It was already 2018 and time for the 1st trip of the year. As you might know by now, being a mountain person I wanted to escape to the hills to see some snow and have some hot Maggi sitting in a cozy place. But somehow the plans failed due to certain factors and at the last moment we decided to go to the Andamans. Now Andaman is a place which was in my Wishlist for quite some time and I already had an itinerary in mind covering the islands we wanted to visit. But due to lack of time, we decided to skip a few islands and cover the rest in a compact 5N 6D itinerary. So here it goes.
Day 1: Port Blair
We reached Port Blair at around 12 pm and decided to relax at the resort itself as the location was very beautiful. We had view of the sea from the room as well as the balcony and some fresh yummy food to treat our taste buds. Evening specially was blissful as we spent some time sitting by the sea and hearing the sound of waves.
The next morning we decided to get up early to watch sunrise and I must say that sacrificing a few hours of sleep was compensated well by the marvellous sunrise. Make sure to get up at around 4:45 am to watch the reddish orange skyline and the changing colour of the sky even before the sun is visible.
Day 2: Havelock Island
We started by ferry from Phoenix Bay to Havelock and the cruise took around 2 hours. As soon as we came out at the Havelock jetty, we could see clear blue water everywhere with little patches of cyan in between. It was a magical sight and we spent some time there clicking a few pictures.
We took an auto to our resort which was at Vijay Nagar Beach. Though Vijay Nagar Beach is not usually in the tourist list of beaches in Havelock, I must say this was the beach that stole our heart in the 1st look itself. With the water reflecting many shades of turquoise green and very less crowd around, its a great place to sit down and enjoy the view in absolute serenity.
Day 3: Elephant Beach
Elephant Beach is quite unique in terms of reaching the place. Either you need to take a boat from the jetty or walk through or I would say trek through the forest for 45 minutes. We decided the later as it seemed a bit adventurous and the last patch of walk through the mangrove was really exciting. You can also choose from a list of activities to do here such as snorkeling, sea walk or glass bottom boat ride. But we were so mesmerised by the beauty of the place that we decided not to do any activities and just to sit there relishing the captivating beauty.
We saved the afternoon for relaxing at Vijay Nagar Beach and enjoyed a walk in the sea bed as the water recedes quite far in the afternoon. It was a great evening watching the changing colors of sky and sea as the sun went down.
Day 4: Neil Island
We took the ferry from Havelock jetty to Neil which takes around 1 hour. You can see both Laxmanpur and Bharatpur beach (right and left side of the jetty respectively) from the Jetty itself and they both look extremely beautiful. We took an auto to our resort which was near Laxmanpur Beach and decided to visit the natural coral bridge in the afternoon.
 |
| View from Neil island Jetty |
The coral bridge was one of the reasons we had decided to visit Neil and I must tell you we were not disappointed at all with our decision. To reach the coral bridge, you need to walk on the corals for almost 5 mins and you can only visit it during low tide. The place is beautiful and the natural wonder is definitely not to be missed.
 |
| Natural coral bridge at Neil Island |
We also visited Bharatpur Beach which is near to the jetty and could be skipped if you have already visited Laxmanpur beach. But if you are keen on some activities such as glass bottom boat ride, then you may visit this place.
 |
| Laxmanpur Beach |
Day 5: Cellular Jail - Port Blair
It was time to leave Neil and before leaving we took a stroll around Laxmanpur Beach which is quite a beauty. We boarded the ferry for Port Blair which took around 1 hour. We decided to visit the cellular jail and also got the tickets to watch the light and sound show. The light sound show was quite an emotional one as it talked about the struggle and sufferings of our freedom fighters. So if you are an Indian, this is something you should not miss.
 |
| Sitting arrangement for light and sound show in cellular jail |
Day 6: Port Blair sight seeing and back to Bangalore
Since we had our flight in the late afternoon we decided to visit Samudrika Marine Museum and the Anthropological museum in the meantime. Samudrika showcases the history of the islands and marine life such as a large variety of corals and shells. Anthropological Musuem gives insight in to the lives of the various tribes and their cultural history. So all in all, both the places are very informative and are not to be missed.
So after 6 days in the beautiful islands of Andaman, we headed to catch our flight to Bangalore with many memories and some souvenirs from the Govt operated Sagarika Emporium.
 |
| View of Ross Island |
Itinerary:
Andaman is a place which is not to be covered in hurry. So keep at least 9 to 10 days in hand so that you can cover the main islands in a relaxing pace. Add Baratang Island to your list to see the mud volcano and limestone caves. You may also add Jolly Buoy island to the list which is rich in coral and underwater life and is a part of Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. Ross, North Bay and Viper islands can also be covered in a day if you have additional time.
How to Reach:
Port Blair is well connected by flights from most of the major cities. There are also ships available from Chennai, Kolkata and Vishakhapatnam if you have additional time in hand.
When to Visit:
October to March as the monsoons will fade away by September and the place will be moderately hot.
Stay:
Accommodation is a bit expensive in Andaman when it comes to good hotels. So if you are not looking for luxury, try booking the Government resorts which are cheaper and are present in some of the best locations. We opted for “Hornbill Nest Resort” in Port Blair and “Dolphin Resort” in Havelock both managed by Government.
Govt Hotels and Resorts can be booked from the following site: http://aniidco.and.nic.in/
Inter Island Transfers:
There are Govt as well as private ferries that operate at scheduled timings for inter island transfers. You can book govt ferries with the help of hotel as no online system is available yet. Both private ferry operator Makruzz and Green Ocean have online booking system, but are quite expensive when compared to the Govt ferry prices.
Other Tips:
- Book the seats at the left side of the plane as it provides best views of the islands when the plane is about to land in Port Blair.
- Andaman is quite sunny and hot during the day. So sunscreen, sunglass and hat are the sure things to carry.
- The water recedes quite far in the afternoon for almost all beaches except Radhanagr. Also the colour of water starts coming properly only by 10 am in the morning. So if you want to see the beaches in their full glory try visiting them between 10 am to 1 pm.
- Radhanagar beach has locker room and change room facilities and also some provision for food. The beach is quite long and is not rocky like other beaches. So this is the best place to have bath in the clear water and take some sunbath too.
- Elephant Beach is a no no by trek if you have elderly people or very small kids. This beach is mostly famous for the water activities and the boats which take tourists to the beach usually provide packages that include both the boat fare as well as the activities.
- In case you plan to stay in the Elephant beach for a longer duration, please carry water and food items as needed as there are no shops in the beach. Kindly carry the trash back and be a responsible traveler/tourist.
- Auto is the most common and cheaper mode of transport to move around in the islands. Just strike a deal with any auto driver for the places to visit and you would not be disappointed as we found the auto drivers quite friendly.
- If you plan to watch the light and sound show of Cellular Jail, it is better to book the tickets in advance. Ticket booking can be done online through the following site: http://www.and.nic.in/etourist
Otherwise tickets can be booked on the spot if you have a smartphone. The officials enable the wi-fi at around 4 pm and then you can book the ticket through their portal. - Wi-Fi and mobile data network are very poor in most of the islands in Andaman. Even the mobile network is quite bad in many places. So be prepared to have a mobile-free vacation :)
- All foreign nationals visiting Andaman need to obtain a Restricted Area Permit from the immigration authorities at Port Blair.
After all, have a walk in the white sand beaches, enjoy some yummy sea food and gather as many good moments as possible when in Andaman. Have a nice trip :)