Andaman Places to Visit: Islands, Beaches and Sights

The best places to visit in Andaman come down to three island bases and a handful of day trips. Port Blair gives you history (Cellular Jail, Ross Island) and the boat day to North Bay. Havelock (officially Swaraj Dweep) has the headline beaches, Radhanagar and Elephant Beach. Neil (Shaheed Dweep) is the quiet one, with a coral rock bridge, sunsets and a slower pace. Baratang, Chidiya Tapu and the northern islands are add-ons if you have the days.

Most first-time visitors do Port Blair, Havelock and Neil in 5 nights, and that loop covers almost every well-known Andaman and Nicobar Islands destination that is easy to reach. This guide goes island by island, compares the beaches side by side, and shows which places fit a 4, 5, 6 or 7 night trip. It also covers getting around, what to do in different months, and what to book ahead.

If you are still working out the budget, our guide to the Andaman trip cost breaks it down.

You land in Port Blair, so it is where most trips begin and end. Give it a day on arrival and a half day at the end.

Cellular Jail. Built between 1896 and 1906, this colonial prison held many Indian freedom fighters, including Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. It had 696 solitary cells in seven wings; three wings and the watchtower still stand. It is now a national memorial. Entry is ₹30 for Indian visitors, and the evening Sound and Light Show costs ₹300 for adults and ₹150 for children aged 5 to 11. The show runs in Hindi at 5:50 pm and 7:50 pm daily, with a 6:50 pm show in Hindi on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday and in English on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Vehicles stop short of the entrance, so expect a walk of about 200 metres.

Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island). About 2 km east of Port Blair, this was the British administrative headquarters, nicknamed the "Paris of the East". Nature has taken it back: tree roots grow through the brick ruins of the church, the old Government House and the bakery. It is reached by boat and is usually combined with North Bay, covered below. There is also a separate Sound and Light Show on the island at 5:30 pm, priced ₹300 for adults and ₹75 for children.

Corbyn's Cove. A beach close to town, good for an easy first evening. It is better for a stroll, food and shopping than for swimming or water sports.

Chidiya Tapu. About 25 km from Port Blair, this forest edge and sunset point is known for birdwatching. Go in the late afternoon.

Others worth knowing. The Samudrika Naval Marine Museum is a good family stop for coral and marine life. Mount Harriet National Park has a forest climb up a 365 m hill. Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex offers jet skiing, parasailing and speedboat rides.

Havelock is the island most people picture when they search for Andaman places to visit. Plan two nights here if you can, because the beaches reward unhurried time.

Radhanagar Beach. A 2 km stretch of white sand and clear turquoise water on the island's western coast, about 12 km from the jetty. It has featured in "best beach" lists, including from Time magazine in 2004. The gentle waves make it good for swimming, and it is the island's favourite sunset spot. Bring a change of clothes.

Elephant Beach. Known for snorkelling over coral and other light water activities. Conditions change with the tide and weather, so keep the day flexible and confirm how you will get there with your operator.

Kalapathar Beach. Black boulders line the shore, which makes it photogenic and a calm choice for a morning. Submerged rocks can be a hazard, so take care if you swim.

Other beaches. Vijaynagar Beach is one of the most visited and suits snorkelling, parasailing and swimming. Most beaches away from the main areas have few shops, so carry water and snacks.

Getting around Havelock. Local transport in Havelock is a mix of government buses from the jetty, taxis and scooters on rent. A scooter is the most flexible option for a couple, and costs about ₹700 for 24 hours at the rates we have seen. Our trip cost guide has the full list of what activities and transport add to a budget.

Neil is part of Ritchie's Archipelago and is smaller and quieter than Havelock. Many itineraries give it one night, which is enough to cover the main sights at an easy pace.

• Bharatpur Beach. Shallow, calm water with a short glass-bottom boat ride on offer. It is the beach most people visit first.
• Natural Bridge (coral bridge). A rock arch on the shore, visited "when the tide allows", so timings change daily. Walk carefully on the exposed rocky ground.
• Laxmanpur Beach. Laxmanpur I is the sunset beach. Laxmanpur II has two natural rock arches. This is the place for the evening colours of the sea.
• Sitapur Beach. Known as the sunrise beach and quieter again, with limited food and water, so carry supplies.

