Andros Blue Holes Diving — Bahamas

Andros hosts over 175 blue holes — more than anywhere else on Earth — plus the third-largest barrier reef. The inland blue holes plunge into cathedral-sized caverns with stalactites and unique cave fauna, while the offshore reef wall is one of the Caribbean's most dramatic. Vastly underrated and wonderfully empty.

Score
68.3 / 100
Country
Bahamas
Region
Central America & Caribbean
Area
Andros Island
Nearest airport
Andros Town (ASD) via Nassau
Visibility
15–40 m
Water temperature
24–28 °C
Max depth
60 m
Current strength
mild
Dive types
cave, reef, wall, blue hole
Best months
November, December, January, February, March, April, May
Minimum certification
Advanced Open Water
Access type
mixed
Average 2-tank dive cost
$130 USD
Budget tier
mid range
Key species
remora, Nassau grouper, tarpon, cave-adapted crustaceans, nurse shark
Google rating
4.6 (85 reviews)
Top operators
Small Hope Bay Lodge Diving, Andros Blue Holes Dive
Nearest hyperbaric chamber
Princess Margaret Hospital Chamber, Nassau (~80 km)
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World Class
Advanced
Andros Blue Holes
BahamasCentral America & Caribbean
68.3

SCORE

24.7000°N

-77.8000°E

Andros hosts over 175 blue holes — more than anywhere else on Earth — plus the third-largest barrier reef. The inland blue holes plunge into cathedral-sized caverns with stalactites and unique cave fauna, while the offshore reef wall is one of the Caribbean's most dramatic. Vastly underrated and wonderfully empty.

The Bahamas' Inland Cave Kingdom

Visibility15–40 m
Temperature24–28°C
Max Depth60 m
Currentmild
2-Tank Dive$130
Best MonthsNovember, December, January, February
CertificationAdvanced Open WaterAdvanced

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

ML62.0CH70.0VIS78.0SV78.0TMP85.0DA72.0OP72.0TS45.0GT48.0VAL58.0CRD90.0SP62.0

Marine Life

62.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity
58
Megafauna Encounters
52
Reef Fish Abundance
65
Macro Life
55
Endemic Species
68
Marine Life Diversity
62.0
Coral & Reef Health
70.0
Visibility & Conditions
78.0
Dive Site Variety
78.0
Water Temperature
85.0
Depth & Access
72.0
Operator Quality
72.0
Topside Experience
45.0
Getting There
48.0
Value & Cost
58.0
Crowding
90.0
Social Proof
62.0

Key Species

remoraNassau groupertarponcave-adapted crustaceansnurse shark

Dive Types

cavereefwallblue hole

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.

Activities for Non-Divers

bonefishingblue hole kayakingAndrosia batik factoryForfar Field Station nature walks

Nearby Cultural Sites

  • Androsia Batik Factory
  • Morgan's Bluff caves

Non-Diver Partner Score

6/10

Good topside options for non-diving companions.

Family FriendlyNot recommended
Restaurants & Nightlifenone

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org
Hyperbaric Chamber80 km — Princess Margaret Hospital Chamber, Nassau
Nearest Hospital10 km

Basic clinic on Andros; flight to Nassau (20 min) for hospital and chamber

Skill LevelAdvanced
Current Strengthmild

Top Operators

Small Hope Bay Lodge Diving

PADI

4.7
65 reviewsNITROX

Andros Blue Holes Dive

TDI

4.5
40 reviewsNITROX
Compare This Dive Site
Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives
55+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification
Cavern Diver minimum. Full Cave certification for anything past the daylight zone.
“Intermediate minimum — deep profiles and variable viz.”

What will challenge you

  • →Recreational limit of 40 m is reachable here (max depth 60 m). Gas planning and NDL tracking matter.
  • →Overhead environment. Standard recreational training does not cover you past the entrance. People die here doing what they'd do on an open reef.
  • →Variable visibility
  • →Deep profiles

What will surprise you

  • →Thermoclines can drop water temp by 4°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.
  • →Andros Blue Holes has more marine life variety than most divers expect
  • →Local operators know spots the guidebooks miss
Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: slight. Optimal window: First light to 11am for best visibility..

Morning
  • Viz
    peak
  • Current
    mild
  • Crowd
    light
  • reef exploration
  • photography

Best light and calmest conditions before afternoon wind picks up.

Afternoon
  • Viz
    moderate
  • Current
    mild
  • Crowd
    moderate
  • drift diving
  • second tank

Wind chop can reduce viz. Still diveable but morning is better.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month Viz (m) Temp (°C) CurrentSea RainConfidenceHighlights
Jan15–2824MildModLight70%reef fish active, peak season crowds
Feb15–2824MildModLight70%reef fish active, peak season crowds
Mar15–2824MildModLight70%reef fish active, peak season crowds
Apr15–2824MildModLight70%reef fish active
May33–4028MildCalmDry70%reef fish active
Jun33–4028MildCalmDry70%reef fish active
Jul33–4028MildCalmDry70%reef fish active
Aug33–4028MildCalmDry70%reef fish active
Sep33–4028MildCalmDry70%reef fish active
Oct15–2824MildModLight70%reef fish active
Nov15–2824MildModLight70%reef fish active
Dec15–2824MildModLight70%reef fish active
Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects60
Wide angle70
Viz stability72
Hover friendliness100
Natural light0

Recommended kit

  • →Two independent light sources minimum; video lights beat strobes in caverns
Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget
$2,050–$3,000

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US)
$720–$880
Accommodation / day
$50–$100
Diving / day
$110–$130
Food / day
$25–$50
Transfers + misc
$50–$150
Mid-range
$3,350–$5,050

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US)
$1,150–$1,450
Accommodation / day
$120–$220
Diving / day
$130–$170
Food / day
$55–$100
Transfers + misc
$50–$150
Splurge
$5,650–$8,950

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US)
$1,800–$2,200
Accommodation / day
$260–$500
Diving / day
$170–$220
Food / day
$110–$220
Transfers + misc
$50–$150

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here