Let's start with a Fun Fact – Distance wise, Andaman is closer to Myanmar and Bangkok mainland, but still very much a part of India and also, one of the least explored destinations of India.
After our one and a half month extensive road trip Rajasthan across South India spanning over 7000 kms, we wanted a place to relax and introspect on our journey we had undertaken in the last couple of months and without much confusion, it was decided – its got to be beaches and since we have already covered beaches of South India, Andaman was the very obvious choice.
Things to plan before travelling:
1. Andaman is expensive: Being cut away from the mainland, Andaman can be a little expensive, with flights costing close to 15k per person for a roundtrip from Delhi or Mumbai, that too if booked a week or two in advance considering the current scenario. Also, food is expensive here as potatoes, onions and other essentials are all imported from the mainland, Chennai or Kolkata. Further, since ferry is the only option to commute between islands, a private ferry ticket to Havelock can cost you close to INR 3000 per person. There are government ferries also but getting a ticket in them is itself a task.
2. Mandatory RT-PCR negative report: RT-PCR, sample taken at most 48 hours before is mandatory to board the flight and ferry. We availed walk through facility of Hindustan Wellness in Gurgaon, for which there are charging government mandated rates, INR 500 and reports are delivered in 10-12 hours, although maximum time quoted is 24 hrs. Their facility is quite hassle free and we got our reports one day before our departure.
3. Book ferry tickets: Recently, private ferries have been given permission to restart in Andaman. Hence, one have multiple options. Makruzz and Green Ocean are two prominent players, with Makruzz being the more luxurious one. However, Makruzz feels more like a plane as one is not allowed to go on the open deck. Green ocean, on the other hand allows passengers to stand on the open deck and admire the blue sea all around. So considering your preference, one can go with any of the above, although Makruzz has the history of being much more reliable and comfortable.
4. Ideal itinerary: Ideally one should try to take out atleast 7 nights to explore Port Blair (2 Nights), Havelock (3 nights) and Neil Island (2 nights). Since you will be landing in Port Blair, one night on each side must be spent in Port Blair to avoid any hiccups with the timings of ferries in case of any delays in flight. Although one could spend a lifetime here on these islands, but we feel 7 days are a must to soak in the island life.
5. Must do activities: Besides other water sports, night Kayaking and scuba diving are the two activities that you should not even think about missing during your trip to this heaven. Both of these activities can be done in Havelock.
6. Connectivity: Airtel works pretty fine in Havelock but only for calls. No 3g or 4g, you have to rely on wifi for internet connectivity which is pretty fine considering the location. Almost every restaurant has wifi with good speed. Just to give you an eye, we were able to take office calls through MS Office with our hotel internet. But in Neil island, they do not even have wifi connectivity, so you would be almost cut off from the world.
So, pack your bags and go out to explore the wild and blue side of India, Andaman, and one thing we are sure of, the blue waters, rich marine life and the island people will surely make you feel go wow. We have travelled across South East Asia, but the sunny side of Andaman is one which we never expected and at the first glance, it took our breathes away.
Day wise itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Port Blair: Try to take an early morning flight, as mostly all flights are via Kolkata or Chennai, except a few. Even the direct flight is approx. 4 hours, so taking an early morning flight would be the best option to explore the city on the first day. Take auto from outside the airport to reach anywhere in the city at INR 100. There are plenty of hotel options in the city ranging from ITC to normal budgeted hotels. We decided to stay in the main market, Arabdeen Bazaar in Hotel Guru International.
Its located just near the market yet in an open area. It’s also at a walking distance to the Cellular Jail, which you can visit in the evening. The last entry ticket at the jail is sold at 4 PM, so be sure to reach there before that time. There is a light and sound show at the jail at 6PM and 7.30 PM. It is advisable to book the 6 PM slot as you can wait outside the jail in the park after your visit and have some snacks and overlook the beautiful city of Port Blair.
Tip: Due to Covid situation, tickets for light and sound show can only be booked online through Andaman Tourism website. Make sure you book that in advance to avoid disappointments.
Post your show, walk to one of the most happening lanes in Port Blair, Marina Park road. Have dinner at one of the numerous food trucks for all cuisines. Do try Smokey Oven pizza, India’s first pizza on a bike. They serve delicious pizzas at great rates.
Days 2: Post Blair to Havelock: We took 8AM Makruzz ferry to Havelock. Since the ferry services starts early in the morning, almost all hotels in Port Balir have a checkout policy of 8.30-9 AM. Further, in case you don’t want to have an early morning breakfast, they will be more than happy to pack bread and butter for later part of the day. Makruzz runs from Haddoo Jetty and the check in process is quite systematic and smooth, just like airlines. Here again, covid report and print out of ticket is checked, and luggage is scanned. The cruising time is 90 minutes which also depends on the wind direction and currents in the sea. The first look of Havelock can be a bit deceiving with auto and taxi drivers haggling, but once you cross this chaos, you are in for a pleasant surprise. There are numerous hotels in Havelock ranging for all budgets. Hotels starts right from the Jetty and extend all the way upto Radhanagar and Kala Patthar Beach.
The best area to stay would be Vijaynagar Beach (Beach #5). This can be considered as mid point of Havelock with multiples options for scuba, dining, and two wheeler rentals.
The best way to explore this island is hire a two wheeler. Generally the charges are 400/day with 2000 as security for helmets. Do hire a two wheeler the day you reach to explore the island at your own pace.
On first day, one should just try to soak up the island life and spend some time on the beautiful yet unexplored beaches. In case anyone wants to step out, do watch the sunset at Radhanagar Beach, World’s 7 Best beach and Asia’s best beach. Its white sand and blue water will surely leave you mesmerized for a lifetime. They have proper changing rooms and clean shower available so once can change after a swim in the sea.
