A month in the Andamans

Photo of A month in the Andamans 3/20 by Kunal — Bharatpur Beach, take from jetty at Neil Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 4/20 by Kunal — Sunset Point, Neil Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 5/20 by Kunal — Explore Neil Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 6/20 by Kunal — Explore Neil Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 7/20 by Kunal — Walk the narrow village road, Neil Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 8/20 by Kunal — Swing on a hammock outside your hut, Neil Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 9/20 by Kunal — Make a sand volcano, Neil Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 10/20 by Kunal — Ferry to Havelock Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 11/20 by Kunal — Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 12/20 by Kunal — Get on a ship to Little Andaman

Photo of A month in the Andamans 13/20 by Kunal — Swim at Kalapatthar lagoon, Little Andaman

Photo of A month in the Andamans 14/20 by Kunal — Palm Plantations, Little Andaman

Photo of A month in the Andamans 15/20 by Kunal — Bus to North Andaman

Photo of A month in the Andamans 16/20 by Kunal — 'Dunghi' dropping us off at Craggy Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 17/20 by Kunal — Look for corals, Ross & Smith Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 18/20 by Kunal — Ross Island, Don't confuse with Ross & Smith

Photo of A month in the Andamans 19/20 by Kunal — Don't get caught in a storm, Ross Island

Photo of A month in the Andamans 20/20 by Kunal — Or a hurricane!

I spent 37 days in the Andamans in November, 2013. I spent a lot of time in Neil Island, around a week each in Little Andaman and North Andaman, a couple of days in Havelock Island and a few more in Port Blair. I got rid of some wasteful days to create this itinerary, which is a week shorter than my original unplanned one.

Route:

Port Blair > Neil Island > Havelock Island > Port Blair > Little Andaman > Port Blair > North Andaman > Port Blair

Note:

Make sure you don't get stuck in Port Blair to get on the next available ferry to Little Andaman. You can book a return ferry in Little Andaman.
The bus to Diglipur, North Andaman leaves early in the morning. Book your tickets a day in advance. There are no overnight buses as driving through the Jarawa region is prohibited at night. The return bus for Port Blair leaves in the morning as well, and can be booked at the market in Diglipur.
Ferries to Neil, Havelock, Little Andaman can be booked from Phoenix Jetty. The ferry for Little Andaman leaves from Haddo Wharf.
It is illegal to try to make contact with the Jarawa tribe.
Travel agents will want to sell you Makruz tickets (expensive ferry) if you approach them to book government ferries.
You can find budget accomodation at Aberdeen Bazaar, Port Blair.

Transit times & approximate fares (INR):

Port Blair to Neil Island: 2 hours (Ferry), 300
Neil Island to Havelock Island: 2 hours (Ferry), 300
Havelock Island to Port Blair: 2 hours (Ferry), 300
Port Blair to Little Andaman: 7 hours (Ferry), 200 (Seat)
Little Andaman to Port Blair: 9 hours (Overnight Ferry), 250 (Bunk Bed)
Port Blair to Diglipur: 10 hours (Bus), 500

Average expenditure (budget to mid-range) on food and stay (INR per day):

@Port Blair: Food - 400, Stay - 300
@Neil Island: Food - 300, Stay - 300
@Havelock Island: Food - 400, Stay - 600
@Little Andaman: Food - 350, Stay - 200
@North Andaman: Food - 600, Stay - 600

Expenditure on transport (INR):

Return airfare (Chennai to Port Blair): 13000
Auto-rickshaw fares @Port Blair: 20 (minimum), 150 (Aberdeen Bazaar to Haddo Wharf), 50 (Aberdeen Bazaar to Cellular Jail)
Shared Auto-rickshaw fare @Little Andaman: 50 (Hutbay Jetty to Netaji Nagar)
Scooter hire @Little Andaman: 300 per day

Port Blair

Things you can do at Port Blair: -Explore Aberdeen Bazaar and buy a snorkel (700 rupees) -Visit Cellular Jail, Marine Museum, Mini Zoo -Visit biological park at Chidiya Tapu on a day trip -Do other touristy things

Neil Island

Things you can do at Neil: -View sunset from Sunset point and walk back to your hotel along the beach in pitch dark (carry a headlamp) -Watch moon-rise from the edge of the jetty -Search for new swimming spots -Read a book while swinging in a hammock -Hunt for hidden spots of natural beauty -Walk the entire length of Neil Island. It is pretty long walk starting from Sitanagar beach and ending at Sunset Point -Sleep, swim, sip on coconuts, read and laze -Make a sand volcano and watch the waves devour it at high tide -If you are lucky (or unlucky) get stuck at Neil during a hurricane and wake up to a 'red dawn'

Havelock Island

Things you can do at Havelock: -Eat a delightful dinner at Emerlad Gecko -Go on a long bicycle ride to Ramnagar beach. Try to swim while huge waves pound you -Scuba Diving, Snorkeling -Look for hidden spots of natural beauty

Little Andaman

Things you can do at Little Andaman: -Wake up to the chirping of birds and waves breaking at the shore -Hire a scooter and go to the lighthouse or drive the scooter at night in pitch dark -Swim in Kalapatthar lagoon -Drive through palm plantations and visit spice plantations -Go on Jungle trek to look for hidden waterfalls -Watch local boys fishing