14 Must-Visit Places in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Winter breaks are around the corner. Are you looking for a perfect holiday spot? Then pack your bags and book your tickets to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to enjoy an exotic experience with your friends and family. Andaman & Nicobar Island is best known for its beaches, coral life, food, culture and water sport adventures. The place also has a historic relevance since the British era.

If you have made up your mind to enjoy a vacation in the Andaman, then here are 12 Must-Visit places of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

1. Cellular Jail

Famously known as Kaala Paani, it is one of the must-visit places in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which holds historical significance back since the British era. It is not just a jail, it is a complete story of the brave hearts who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of our country. The Pipal tree which has witnessed the struggles and atrocities of our great freedom fighters is, witness to the stories of their sacrifices.

The light and sound show is a must-watch, as it reflects the freedom struggles of our great freedom fighters. The show is conducted in both Hindi and English. The ticket costs Rs 50 for adults and Rs 10 for kids. The Hindi show is conducted for the whole week except Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the English show is conducted on the same days.

2. Jolly Buoy

It is a small beautiful island situated near wandoor at a distance of 30 km from Port Blair. The island is surrounded by a dense tropical dense forest which marks the beauty of the place. The island is isolated from the hustle-bustle of the city giving it an exotic feel. One can spend some time in peace and seclusion while enjoying its natural beauty. The turquoise blue color of the sea and the divergent species of corals and fishes will make you fall in love with it.

Hey wait! Jolly buoy has something super exciting for you too – scuba diving and snorkelling. Do you believe in two worlds? You surely will. Once you dive deep down into the sea, exploring the beauty of the world that lies beneath.

Are you feeling tempted to visit the island? Here are a few things that you need to know before you plan a trip to the island

To reach Jolly buoy one needs to take a boat from wandoor. It’s a 1hr 30min journey from Port Blair. 

• The best time to visit the island is between November to April.
• To have a better experience, it is advised to make the bookings of ferries in advance.
• It’s advisable not to plan a trip on Monday to jolly boy as the beach remains closed.
• The beach remains accessible from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm hence it is advised to reach wandoor before 9:00 am because after that there will be no access to ferries.
• Ferry ride will cost 850 INR including the permit charges.
• The entry charges for the beach is 50 INR for Indians and 500INR for foreigners.
• One must carry some light eatables and water but remember not to carry any kind of plastic bags or water bottles as it’s a plastic-free zone.

3. Havelock Island

The beautiful Havelock island is situated at a distance of 70 km from Port Blair. Away from the heavily populated cities, the island is surrounded by lush green tropical forest and white sand beaches. The pure air and the beautiful environment of the place is relaxing and calming for your mind body and soul.

It is around 4-5hr journey by boat/ship from Port Blair harbor to Havelock Island. During the ride, one can enjoy the changing colors of sea, the diving antics of beautiful flying fishes and the super amazing drills of great Indian navy. I am sure you must be feeling excited to visit and explore the beautiful places of the island. So here is list of beaches one must visit.

4. Radhanagar Beach

It is famous for its scenic beauty, white sands and its clear blue waters.  The aura of the places make it a perfect date spot. It’s a 30min drive from Havelock jetty.

Here are the following activities to enjoy at Radhanagar Beach:

• Go for swimming
• View the beautiful sunset

5. Elephant Beach

The Elephant beach is best known for its adventure sports sparkling water and its natural beauty.

If you are an adventure lover, here are the following activities that will be fun for you :

• Scuba diving
• Snorkelling
• Kayaking
• Jet skiing 

6. Ross Island

The beautiful Ross island is situated at a distance of 2-3 km from Port Blair. It is surrounded by tall green trees, dense forests and historic ruins. The island is secluded from the noise of city with almost no human population on it. One can enjoy the serenity of the palce moreover there is a marine sanctuary on the island which makes it an ideal place for spotting beautiful coral reefs and colorful species from under water.

The only way to reach the island is through water. It’s almost a 15 to 20 minutes ride from Port Blair harbour. The Ross Island is accessible throughout the year, but the best time to visit is during winters. The beauty of the island can be enjoyed from morning 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.

7. Samudrika Naval Marine Museum

The beautiful Samudrika Naval Marine Museum is well known as naval marine Museum. A place under the supervision of Indian Navy, it covers a diverse variety of fishes, sea shells and corals which are housed in it. The museum is meant to create awareness about the incredible beauty, underwater marine life and oceanic environment. The museum has been dived into five galleries depicting the tribes of Andaman, its geographical history, aquatic life and beautiful corals.