Hotel recommendations in Havelock:
a. Luxury: Taj, Barefoot, Munojh, Sea Shell
b. Mid range: Dolphin (Andaman govt property), Havelock Island, TSG Blue, Symphony Palms Beach Resort, Blue Bird resort
c. Budgeted: Green Valley (Best in range), Shangri Las, Flying Elephant
Day 3: Havelock: Get up early morning and catch the sunrise at Kala Pathar beach, located on the other end of the island. Have breakfast at multiple small shacks on the beach with items ranging from maggi to parantha to chaat items. Spend your day scootering through the island and visit to Elephanta beach. This beach can be reached via a trek or boat ride from the Jetty. Trekking is exciting as it takes you through dense jungles, mangrove froests and knee deep water to reach the beach. Although there are guides available to trek you through, but we won’t recommend any guides as the way is pretty simple and straightforward. This beach is primarily for water activities including Jet Ski, Snorkelling, Sea Walking etc. Get out the child in you and opt for the rides which you want to do. Rates are negotiable depending upon the season and demand.
Gear up for an exciting night as you should opt for Night Kayaking deep in the ocean and if fortunate, see the bioluminescent effect in the sea. Although there are various vendors who offer night kayak, we chose Eco Divers located at Beach no 3. The charges are 1500 per person for 1-1.30 hr of kayaking and its perfectly safe and fine. This is one of the experiences which we will never be able to forget in our lives. We went on a double kayak somewhere around 1.5-2 kms deep in the sea from the shore and had one of the amazing views, we could actually see the bioluminescent in the water. Since it was a no moon night, it was even more beautiful. Although it could be tiring, but the reward is tempting enough to leave the fatigue aside and carry on.
Day 4: Havelock: Get up early morning for an exciting session of scuba diving. Now here’s one thing to remember, almost all the dives happen at Nemo Reef, but the charges vary from vendor to vendor. All of them show the same thing in the same time frame. In case you are feeling more adventures, do opt for boat diving, which is almost 3 times the price of shore diving, but equally exciting. We opted for shore diving with Andaman Dive and were charged 1500 per person. Other vendors were charging 2500 per person for the same dive. Boat dive costs around 4500 per person, and no swimming is required for both. Going inside the sea and spotting the Nemo and corals is sight to behold, introspect and peace, which can only be felt once inside the water.
Spend your last day visiting the end points of the island. Go to kala patthar beach but this time don’t stop, keep on driving until you reach the dead end which is around 4-5 kms from the beach. On the way, you will see what real island life looks like, beautiful landscapes, coconut farms, cows grazing, and unmatched silence.
Day 5: Havelock to Neil: After breakfast, its time to say to this beautiful paradise and head over to another small yet equally beautiful island, Neil. Board morning ferry and reach Neil by 12 PM. Head over to your hotel and get ready for another exciting day. One tip here, Neil island has only 40-50 2 wheelers, so its better to book your ride the moment you reach there to secure yourself one. Also, since the terrain is almost flat, cycling is another option which you can explore provided you are comfortable riding in the sun. In the evening, head over to Laxmanpur beach for the best sunset views of your trip. They have some really nice shacks there which allows you to have your snacks sitting on the beach with a table besides you. Plus, this beach is extremely windy and you will be having a great time here just by sitting for some time.
Hotel recommendations:
Its best to stay near Laxmanpur beach due to its vicinity to all the places. However, in case you are looking for some isolated place to stay, TSG Aura at Sitapur beach is the place for you.
a. Luxury: Sea Shell (2 properties), Symphony
b. Mid range: TSG Aura
c. Budget: Coco n beach huts, and various homestays spread throughout this small island.
Day 6: Neil: Get up early in the morning at around 4 for witnessing the sunrise at Sitapur beach, one of the end points of this island. Since Sitapur is located on a small cliff, watching sunrise from there make one feel like sitting on edge of the world. Also, have your cup of chai, while sitting for the golden rays. While coming back, do visit the natural bridge at Laxmanpur 2 beach. Here, the water recedes in the morning and small ponds of water are formed wherein you can see fishes, corals, marine life very clearly with your naked eyes. Also, a bridge type of structure is formed which is a great opportunity for photographers. Trust me, this view you will be cherishing for a lifetime.
Come back to your hotel and after a heavy breakfast, set out to explore this island a bit more. Head over to Sitapur beach, one which you visited in the morning, but this time its gonna be completely empty. You can lie on the beach in shade of a tree or take a walk along the entire coast, without a single person in sight. In case you don’t want some me-time, head over to Bharatnagar beach for some water activities. Water sports are same here as Elephanta beach in Havelock, just a bit cheaper and less crowded. Do visit the local shops for some sea made items and souvenirs. Next head over to one of the least visited beaches in Neil, Ramnagar beach. There is no specific road leading to this beach, rather there are small ways while going to Sitapur beach, sort of private properties of locals. Choose one such property and venture inside to reach out complete serenity. As this beach is mostly a sunset point, going in the afternoon will give a calm and much more private setup. Have a simple meal of Dal rice with the locals and enjoy their stories about island life. Next head back to your hotel and get ready for a beach side date (exclusive private setup at dirt cheap rates). Head over to Bharatnagar beach and look out for Hemmant Restaurant. He will set your table up on the beach with candles and will serve you the most delicious food ever with such love and patience, that one will want the time to halt. A meal for 2 will just cost approx. 1000 and will give you some alone time with your partner.
Day 7: Neil to Port Blair: Board your ferry to Port blair and spend the day exploring Samudrika museum, Aquarium. In case you have time, take three island tour on Ross and Viper island.
Day 8: Depart with memories of a lifetime.
You can follow our travel journey on Instagram @travel.buddiesforlife
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