The variegated colours of the ocean is adorned with brilliantly hued corals and this attract a tremendous variety of colourful marine life that creates a fairy tale world underwater. This marine world combines with the sparkling silver sands of the sandy white beaches to create a heaven on earth.
The Andaman Islands has breathtaking sights under the water and incredible marine diversity. Exploring the sea life of Andaman is one of the most memorable adventures. Newlyweds are often choosing Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal as their prime honeymoon destination and there are also the family vacationers.
But is the place only for these two groups of holiday people? The answer is the most resounding no. You do not have to buy a grand Andaman honeymoon package to enjoy a solo holiday. By the way, traveling solo to Andaman is in vogue too. It is among the best ways to introspect and dive deeper into yourself.
Dive into the crystal blue waters found around the remote volcanic island of Narcondam and watch exotic undersea creatures. Be alert and you never know you could spot a Narcondam Hornbill up close and shoals of Parrotfish darting under the refreshing sea waters of the most interesting unpopulated volcanic areas on earth.
The variety of adventure activities in Andamans makes this place an unforgettable holiday destination. The wide range of adventure activities that baffle and allure tourists and travellers to Andaman include the fun and bubbly Banana Boat Rides that calls for splendid fun and excitement.
There is also the thrill of Snorkelling, Undersea Walking and Scuba Diving that gives you a peep into the maddeningly colourful beauty of underwater corals and gamut of fascinating sea creatures that adorn the surroundings. You can also go for an exciting Parasailing venture and feel the coolness and freshness of atmosphere.
The frantic moments of Jet Skiing or Speed Boating across the turquoise blue waters is equally thrilling. Fishing lovers can go for Sport Fishing or Angling in the wide seas.
1. Port Blair
It is the mecca for all the patriots who knew the struggles and tortures our freedom fighter went through. The place is as sacred as any pilgrimage. You either fly down to this capital city or deboard from a passenger ship. Either way, your enthralling journey through the landscapes of Andaman begins here on the eastern side of the South Andaman Island.
If aboriginal history is your thing, the Anthropological Museum is an interesting place to get to know about the native tribes. Visit Corbyn’s Cove Beach. Check out the WWII Japanese Bunker on the beach! This beach is around 40 minutes distance from Marina park if you travel by a two wheeler. The road is adventurous with a lot of twists and turns and is worth traveling by a two wheeler.
The beach appears to be at a higher altitude than the normal sea level. In the evening the beach is beautifully lit by colourful lights. One can also go for jet skiing to the Snake Island in the middle of the water. This beach is completely closed during monsoon season as the sea is full and poses danger even for the near by residents during that time. You can go parasailing above these crystal blue waters here and spend the afternoon leisurely here.
2. Diglipur
Next destination on our trip is Diglipur which is all the way up north of the Andaman Islands. A bus trip requiring 8 hours (more or less) is all that you need to get addicted to the faint jungle aroma and quiet chatter of the birds out there. The options of helicopter and ferry are also available. So choose what you must for the 300 Km of the journey.
Offbeat travelers get what they come here looking for, peace, serenity and a lot more time for self. Of course, life is a little less crazy and commercialized here than the much famed Havelock and Neil Islands that are found almost on all the Andaman tour packages.
The Kalipur Beach has brown mud and rocky formations to keep you amused for hours. Turtle nesting is also carried out here, but you need to be in season to get a glimpse of that, which is December-January. There are lot of wonderful marine creatures and exotic varieties of fish here. The worlds largest sea turtles, leather back turtles comes for nesting here.
These turtles are called Dermochelys Coriacea, they are super huge. Every year thousands of these turtles flock to Andaman. That's a big thing as only four places in the world can boast as nesting places for these turtles and Andaman is one of them.
For the hikers by nature, Saddle Peak is the place to flex some leg muscles. Here is some wilderness to get familiarised with. So it is time to hike the Saddle Peak at 732m, the highest of the Andaman Islands. And highest point often translates into bewitchingly spectacular view of the areas around. You just have to lay your eyes on the treasures lying below you.
The mud volcanoes in Diglipur offer a superbly exciting view of as many as 41 effervescent muddy pits that oozes out mud. The mud volcano are undoubtedly a natural wonder and are surrounded by thick woods The craters of the mud volcanoes emit natural gas created by the decaying matter below the surface.
3. Neil Island
Neil Island can be reached from Port Blair or from Havelock Island. Located halfway between Port Blair and Havelock, Neil also has wonderful beaches. The Neil island is the tranquility raised to the bucket. Something ideal during the day is to go to the beach, to walk, or to visit the market. Most people only come to photograph the natural bridge carved into a large rock.
Read More: Neil Island Travel Guide
There are two more islands named Jolly buoy and Elephanta beach, famous for scuba diving and watching coral reefs. Havelock and Neil Islands are internationally famous with professional surfers and plenty of foreign tourists.
Out of all adventure activities in Andaman, banana watercraft trips are enjoyable as well as exciting. Each time 6 people can ride these watercraft that are formed like a banana as well as are linked behind a watercraft to acquire rush. Banana boat rides are safe as well as kept track of by experienced and expert staff.
Throughout the ride, the driver of the powered boat efforts to flip the banana watercraft upside-down by doing doglegs. Two significant areas to enjoy banana boat ride are Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports complex as well as Havelock Island. The best time to attempt Banana Boat ride is throughout the month of January to May and October to December.
The long stretch of pearly white sands offer some everlasting memories of sunsets and sunrises. As the blue oceans meet the blue skies, the calm waves let you plunge in its warm waters and play with the colourful fish and shells that adorn the beach sands. The beach shacks provide some of the tastiest treats.
