Andaman – Travel Advice

The shortest route to reach Andaman is by Air (Port Blair is landing destination). Not that ships take atleast 3 Days to reach Port Blair. Ships from Kolkata takes a little more time. There are different classes in Ships. So airways is the fastest and shortest route.

Visa is valid for Andaman for foriegn tourist, for Indian don’t need visa. It can be obtained from Indian mission, consulate and high commissions. Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is also important to get for Andaman visit because there are restricted areas which need RAP document. For RAP, the permit granting authorities are:

• MHA & FRROS
• All Indian Missions Abroad
• Chief Immigration Officer, Chennai
• Immigration Officer, Port Blair

To get RAP for Andaman Islands, one must visit to Port Blair and is issued for free of cost to foreign travellers.

The general climate of Andaman Islands is pleasant. However, the best season considered is October to April when monsoon isn’t forecasted and climate remains pleasant. Being surrounded by sea, the cool breeze helps to keep the temperature to range in between 23° C and 31° C. Monsoon brought by the southwest wind sets in during mid-May and continues till early October. Season for nature lovers is May to December when forest is lush green and waterfalls are at their prime. Divers can enjoy the best during December to April and bird watchers during winter times.

The ideal duration trip to Andaman is 6-7 nights when you can explore multiple places around. You can create itinerary for the trip and keep it short and exciting. Tour package is the best way to plan your Andaman tour. One of the reasons why tour package is the best option is because you can customize the plan accordingly. It brings down the burden of choosing the location, day and time. Moreover, you can enjoy different activities offered in the island.

There are different accommodations available in Andaman Islands. From resorts and 5 star hotels to cottages, one can have varied options to choose. Havelock Island and Port Blair are the major stay destinations. Barefoot, The Jalakara, Andaman Galley, Havelock Island Beach Resort are some of the options for accommodation. There are luxury, premium and budget hotels to choose and stay. There are also private and government lodges too offered in affordable rate. These hotels are available in Havelock Island, South Andaman, Port Blair and few other regions. The rate of these hotels, lodges and resort differs as per the service.

Well, both are good options to stay at. Port Blair and Havelock have some good stay options which are mentioned above. So whether you visit Havelock or Port Blair, you no need to worry about the stay.

The cost of the air and ship for Andaman depends on the service you’re using.

By Air: There are connecting flights by Jet Airways, Air India, Spice Jet, Go Air, Indigo and few others. The cost for connecting flights starts from INR 6K and goes to INR 12K. You can find some flight discounts and book tickets in advance.

By Ship: The cost of the ship depends on the service and city from which you’re boarding. From Delux to Bunk, you can have varied booking options. MV Swarag, MV Harshavardhana, MV Akbar and few others are some shop options. The price of the service starts from INR 2K and goes till INR 9K. Vizag, Kolkata and Chennai are three main destinations.

There are three ports in India from where you can sail to Andaman – Kolkata, Chennai and Vishakapatnam / Vizag. Each comes with different time durations.M. V. NICOBAR, M.V.NANCOWRY, M.V.AKBAR, V.HARSHAVARDHANA and M.V.SWARAJ DWEEP are major cruise service available. To book the tickets for Andaman you can follow below ways:

Direct ship ticket booking via STARS: The tickets are available on first come, first serve basis. Most ticket bookings open a month in advance. You can either personally visit the port office in the cities from where you plan your journey or take the help of an expert tour operator. Get your two passport size photos, photo id proof, address proof, a full advance payment and the entry form duly filled out for submission ready.

Booking ship tickets from Kolkata to Port Blair: Visit Shipping Corporation of India at Shipping Hosue,#13, Strand Road, Kolkata-17. You can check out their online website.

Booking ship tickets from Vishakapatnam to Port Blair: Booking of both cargo and passengers is done by an agent of the Shipping Corp M/S A.V. Bhanoji Rao Garuda Pattabiramaiah & Co. Ltd.

At the private ticketing counter Booking ship tickets from Chennai to Port Blair: MV NANCOWRY and MV SWARAJDWEEP go to the office of the Dy. Director (Shipping Services), Chennai adjacent to Gate No.1 of Chennai Port, Opposite Customs Office, Rajaji Salai, Chennai-1. MV NICOBAR, MV AKBAR and MV HARSHAVARDHANA go to the office of the Shipping Corporation of India(SCI) situated at Madras(chennai) Port Trust,Rajaji Salai, Opposite Customs Office, Chennai-1.

It is extremely safe to travel by ship. It is well equipped with all the medical tools and emergency tools. You’ll be given all the details about the ship journey and safety procedures.

