Andaman and Nicobar Islands

For an island as sunny as Port Blair, it has its share of dark history. Once a British prison, the Cellular Jail (also known as Kala Pani) and its museum stand as a testament to the police rebels who shaped India's freedom struggle. A walk though its long, whitewashed corridors, past its barred cells (designed for solitary confinement) and through the courtyard (with stark details about the harsh conditions the prisoners were subjected to) will make for an interesting afternoon.

For something a little light on the mind, visit the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. Fifteen islands make up the marine park; a great place to see some of the region's underwater life.

A ferry from the Marine Park takes you to Jolly Buoy and the Red Skin Islands, where if the season is right, you can go snorkeling or keep your feet dry and see the coral reefs from the glass-bottomed boat. The island's marine life isn't the only thing that's diverse. The Andamans are home to four Negrito tribes who, anthropologists believe, came here 60,000 years ago from Africa. The Great Andamanese are said to have been resettled on Strait Island, a short distance from Port Blair. Only about a hundred tribesmen of the Onge survive. The Jarawa have recently made contact with the outside world, but remain independent, relying on hunting and gathering for their food needs. The Sentinelese tribe is the only one that remains hostile to contact from the outside world and those who venture too close to their island are known to have had arrows and spears fired at them.

If you are keen to learn more about the tribes without the hazard of arrows whizzing past, visit the Anthropological Museum. It isn't exactly state-of-the-art, but what it lacks in design, it makes up for in character.

Fit a visit to Ross Island into your itinerary. A small island about a kilometer and a half off the coast of Port Blair, this is where your imagination can stretch its legs. The mysterious island could be George's Kirrin Island from Enid Blyton's 'Famous Five' series, or it could be a place once inhabited by people who left it in a hurry. From a distance, it looks little more than a thicket of trees, but a close inspection will reveal a ghost town of beautiful structures such as the State Ballroom, the Chief Commissioner's House, a church bakery and troop barracks, now in ruins. Once the Administrative Headquarters for the islands as well as the seat of British power, Ross Island was shattered by an earthquake in 1941, forcing its English occupants to move out. Walk through the eerie ruins to startle deer, who bound away across the backdrop of prehistoric trees and azure waters. Take the first boat out to the island so that you can have it to yourself for a while.