Underwater photography destinations from India — where to dive with a camera
By Ishaani Reddy (Arjun Menon is a travel photographer and visual storyteller based in Bengaluru. He has shot across 30 countries for publications including National Geographic Traveller India and Conde Nast Traveller, and specialises in helping Indian photographers plan trips that balance creative ambition with airline logistics and visa realities.) · Published · 10 min read
Underwater photography combines diving skills with camera technique in some of the world's most visually stunning environments. Here are the best destinations reachable from India for shooting beneath the surface.
Quick answer
The Andaman Islands offer the easiest and cheapest entry point for underwater photography from India — no visa, domestic flights, and healthy coral systems. The Maldives delivers world-class visibility and megafauna (manta rays, whale sharks) with visa-on-arrival. Egypt's Red Sea is the best value international option for experienced underwater photographers — exceptional visibility, diverse marine life and wreck photography. Raja Ampat (Indonesia) is the gold standard for marine biodiversity but requires more complex logistics. You need at least an Advanced Open Water certification and buoyancy control before attempting serious underwater photography.
Andaman Islands — start here
Havelock Island's dive sites (The Wall, Dixon's Pinnacle, Aquarium) offer clean visibility (15 to 30 metres), healthy hard and soft coral, and a variety of reef fish, nudibranch and occasional manta ray encounters. The conditions are forgiving for photographers learning to shoot underwater — moderate currents, warm water (27 to 29 degrees Celsius) and dive sites within 15 to 30 minutes by boat from shore.
Dive centres in Havelock rent GoPro cameras and basic housings, but serious photographers should bring their own setup. The lack of camera rental infrastructure is actually a planning advantage — you know exactly what gear you will be working with. Several dive operators offer dedicated photography-guided dives with slower pace and longer bottom times.
Getting there: direct flights from Chennai and Kolkata to Port Blair, then a ferry to Havelock. The dive season is October to May. A 5-day dive-and-photography trip costs roughly INR 40,000 to INR 70,000 all-in from Chennai, excluding camera equipment.
Maldives — blue water and megafauna
The Maldives excels at two things underwater photographers crave: visibility (consistently 20 to 40 metres) and large pelagic encounters. Manta rays at Hanifaru Bay (June to November) aggregate in groups of dozens — this is one of the world's premier manta photography sites. Whale shark encounters on the South Ari Atoll are reliable from December to April. The coral reef systems across the atolls provide stunning wide-angle backgrounds.
Visa-on-arrival for Indians (30 days, free). Direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kochi to Male. For underwater photography, the choice between a resort, local island guesthouse and liveaboard significantly impacts both cost and photographic access. Liveaboards are the best value for serious photographers — 7-day trips covering multiple atolls cost USD 1,200 to USD 3,000 and maximise dive time at varied sites.
Local island diving from Maafushi or Fulidhoo costs roughly USD 50 to USD 70 per dive. A 5-day dive-photography trip from a local island costs approximately INR 70,000 to INR 1,20,000 from an Indian metro.
Egypt's Red Sea — wreck photography and walls
The Red Sea is an underwater photographer's paradise. The combination of exceptional visibility (often exceeding 30 metres), warm water year-round (22 to 28 degrees), world-class wreck diving (the SS Thistlegorm is a cathedral of underwater imagery) and vibrant coral walls makes it one of the most photogenic marine environments on earth. Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada are the main bases.
For Indians, the logistical challenge is getting there — no direct flights, routing via Dubai or Cairo, and a visa process that can be inconsistent. See our destination logistics guides for Egypt-specific entry details. Despite the routing complexity, dive costs on the ground are very competitive — USD 40 to USD 70 per 2-dive day trip, and liveaboard trips in the Red Sea are among the world's best value at USD 800 to USD 1,800 for 7 days.
The Red Sea rewards wide-angle photography — big walls, wrecks and reef scenes. Macro photography is good but not as rich as Southeast Asian sites. If wreck photography interests you, the Thistlegorm, the Salem Express and the Dunraven are in a class of their own.
Raja Ampat and other advanced destinations
Raja Ampat (Indonesia): The most biodiverse marine ecosystem on the planet — over 1,500 fish species and 600 coral species in a single archipelago. This is where serious underwater photographers go when they have shot everywhere else. Visibility is variable (10 to 25 metres) and currents can be strong, but the density of marine life in every frame is staggering. Reaching Raja Ampat from India requires multiple flights — India to Jakarta or Makassar, then to Sorong, then a boat to the dive sites. All-in cost for a 10-day liveaboard trip: INR 2,00,000 to INR 4,00,000 from India. Indonesia offers visa-free entry for Indians.
Komodo (Indonesia): Easier to reach than Raja Ampat (fly to Bali, then to Labuan Bajo), with excellent wide-angle opportunities — manta rays at Manta Point, drift dives through current-swept channels and healthy coral gardens. A good intermediate step between Andaman/Maldives diving and the complexity of Raja Ampat.
Philippines (Anilao, Dumaguete): The macro photography capital of the world — nudibranch, frogfish, pygmy seahorses, blue-ringed octopus. If small-creature photography is your interest, nowhere beats the Philippines. Visa-free entry for Indians up to 30 days. Flights via Manila from Indian metros cost INR 15,000 to INR 35,000 return.
Gear essentials for underwater photography
Underwater photography requires specialised equipment beyond your land camera. The key decisions:
- Camera housing: A waterproof housing matched to your specific camera model. Aluminium housings (Nauticam, Sea and Sea, Isotta) cost INR 1,50,000 to INR 4,00,000 but offer full control of camera functions at depth. Polycarbonate housings (Ikelite, Meikon) cost INR 30,000 to INR 80,000 and are excellent for beginners.
- Strobes or video lights: Underwater light loses colour rapidly — below 5 metres, reds disappear. External strobes (Sea and Sea YS-D3, Inon Z-330) restore natural colour and cost INR 30,000 to INR 60,000 each. You need two for even lighting. Continuous video lights work for both video and still shooting.
- Lens ports: Wide-angle shooting requires a dome port; macro requires a flat port. Each is matched to a specific lens and housing combination. Getting port selection wrong is an expensive mistake.
For beginners, a GoPro with a red filter and a tray handle is a reasonable starting point — it produces decent wide-angle footage and stills without the complexity and cost of a housed system. Many Andaman and Maldives dive centres rent GoPros for INR 500 to INR 1,500 per dive.
Whatever you bring, ensure everything is tested in a pool or bathtub before the trip. Discovering a housing leak at 15 metres on a Maldives liveaboard ruins both the dive and the camera.
Frequently asked questions
What certification do I need for underwater photography diving?
At minimum, PADI Advanced Open Water. The buoyancy control module is essential — poor buoyancy damages coral and makes camera operation difficult. Many underwater photographers eventually get the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy specialty certification.
Can I use my iPhone or smartphone for underwater photography?
Waterproof smartphone cases exist and work for casual shots in shallow water (snorkelling depth). For anything below 5 to 10 metres or in challenging conditions, a dedicated camera system in a proper housing is necessary.
What is the best budget underwater camera setup?
A used Olympus TG-6 (INR 25,000 to INR 35,000 used) is waterproof to 15 metres without a housing and produces decent macro images. Add the PT-059 housing (INR 20,000 to INR 30,000) for deeper diving. This is the most cost-effective entry point for serious underwater photography.