Planning A Trip To Port Blair? Here Are The 10 Best Things That You Should Explore!

2. Light And Sound Show of Cellular Jail:

One of the most engaging things to do in Port Blair is definitely indulging in the historical saga of the heroic sacrifices of some revolutionaries and political prisoners during the struggle of India’s freedom from the British Government. The history of Kala Pani, which means black waters, built primarily to imprison and torture political prisoners, is brought alive by a heartfelt narration from the viewpoint of an old peepal tree in the jail complex that witnessed all the tragic events in this Cellular jail. The voice of the peepal tree is that of one of the most famous Bollywood actors, Om Puri. The show is available in both Hindi and English.

Timings: Light and Sound Show timings are 6:00 p.m. ( Hindi) and 7:15 p.m. (English).

Entry Fees: Rs. 50/- per person.

Visit Duration: The light and sound show runs for almost an hour.

How to reach: You can reach Cellular Jail by taking a bus, auto-rickshaws or taxis to reach the place from any major city spot.

3. Chidiya Tapu:

For all the sunset lovers out there, Chidiya Tapu should definitely be a must visit when in Port Blair. In addition to catching captivating sunsets, Chidiya Tapu is also a favorite stop for many bird watchers as different kinds of migratory birds from all over the world flock here and it's definitely a sight to behold.

Timings: The best time to go birdwatching here is during the morning when they are highly active. But, to enjoy the beautiful sunsets, stay till late afternoon.

Entry Fees: There is absolutely no entrance fees, so one more reason to go visit this place.

Visit Duration: Depends on whether you are a bird enthusiast (then morning is best for you) or a sunset lover (Of course, late afternoon it is)

How to reach: Chidiya Tapu is located at a distance of approximately 32 kilometers from the city and can be reached by auto-rickshaw or taxi. One can even rent a bike from the city center.

4. Munda Pahar Beach:

Do you have some extra time in hand to spend in between birdwatching and catching a sunset in Chidiya Tapu? Stroll along the shores or relax on the white soft sands of Munda Pahar Beach which is about 2-3 kms from Chidiya Tapu. The water here is almost clear and offers a wide range of activities such as photography, lush green mangrove knots viewing, coral-viewing, trekking, fishing and bird watching.

Timings: Throughout the day as there is no definite time to visit but sunsets here are enticing, if that helps in planning your trip to Munda Pahar Beach.

Entry Fees: Free, so this should definitely encourage you more to head towards this extremely close to nature place.

Visit Duration: Depending on your itinerary you can either spend an entire day or half a day and cover both Chidiya Tapu and Munda Pahar Beach.

How to reach: Munda Pahar Beach is approximately 28 Kms away from Port Blair and takes about 40 Minutes to reach this beach. You can take taxis, auto-rickshaws from the city center or even rent out a bike to reach this beach.

5. Corbyn's Cove:

With pleasant blue sea water and lush green coconut palms, the beach allows you to relax and enjoy several water sports available on the shore of the beach, making it a popular sightseeing place in Port Blair. You can also visit Snake Island where you will spot varieties of snakes and corals too.

Timings: You can visit this beach anytime of the day. Entry Fees: No entrance fees is required to enter the beach.

Visit Duration: You can spend a few hours or half a day depending on your interest.

How to reach: Corbyn's Cove is approximately eight kilometers from the main city. So, one can take an autorickshaw or a cab, or even rent a bike to reach here.

6. Marina Park:

From health freaks to water sports adventure junkies, from children to adults enjoying a fancy lunch or dinner overlooking the sea, Marina Park has something for everyone. Rides for other islands leave Aberdeen Jetty here in Marina Park, so in a single trip, one can visit multiple exciting places like Marina Park, Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex, Children's Traffic Park, Fisheries Aquarium, Boat Ride to Ross Island, Viper Island and North Bay. A walk down the sea facing jogging track is a must if you happen to be in Port Blair.

Timings: 6.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.

Entry Fees: No entrance fee is required to enter this park.

Visit Duration: The best part is if you can plan in advance then you can spend the entire day here covering all the nearby interesting places or else you can spend an hour for your morning walk before starting off the day to visit other places of interest in Port Blair.

How to reach: Marina park is located around 3 km from Aberdeen Bazaar or Port Blair STS Bus terminus and is connected by road. You can take an auto or a cab from Aberdeen Bazaar to reach here. In case you prefer to walk around, then you can also walk to the park from Aberdeen bazaar.

7. Ross Island Tour:

One of the best things to do in Port Blair is to take a boat or ferry to Ross Island and revisit the colonial past as Ross Island brings a bit of history to the table that makes your visit to this island more interesting. Named after Captain Daniel Ross, the Ross Island is now renamed as the "Netaji Shubash Chandra Bose Dweep". A lot of government offices were built by the British Government as Ross Island was the Administrative Headquarter for many years but were later abandoned due to the 1941 earthquake. Exploring the ruins of these old buildings, man-made caves, a sanctuary of deers, attending the light and sound show should definitely be part of itinerary when in Ross Island, an experience that is unparalleled and definitely intriguing.

Timings: 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (also ensure to check out the boat timings).

Entry Fees: There is a Rs. 30/- for adults and Rs. 25/- for children. These prices can change. There's an additional fee for light and sound show.

Visit Duration: To visit Ross Island, it's best to keep a whole day aside, starting from 8.00 a.m. till 5.00 p.m.