Yes, it is extremely safe to travel Andaman by solo female travellers. Government has strict rules and regulations as the only mode of income is Tourist. So female travellers can safely travel around.

Yes, every cruise is equipped with medical services for travellers who have motion sickness. In some high-end cruise, there are medical experts available for emergency. Also pharmacy stocks are available on-board. However, it is advisable to carry medication along and know more about the medical services offered in the cruise.

Motion sickness is a feeling you get when the motion you sense with your inner ear is different from the motion you visualize. It happens when you travel by car, train, airplane and boat. Motion sickness progresses from a feeling of uneasiness to sweating and dizziness.

To overcome the problem, one can take medication available over the counter. Also one can treat by changing the environment. Some patients respond well to biofeedback training and relaxation techniques. You need to check with your doctor before such trip and seek medication to avoid motion sickness.

For Indians: No passport/visa/permission is required. But it is important to carry RAP and ID proofs.

For Foreigners: A passport is required with an Indian Visa to enter India. This is also applicable to foreigners entering Andamans directly from a charter/private yachts. Additionally, a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is also required which can be availed on arrival to Port Blair from the Immigration counter at the airport or, embarkation of ships at the sea-port. RAP is issued for a 30 day visit to the islands, and is extendable up to 15 more days. Tickets can be rescheduled in Port Blair itself from the respective airline offices.

It depends on number of days you’ll be travelling to Andaman. Moreover, it depends on the climatic condition of the place. Carry light clothes, especially linen and cotton shirts and some casual pair of trousers. If visiting during monsoon season, due carry umbrella. For winter, jackets are best. Swimming costumes are a must and carry loads of sunscreen, especially if visiting during summer season because harsh sunrays may effect your skin. Sunglasses, vital medicines and sunburn relief products. Along with these, do carry passport, spare passport photos and ID proof.

At Andaman, you can enjoy doing some thrilling water activities. With clear crystal waters, you can dive in deep to explore the colourful marine life underneath. Some of the water activities are-

• Scuba Diving
• Sea Walk in Elephant Beach Havelock
• Andaman Dolphin Glass Boat Ride
• Kayaking in Andaman around Mangroves
• Trekking to Elephant Beach
• Coral Safari Semi Submarine

Apart from these, you can indulge in sightseeing too. Some of the tourist spots in Andaman are-

• Saddle Peak National Park
• Kalpong River Dam
• Mud Volcano at Shym Nagar
• Limestone Cave
• Ross and Smith Island
• Ramnagar Beach
• Lamiya Bay and Kalipur Beach (Turtle Nesting)
• Red Oil Palm Plantation

Scuba diving is the major activity in Andaman Islands where you can explore the world beneath the blue sea. One can enjoy hours of scuba diving activity to explore the marine life and get close to them.

It is completely safe to do scuba diving in Andaman. Each service here are equipped with safety gears and are professional helping you to perform the activity. SOS Kiosk (Emergency Assistance Booth) has been setup at Rajeev Gandhi water sports complex, Port Blair and other places. Make sure you wear life jacket before boarding the boat.

One should not have any kind water phobia or health issues before getting into the scuba diving. You need to carry medical certificate to present it with the service providers for confirmation.

There is age limit of suba diving. The minimum age is 10years. Having prior experience of this activity would be very helpful.

The cost of the scuba diving differs as per the timing and the type of diving you would be doing. There are different Suba Diving services for swimmers and non-swimmers. For this, there is no swimming skills required, also one record personal videos at the end of the dive, also swimmers will be provided with a certificate.

• Scuba Diving For Non Swimmers: INR 3500
• Scuba Diving – Beginner Course with Boat Ride: INR 4500
• Scuba Diving for Certified Divers 2 Days 4 Dives:- INR 10800
• Night Diving for Certified Divers: INR 3700

If you’ve contact lens then its fine to use during scuba diving. There are disposable and soft contact lens that works perfectly underwater. If contact lens bothers you, then you can have alternatives:

• Prescription masks can be custom made especially for your eyesight.
• Corrective lenses can be made that fit in standard masks.
• Small correction stickers that stick on the inside of the mask lens can be used.

If you’ve allergies, then seek medical attention from doctor or diving professional to know if you’re fit for diving.

Not necessary, there are few scuba diving method of new swimmers. You can perform the available course to get practice of swimming.

Scuba Diving For Non Swimmers: INR 3500. This one can help you to learn swimming and go deep into the sea.

Barefoot Scuba, Scuba Love.in Dive Resort, Lacadives, Andaman Bubbles, Dive India are few of the companies in Andaman offering scuba diving courses. There is no specific course duration. The courses are generally performance based so you earn your certification as quickly as you are able to learn the scuba diving procedures.