Discover the secrets of the underwater world of the exotic coral reefs off the coast of Andamans. The fantastic wonders of marine universe open up as you see the varied types of fish, clams, oysters and hundreds of other marine creatures unfold their secrets in the depth of ocean waters. The enchanting world fascinates you and makes for a thrilling experience.
Here, the beauty lies in the varying shades of blue that the ocean transcends in! A too good to be true scenery beholds you and the best part is it can be comparatively serene and less-crowded. In addition, every night there is live music in a different hostel. There is no party at night if it is what you are looking for. The best thing to move around the island is to rent a motorbike.
A picnic here could be just the perfect way to spend your day. Make sure to click some pictures here, it provides the most naturally inviting background to have an impromptu photoshoot! You can stay at the islands for the night and have a fancy candle light dinner by the scenic shores as you wish, as exploring the island fully and doing the activities you wish to in the day, will drain you out by evening.
Go out from Havelock Island on a kayaking expedition off the coast into the darkness of the night and get enthralled by the mesmeric illumination on the water surface caused by the bioluminescent phytoplankton. Also, discover a gamut of information of the positioning of stars in the night sky and the constellations.
Furthermore, the untouched beaches of the protected islands such as Jolly Buoy Island and Red Skin Island are quite sumptuous with varied species of marine life. Try doing some Snorkeling in their waters to explore magnificent corals, flamboyant fishes and other multitudinous marine creatures.
5. Little Andaman Island
Little Andaman Island is the one that is furthest away and can only be reached from Haddo in Port Blair. The trip lasts between 8 and 10 hours and is done on a government ferry. To return from Little Andaman you can return with the same boat or with a smaller one, which goes faster and takes much less (about 5 hours).
The two boats alternate, so depending on the day you want to return you will touch one or the other. The fast is much better not only for the time of the trip, but also because if you try, you can sit in a half VIP room with padded and reclining armchairs and air conditioning.
All the hostels on Little Andaman Island are on the road that follows the east coast. This is the only part of the island inhabited. The entire western part is practically virgin and only controlled by the indigenous Jarowa tribes of the area. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the home to four Negrito tribes such as the Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa and Sentinelese.
The ferocious Jarawas are the most enigmatic aboriginal tribe that lives in the islands of Andamans. They are a rare breed and exist on the face of this earth completely cut off from civilization following their primitive ways of life.
They reside in the South and Middle Andaman and give you a chance of knowing about them through the various expeditions and museum exhibits. Two other Mongoloid tribes such as the Shompen and Nicobarese also inhabit these islands. Little Andaman is wild and unknown. There are crocodiles who in the rainy season reaches the coast by the rivers.
Hutbay is the busiest town in the area where you are going to move. Although you have no illusions, it has only one street with some shops and little else. About 14 kilometers from Hut Bay heading south, there is a lone lighthouse that can be visited. Netaji Nagar Beach is the longest beach on the east coast of the island. It is deserted. There is nobody but a bird and the noise of the waves.
Butler Bay beach is much smaller than the first and is suitable for swimming. On the island there are two known waterfalls. White surf Waterfall is the small but the most accessible. You can arrive by motorbike perfectly, ideal to spend a nice afternoon. The Whisper Wave Waterfalls, on the other hand, is much further away. It takes an hour by motorcycle alone and there is about 4 km of trekking to see it.
6. North Bay Island
This is perpendicular to Ross Island and takes just 20 minutes from Andaman sea by motor boat. Here one can go for snorkeling and scuba diving. For a budgetary and less adventurous underwater experience to witness majestic marine life, North Bay island is famous for snorkeling and sea walking. It is extremely famous for its under-water corals and white sand beaches, that are a treat to the eyes. New activities such has Dolphin Glass boat ride and Coral Safari Semi Submarine are also operational in this island.
7. Baratang Island
The Baratang Island, 100 kms from Port Blair, is blessed with exquisite beaches, enticing mangrove creeks, unique mud volcanoes and mysterious limestone caves. The sheer thrill of skirting through the dingy narrow mysterious limestone caves formed from the sedimentary rocks are nature’s marvel. The hike through the maze of dark caves after crossing the thickets surrounding the area is an out-of-the-world experience that should be visited to make your Andaman experience complete.
Along with the breath-taking beauty of the shimmering waters, white beaches and the rich underwater kingdom of Andaman seas, also go out into the open oceans in search of the enchanting world of larger marine species. On a dolphin watch trip, watch out for the playful animals as they jump up and down on the ocean surface.
They swim playfully and sometimes come close to the boats for the visitors to have a close look. The excitement and the thrill that ensues on such dolphin spotting adventure trips make for a crazy adventure. Keep the camera ready to catch the spirited creatures of the waves and ocean in their playful best. This is going to be one of the best holidays on a great Andaman holidays package.
In Andaman, some of the good properties that you can consider staying which might not be too heavy on the pocket or commercialized as other could be.
1 - Hotel Bay Walk By Sea Side - This is a 3-star property located very close the famous flag point and marina park. You can easily walk to the top places in the evening and enjoy the vibes around the property. The rooms are good and should come within your budget. Try to reach the property directly if you are coming in a group to get decent discounts.
2 - Hotel Olive - For those who are looking forward to paying a little extra to get premium sea-facing rooms then you should try hotel Olive in Port Blair. This property provides amazing sea view rooms and suites. This is also a 3-star property but the rooms and the overall experience are at par with a 4-star property. This property is located at the heart of the city.
this make me want to go.
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