The Andaman Nicobar Islands is a beautiful archipelago located in the Bay of Bengal. This little piece of heaven is renowned for its picturesque shimmering beaches, stunning reefs, turquoise blue waters, and a touch of history.
Havelock and the Neil Islands are some of the most popular tourist destinations. Port Blair is the capital of the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Where you can discover its museums, its flora and fauna, its rich heritage, and its aquatic life.
White beaches, palm-lined coasts, snorkeling, and diving are known on the islands. You can lounge by the sandy beaches, enjoy sunsets, enjoy scuba diving and visit the coral reefs. Andaman Nicobar Islands are a bustling destination, attracting particularly honeymooners, families, and adventure enthusiasts.
Interesting information about the Andaman Nicobar Islands that didn’t hear about
It is a great vacation destination away from the hustle and bustle of city life with its exotic beaches, colorful coral reefs, spectacular marine life, and stunning landscapes. This collection of islands is built for admirers of nature and adventure lovers alike.
The most commonly spoken language in Andaman Nicobar Islands is Bengali
You possibly assumed that Andamanese or Ongan would be the most commonly spoken languages in the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Incorrect! Bengali, followed by Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, is the most dominant tongue.
Commercial fishing is forbidden in the local waters of the Andaman Nicobar Islands
Commercial fishing in the seas around the Andaman Nicobar Islands is forbidden in an attempt to protect aquatic flora and fauna, including indigenous marine life such as dugongs and giant sea turtles, along with its rich reef reserves.
Andaman Nicobar Islands has the only Active Volcano in Asia
You can find Asia’s only known active volcano on uninhabited Barren Island, about 135 kilometers from Port Blair. The Desolate Volcano, which lasted six months, first erupted in 1787 and again in 2010. Since then it’s been known to emit lava in smaller eruptions.
Andamans’ mud volcanoes are now the only ones of their own kind in India
Believe it or not but in the Andaman Nicobar Islands, the sight of bubbling mud is a huge attraction. Baratang Island’s mud volcanoes are the only ones of their kind in India and are formed by chemical reactions between surface water and gases. The mud craters are quite the geological phenomena, spraying once in a while.
During the 2004 earthquake, most of the Andaman Nicobar Islands sunk underwater
In the Indian Ocean, the destructive 2004 earthquake caused a lot of damage to the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Existence and land were all destroyed. The tsunami following the earthquake removed 4,25 meters of land from the southernmost tip of the archipelago, known as Indira Point.
Communicating with the Jarawa Tribals becomes illegal
The nomadic Jarawas are a protected tribe whose population ranges from 250-400 people in parts of the South and Middle Andaman Nicobar Islands. Any effort to communicate with an isolated tribe, which shuns interaction with strangers themselves, is considered unlawful.
The name Andaman has its roots in Ramayana
Ever wondered how his name came from the Andaman Islands? It is assumed that this is a by-product of Lord Hanuman, who stopped in the area on his way to Lanka. Popular islands are named after British engineers, including Neil and Ross, dating back to the East India Company.
During World War II, the Andaman Nicobar Islands became a significant war zone
During World War II, when Japan occupied the territory until giving it up to the British in 1945, the serenity of the Andaman Nicobar Islands was interrupted. The Japanese Occupation Museum in Port Blair records the activities during the period in the active war zone.
Andaman Nicobar Islands is home to the world’s biggest crabs
The hermit crabs, as they are scientifically called, or Birgus Latro, are the largest known arthropods that live mainly on shore. They are also known as coconut crabs, palm robbers, and robber crabs. The largest number of these crustaceans live on the Andaman Nicobar Islands.
Best places to visit in Andaman Nicobar Islands
1. Port Blair
The entrance to the archipelago is Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman Nicobar Islands. It boasts architectural landmarks steeped in colonial heritage, visits the nearby markets, and serves traditional cuisine.
It is not only the culmination of the most stunning of landscapes but also of diverse cultures. You will enjoy a day trip to the nearby Island of Baratang Island. To enjoy its natural wonders and the famous national parks to experience anything other than beaches.
Port Blair is really the heart of all that makes Andaman every time of the year a truly tropical paradise worth exploring.
How to reach Port Blair?
