals and teeming with marine life. Dive into the depths and encounter fascinating creatures like lionfish, rays, and even occasional whale sharks. As one of the few dive sites in Pondicherry with natural corals, it stands out as the best spot for diving in the region.

The main attraction? Majestic manta rays and possibly even whale sharks! But that’s not all. Encounter a diverse marine life including spotted rays, moray eels, sweetlips, snapper, batfish, long pipe snout fish, groupers, and silver moonies.

Types of Corals: Explore a vibrant array of sea fans, gorgonians, and sponge corals. While hard corals are rare, the soft corals here are truly spectacular.

Depth: 40 meters

Suitable for: Advanced Open Water Divers and above

Cost: ₹5,000 onwards per adult

3. Four Corners

Four Corners, located off the coast of Pondicherry, is a renowned scuba diving destination known for its stunning underwater landscapes and diverse marine life. This site offers an exciting diving experience with depths ranging from 18 to 30 meters, making it suitable for both beginner and advanced divers. Explore the vibrant coral reefs teeming with colorful fish, and if you're lucky, you may even spot sea turtles, moray eels, and lionfish. The clear blue waters and excellent visibility at Four Corners make it a must-visit dive site for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of the underwater world.

Depth: 18 meters

Suitable for: Intermediates – Experts

Cost: ₹5,999 onwards per adult

4. The Hole

The Hole is a renowned scuba diving site in Pondicherry, offering a unique underwater experience. Located off the coast, this site features a natural geological formation resembling a large crater or hole, hence its name. Divers can descend into the depths of this underwater marvel, discovering an abundance of marine life and fascinating rock formations. The visibility here is exceptional, often exceeding 20 meters, providing divers with clear views of the underwater landscape. The Hole is a must-visit for scuba diving enthusiasts looking to explore the hidden treasures of Pondicherry's underwater world.

Depth: 30 meters

Suitable for: Experts

Cost: ₹9,000 onwards per adult

5. Ravines

Ravines, located off the coast of Pondicherry, is a unique scuba diving site renowned for its underwater canyon-like formations. This mesmerizing dive spot features rugged terrain with deep crevices, creating an exhilarating environment for divers to explore. Descend into the depths and navigate through narrow passages, discovering a diverse array of marine life, including colorful fish, eels, and sometimes even barracudas. The underwater landscape at Ravines offers a thrilling and unforgettable experience for divers seeking an adventure beyond the ordinary, making it a must-visit site for scuba diving enthusiasts in Pondicherry.

Depth: 12 meters

Suitable for: Beginners

Cost: ₹6,500 onwards per adult

6. Grouper’s Den

Grouper’s Den, where the name says it all! Located 6 km off the Coromandel coast of Pondicherry, this dive site is famous for its abundant groupers. A short 45-minute journey brings you to this underwater haven, where you'll find big tree trunks covered with nets, adding to the unique underwater landscape. 
At Grouper’s Den, the highlight is the impressive groupers, some reaching massive sizes. But there's more! Encounter a variety of fascinating marine life including batfish, rabbitfish, Giant Trevally, Long Snout Pipe Fish, Nudibranchs, Snappers, Silver Moonies, and schools of Barracuda.

Depth:  21 to 25 meters

Suitable for: Advanced Open Water Divers and above.

Cost: ₹6,500 onwards per adult
 

7. Danny’s Eel Garden

A fantastic dive site for beginners! This unique spot offers an abundance of fish in a compact area, and its sandy plain creates the illusion of an underwater desert world.

As the name suggests, Danny’s Eel Garden is home to various species of eels. But that’s not all—you’ll also encounter cuttlefish, hermit crabs, octopuses, scorpionfish, lionfish, barracudas, bannerfish, and triggerfish. Visit during September to October for a special treat: the chance to witness cuttlefish mating. Discover the wonders of Danny’s Eel Garden, named after the diver who first explored its hidden treasures.

Depth: 16 to 18 meters.

Suitable for: Open Water Divers and above.

 

8. Scuba Diving Dive Centre

Pondicherry has multiple award winning dive centres offering diving courses while ensuring the highest safety standards. With a wide variety of scuba diving options, you can find dive centres offering both PADI as well as SSI courses to scuba lovers.  With years of experience, the professionals Avathi works with provide easy to professional level diving courses to amateurs. While beginners may enjoy diving at sites less than 18 meters of depth, experts can choose to dive at deep dive sites. Various pools and inland freshwater lakes welcome kids aged more than 8 to scuba diving. 

All the courses are imparted maintaining international diving standards and through highly trained multilingual instructors. Some of the most popular courses at the dive centres working with Avathi include open Water Course, Advanced Open Water Course, Rescue & EFR Course, Hygienic Diving Course, etc.

Suitable for: Beginners – Intermediates

Cost: ₹5,999 onwards per adult