Destinations · North Bay Island · last checked 10 July 2026
North Bay Island: the coral and water-sports half-day
North Bay is the reef and water-sports hub closest to Port Blair — a 15–20 minute boat ride, no overnight stay. It's where most first-time visitors try snorkelling, a sea walk or an intro scuba dive, and it's home to the lighthouse from the back of the old ₹20 note. Here's what it actually is, how to reach it, and where it fits in a trip — including when it isn't the best water you'll see.
What North Bay Island is
North Bay is a small island a few kilometres northeast of Port Blair, known locally as Coral Island. It has a shallow reef that starts close to the beach, which is exactly why it works as an introduction: you don't need to be a strong swimmer or travel far to see coral. On a good day the water is clear enough to make snorkelling and the glass-bottom boat genuinely worthwhile; on a churned-up day it isn't, and we'll tell you which one you're likely to get.
The island's most photographed feature is the lighthouse — the one on the reverse of the old ₹20 note, from the British colonial period, standing roughly thirty metres tall. You view it from the water; climbing it isn't allowed. Between the reef and the lighthouse, North Bay is a half-day, not a destination you stay on.
How to reach North Bay
Where from
Boats leave from the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex (Aberdeen jetty) in Port Blair. There's no bridge — the only way across is by boat.
How long
A 15–20 minute crossing. Boats run through the day, with the first around 7:30 AM and the last return in the afternoon — which is what makes it a half-day.
What to bring
A valid photo ID, cash for activities, a dry bag for phones, and motion-sickness tablets if the sea doesn't agree with you.
Boat timings and frequency shift with the season and the sea; we confirm the day's first and last crossings when we build your plan, and reach the jetty with time to spare.
The activities, honestly
Every water activity here depends on the sea and the visibility that day. When the water is clear it's a good introduction; when it's stirred up, some of these aren't worth your money — and we'd rather say so than sell you a cloudy dive.
Glass-bottom boat
The reef without getting wet — a hull with a viewing window over the shallow coral. The gentlest option, and the one most likely to disappoint on a churned-up day: murky water shows murky coral.
Snorkelling
Fins, mask and a short brief, then the shallow reef a few metres off the beach. Honest note: many of our guests rate Havelock's Elephant Beach snorkelling higher than North Bay's. North Bay wins on being close to Port Blair, not on the best reef.
Sea walking
Walk the seabed in a weighted helmet with air piped down — no swimming needed, so it suits non-swimmers and nervous first-timers. Depth is a few metres; a diver stays with you the whole time.
Intro scuba (Discover Scuba)
A beginner dive on a shallow site with an instructor at arm's reach — no certification required. Weather and visibility decide whether it's worth doing that day; we'll say so honestly rather than send you down into soup.
Semi-submarine
A boat with a submerged viewing deck below the waterline — you sit at eye level with the reef. Good for elderly guests and young children who can't snorkel.
“On fourth day we visited ross islands and North bay, it was awesome experience and we enjoyed a lot… We suggest all of you to do scuba or seawalk in north bay as they return money after cancellation whereas in Havelock you didn't get money back after cancellation.”
— Awadhesh, Aug 2018, 5★ Google review
Usually paired with Ross Island
North Bay is almost always combined with Ross Island — now Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep — as a single half-day out of Port Blair. The two sit close together, the boats work the same waters, and it makes a natural pairing: North Bay for the reef and water sports, Ross for the colonial ruins slowly being reclaimed by banyan roots and the resident deer and peacocks. Together they're a comfortable morning-to-early-afternoon, back in Port Blair by evening.
We usually place this on a Port Blair day at the start or end of a trip — it slots neatly around Cellular Jail and the sound-and-light show, and needs no ferry to Havelock or Neil to work.
Best time to go
The water sports here live and die by the sea state. October to May is the reliable window — calmer water, better underwater visibility, and the boats running on schedule. April and May can bring the odd rough day but are usually fine. Roughly June to September is the monsoon: greener and quieter, but with more cancelled crossings and murkier water, which is when snorkelling and diving are least rewarding.
Whatever month you're looking at, mornings tend to give the clearest water. If you want the honest month-by-month picture before you commit to dates, read our Andaman weather guide .
North Bay questions we get asked
How do you reach North Bay Island?
By boat from the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex (Aberdeen jetty) in Port Blair — a short 15–20 minute crossing. Boats run through the day; the first leaves around 7:30 AM and the last one back is in the afternoon, so North Bay is comfortably a half-day out of Port Blair with no overnight stay. There is no bridge and no way to walk or drive there.
What activities can you do at North Bay?
It's Port Blair's water-sports and coral hub: glass-bottom boat rides, snorkelling, sea walking, an intro scuba dive for beginners, and semi-submarine rides. The reef is shallow and starts close to shore, which is why it works for people trying these things for the first time. The lighthouse from the ₹20 note is here too, viewed from the water — you can't climb it.
Is North Bay Island worth it?
For a first Andaman trip with limited time in Port Blair, yes — it's the easiest place to see coral and try a water activity without a long ferry journey. If you're also spending days in Havelock, temper your expectations: the reef and visibility there are generally better. North Bay's real advantage is that it's 15–20 minutes from the capital, not that it has the islands' finest coral.
North Bay or Elephant Beach — which is better for snorkelling?
For the snorkelling and sea walking themselves, most guests we've sent to both prefer Elephant Beach in Havelock. North Bay is better when you're short on time in Port Blair and want to fit water sports into a half-day. If your trip includes Havelock, do the serious in-water activity there and treat North Bay as the convenient coral introduction.
Is North Bay good for non-swimmers?
Yes. Sea walking needs no swimming — you walk the seabed in a helmet with a diver beside you. The glass-bottom boat and semi-submarine keep you dry entirely, so elderly guests and young children can still see the reef. Intro scuba is also guided and doesn't assume you can swim, though nervous guests usually prefer the sea walk.
Can water activities get cancelled at North Bay?
Yes — and we'd rather you knew before you book. Rough seas can cancel the boat crossing or the water sports, and low visibility can make snorkelling and scuba not worth the money. In the monsoon (roughly June to September) this happens more often. One practical upside guests have noted: at North Bay, activities booked and then cancelled for weather tend to be refunded, which isn't always the case elsewhere.
How this page stays true
Written by the Tropical Andamans editorial team from field notes · last checked 10 July 2026. Boat timings, activity availability and visibility all move with the season and the sea, so we confirm the specifics when we plan your day rather than promise them here. The guest quote is a verbatim Google review, attributed to its author and date.
Add North Bay to your plan.
Tell us your dates and we'll say what the water is likely to be doing, whether it's worth the sea walk or the intro dive that week, and how it fits with Ross Island and the rest of your trip.