Andaman Islands

Andaman and Nicobar islands is a group of over 400 islands nestled in the Bay of Bengal/Indian Ocean. Most of the islands are uninhabited or occupied by the tribes of the region. However there are many islands that are developed and have lately been attracting tourists from all over the world.

I got an opportunity to visit the islands this February. After visiting the islands the first thought that comes to me is "Why haven't I visited this place before" or "Why haven't I heard people raving about it". It offers as many possibilities to tourists as Hawaii or the California coast. The reason for this is its inaccessibility (just one flight a day from chennai/calcutta, extremely high fares, no international flights considering it is about the same distance from indonesia as india). But now the government is planning to fix some of these issues. Hopefully this will help the tourism industry there and build the local economy. But I pray that in the interests of tourism they do not destroy the pristine beauty of the islands by making it extremely commercial (with resorts, etc.) like Goa

We visited quite a few islands but the two main islands visited were Port Blair and Havelock. The islands are all unique - some of them are rocky like Port Blair while some are sandy like Havelock. They have regular ferries between Port Blair and various islands.

Port Blair

Must-do's in Port Blair:
1. The cellular jail - Visit the cell of Veer Savarkar. See the sound and light show in the evening
2. Drive along the ocean (This is just like Route 1). A lot of this was destroyed by the Tsunami last year but they have started fixing it
3. Beaches
4. Cottage Industries - The store has lots of things very unique to andaman - Cane/Bamboo artwork and furniture, coral jewelry, shell work - chandeliers, etc. And all very reasonably priced
5. Ross Island (Owned by the Indian army)

Where to stay:
Fortune bay resort - Very lovely on a bluff with the view of the ocean. There is an impressive view of the lighthouse that appears on the Rupee 20 note

Some Pictures:

Fortune Bay Resort:



Cellular Jail:





Havelock island

This is an island about 2 hours from Port Blair. The islands claim to fame is the Radhanagar beach which was featured in the Time magazine in the Top ten best beaches in Asia. And one must definitely visit this island.

Things to do in Havelock:
1. Radhanagar beach - Absolutely the best beach I have been to. The water is lovely, There are hills all around and the sunset there is breathtaking
2. Snorkeling - Lots of coral reefs and the experience is amazing. This was the first time I went snorkeling and it was lots of fun. They also have scuba diving, sailing etc.
3. Hiking - They have lots of fantastic paths with the ocean on one side and hills on the other side. They have lots of different kinds of trees along the path and it is a haven for bird watchers
4. Sunrise - Lovely...and we could view it right from our room :)
5. Elephant training camp

Where to stay:
Dolphin Yatri Nivas Resort - They have cottages right on the beach. And the beach is gorgeous - white sand, hills on one side, the most varied range of blue water (thanks to the coral reefs)

Some Pictures:

Dolphin Resort





Havelock