Andaman is a treasure trove of thick forests and stunning views of the ocean, where azure waters await you at every turn. The island, although a part of India, is different from its mainland in numerous ways. Starting with a difference in time zones and the vivid tribal cultures, this gorgeous island is must-have on your bucket list. Right from the first look out of the plane window, to the breathtakingly beautiful beaches and the rich underwater life, Andaman has, by far, been the best trip of my life.
This island has been my dream for as long as I can remember. At last my husband and I picked this mesmerizing beauty as our next backpacking destination. With 10 days in hand and a shoestring budget , we boarded our flight to Port Blair from Chennai.
Being managed quite a bit by the local travel agencies, it is difficult to travel independently in the Andaman. After reading numerous articles and doing a good amount of research, I came up with my own extensive agenda and itinerary. One of the things in my to-do list was to trek up Munda Pahad and watch the sunrise. It is the tip of South Andaman, where tourists can go without permission.
Searching Chidiya Tapu on the map, you can see that it sits right at the tip of South Andaman. Chidiya Tapu is the beach 45 minutes walk from where is the tip; Munda Pahad. The island is two hours ahead of mainland India, which means the sun rises at 4.45 am and so it is best that your day start at 4.00 am. As the alarm rang in the wee hours of the morning, we sprung right out of bed, and I grabbed my camera and hopped on the rented scooty. Chidiya Tapu is 30 km away from Port Blair. The 40 minutes ride to the tip was quite chilly, passing through hamlets, backwater streams and the ocean.
We reached the biological park right at the time of sunrise. The main gate was closed, so we parked our vehicle outside and walked in. The entire place was so quiet and barely had a couple of people out for their morning walk. Chidiya Tapu is the biological park rich in flora and fauna. Due to the recent crocodile sightings, swimming on the beach is banned except in the designated area with fences.
Munda Pahad beach is breathtaking. It has 180-degree stunning views of the ocean and the ruins of the uprooted trees add to the rustic landscape. The park is so well maintained that you can actually enjoy a picnic with your family in the middle of the dense forest and witness wild animals in their natural habitat.
Munda Pahad is the small hill that you need to trek to get to the tip. The walk is one hour from the beach. As there was nobody to guide us so early at dawn, we searched around a bit and found the trekking route. Initially, the walk was all uphill, through the green canopy, passing through the naturally formed trails. I had to constantly watch out for leeches, the occasional movement in the bushes making me wonder if it was a tiny chameleon, a snake or a four-legged animal. I could constantly hear the ocean, sometimes loud and clear, and sometimes at a distance. A twenty-minute-walk led us to the lighthouse, and another ten minutes took us to the the first view of the ocean.
From here on you can actually see the tip. The view of the ocean from the tip is inexplicable. It is the same ocean I have been seeing all along, the same turquoise colour but the adrenaline rush just knowing the geographical location of where you are is exciting. Standing at the edge of South Andaman overlooking the infinity is an experience of a lifetime.
There were fishermen out at sea, few boats docked and the sun slowly rising above. All the chitter-chatter faded away as I neared the tip. We had to explore a little bit to figure out the safe distance up to which we could walk. At this point the sun had risen, the orange hue had turned blue and the heat was rising. We sat down under a tree for a while in silence before heading back.
In the 10 days of my trip, watching the sun rise at Munda Pahad was one of those experiences I would cherish for years to come. This is certainly something I would recommend. The next time you are in the Andaman, take a couple of hours out of your itinerary and trek up Munda Pahad. People who cannot trek can just visit Chidiya Tapu to watch the sun going down. Those who can walk the extra 45 minutes should do this trek and see how it feels to be standing at the edge facing the horizon.
Bon Voyage!
Signing Off rucksackdiaries
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