PADI Scuba Diver Course- In 3 days of duration, one can get water skills and 2 open water dives with maximum depth of 12 meters/40 feet. The license is valid worldwide. For this course, you need to carry certain swimming knowledge.

Open Water Diver- This will allow learning underwater photography skills, night diving and deep diving. With the duration of 1-2 days, you can be Certified Open Water Diver. Minimum age is 10 years.

Advanced Open Water Diver (1-2 days)- The course is designed to experience deeper dives for 18-30 meters/60-100 meters. Minimum age is 12 years.

Master Scuba Diver- For 15 days, one will learn about Advanced Open Water- Rescue Diver and Minimum 50 logged dives.

Yes, snorkeling in Andaman allows you to go deep into the sea and explore the marine life. In Andaman, there are different places where you can enjoy doing snorkeling.

North Bay Island- Port Blair:The beach and the snorkeling opportunities in its fringing coral reefs are the closest ones you will find at Port Blair. You will spot many fish, a lobster, or even clams on the coral reef

Elephant Beach- Havelock Island: The beach here offers calm blue crystal clear shallow waters and is an amazing spot for snorkelers. The reefs are in pristine condition and with little exploration you can find corals

Jolly Bouy Island- Port Blair: Snorkeling here will help you see corals (red, blue, sponge corals etc). The time duration, is usually from November – April for Jolly Bouy Island

Neil Island:Port Blair One of the most beautiful beaches, one can enjoy getting close varied corals and sea animals while getting deep.

There are some amazing things that you can do in Andamans. You can go snorkeling or diving at the Havelock or Neil, you can witness bioluminescence at the Havelock, you can go scuba diving or ride a banana boat at Port Blair, and you can even opt for parasailing at the islands.

Some of the best and amazing sightseeing spots in Andaman are-

• Cellular Jail National Memorial: It’s the former British prison that is now a shrine to the political dissidents it once jailed. Even though several parts of it have been destroyed by the Japanese during the World War II, it still stands tall reminding our brave and gallant forefathers.
• Mount Harriet and Madhuban: Andaman offers best trekking experience for tourists. It’s a gorgeous route where you can witness exotic flora and fauna of the land amidst spectacular sceneries. Elephant safari is also an option at Mount Harriet.
• Sea Walking at North Bay Beach: North Bay Beach you can walk under the sea and finally visit ‘Octopus’s Garden’. It is easy swim here and explore the underneath world.
• Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park: The park covers area of 280 sq km with 15 islands of mangrove creeks, tropical rain forest and reefs supporting 50 types of coral.
• Ross Island: Once called as the ‘Paris of the East’ by the Brits. But all it’s glory and tropical beauty was wrecked by the earthquake of 1941 and the Japanese invasion. It has English architecture and machine-gun nests that are great fun to poke finger in.

For kids, there is no special place, but yes, they can enjoy water activities and sightseeing. Some of the activities for kids are:

• Witnessing Bioluminescence at Havelock Island: Tiny lighted stars and galaxies floating under your feet instead of the blue sky above is worth an experience. Bioluminescence can be witnessed only on no moon nights. Kayak tours are arranged by experts, which are anyway few in Havelock.
• Scuba Diving: If your kid is above 10years, then scuba is the best activity that can be done in different places of Andaman.
• Riding a Banana Boat at Port Blair: Riding a Banana Boat is another fun-filled and thrilling thing to do in Andaman. At a time 6 people can ride the banana-shaped boats. You can include kids, but need to be very careful.
• Trying the Glass Bottom Boat ride: In this, you get a good view of the corals beneath With proper safety gear, this one is good for kids as well.
• Travelling in a Sea Plane: Taking off in a seaplane run by Pawan Hans is one of the exclusive things to do in Andaman. You can experience this unique ride while going from Port Blair to Havelock.
• Attending the Light & Sound Show at Cellular Jail: Cellular Jail in Port Blair is among the must-visit attractions in Andaman. For kids, this is the best historical place to learn the history. The light & sound includes a Peepal tree’s narration, voiced by the veteran actor Om Puri, telling the poignant stories of the prisoners tortured to death in the jail. The timing is Tuesday – Sunday; 8:45 am – 12:30 pm & 1:45 pm – 5 pm.

You can go for snorkeling, scuba diving or ride a banana boat at the Andamans. Note that you should only undertake scuba diving after proper training Parasailing is also a popular sport along the beaches.At North Bay Beach you can walk under the sea and finally visit ‘Octopus’s Garden.

