Offering the only mainland SCUBA diving in India, Goa is a former Portuguese colony. India’s smallest and richest state, it is renowned for its beaches, as well as for its world heritage architecture. Here, you can experience the best India has to offer, including some incredible diving. While there are several dive sites both on Goa and at nearby Netrani Island, some are better than others. Here are five to get you started.
Suzy’s Wreck
Also known as the wreck of the SS Rita, Suzy’s Wreck is ideal for all divers. Lying in just 12 meters of water and accessible at a depth of only 3 meters, the 130 meter long metal wreck is home to a wealth of marine life, large and small. Here, you’ll find swarms of batfish and angelfish, butterfly fish and barracuda, sergeant majors and sweetlips, to name just a few. Look for moray eels and groupers in shadowy nooks and crannies, and keep an eye out for little blennies along the sand and perched in the sea fans and on the sea whips that cover the wreck. Perfect for macro photography, the wreck is also home to lots of nudibranchs and crustaceans.
Sail Rock
An outstanding, yet slightly challenging site, Sail Rock features walls that slope from a depth of 6 meters to meet the seabed at a still-manageable depth of 20 meters. Here, you’ll find white tip reef sharks and the occasional small grey shark, shoaling jack and barracuda, hefty tuna, rays, and sleek barracuda. Currents here are swift, so despite the relative shallowness of the site, it is restricted to experienced divers only.
Davy Jones’ Locker
Despite this wreck’s ominous name, she is simply delightful. Sitting in just 14 meters of water, with only her stern section intact, Davy Jones Locker is a broken up metal wreck where experienced divers can swim in the current, with the likes of schooling jack, mullet, barracuda, and even tuna. The wreck shelters groupers and moray eels, and attracts a wide array of tropical fish as well. Better for videography than photos, it is fish central.
Umma Gumma Reef
Suitable for all divers, this splendid reef features maximum depth at only 14 meters. Located near an area of exposed rocks just off Grande Island, Umma Gumma Reef is home to great barracuda, big groupers, and some very large parrotfish. Among these larger species, you’ll find lots of angelfish and triggerfish, pufferfish and sweetlips, snapper, porcupine fish, and butterfly fish. With beautiful hard coral formations creating a fantastic backdrop, this site is perfect for photography. Watch for the occasional reef shark as you explore.
Turbo Tunnel
A great site for all divers, Turbo Tunnel is actually a channel which is open to the sea above. Located between the island and a massive rock, it is washed by surge that propels you through a colorful paradise where sea fans and sea whips wave from their rocky anchorages. Home to parrotfish and triggerfish, lots of wrasse and damsels, angelfish, tangs, and little barracudas, the site is fun to visit and makes a great second dive.
Only a few international airlines fly a direct route to Goa; most of these flights originate in Europe. Connections are available from Mumbai, where domestic airlines are happy to bring you to Goa. A trip to India requires advance preparation, as you’ll first need to obtain a travel visa from an Indian embassy; and the best time to visit is between October and April.