How to reach: The island can only be reached by taking a boat or ferry from the Water Sports Complex which will take you directly to the jetty in less than 15 minutes. The cost of a boat can range from Rs. 150/- to Rs. 500/- based on the size and seat position. Book a boat in advance and make sure to get a return ticket as well because you cannot stay on the island and the tickets sell out really fast. The tickets can be easily obtained by visiting the Directorate of Shipping Services office, located at Aberdeen Bazaar. Carry your identity and vaccination proofs as they are needed for booking tickets and also passports in case you are a foreigner.

8. Jolly Buoy Island:

Jolly Buoy island with its amazing coral reef is indeed one of the most popular places to visit in Port Blair. It comes under the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. Booking in advance is a must for a Jolly Buoy Island trip as you will need a permit and tickets to visit this island. When on Jolly Buoy Island, you must take a glass-bottom boat to enjoy the underwater coral view through a glass-bottom. Snorkeling is not allowed at Jolly Buoy Island. Since it is on the same route as Red Skin Island, you can visit both islands on the same day if you plan it out well in advance. Jolly Buoy is a No Plastic zone, so you have to submit all plastic items at Wandoor beach jetty before leaving for Jolly Buoy Island.

Timings: 8.00 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.

Entry Fees: A trip to Jolly Buoy costs Rs. 950/-, which includes Boat Tickets and Permits. There's a separate cost for the glass-bottom boats.

Visit Duration: An entire day should be kept for visiting Jolly Buoy Island and Red Skin Island. Starting as early as 7 a.m. to be able to take the boat to Jolly Buoy from Wandoor is highly recommended. Most of the boats start almost at the same time around 8 a.m. and return at 2.30 p.m. But, do keep in mind that both Jolly Buoy and Red Skin islands are opened for 6 months alternatively in a year to protect the live corals.

How to reach: To reach Jolly Buoy, you first need to reach Wandoor jetty which is approximately 30 Km from the main city in Port Blair. From Wandoor jetty, you need a boat ride to Jolly Buoy which takes approximately 45 minutes to reach Jolly Buoy.

9. Mount Harriet National Park:

Mount Harriet National Park with its unique flora and natural fauna and being the highest peak offering picturesque views is definitely a perfect place for any nature-lover visiting Port Blair. What makes the park particularly alluring is the fact that the place is home to some species which are deemed to be extinct by many. This famous peak is named after Harriet Tytler, wife of Mr. Robert Christopher Tytler who was a British army officer and a photographer in the early 1860s. Interestingly, one of the views you can see is that of a lighthouse located in the North Bay Island, the same that is seen at the back of an old INR 20 currency note, taken from the top of Mount Harriet peak. You can also enjoy spectacular sunsets and sunrises while relaxing at this park along with hilltop views of Port Blair city, Havelock Island and Ross Islands.

Timings: 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Entry Fees: Rs. 25/- per person (Indians), Rs. 10/- per child (Indians), Rs. 250/- per person (Foreigners), Rs. 25/- for use of camera (Non professional), Rs. 200/- for use of camera (Professional), Rs. 3000/- for use of camera (Professional video shoot), Rs. 20/- for motor vehicles including two wheelers, Rs. 50/- for heavy motor vehicles like Bus.

Visit Duration: You can plan a whole day here or a half day depending on your schedule. You also can book the forest guest house located in the park for stay and lunch or dinner.

How to reach: Mount Harriet is about 55 kilometers by road and just 15 kilometers by ferry from Port Blair. From Port Blair, you can take a cab that takes you to the Chatham Jetty. Here, you can take a ferry that takes about 15 minutes to help you cross the sea. These ferries don’t have a fixed schedule but are available at an interval of 15-20 minutes. This ferry will take you to Bambooflat from where you can take local jeeps to go all the way up to the hills of Mount Harriet. The ferry that you chose for travel from Chatham to Bambooflat is a vehicle ferry which carries passengers as well as bikes, cars, and even buses. So, if you are lucky, the cab that you had hired from Port Blair can travel with you in the same ferry and take you straight away to Mount Harriet.

10. Barren Island:

Barren Island, India's only active volcano is a small island located at a distance of about 135 km from the capital city Port Blair. The name comes from the fact that it is uninhabited by humans and is thus bereft of any vegetation. You can occasionally sight a flying fox or a goat but other than that as the name suggests, it's barren, completely lifeless. The active volcano factor adds much to the popularity of this island and hence a lot of tourists have this island on their must visit list when in Port Blair.

Timings: 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Entry Fees: No separate entrance fees except for the cost of your Ferry or boat ride.

Visit Duration: The complete trip will take about 7 to 8 hours to complete with ample amount of time to see the beauty of the island, however, a permit will be required by the Forest Department of Andaman and Nicobar Government. Also, due to being an active volcano site, entry to the island is restricted, you can not land on the island but rather enjoy it from your ferry or boat.

How to reach: You can either avail the ferry services or the water boats that will take you to the island. It will take almost 3-5 hours to reach the island from Port Blair.

Apart from the above things to do or visit in Port Blair, don't forget to shop travel souvenirs from Aberdeen Bazaar or dine at the many restaurants in Port Blair for the lip smacking seafood.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your bags packed and head to Port Blair (of course, abide by the safety measures and other travel guidelines) and use this list to your advantage.

Do let me know in the comments what you liked doing in Port Blair the most and I will share my favorites with you.

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