Barren Island in September
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India
Barren Island in September is the late tail of monsoon and the volcano cruise is still impossible. Rainfall on the crossing route is 280-320mm and Andaman Sea swell is 2-3 metres. The Forest Department's tourism permit window does not reopen until October 30. None of the live-aboard operators - Lacadives, Barefoot Dive, Dive India - sell Barren charters in September. Underwater visibility at the volcano dive sites is recovering but still under 15 metres. The cone is showing steam activity but observation requires the boat platform that is not running. The first viable Barren month after the monsoon is November. Wait six weeks.
Why September scores 2.0/10
Weather
Late monsoon. Sea still rough. Permit window closed until October 30. No operators.
Who should go
- ✓Experienced trekkers / adventurers
Who should think twice
- ✗First-time travelers
- ✗Anyone with health conditions
- ✗Families with young children
- ✗All travelers
All 12 Months
| Month | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| January | 10.0/10 | Peak dive-cruise window. 24-29C, calm Andaman Sea. Live-aboard charters running Havelock + PB. |
| February | 10.0/10 | Driest month. 24-30C, sea calm. Dive operators running peak schedules. Best month for the volcano charter. |
| March | 8.0/10 | Late peak. 26-31C. Sea still calm, all operators running. Charter rates dip 20% off February. |
| April | 6.0/10 | Hot 28-32C. Sea still workable but pre-monsoon swell builds. Operators thin schedules late month. |
| May | 2.0/10 | Pre-monsoon. Sea state turns. All dive operators end Barren charters by May 5-10. No reliable access. |
| June | 2.0/10 | Monsoon. All dive cruises shut. Andaman Sea at peak swell. Volcano permit window closed. |
| July | 2.0/10 | Peak monsoon. No charters, no permits, no access. Skip. |
| August | 2.0/10 | Monsoon continues. Sea closed to charters. Skip entirely. |
| Septemberviewing | 2.0/10 | Late monsoon. Sea still rough. Permit window closed until October 30. No operators. |
| October | 4.0/10 | Recovery. Permit window reopens October 30. First charters Nov 1-3 only. Last 2 days of October work for booking lead time. |
| November | 8.0/10 | Season opens. 25-30C, sea calm. First charters from Nov 1-3. Visibility 25-30m. Rates 25% below Dec. |
| December | 10.0/10 | Peak. 24-29C, sea glass-flat. Christmas-NY 40% premium. Visibility 30-40m. Book 4 weeks ahead. |
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