Planning to travel to Andaman on your next vacation? ā¤ļø
I am so excited for you to #ExploreIndianIslands !
Have questions like where to stay, top things to do, how to reach Andaman islands, best places to visit, best time to visit and more?āRead this guide till the end or better, save it in your bookmark as this is going to be your one stop guide which answers ALL the above questions!
I have been to the Andaman Islands with my family and I did quite a research before booking my stays, transport and planning the activities to have the perfect family vacation and now you can benefit from my planning and learn what to do and what mistakes to avoid.
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How To Reach Andamans?
By Air:
You can book a direct flight to Port Blair from New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. For any other city, only connecting flights are available.
How did I reach Andaman?
I went to Andaman from Bangalore by GoAir airline. This was a direct flight of 2 hours 40 minutes with no stops or layovers.
Big Question: Should we book a travel agent or plan it out ourselves?
Andaman has quite a few islands and there are 2 islands which are famous and mostly visited amongst the tourist: Havelock and Neil Island.
While travelling to and fro these islands we require entry permit, stay pass, cruise tickets, car or any vehicle to travel within the island and then there are some areas within the same island which require some entry pass and so on.
We are visiting Andaman to relax and chill but having to take care about all these things might come in your way of peace so it's better if you hire an agent to take care of all these stuff and you focus on enjoying the beauty of Andaman!
What did I do?
I hired the agent for transport and all the permits stuff and chose the accommodation myself (outside the agent's package) because booking the accommodation with the agent costed me much more.
Best Time To Visit Andaman?
The best duration to visit Andaman is December to February. No, it's not cold as it's a tropical place but it's comparatively a better time to enjoy the islands and for sight-seeing. If you are planning a budget trip, note that this is the peak season and the prices for everything would be high.
But don't lose your hope, monsoon season is also a good time to visit. You can enjoy the lush green side of Andaman and the prices would also be comparatively lower for everything.
However, I would recommend to check weather conditions and plan your trip during September to November and not May to August (as it would rain continuously and you won't be able to enjoy)
When did I visit?
I visited in March end it was not too hot. Locals said the weather remains the same all throughout the year except in peak monsoons.
Where to stay in Andaman?
Travelers mostly visit these 3 places in Andaman:
Port-Blair, Havelock Island (officially Swaraj Island) and Neil Island(officially Shaheed island).
While Port Blair is the place where you will land, I would suggest you to book maximum stays in Havelock and Neil Island only as Port Blair doesn't have as many pristine beaches as these 2 islands.
There are many options to stay at all these places for all kinds of budget.
Depending on your budget, you can choose your accommodation.
Best places To Visit In Andaman
I stayed in Andaman for a week and explored quite a bit. All the places are gorgeous but there are certain places which I loved a little more than others. Mentioning them all here for you!
Best Places To Visit In Port-Blair:
Cellular Jail (also attend Light show which starts in evening. Tickets will be available right outside the jail or if you have booked an agent, he will get them for you)
Corbyn's Cove Beach (Get's crowded by sunset time)
Wandoor Beach (I found it peaceful)
Chidiya Tapu
Ross Island
North Bay Island
Best Places To Visit In Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)
Radhanagar Beach (Quite popular for sunsets)
Kalapathar Beach (You can watch sunrise here)
Elephant Beach ( I didn't visit but apparently you can swim with Elephants here)
Vijaynagar Beach
Govindnagar Beach
Best Places To Visit In Neil Island: (Shaheed Dweep)
Bharatpur Beach (it has all the water sport activities)
Sitapur Beach
Laxmanpur 1 & 2 Beaches.
Howrah Bridge (it's a naturally formed bridge and you will get guides here too who will explain all the history and also about the sea animals as you can spot them easily over here)
Neil Kendra
We missed Ross and Smith Island as the driver said we would require full 2 days to visit it and come back to Port Blair and I have heard it's a very beautiful place so if you have time do visit it too.
There are many other places like Baratang Island, Viper Island, Barren Island Volcano, National Parks (for people who like trekking) but I didn't want to explore everything in a go but rather enjoy whatever places I visit, peacefully. Maybe next time š
Offbeat Places To Visit In Andaman
Add a few more days in your itinerary if you want to explore the touristy as well as the hidden gems of Andaman Islands. Or if you have already visited the Havelock and Neil Islands and want to explore the less explored on your next visit then I have written a perfect article for you!
Please maintain cleanliness and do respect the people, nature and your surroundings. Please don't litter.
How Many Days Are Sufficient To Visit Andamans?
Ideally, a week is more than enough for Andaman. We went for 6 nights and 7 days and enjoyed all the places peacefully.
But if you want to visit the Ross and Smith Island too, then it might take around 10 days.
It depends on how many places you want to visit and your budget but I would suggest to go for at least 5 days.
Top Things To Do In Andaman
For all the adventure lovers, there are many water sport activities in Andaman and while you will be very much excited to try them all in Port Blair on the first day itself, WAIT.
Because Havelock and Neil have much clear water and many options available too as compared to Port Blair.
The BEST part about most of these activities are you are NOT required to know swimming!
So anyone can enjoy these water sports š
Scuba Diving at Havelock and Neil Islands : It starts at around 3500 per person
Snorkeling - we did it at North Bay Island ( a 15 minute boat ride away from Ross Island) : It's around Rs 1000 per person
Semi-Submarine - Only available at the North Bay Island (Roughly around Rs 600 per person)
Glass Bottom Boating - We tried it at Neil Island and it was quite amazing.
Sea Bottom Walking
Para Sailing
Banana Boat Ride
Jet Skiing
Speed Boating
Sport Fishing
Swimming with Elephants
Simply Walking/cycling around the island to explore it's beauty. Ask some local person about which areas are safe to go to.
Have Any Other Questions?
I have mentioned almost everything you need to plan your Andaman Vacation. Do visit my website to read more informative articles and don't forget to follow me on Instagram for regular updates! Do like this article and share it with your friends and I would love to read your views in the comments section too!
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