I am sure you must be planning a weekend with your kids, family and friends to explore this beautiful museum.

These are the few things that you need to know before you plan a visit to Samudrika Naval Marine Museum:

• The Naval Marine museum remains closed on Monday and holidays so plan your trip accordingly.
• Visiting hours of museum are 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
• The entry fee for adults is Rs 50 and for children Rs 25.
• There are no entry charges for physically disabled, freedom fighters and senior citizens.
• One has to pay 20 bucks to capture the beauty of the Naval Marine Museum.

8. Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex

The beauty of Andaman has lot for you in its treasure to make sure you have an amazing time here with your friends and family. IAndaman & Nicobar is not only best known for its beautiful islands but is also known for its best water sports experience. Rajiv Gandhi water sports complex is one of the oldest and India’s first safest water sport complex. One can experience and enjoy the aqua thrills.

So, here is the list of activities one can explore in Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex:

• Parasailing
• Banana boating
• Speed boating
• Jet-ski
• Paddle boating
• Rowing
• Glass bottom ride
• Bumper boating

9. Baratang Island

Situated 100 kms away from Port Blair, Baratang Island is an alluring island between south and middle of Andaman administrative district. The island is covered by beautiful dense mangrove trees, mud volcanoes, and limestone caves.

One has to take special permission from the forest department of Baratang to explore the limestone caves.

The Baratang island is linked by Andaman trunk road to Rangat and Mayabundr. To reach the Baratang island, government ferry services run between Port Blair and Baratang Island. The service operates from Phoenix Bay Jetty at 08:30 AM every day. You can avail the tickets for the same at the Single Window, Tourist Information Center at Directorate of I & P, between 09:00 AM to 04:00 PM.

10. Little Andaman

Little Andaman Island, located south of the South Andaman Island, is at a distance of 120 kms by sea from Port Blair. Little Andaman island offers a perfect mix of white sandy beaches, bewitching Waterfalls, Boating through the Creeks, exciting Elephant Safari, Elephant lumbering, Elephant calves training, Surfing etc.

All the places of tourist interest are approachable by the road, leading northwards from the Hutbay Jetty. Little Andaman has an evergreen rain forest which showcases a very rich biodiversity. The ideal time to visit the island is from November to February.

11. Rutland Island

The beautiful island lies at a distance of 20 km from Port Blair. Rutland is famous for its rich flora and fauna and its marine life. The ideal time to visit the island is in summers and winters. The turquoise blue color of the water and the serenity of the place will surely make you fall in love with the place.

So if you are planning to spend this weekend in Rutland, here are some  fun activities you can indulge in:

• Scuba diving
• Snorkelling
• Visiting turtle breeding centre

12. Chidiya Tapu

Do you also have a fascination for birds then Chidiya Tapu is a must-visit place for you! The beautiful place is situated at a distance of 28 km from Port Blair serving home to many beautiful and colourful migratory birds.

Chidiya Tapu is best known for its panoramic view, migratory birds, its beautiful sunset and for its oceanic view. The biological park is one of the major tourist attractions. You can also find the crocodiles here so pay attention to the safety norms of the park. You can also spend a beautiful evening here in the beautiful forest guest house which comes under the forest department of Andaman.

The beauty of the park can be explored throughout the week from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm whereas the Biological Park can be visited from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. The entry charges for the Biological Park are Rs 25 whereas the park entry costs nothing.

13. Chatham Saw Mill

The Chatham Saw Mill is one of the oldest saw mills in Asia. It is built on a tiny island and connected to Port Blair by a bridge. It is a store house of timber varieties like, Padauk, Gurjan, Marble, Satin wood etc. The Chatham Island has the second largest wharf of these islands where island-mainland ships can berth.

Within the Chatham Saw Mill compound, there is a museum showcasing the timber wealth of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The museum offers an insight into forest activities through scale models and displays decorative pieces made of Padauk, Marble, Gurjan, Satin wood etc. Closed on Sundays and Industrial Holidays, Forest Museum (Chatham) timings are 10.00 AM to 2.00 PM

14. Barren Island

One of the major and the only active volcanos in India is located in Barren Island. The volcano erupted twice after remaining dormant for about 177 years.

This island is about three kilometers in diameter and has a big crater of the volcano, about half a kilometer away from the shore. The island can be visited by chartering boats and with the permission of Forest Department.  Foreigners are restricted to be onboard and landing ashore is not allowed.

I am pretty much sure these beautiful places must have intrigued you, so this winter gift your family and friends with the beautiful experience of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

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