There are total 572 islands in Andaman, out of which 36 islands are inhabited. Some of the must visit Islands in Andaman are:

• Havelock Island
• Long Island
• Neil Island
• Baratang Island
• North Passage Island
• Ross Island

Beaches in Andaman are worth exploring because of their exotic look. The corals and marine life offer a beautiful underwater adventure. There are some amazing beaches in Andaman which includes-

• Elephant beach: It is known for unspoilt beauty. It is a must visit if you are going to Havelock, especially since it takes on 20 minutes from the dock.
• Guitar Island and Beach: It looks great from the Ariel view. This exotic island is tucked out of common tourist itineraries and is among the least visited islands.
• Red Skin Island Beach: This isn’t your typical Andaman beach with a huge stretch of sand and blue waters. It is more like mangrove extension with a very narrow beach strip.
• Chidiyatapu Beach: The beach is located in the southernmost tip of south Andaman about 30km from Port Blair. Called as Nightfall Point or Flying Creature Island, one can enjoy the best sunset in the Andaman.
• Badabalu Beach: Tucked away from tourist location, Badabalu looks a different from the traditional Andaman beaches. The sand is greyish brown and the water is a cool shade of blue.
• Little Andaman Beach: One of the most visited beaches; this is the fourth largest of Andaman Islands. You can go for boat rides between the creeks, coral viewing.
• Radhanagar Beach: It is known for turquoise blue waters and white sandy shores. Radhanagar beach was named as Asia’s best beach and the world’s seventh best beach by Time magazine.

Yes, you can sail around Andaman in cruise or yachts. The sailing is usually for two-three days, where you will join dolphins and whales migrating across the open ocean. You’ll discover paradise beaches and unique wildlife swim with elephants and other animals. You can book a cabin in advance. West Coast Marine Yacht Service is the leading company offering charter and yacht service.

Yes, Seaplace from Port Blair to Havelock is available. Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd. in association with Andaman & Nicobar Administration introduced 9 seater Cessna 208A seaplanes in A&N Islands. Sea Plane takes approximately 25 Minutes to reach Havelock Island. Please note:

• The price of the service is minimum INR 4500.
• Sea Plane rides are subject to weather conditions
• The plane can carry a maximum of 9 Persons

Sea-food is the ethnic and main food found here in Andaman. Some of the foods you can enjoy are- Lobsters, Crab, Prawns, Cuttle fish, and fish of every kind is found here. Lighthouse Residency, Full Moon Cafe, Annapurna Restaurant and few others restaurants are available.

When it comes veg restaurants, Icy Spicy, Annapurna and few others serve the best vegan foods.

Nightlife is prevalent in Port Blair; however, there is not much attraction in the city and even in the island. However, there are few parties and social activities takes place in Andaman, but very few times.

Yes, Andaman is good option for honeymoon. In fact, it is the ideal honeymoon destination because of its long stretched beaches, water activities and beautiful climatic condition. The cost of the honeymoon would depend on the package you take and days you would be enjoying.

The package usually starts from INR 30,000 which would include travel fare, stay and activities to be done.

Check here: Best of the Andaman honeymoon tour packages.

Some of the beaches provide snorkelling, sea-side candlelight dinners and decorative beds. These are sure to make your honeymoon in Andaman romantic and beautiful. Have a tour to the Havelock beach to get relaxing and rejuvenating experience. Mangrove serves as a potential recreation site for fishing, boating, bird watching, sightseeing and photography. Also have a private dinner on the beach. You can ask for the same with the respective hotel. Go for a yacht tour to get elegant and luxurious experiences of the quaint beaches and islands of Andaman. Watch romantic sunset sitting on the boat while having a ride on the Andaman Sea.

Yes, Andaman is not restricted to honeymooners, but also family can visit. There are tour packages for everyone. From water adventures to sightseeing, there are many things families too can enjoy.

It is advisable to avoid meeting tribal people because they have shunned themselves from outer world. In fact, they come under restricted area. So you won’t be allowed to visit them.

The transportation is quite good due to large number of tourist presence. If you want to rent a bike or bicycle then there is some good service. Two wheeler would cost Rs 500/-. Also there are cab services offered with minimum fare Rs 800/-. You can check with the hotel, if they have any contact with such renting services.

SBI and other state banks ATMs are available in Andaman, Port Blair and Havelock. But you need to carry cash from your start of the journey to avoid any problems later.

There are some good medical facilities in Andaman. GB Pant Hospital, INHS Dhanvantari, Chakraborty Hospital, Pillar Health Center, ACE Hospital and few others.