From Kolkata, you can take a direct flight to Port Blair.
Best Places to visit in Port Blair
- Cellular Jail: Enjoy a cellular jail demonstration and visit this sightseeing location that incarcerated the freedom fighters who were deported during the British period from the mainland of India.
- Chidiya Tapu: This is a good location to enjoy watching birds and you can enjoy the lovely sunsets.
- Islands: Havelock Island, Ross Island, Corbyn’s Cove Beach, and Viper Island are locations to explore near Port Blair, where you can enjoy different activities.
- Aberdeen Market: In Port Blair, a popular market where you can enjoy shopping for dyed fabrics, wood artifacts, and jewelry.
- Show of light and sound: It’s the saga of the valiant struggle of freedom fighters in the history of the struggle for freedom in India.
- Museum Tour: Take a museum tour of half a day where museums reveal the indigenous past, aquatic life, and more of the region. The Anthropological Museum, Samudrika Marine Museum, and more are the most prominent museums.
- Glass Bottom Boat Ride: By making you enjoy the rich corals and marine life from the safety of your cabin. It provides one of the most special experiences in Andaman.
- Seafood: To enjoy sumptuous seafood such as red snappers, tiger prawns, lobsters, etc. you can visit famous restaurants.
We can enjoy a day trip from Port Blair, which is popular for its natural wonders such as Limestone Caves and Mud Volcano. And also you will enjoy a day trip to Baratang Island.
Best Hotels to Stay in Port Blair
- De Pebbles: This hotel provides the best rates from 3000/- per night onwards.
- Sinclairs Bay View: This hotel provides the best rates from 5000/- per night onwards.
- Sea Princess Beach Resort: This resort provides the best rates from 5500/- per night onwards.
- Andaman Galley Resort: This resort provides the best rates from 3500/- per night onwards.
- The Port Vista: This hotel provides the best rates from 3000/- per night onwards.
(Note: Above rates may change based on the season, festival, or any other public holidays and are subject to availability)
2. Havelock Island
Havelock Island is one of Andaman Nicobar Islands’ largest and most famous islands. White sand beaches, colorful coral reefs, deep blue seas, and verdant forests are provided by Havelock Island. The most loved beaches on the island are Radhanagar and Vijaynagar Beaches. Two other attractions are Elephant beach, Laxmanpur Beach, and Kalapathar Beach, where the sunrise and sunset are divine. The best way to visit the island on your own is to take a long stroll down the strip of the beach.
How to Reach Havelock Island?
From Neil Island or Port Blair to Havelock Island, you can take a ferry.
Best Places to Visit near Havelock Island
- Beaches: Radhanagar Beach, Elephant Beach, Kalapathar Beach, and Vijaynagar Beach, which offer serene views and crystal clear seas, are the most popular beaches.
- Water sports: In the sparkling waters of Havelock Island, you can explore scuba diving, snorkeling, boating, parasailing, and kayaking.
- Sea Walk: You get to enjoy an underwater walk on the Elephant Beach seabed.
Best Hotels to Stay on Havelock Island
- Munjoh Ocean Resort: This resort is providing the best rates and prices starting from 8000/- per night.
- Taj Exotica Resort and Spa: This is a premium hotel and provides the best rates and prices starting from 29000/- per night.
- Aquays Hotels and Resorts: This hotel is providing the best rates and prices starting from 8500/- per night.
- Sandyy Wavess Beach Resort: This resort is providing the best rates and prices starting from 7000/- per night.
- Barefoot at Havelock: This hotel is providing the best rates and prices starting from 10500/- per night.
(Note: Above rates may change based on the season, festival, or any other public holidays and are subject to availability)
3. Rose Island
Andaman’s Ross Island is known solely for its beauty and scenic views. The island was once the British governmental capital. But it is still an uninhabited island today. The island has a lot of tradition connected with it. The remains of a huge water distillation facility, a tennis court, and a swimming pool will welcome you. The island still has the remains and the secretariat office of the famous printing press that was situated here.
You will also explore the remains of a church and a graveyard with the names of all the people buried there. You should walk around your loved ones and enjoy some quality time with them.
How to Reach Rose Island?
