The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a group of islands in between the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. It is one of the Union Territory of India and hence forms a part of it. This tropical paradise offers you the calmness and the serenity of the sea as well as the peacefulness to relax and rejuvenate. You get to explore the marine life out of the brimming ocean. You can enjoy here the beautiful mountains, the green forests, the wildlife and not to mention the mesmerizing aqua life residing in the blue pearl ocean. Limestone caves, mud volcano, coral reefs and the turtle nesting farm spread all over the clustered island.
How to reach there:
There are only two ways in which you can reach the Andaman i.e. either by sea or by plane. Depending on your preferences, you can opt for any of them. However, you can board the flight to Andaman only through Kolkata, Chennai and Vishakhapatnam. The flights are almost of the duration of about 2 hours (not more than that). Port Blair is the place where you would reach irrespective of whether you come by sea or by plane.
Reaching Andaman and Nicobar:
As soon as you reach this place, you would feel the beauty of this exotic place. The pollution free and the pleasant weather are surely going to allure you to explore the island further. This island has a humid and tropical temperature; nonetheless the best place to visit the island is between November to April.
Place of Interest:
Cellular Jail:
Famously referred to as “Kala Pani”, this was the place where the Britishers imprisoned the freedom fighters. There were actually seven wings constructed but only three of them remained. The dark, solitary cells were constructed of heavy iron rods. The best part of this place is the light and sound show which describes about the hardships that the freedom fighter had to undergo in this jail and the history of the jail in all. The shows are held in Hindi and English and the way in which the tale is depicted is heart wrenching.
Samudrika Navy Maritime Museum:
The best science museum in Port Blair, this museum is maintained by the Indian Navy. The museum is divided into 5 sections which describes about the history, geography, people, marine life and the archeology of the islands of Andaman and Nicobar. The museum also houses shells, corals and different species of fishes in its possession. It also provides information about the oceanic life which makes people aware of the various aspects and impact of the marine environment. It has a pleasant and serene view of shells and mollusks. A worth visiting place with loads of information on oceanic life.
Three islands-Ross, Viper and North Bay:
Ross Island was the headquarters of the British during World War – II. You could view some antiques like the British ships and weight balance. You could also see the ruins of the church.
Viper Island has its name because of a ship by this name that got wrecked here long ago. It also had the dilapidated jail that was also used by the British to imprison the convicts.
North Bay is also an island which is full of coral reefs and is devoid of any human habitation. It has coral reefs and shells spread all throughout the island. It is also full of mangroves. You could ride through the glass boats where you could see the beauty of the aqua life. This place is also perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Anthropological Museum:
It is located in the western part of Port Blair. The museum is maintained by the Anthropological Survey of India. This museum gives you an insight of the aboriginal tribes with the illustration of various models and pictures. The museum also depicts the tools and weapons that were being used by the various tribes, both existing and non-existing. Occasionally, documentaries and short films are also shown about the tribes, customs and cultures of the island.
Havelock Islands:
Havelock Island is the largest of all the islands in the Andaman. It is located in the north eastern part of Port Blair. This island is very famous owing to its deserted beaches, the beautiful corals and the clear water. It is the Asia’s second best beach. The Radhanagar Beach, Elephant Beach and the Kalapathar Beach are the major beaches of the island, the Radhanagar beach being the most beautiful of all. Scuba diving, snorkeling and jungle trekking are some of the adventures that you can undertake at this majestic place. A must visit place for the people who admire the beauty of the beaches.
Corbyn’s Cove:
This is the nearest beach to Port Blair located around 8 kms from the city. Though the beach is quite small and there is not ample water in the beach, but it do attracts visitors being the only beach in the capital city. Sadly, the soft sandy beach is lithered by garbage and filth all over around, which might remind you of the Juhu Beach in Mumbai. You are charged for the beach chairs in the beach but you would enjoy the sunsets sitting on these chairs. Nonetheless, you would still feel the calmness and serenity of a beach. Do not forget to enjoy the coconut water of the place.
Expenses, Accommodation and Fooding:
If you plan to stay in the Havelock islands, it may cost you something around 1500 INR to 8500 INR per night. However, you could get around with a more economical budget in Port Blair where a four night stay might cost you only around 12,000 INR. So, a budget amount of 50,000 INR is more than enough for holidaying in the island. Coming to food, the island has its influence from India indeed. You could enjoy both the North Indian and South Indian cuisine in the island. Coconut water is a specialty of the place and it is better than most of the places in India.
Tips:
- You would love the beaches and the wave of Andaman. However, it is advisable not to go too deep into the ocean during the night and there may be a risk. The waves are very active and you might get swayed.
- Do not try to stand on the coral reef when snorkeling and scuba diving.
- Do not try to take pictures of the restricted areas.
- You may or may not go for a packaged tour according to your convenience. But do research and get a lot of information about your place of stay.
- You may interact with lots of corals and species of fishes. Do not try to break them or cause damage to them.
- If you are not an Indian, you may need permits to enter the ferries or museums.
Image Source: Wikipedia