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Ross Island - Neil island - Barren Island - Mount Harriet - Havelock Island - Diglipur - Long Island
Wandoor: The Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park at Wandoor comprises 15 islands, creeks and open sea spread across 280 sqkm. It includes mangrove creeks, tropical rain forests, more than 50 types of corals and rare under water marine life. Glass bottom boats and snorkels are available on hire to watch these colourful marine animals.
One can reach Wandoor by bus from Port Blair, 29 km away. It is a convenient base for visiting the near by Jolly Buoy, Red Skin and Cinque Islands.
For more information, see Wandoor Marine National Park.
 Chidiya Tapu: Chidiya Tapu or Bird Island is a tiny village on the southern most tip of South Andaman, about 25 km from Port Blair. Its lush green mangroves and sandy beaches make a picturesque site. The island also provides astounding views of other islands and submerged corals, especially at sunset. Some of the best snorkelling in the area is offered at an island couple of kilometers south of Chidiya Tapu.
Madhuban: Popular as a trekking haunt, the lush forests of Madhuban house a variety of birds and colourful butterflies besides lumbering elephants. Madhuban is to the north east of South Andaman, situated about 75 km from Port Blair. One can also reach Madhuban by bus or ferry from Port Blair.
Mount Harriet: Mount Harriet is 365 metres high and the highest peak in South Andamans. It is across an inlet north of Port Blair, about 55 km by road. The peak offers marvelous views from the top. A nature trail from here leads to Madhuban. Mt Harriet was the summer headquarters of the Chief Commissioner during the British rule.
Sippighat Farm: A Government Research farm where research into spices such as cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, coconut and pepper are conducted. The farm sprawls across 80 acres of land, 15 km from Port Blair, on the way to Wandoor.
Ross Island: Bearing a haunted look today, the Ross Island was the A dministrative Headquarters for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands before an earthquake rocked it in 1941. The headquarters were then shifted to Port Blair.
One can see remnants of an opulent past in the ruins of the church, swimming pool and the chief commissioner’s residence with its huge gardens and grand ballrooms. There is also a cemetery and a small museum managed by the Indian Navy. The museum has on display a collection of old records.
The Ross Island is about 2 km east of Port Blair and can be reached by a short boat ride from Phoenix Bay Jetty. The island is controlled by the Indian navy, which requires every visitor to sign in when entering.
See also, The Story of Ross Island.
Viper Island: The Viper Island was used by the British to imprison convicts before the cellular jail was constructed. Remains of the old jail and the gallows built by the British in 1867 are still visible on top of a hillock, which offers breathtaking views of the sea and other islands.
The island got its name from a British ship by the same name that was wrecked nearby.
Other Islands
Neil Islands
36 km northeast of Port Blair, the Neil Island is popular as a camping site and for snorkelling. The lush green forests and virgin beaches offer an ideal holiday for eco-friendly tourists. The island has a sizeable population of Bengali settlers.
Getting There: Ferries operate between Port Blair and Neil Islands 4 times a week.
Accommodation:
1. Hawabill Nest guesthouse run by the directorate of tourism offers regular and air-conditioned rooms.
2. APWD Guest House offers only two rooms.
It is advisable to book well in advance at the Andaman and Nicobar Tourist Office in Port Blair.
Places to Eat: There are a couple of restaurants at the village that offer fried fish, vegetables, dosas and rice. Basic commodities like mineral water are not very easily available.
Havelock Island:
54-km northeast of Port Blair, the Havelock Island is popular for its marine life and elephant population. It has some beautiful beaches stretching across several kilometers and crystal clear waters abundant in dolphins and turtles. The island population comprises Bengali settlers. Back to
Getting There: Ferries operate between Port Blair and Havelock Island 6 times a week. The journey takes about 4½ hours.
Accommodation:
1. Dolphin Yatri Niwas Guest House run by the directorate of tourism, offers regular, deluxe and air-conditioned accommodation. It has cozy cottages beside a secluded beach and serves basic meals.
2. Tent Resort run by the Andaman and Nicobar Tourism offers tented accommodation at two beaches. The tents are spacious with twin beds and are hitched under the trees lining the beaches. Food and drinks are available at the resort.
MS Guest House and Gauranga Lodge are the other places one can stay at. It is a good idea to book for accommodation well in advance because most of these places are booked for government officials.
Long Island:
A small island, 82 kms from Port Blair, its welcoming evergreen forests, sandy beaches and clean, unpolluted atmosphere make it a popular destination.
Getting There: Ferries operate between Phoenix Bay Jetty, Port Blair and Long Island thrice a week.
Accommodation: The Forest Rest House is the only place one can stay in. Book well in advance for a confirmed reservation.
Rangat:
170 kms by road from Port Blair, Rangat has untouched sandy beaches and rich foliage of evergreen trees. 15 kms away at Curtbert Bay beach is the turtle nesting ground. Back to top
Getting There: One can reach Rangat from Port Blair by boat or by road. The road runs very close to the Jarawa tribe reserves and since the tribe is hostile towards outsiders, it is not advisable to make a solitary journey.
Accommodation: Basic accommodation is available at Hawksbill Nest of Directorate of Tourism, APWD guesthouse, Hare Krishna Lodge and Chander Mohan Lodge.
Mayabunder:
71 km north of Rangat in Middle Andaman, Mayabunder has some very beautiful beaches. The population includes settlers from Burma, East Pakistan and ex-convicts.
Getting There: Mayabunder is linked by regular boat and bus services from Port Blair.
Accommodation: Swiftlet Nest run by the Directorate of Tourism offers regular and air-conditioned accommodation.
The APWD Guest House and Laxmi Lodge also offer basic accommodation.
Diglipur:
Situated to the north of Mayabunder, Diglipur is the only place in North Andaman open to foreigners. Saddle Point (the highest peak in these islands), Kalpong (the only river in the Andamans) and Kalipur (a beautiful sandy beach) are some of the main attractions here. Diglipur is famous for oranges, rice and rich marine life. The first and only hydro-electrical project of Andamans is coming up at Diglipur.
Getting There: Ferries operate between Port Blair and Diglipur twice a week and twice every day between Diglipur and Mayabunder.
Accommodation: Turtle Resort of the Directorate of Tourism offers regular and air-conditioned accommodation, APWD Guest House also offers 12 beds.
Barren Islands:
About 135 km by sea from Port Blair, the Barren Island holds the only active volcano in India. The volcano erupted twice in the recent years – 1991 and again in 1994 after remaining dormant for more than 177 years.
One can visit the island on special boats but disembarking from the vessel is not allowed.
Cinque Island:
The Cinque Islands are part of the Marine National Park and are considered among the most beautiful in the Andamans. About 3½ hours from Wandoor by boat, they are uninhabited but for the rare and exotic species of corals and marine life. The island is also worth visiting for the unusual sand bar which joins the sister islands of North and South Cinque.
Only day visits are allowed unless you take permission from the forest department. One can also reach the island directly from Port Blair or Chidiya Tapu.
Little Andaman:
About 120 km by sea from Port Blair, Little Andaman is home to the Onges Tribe. The tribal area is in the southern part of the island and out of bounds for foreign tourists. Even for Indians, permission to visit the reserve is required. All tourists are expected to sign in when they enter the island. A picturesque waterfall, a beautiful beach and coconut plantations are some of the other attractions.
Getting There: Ferries operate between Port Blair and Hut Bay on the east coast of the island once or twice a week.
Accommodation: An APWD Guest House is the only accommodation available on this island. The beach at Butler Bay is popular for camping, but one has to carry their own gears
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