To reach Ross Island, you can opt to take private ferries or a short boat ride from Phoenix Bay Jetty.
Best Places to Visit in Rose Island
- Penal Colony: For the Indian locals, who started the revolt against the British government’s bullying antics, visit the site of confinement.
- Samudrika Naval Marine Museum: The Samudrika Naval Marine Museum is home to a host of underwater animals, including rare species of fish, shells, and corals.
- Water Sports Complex Rajiv Gandhi: It provides an exciting range of water sports such as scuba diving, snorkeling, speed boat cruising, parasailing, etc.
- Gandhi Park: For nature lovers, Gandhi Park is the perfect spot to spend the evenings. It provides a pristine lake and the surrounding area is full of flora and fauna.
Best Hotels to Stay On Rose Island
- Sinclairs Bay View: This hotel is providing the best rate starting from 5500/- per night.
- Hotel Serene Palace: This hotel is providing the best rate starting from 3500/- per night.
- Hotel Rainbird: This hotel is providing the best rate starting from 4000/- per night.
(Note: Above rates may change based on the season, festival, or any other public holidays and are subject to availability)
4. Viper Island
Viper Island is a magnificent blend of architectural features and natural elegance, with magical tourists still crowding it. You will also come into the main port and the navy ships of Port Blair on the way to the island. The view of the cellular jail and its tower can also be appreciated from the ferry. All the lovers of history and nature out there can pay a visit to the island.
How to Reach Viper Island?
To reach Viper Island, you can take private ferries from Phoenix Bay Jetty.
Major Attractions Places to Visit on Viper Island
- Samudrika Marine Museum: This museum was founded by the Indian army. It provides a lot of island-related information, including animals, plants, tribal history, and the marine ecosystem.
- New India Cafe: Among the locals, this cafe is very popular for serving a selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes from all over India.
- Adi Bengali Hotel: This hotel serves amazing and finger-licking Bengali cuisine as the island’s main residents are Bengalis.
- Lighthouse Residency: This is the venue for all lovers of seafood. It offers really tasty dishes along with rice and chips, including red snapper, crab, or prawns.
Best Hotels to Stay on Viper Island
- Fortune Resort Bay Island: This hotel is providing the best rate and prices starting from 10000/- per night.
- Hotel Mansha Regency: This hotel is providing the best rate and prices starting from 7000/- per night.
- Hotel Blue Mmarlin: This hotel is providing the best rates and prices starting from 3000/- per night.
(Note: Above rates may change based on the season, festival, or any other public holidays and are subject to availability)
5. Neil Island
One of the islands in the southern part of the Andaman Nicobar Islands in India is the Neil Islands. The island’s beauty is quaint and calming. As it offers white sand beaches, unspoiled coral reefs, and tropical woodlands, the island is a great weekend getaway. Seeing the sunset or looking at the vast horizon, you might laze about. This island does not have a lot of interactions, but it is utter paradise.
How to Reach Neil Island?
To reach Neil Island, you can take a ferry from Port Blair or Havelock Island.
Best Places to Visit near Neil Island
- Beaches: At the beaches of Bharatpur Beach, Sitapur Beach, and Lakshmanpur Beach, you can discover sea life and coral reefs.
- Sunrise: Get a snapshot of the breathtaking view of Sitapur Beach at sunrise.
- Sunset: Enjoy the fascinating views of the sunset at Laxmanpur Beach.
- Water Sports: On these islands, the taste of swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, scuba diving, deep-sea diving, fishing, etc.
- Neill Kendra: This is the island’s largest village market, where you can buy rice, local crafts, merchandise, and objects.
Best Hotels to stay in Neil Island
- Symphony Summer Sands Beach Resort: This hotel is providing the best rate starting from 5500/- per day and night.
- Silver Sand Beach Resort: This hotel is providing the best rate starting from 5500/- per day and night.
- TSG Aura Resort: This hotel is providing the best rate starting from 7500/- per day and night.
- Tango Beach Resort: This hotel is providing the best rate starting from 3000/- per day and night.
(Note: Above rates may change based on the season, festival, or any other public holidays and are subject to availability)
Local Food types in Andaman Nicobar Islands
Fish Curry is a pretty Andaman dish. From here, one can get a lot of choices for fish. The flavor is really good and hot.
