Red Pillar Snorkeling in Havelock Island | Frogman Adventures
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095318 53676 WhatsApp info@frogman.in
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Red Pillar snorkeling tour in Havelock Island
Course Code: FRG-SNK-RDP

Red Pillar Snorkeling Havelock

₹2,500 + GST
4.9 1,800+ Google reviews

Boat snorkel at Red Pillar reef, Havelock. Reef crest at 2.5–3 m around the red channel marker, barrel sponges and sunken kit below. 5–10 minutes from the jetty.

Optional Add-Ons

GoPro Photos & Videos

20 photos + 2 videos - already included in your booking

Included
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About Red Pillar snorkeling

Red Pillar is a shallow reef in the channel just north of Havelock, 5–10 minutes by speedboat from the jetty. The name comes from the red channel marker that stands above water at the middle of the reef. You can spot it before you even get in. The reef crest sits at 2.5–3 metres and that's the snorkel zone.

The site sits in an active channel with a mild to moderate long-shore current, so it's better suited to confident swimmers. Non-swimmers can join on calm-tide sessions with a life vest and a 1:1 guide (ask us first). Your guide carries a GoPro and you'll get 20 photos and 2 videos sent to your phone.

Total Duration
2.5–3 hours (including the boat)
Time in Water
30–40 minutes
Depth
Reef crest 2.5–3 m
Visibility
Typically 6–9 m
Difficulty
Confident swimmers preferred
Access
Boat, 5–10 min from jetty

GoPro included. Your guide carries the GoPro the whole session. 20 photos and 2 videos sent to your phone via WhatsApp before you leave. No add-ons to select.

Snorkeling vs scuba. Snorkeling keeps you at the surface looking down through clear water. Scuba puts you underwater with tanks and regulator. If you want to go below the surface at this site, see our Red Pillar Scuba option.

What's included

Pickup from your accommodation, speedboat to the reef, guide in the water with you, all your gear, and the GoPro content. That's the session. No add-ons to pick from.

You get

  • Speedboat to Red Pillar and back
  • Snorkeling mask, snorkel and fins, fitted at the jetty
  • Life jacket or buoyancy vest (required for non-swimmers)
  • Guide in the water with you throughout
  • 20 GoPro photos and 2 videos, sent to your phone
  • Safety briefing (hand signals, breathing, how to clear your snorkel)
  • Pickup and drop from your Havelock accommodation

Bring

  • Swimwear to wear under or instead of a wetsuit
  • Towel and a dry change of clothes
  • Reef-safe sunscreen only (regular sunscreen damages coral)
  • Water to drink before and after
  • Sea-sickness tablets if you're prone to it (short boat ride, but it's there if you want it)

Not included

  • GST (18% added at checkout, Indian government regulation)
  • Food or drinks

How the session runs

Step 1 · 15 min
Pickup and briefing
Pickup from your Havelock accommodation. At the jetty your guide runs through the basics: mask fit, breathing through the snorkel, how to clear it if it floods, and hand signals. Life vest on for non-swimmers.
Step 2 · boat ride
Speedboat to Red Pillar
Short speedboat out to the Red Pillar mooring. Sea is usually calm through the peak season.
Step 3 · 30–40 min
In the water
Step off the boat at the mooring with your guide. Float the reef top, guide points things out and takes your GoPro shots. You stay at the surface the whole time.
Step 4 · after
Back to the jetty
Towels on, quick ride back, and your GoPro photos and videos (20 photos, 2 videos) shared to your phone via WhatsApp before you leave.

Age and health: Ages 8 and up at boat sites. Kids under 12 need a parent or guardian in the water. Not suitable if you've got an active ear infection on the day. Pregnant guests should check with their doctor before joining.

What you'll see from the surface

Red Pillar's reef top sits right in the snorkel zone, so most of what divers see at this site is also visible to you from above. Anything on the deeper sections (usually 8 m+) is listed too but generally needs scuba to see up close.

Usually spotted from the surface

  • Clownfish in anemones. On the shallow reef top, right below the snorkel zone.
  • The red channel marker (above water). The site's namesake. Its coral-encrusted base marks the centre of the reef.
  • Coral garden. Staghorn, cauliflower, mushroom and valley corals across the reef crest.
  • Sergeant major and fusilier schools. Fast schools above the reef.

