A single coral pillar blanketed in reddish-orange hard and soft corals, unlike anything else in the Andaman Sea. Open Water certified divers only.
Red Pillar Pro Upgrade
+15 min underwater (45 min total) · 10 extra photos + 2 extra videos
Red Pillar takes its name from the vertical coral pillar that rises from the reef bed, its surfaces covered in reddish-orange hard and soft corals. Twenty to thirty minutes by speedboat from the jetty, it's a site that rewards certified divers with a genuinely different underwater landscape: dramatic topography, swirling fish schools, and a macro world hidden inside every coral crevice.
Unlike Nemo Reef and Tribe Gate - which are ideal for first-timers - Red Pillar is for Open Water certified divers and above. The depth range (5–25m) lets OW divers explore the vibrant upper reef while Advanced divers push deeper to the pillar base where moray eels, nudibranchs, and groupers hold court in the shadows. Morning dives capture the best light on the reddish coral - when visibility is good (15–30m), it genuinely glows.
Standard vs Pro: The standard dive includes GoPro photos and videos. Upgrade to Pro (+₹1,000) for an extra 15 minutes underwater, plus 10 extra GoPro photos and 2 extra videos - covering the deeper pillar base section and the full reef circuit at multiple depths.
Show up at the jetty with your certification card - everything from the boat ride to your GoPro content is taken care of.
Certification required: Red Pillar is a fun dive for OW certified divers and above. Non-certified guests should look at our Nemo Reef or Tribe Gate experiences, which don't require certification. Not sure? Call us first.
Red Pillar's marine life is concentrated around the pillar structure itself - fish schools, coral residents, and macro life are all tightly packed around this single dramatic formation. The vertical topography creates multiple micro-habitats at different depths, so you see genuinely different species as you circle from the sunlit reef top down to the shaded pillar base.
Red Pillar is an offshore reef site approximately 15km from Havelock, accessible by a 20–30 minute open-water speedboat crossing. The site is named for its distinctive vertical coral formation - a pillar of rock and coral rising from the reef bed, its surfaces covered in reddish-orange hard and soft corals that are unlike anything at the inshore sites. Navigation is simple: the pillar is a central landmark you can orbit at different depths.
Yes - Red Pillar is a fun dive for Open Water certified divers and above. If you are not yet certified, we recommend our Nemo Reef or Tribe Gate discover scuba experiences, which require no certification and are guided by an instructor throughout.
Both packages include GoPro photos and videos. The standard package (₹3,500) is a full fun dive at Red Pillar with GoPro content. The Pro upgrade (+₹1,000 = ₹4,500) gives you an extra 15 minutes underwater, plus 10 extra GoPro photos and 2 extra videos - more time to cover the full pillar circuit at multiple depths.
The reef top starts at 5–8m. Open Water divers typically dive to 18m maximum - this covers the pillar from top to mid-section including all the best coral and fish life. Advanced Open Water divers can go to 25m to reach the pillar base and sandy bottom where rays and garden eels are found. Your guide plans the dive to your certification level.
Red Pillar is approximately 15km offshore - around 20–30 minutes by speedboat from the Havelock jetty. The crossing is open water, so conditions vary by season. November to May is the calmest window. We always check sea conditions before departure; if the site is inaccessible due to weather, we rebook at no charge.
The longer boat journey (20–30 min vs 5 min for Tribe Gate) involves more fuel, crew time, and logistics. Red Pillar is also a more demanding dive - offshore conditions, longer bottom time, and a more complex site navigation. The 15–30m visibility and dramatic coral formations make it genuinely worth the step up for certified divers.
November to May is the recommended window. March to May offers the calmest seas and best visibility of the year - 20–30m is common. Morning departures capture the best light on the reddish-orange corals. September–October is excellent for fish activity post-monsoon. June to August is weather-dependent for the open-water crossing - contact us before booking in that period.
The listed price of ₹3,500 (standard) or ₹4,500 (Pro) excludes GST. 18% GST applies as per Indian government regulations, bringing the totals to ₹4,130 and ₹5,310 respectively. Your invoice will show the full GST breakdown.
See why we are the top rated dive center in Andaman (Havelock) on Google & TripAdvisor