Chilli Curry is a wonderful dish and is a very spicy meal full of onions, tomatoes, and good flavors.
- Macher Jhol: There are various things in this meal, such as tuna, Chillies, coriander seeds, turmeric powder, and also some other active ingredients.
- Coconut Prawn Curry: It is a subtle dish with an authentic taste and heavily flavored curry. When eaten with rice, it tastes best.
- Amritsari Kulcha: It is stuffed with lots of delicious items, such as onions, leaves of coriander, seasonings, and so on, making it very delicious as well as a nutritious dinner.
How to Reach Andaman Nicobar Islands?
Option 1 by Air
Port Blair’s Veer Savarkar International Airport is connected by flights to Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.
- Operated Flights: IndiGO, Air India, GoAir, SpiceJet, Vistara
- Starting Price: INR 4000 and the nearest Airport is Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ)
Option 2 by Water
You can take a ship from Chennai, Vizag, or Kolkata if you’re traveling by sea. It normally takes 60-70 hours for the ships and has 3-4 sailings a month.
From Chennai
Operating Ships: MV SWARAJ DWEEP, MV NICOBAR, MV AKBAR, MV NANCOWRY
Approximately travel time is around 60 to 65 hours
Starting price: onwards, INR 2180
From Visakhapatnam/Vizag
Operating Ships: MV NICOBAR, MV NANCOWRY, MV CAMPBELL BAY
Approximately travel time is around 55 to 60 hours
Starting price: INR 2500 from now on
From Kolkata
Operating Ships: MV SWARAJ DWEEP, MV AKBAR
Approximately travel time is around 60 to 65 hours
Starting Price: INR 2180 onwards
Local Transport in Andaman Nicobar Islands
In Port Blair and on Havelock Island, auto-rickshaws and taxis are available and are the best means of getting around. You can hire a car with a driver that costs approximately INR 550 per 35 km. You can also rent motorcycles that cost around INR 300 to INR 400 per day from Port Blair. From Port Blair to Wandoor, and north to Baratang, Rangat, Mayabunder, and Diglipur, buses also run south.
What is the best time to visit Andaman Nicobar Islands?
Between October and May, it is the perfect time to visit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. As the weather remains bright and very good. The best time to visit the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is between October and May. Monsoons (July to September) are not always recommended as the waves might be unpredictable and heavy rains are often received by specific regions.
How many days would be enough for Andaman Nicobar Islands Tour?
Spending at least 5 days on the island is advised. Give yourself another two days to fly, making it a wonderful holiday week. For a daily or a honeymoon bundle, this is perfect.
How much cost does a trip to Andaman Nicobar Islands?
Once you have made up your mind to visit Andaman, how much it will cost for a trip to Andaman will be the issue on top of your mind. The cost depends on different variables. Such as the choice of transport you will use from air to sea. The types of hotels you choose from budget to luxurious. The number of days you spend there. Or decide to try an alternative activity that is not on your itinerary, such as scuba diving. These are the considerations that will allow you to know the full cost of planning an Andaman holiday for you.
Tips before traveling to the Andaman Nicobar Islands
- Debit cards are accepted, but having money with you is preferred.
- The Andaman Nicobar Islands can be reached from Port Blair by ferry.
- The Andaman Nicobar Islands are absolutely secure places to visit.
- In such sites, provocative or tight wear can be avoided. Try their local traditions out.
- Airtel, BSNL, and Vodafone are the main telecom service providers.
- You ought to have C and D style power plugs and sockets.
- Wear stylish flip-flops, shades, and caps on the beach.
- Smartphone, camera, and adaptor for travel.
- You’re on medications, a simple medicine bag, and health products for women, hygiene products, bug spray.
Conclusion
To experience a beach holiday like never before, gift yourself an Andaman tour package. Walk along the coastline, see breathtaking sights, and grab a taste of Andaman’s paradise. The most apparent justification for traveling to the Andaman is to fully let you go, refresh the body, and gather fresh ideas. You will discover that Andaman tourism has the appeal of a holiday. Whether you are looking for a relaxing beach vacation or an exciting holiday of trekking, snorkeling, and scuba diving.