Also seen regularly

  • Angelfish. Multiple species across the coral.
  • Triggerfish. Colourful and curious.
  • Parrotfish. Grazing the crest.
  • Barrel sponges below. House-sized sponges at 8–12 m. Visible from the surface on clear days.
  • Sunken scooter and bicycle. At 8–12 m, sunk by local operators years ago and fully coral-encrusted now. Scuba territory.
  • Seahorses. Reportedly common on the reef (scuba only).
  • Rays. Occasional, across sandy patches between coral heads.

Snorkeling view

The shallow reef top sits in full natural light, so you're looking down at the reef from above. Anemones and clownfish at the reef top are easy to watch from directly overhead; they don't hide from snorkelers.

  • Anemones look like big pulsing clusters of colour from above
  • Clownfish are easy to follow; they stay in their anemone
  • Sandy patches between coral heads are visible too, good for spotting rays
  • Fish schools above the reef stand out clearly against the reef
  • On clear days you can see structure down to the reef slope below

What you need scuba for

The deeper sections, crevice-dwellers and anything in the shade of an overhang are diver territory. For that, see our Red Pillar Scuba option.

About Red Pillar

Red Pillar is a shallow reef in the channel just north of Havelock, 5–10 minutes by speedboat from the jetty. The name comes from the red channel marker that stands above water at the middle of the reef. You can spot it before you even get in. The reef crest sits at 2.5–3 metres and that's the snorkel zone.

Location

  • Site: Red Pillar, off Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)
  • GPS: 12.048° N, 92.984° E
  • Distance: 1–1.5 km north of Havelock
  • Access: Boat, 5–10 min from jetty
  • Boat entry, not shore entry

Conditions

  • Current: Mild to moderate long-shore current
  • Visibility: Typically 6–9 m
  • Water temperature: 26–30°C year-round
  • Swell: Minimal during peak season

Best time to come

  • January to March (clearest water)
  • Morning slots give the best light for underwater colour and the GoPro shots
  • Shoulder months are quieter with still-good visibility
  • June to September is monsoon. The site can be inaccessible on rough days; check before booking

Reef zones

0–3 m Reef crest, snorkel zone. Clownfish, corals, schools
3–8 m Upper reef face. Densest coral, clownfish and angelfish
8–12 m Barrel sponges, sunken scooter and bicycle (scuba)
12–14 m Sandy edge (scuba only)

Why pick Red Pillar

Short boat ride, a landmark you can see from the surface, and a setup that feels different from the other Havelock snorkel sites thanks to the barrel sponges and the sunken kit. The mild drift means you move along the reef instead of staying in one spot. Pick this one if you've already done a reef or two and want something with a bit of character.

FAQs

Red Pillar sits in a channel with a mild to moderate long-shore current. Confident swimmers handle it fine. Non-swimmers can only join on calm-tide sessions, with a life vest and a 1:1 guide. Message us before booking and we'll check the tide for your date.

The speedboat to Red Pillar and back; mask, snorkel and fins; a life jacket if you need one; your guide in the water with you; and 20 GoPro photos plus 2 videos sent to your phone. Pickup and drop from your Havelock accommodation is included too. GST (18%) is added at checkout.

Nemo Reef is a shore-entry site at Beach No. 2. You walk in from the sand, no boat. Red Pillar is a boat-entry site: short speedboat ride out, snorkel from the mooring. Same gear, same GoPro package. If you want the simplest option, pick Nemo Reef. If you want to snorkel one of the named offshore reefs, pick Red Pillar.

Snorkeling keeps you at the surface floating over the reef. Scuba puts you underwater with tanks and a regulator, so you can move through the reef instead of looking at it from above. If you want to go below the surface at Red Pillar, see our Red Pillar Scuba option.

Ages 8 and above at boat sites. Kids under 12 need a parent or guardian in the water with them. We fit child-sized masks and fins at the jetty.

Budget around 2.5–3 hours (including the boat). That's pickup, briefing at the jetty, the boat out, 30–40 minutes in the water, and the ride back. Morning slots get the best light and usually the calmest water.

No. The ₹2,500 is the base price. 18% GST is added at checkout (Indian government regulation), bringing the total to ₹2,950. Your invoice shows the breakdown.

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Dive the Best Reefs in Andaman

We dive the best spots around Havelock, where visibility is at its best. From shore dives at Nemo Reef to boat scuba diving in Havelock at Tribe Gate and The Wall, we pick the right site for the conditions.