Heartbreakingly beautiful Andamans are attracting tourists from all around the globe; and why wouldn’t they? Tucked away at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, the exotic islands stand up as stiff competition to Maldives and Seychelles. With a bunch of thrilling water activities and leisure facilities, holidays in Andaman and Nicobar Islands form a perfect summer getaway. Vacations here can be as relaxing or adventurous as you’d like them to be.
This group of 572 islands stretches over an area of 8,073 sq kilometre and in the area, it boasts plentiful breathtaking sceneries with unspoilt nature. The archipelago homes some of the most pristine beaches of India along with a few diving spots, indigenous culture and fascinating history.
As located in the temperate zone, the best time to visit Andamans is between December-May. So, if you’re planning your summer break, un[travel] lists out the top islands that you shouldn’t miss while spending holidays in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Radhanagar Beach
The most popular one that tops the list is home to the best beach of Asia i.e Radhanagar Beach; the island is Havelock island. Famous for marine life, dense forests and sandy beaches, this abode of rich coral forest hosts a wonderful underwater life that facilitates scuba diving and snorkelling. And, who would like to skip underwater photography? Not just this, serene environment with calm turquoise water makes up for a perfect romantic getaway.
Grab un[travel]’s Andaman Honeymoon Package or Havelock Tour Package to experience exotic vacations.
Places to visit: Radhanagar beach, Kalapathar Beach, Vijaynagar Beach, Elephant Beach
Activities to try: Scuba diving, Snorkelling, Underwater Photography, Sunbathing
How to reach: The best route to Havelock is the sea route. Catch the air-conditioned catamaran ferry from Port Blair; you‘ll reach the island in around 90 minutes. Otherwise, a helicopter ride is also an option, however, the services are quite unpredictable.
Neil Island – Bharatpur beach
The nickname ‘coral capital of Andaman’ says it all! The beauty of unexplored coral reefs along the white sandy beaches and brilliant biodiversity is something that will capture your imaginations, something that’s difficult to get anywhere else in the country, something that attracts snorkelling enthusiasts from all over the world and something more. Even if you are not fond of water activities, you can just spend leisure time by relaxing in calm and cool sea bridge.
Catch the best of un[travel]’s Neil Tour Packages and customize your Andaman & Nicobar Tours.
Places to visit: Bharatpur Beach, Lakshmanpur Beach, Sitapur Beach, Natural Bridge
Activities to try: Snorkelling, Beach strolling, Sunbathing
How to reach: Located 37 km south to the Andaman Islands, the island can be reached in one hour forty-five minutes through regular speedboats from Port Blair Phoenix Bay jetty.
Limestone Caves
Home to beautiful beaches, mangrove creeks, mud-volcanoes and limestone caves, Baratang Island between south and middle Andaman is the land of natural wonders. A boat ride here through a canopy of mangrove forests, native of Jarawa tribes will mesmerize you, and limestone caves are something that are basically the formation of sedimentary rock, compressed over millions of years by the continuous deposits of many components and elements such as marine life, seashells, corals, and skeletons; something that will quickly gather your attention towards the nature’s architectural skills.
Places to visit: Limestone Caves, Mud-Volcano
Activities to try: Exploring the life of Jarawa Tribes
How to reach: Baratang is located at a distance of 100 km from Port Blair. To reach there, one has to travel by road and then cross a creek on a vehicle ferry at Middle Strait.
North Bay Island
Famous for its alluring beaches, located in the north of Port Blair, Coral Island or North Bay Island is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Andamans and is the one which has been chosen for the back of the 20 Rupee note. The island boasts vibrant corals, colourful fishes and variety of vegetation along with white shores and serene atmosphere and thus leaves tourists awe-struck. That’s not all, you may also get lucky to spot clams and lobsters.
You can choose from our Andaman Customised Holiday Packages to customize your vacations in North Bay and Ross Island.
Places to visit: Lake Nipissing, Trout Lake, Dionne Quints Museum, North Bay Museum
Activities to try: Sailing, Canoeing, Water Skiing, Trekking
How to reach: The island can be easily accessed via a ferry from Port Blair.
Ross & Smith Island
Famous for India Penal Colony amidst sparkling greenish-blue water, a little away from Diglipur there lies a small island called Ross and Smith. The water here is shallow and thus a good destination for water activities for beginners. Once notorious, the place is now a picturesque location that grabs the attention of numerous tourists.
Browse through or Andaman Tour Packages to experience Ross & Smith Island.
Places to visit: Ross Island Penal Colony, British Colony Ruins, Japanese Bunkers
Activities to try: Boat Ride, Sunbathing, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Beach Walking, Photography
How to reach: You may board a boat to Ross Island from North Bay. The boat takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach to the Ross Island.
Barren Island Volcano
India’s only active volcano resides here, in Barren Island. The island stretches about 3 kilometres and holds a big crater of the volcano, about half away from the shore. Make sure you seek for a permission from the Forest department to commute to this island.
Places to visit: Barren Island
Activities to try: Fishing, Scuba Diving (Only for advanced scuba divers)
How to reach: The island can be visited by chartering boats and with the permission of Forest Department.
Boat ride at Inglis Island
Also known as the Island of the Wildlife, Inglis Island is an abode of beautiful wildlife, green forests, rich vegetation, radiant coral reefs and white sand beaches. Bleached, dead, live and genera corals, there are about 135 species of coral reefs. For nature lovers, the island boasts a set of breathtakingly beautiful views, for wildlife lovers there are turtles, elephants & colourful fishes, and for adventure freaks, it offers scuba diving. Strolling in the shallow turquoise water, taking a boat ride, spending leisure time in the peaceful atmosphere will take your worries away.
Places to visit: Felburn Park Trailhead, Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve, Crystal River
Activities to try: Scuba Diving, Snorkelling, Fishing, Hiking
How to reach: Take a boat from Havelock Island to reach here. The boat ride takes about half an hour to transfer you from Havelock to Inglis Island.
A secluded beach at Little Andaman
Known as the best surfing destination in India, Little Andamans are located south of the South Andaman Island. Full of creeks, adorned with evergreen rain forests, the island owns sandy shores along with sparkling sea and bewitching waterfalls, that makes it a perfect getaway for those who want to escape from the hustle and bustle of cities.
Places to visit: White Surf Waterfall, Butler Bay Beach, Oil Palm Plantation
Activities to try: Surfing, Elephant Safari
How to reach: The best way to reach Little Andaman is by opting a ferry from Phoenix Bay jetty/Haddo Wharf, Port Blair to Hut Bay. The journey takes about 7 to 9 hours. A 35 minutes Helicopter ride from Port Blair is also an option but the services are quite unpredictable.
Jolly Buoy Island
Located near Wandoor, Jolly Buoy Island is famous for underwater corals and the pristine clear beaches. Covered with thick forests, the island is no man’s land and thus one of the cleanest places of Andamans. Choose from our customizable Andaman Holiday Packages to customize your vacations in Andaman.
Places to visit: Mahatma Gandhi National Marine Park,
Activities to try: Snorkelling, Scuba Diving
How to reach: From Port Blair reach Wandoor through road and then board a ship to reach Jolly Buoy Island. Make sure that you reach Wandoor before 9:00 am as all ships leave and come back at the same time.
All of this and so much more await you on your trip to Andaman. You gotta head here if you have a fondness for natural beauty and thrilling adventures! So, don’t wait, pack your beach clothes and enjoy blissful vacations. Experience Andaman Customised Holiday Packages with un[travel].
