Picturesque beaches, crystal clear water and a bit of history make the Andamans the perfect choice for a laid-back, enjoyable vacation, with long treks, lazing around in the island backwaters and, for the more adventurous, deep sea diving. From the multicultural town of Port Blair to the pristine white beaches of Neil and Havelock Islands and the limestone caves of Baratang, the Andamans offer something for every tourist.
Well, you may be having a doubt whether you should visit this Island during the off season i.e., from June to September. This blog should hopefully clear it.
DAY 1: Port Blair:
Chidiyathapu
The things that we did here was a trek to Chidiya Thapu. It is a beautiful trek to the top of Munda Pahad and takes around 45 minutes one way.
The sunset from there was too good and I definitely recommend you to do this.
Cellular Jail
Well it is a great historical monument. It will be good to go around by evening. Better get in by 4 in the evening. It will take at least an hour for a complete look around. Then comes the light show, which is a story telling event with a voice-over (available in Hindi and English, kindly check for the timings before getting into the jail)
DAY 2 & 3 : Havelock Island
Havelock Island is the most amazing island I have been to.
The ferry to the Havelock (Swaraj Deep) Island needs to be booked early. Private ferries can be booked online (makruz), whereas Government ferries (cheaper) must be booked going to the Directorate of Shipping services venue which is at the Phoenix Bay. Be sure of booking the ferry tickets before the day at least. The first ferry to Havelock is at 6am, which is the best one to go as you can cover the all the places within the day and can return by that night. The travel duration is 2 hours from Phoenix Bay. Once going to Havelock Islands, transit to the above mentioned places are auto-rickshaw/Cab/Bus/Bike.
Places to visit in Havelock island :
Kaala Paththar Beach : Backdropped by dense forest, this tranquil beach offers a stretch of white sand & clear, aqua water. The beach is less crowded compared to the much hyped Radhanagar Beach.
I stayed at Flying Elephant resort which was really amazing and the experience of staying in wooden hut was worth giving it a shot.
Elephant beach – Need to hike for 2km and then you find the gorgeous ocean.
Scuba Diving :
Of all the things that I did in Andaman, Scuba diving at Nemo Beach was the most amazing experience that I did the activity twice! Since I went there during June which is the off season, I got to do this for Rs. 2500/- which would have been Rs. 3,500/- otherwise.
The best time to do this early morning and the session lasts for half an hour and 10 minutes of briefing and instructions.
DAY 4 : Neil Island
The next day morning, take a ferry to Neil Island from Havelock. The travel time is around 1 hour. Neil Island is a getaway for those looking to beat the crowd.
Things to do in Neil Island:
Natural Bridge : The natural bridge is the chief attraction of Andaman and Nicobar Island located on Neil Island. It is a beautiful, naturally formed bridge surrounded by lush greenery. The ideal time to visit this place is between 8 am and 11 am when it is low tide.
You get to see a variety of Corals, marine animals etc.
Bharatpur Beach: This tranquil, picturesque beach is popular for swimming & activities like snorkeling, Banana boating, Speed boating, Glass boat Ride etc.
Sitapur Beach : Sitapur beach is known for Sunrise and the beach is pretty vast and less visited by tourists. If you plan to stay back at Neil Island, it is worth watching the sunrise from here.
Lakshmanpur Beach 1 : This beach is really amazing and perfect to watch the sunset. The way towards this beach is beautiful. Grab some Maggi or Sweet corn and enjoy your sunset here.
Return to Port Blair the night.
DAY 5 : BARATANG ISLAND
Baratang is around 4 hours from Port Blair and the best way to go there is to hire a Cab which will cost around Rs. 4500/-. Start early by 2:30 AM so that you will be first to reach the check post at Jarawa Reserve forest by 6 AM. This will help you avoid the crowd at the following places.
The other transport option is to board the first bus from Port Blair which starts by 04:15 AM, travel time is of 4 hours. Bus ticket needed to be booked prior to the travel day. Once you reach Baratang Island, you will find the transits auto-rickshaws/boats to the above mentioned places.
Boat ride to Limestone caves & Mangrove Forest
Once you reach the Middle strait, you have to get into a ferry and go to the Baratang Island which takes around 20 mins. Once you reach there, take a boat to the Limestone cave and Mangrove forest which costs around Rs. 700 pre head and take around 30 mins to reach. The caves are beautiful and you need to walk around 20 mins to reach the place.
The limestone formations are spectacular. Once you go back to get in the boat, you have to walk through the mangrove forest which is again a nice experience.
Mud volcano
Baratang Island is the only place in South-Asia which can boast of a mud volcano. The mud volcano is the most famous tourist attraction in the island. This is formed by gases and liquids excreted by the earth’s interior. Gases like methane, carbon dioxide and nitrogen are released. There’s no lava spewed out, but mud in a semi-solid state comes out of the volcano. It is a rare natural wonder.
Jarwa Tribe:
While on the way to Baratang, you may get to see the Jarwa tribe on the way if you are lucky. Photography/Videography and interaction with them is strictly prohibited.
All the activities in Baratang can be completed by Noon and you can head back to Port Blair and reach by 3:00 PM.
Points to be noted : - Do carry some snacks when you start your day as shops are not assured at all the places you go. - BSNL is the only good network (un-interrupted network), Airtel and Vodafone are of feeble signal. - We won’t find the DIGITAL INDIA concept at Andaman, only GO CASH system prevails. It’s because the internet is so weak there, so no net banking or card transactions.
- You get both good Vegetarian and Non Vegetarian food in the island.
- All the hotel bookings were done through AirBnB.
- Makruzz is the private ferry we used most of the time for Island hopping. Booking can be done online.
PLEASE DO NOT LITTER AND THROW GARBAGE AROUND. KEEP THE PLACE CLEAN AND GARBAGE FREE.
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