The only site in the Andaman archipelago where you see all 5 clownfish species and giant Tridacna clams in one dive. 5-min speedboat, 15–20 m visibility, non-swimmers welcome, 1-on-1 instructor.
Tribe Gate Pro Upgrade
+15 min underwater (45 min total) · 10 extra photos + 2 extra videos
Tribe Gate is a submerged oval seamount five minutes by boat from Havelock's main dive base. The reef rises from the sandy seabed in concentric shelves from 3 to 15 metres, hosting all five clownfish species found in Andaman waters and more giant Tridacna clams than any other local dive site.
What makes Tribe Gate genuinely unlike any other beginner site is the Pavona coral ruins — the bleached skeletal remains of a coral empire lost in the 2010 Indo-Pacific bleaching event. These structures now form a miniature underwater city: moray eels in the crevices, nudibranchs on the pillars, and schools of two-spot snappers drifting overhead. It's beautiful in a way that's hard to put into words until you're down there.
Standard vs Pro: The standard dive is 30 minutes underwater with GoPro photos and videos. Upgrade to Pro (+₹1,000) for an extra 15 minutes underwater (45 min total), plus 10 extra GoPro photos and 2 extra videos — covering the deeper Pavona ruins and the full oval reef circuit.
Show up at the jetty — everything from the boat ride to your GoPro content is taken care of.
Not suitable for: Anyone with active ear infections, recent surgery, or uncontrolled asthma on the day. Pregnant guests are advised not to dive. Not sure? Call us before booking — we'd rather advise you correctly first.
Tribe Gate is in a different category to most beginner dive sites — the biodiversity is exceptional even by Andaman standards. Two headline features you won't find in combination at any other local site: all five Andaman clownfish species in one dive, and the highest density of giant Tridacna clams on any Havelock reef.
Tribe Gate — also known locally as Oval Reef — is an isolated submerged seamount 3km from Beach No. 3, sitting between Havelock Island and John Lawrence Island in a sheltered channel. Five minutes by speedboat from the main dive base, with a mooring buoy eliminating anchor damage. The oval shape makes navigation intuitive: descend the mooring, circle the reef, ascend the same way.
Yes — Tribe Gate is a primary training site for first-time and non-certified divers. The average depth is 5–8 metres and your instructor is physically with you throughout the entire dive. The mooring line gives a clear reference point for both descent and ascent. No swimming ability is required or assessed.
Both include GoPro photos and videos of your dive. The standard package (₹4,500) is 30 minutes underwater. The Pro upgrade (+₹1,000 = ₹5,500) gives you an extra 15 minutes underwater — 45 minutes total — plus 10 extra photos and 2 extra videos. The extended time lets you cover the full oval reef including the deeper Pavona ruins section, the Tridacna clam beds, and the complete anemone garden circuit.
Almost certainly — Tribe Gate has the highest density of Tridacna giant clams of any dive site in the Andamans, and they're distributed throughout the reef at multiple depths. Your instructor knows exactly where they are. The clams respond to shadow by closing rapidly — a remarkable thing to watch up close.
The main difference is access: Tribe Gate requires a 5-minute speedboat ride to reach the reef, while Nemo Reef is a direct shore entry from the beach. Tribe Gate is an isolated seamount with different marine life — notably the giant clams and all five clownfish species — and offers better visibility (15–20m vs 10–15m). Both are excellent for beginners; Tribe Gate is a step up in terms of the experience richness. If you're choosing between the two for a first dive, Tribe Gate is the more visually impressive option on a good-weather day.
October to May is the recommended window, with November to February offering the busiest season and March to May providing the calmest seas and best visibility (18–20m+). Tribe Gate is one of the few sites accessible year-round due to its sheltered position — even monsoon-season dives are possible, and post-monsoon months (September–October) produce exceptional fish activity from spawn recovery. Visibility at Tribe Gate is more influenced by tides than rainfall, so even overcast days can produce clear water.
The Pavona ruins are the remains of a coral formation devastated in the 2010 Indo-Pacific bleaching event. Over 14 years, the skeletal structures have been colonised by an entirely different ecosystem — nudibranchs, moray eels, octopus, cardinal fish, and dense snapper clouds. It's described by instructors as a "miniature underwater city" and "geological piece of art." The ruins are now more biodiverse than the living reef they replaced, making Tribe Gate genuinely unlike any other beginner dive site in Andaman.
The listed price of ₹4,500 (standard) or ₹5,500 (Pro) excludes GST. 18% GST applies as per Indian government regulations, bringing the totals to ₹5,310 and ₹6,490 respectively. Your invoice will show the full GST breakdown.
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