Johnny’s Gorge is the premier destination in the Andaman Islands for shark encounters. This deep circular reef is known for its reliable white-tip reef shark sightings—divers regularly see 5-14 sharks per dive. The mushroom-shaped reef rises from 30m surrounded entirely by sand, creating a natural amphitheater where pelagic action unfolds.
Named after Johnny Poayesay, a Karen ethnic divemaster who discovered the site in the early 2000s along with his brothers Jackson and Dixon. This is one of Havelock’s “holy trinity” of advanced dive sites.
After 40-45 minutes by speedboat, you descend into a world of predators. The circular reef appears at 20 meters, low-lying rocky outcrops surrounded by white sand in every direction. It is a natural amphitheater, and the marine life knows how to put on a show.
Almost immediately, the white-tip reef sharks appear. They rest on the sandy bottom, shy but curious. As you drift above them, more appear—5, 8, sometimes 10 or more. The sharks are non-aggressive but undeniably thrilling to encounter.
Above the reef, barracuda and trevally hunt in coordinated packs. The hunting spectacles are something else. Sleek predators launch synchronized attacks on schools of baitfish. There is a reason instructors call Johnny’s Gorge “the action movie dive.”
The cleaning station adds another dimension: turtles float motionless while cleaner shrimp work. Giant groupers open their mouths for inspection. It’s behavioral ecology in real-time.
Johnny’s Gorge is THE shark dive. When someone asks me where to see sharks in India, there is only one answer. I’ve seen 14 white-tips in a single dive here. The sharks are the draw, but what keeps me coming back is the whole ecosystem—the cleaning station behavior, the predator-prey dynamics, the garden eel carpets. It’s a marine biology lesson and an adrenaline rush in one 30-minute dive. Named after Johnny Poayesay, who discovered this site-a legend in Andaman diving
Havelock's #1 shark dive—white-tip reef sharks virtually guaranteed!
Johnny's Gorge features a deep circular reef with low-lying rocky outcrops and scattered coral formations—the focus here is on the dramatic predator-prey dynamics and shark encounters rather than coral diversity.
Havelock’s #1 shark dive-white-tip reef sharks virtually guaranteed!