Neil works well as a day-and-a-night stop between Havelock and Port Blair. It is also the stop to drop first if you are short of days.

North Bay. A short boat ride from Port Blair, known for marine life and coastal views, and it appears on the back of the ₹20 note. Snorkelling, scuba and glass-bottom boat rides are optional extras, depending on conditions. It is usually paired with Ross Island on the same boat day.

Baratang. North of Port Blair on the Andaman Trunk Road, reached on an early-start road day trip that includes a ferry crossing. It is known for mangrove creeks, limestone caves and the only mud volcanoes in India. You need permission from the Baratang Forest Department before entering the caves. This is the main reason to pick a 7 night plan.

Jolly Buoy and Wandoor. Wandoor is the gateway to Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, with more than 50 coral types. Jolly Buoy, part of the park, has clear water and a reef, and is popular with families.

Viper Island. Despite the name, there are no vipers. It was a makeshift penal settlement before Cellular Jail was built.

Further north. Diglipur has a turtle nesting site, caves and the archipelago's highest peak, and Pathi Level beach. Mayabunder, Rangat and Little Andaman are quieter still. These are long journeys and are better treated as a separate trip than squeezed into a first visit.

Barren Island. The only active volcano in the Indian subcontinent, visited on guided tours from Port Blair. Check availability well in advance.

If you only have time for two, make them Radhanagar for the sunset and Bharatpur or Laxmanpur for a calmer evening on Neil.

Andaman is more than beaches. Four places carry its story:

• Cellular Jail is the centrepiece. Known as Kaala Pani, it held freedom fighters such as Savarkar, Batukeshwar Dutt and Sachindra Nath Sanyal, and has been a national memorial since 11 February 1979. It offers guided tours and the evening show.
• Ross Island shows the colonial settlement before the 1941 earthquake and the Japanese invasion left it in ruins. Parts, such as the stores and bakery, were restored by the Indian Navy.
• Viper Island was an earlier penal settlement, before the jail was built.
• Samudrika Naval Marine Museum covers the islands' marine life and ecology, and suits families well.

If you can fit only one history stop, make it Cellular Jail, ideally with the evening show.

The islands are linked by ferry, so every extra island costs you a travel morning. 

As a day-by-day example, our 5 night plan runs: Day 1 arrive in Port Blair, Corbyn's Cove, Cellular Jail and the evening show. Day 2 North Bay and Ross Island by boat. Day 3 ferry to Havelock, Kalapathar and Radhanagar. Day 4 ferry to Neil, Bharatpur, the Natural Bridge and Laxmanpur. Day 5 ferry back to Port Blair and local markets. Day 6 departure. If you are searching for a 4 day Andaman itinerary or a 5 day Andaman itinerary, the 4N5D and 5N6D plans above are the matching routes. Ferry times, tides and weather can change the order.

These loops match our fixed packages.

Reaching Andaman. No road or rail connects the islands to the mainland, so you fly into Veer Savarkar Airport in Port Blair.

Between islands. Inter-island travel is by boat. Government-run ferries are the sensible default, and are what our packages use in the booked base class. Privately hired boats can be expensive. Carry a government-issued photo ID, because it is needed for travel. Ferry times, tides and weather can change the plan, so do not tie a flight home to the same morning as a ferry.

On each island.

• Port Blair: a hired cab in Port Blair or your package vehicle. Scooters on rent are available too.
• Havelock: government buses from the jetty, taxis and scooters.
• Neil: small enough for a short taxi or scooter hop between beaches.

Cost of getting around. A scooter rental is about ₹600 to ₹700 for 24 hours at the rates we have seen, and the package vehicle covers only the scheduled sightseeing. For these and other add-ons see our Andaman trip cost guide.

The main season runs October to May, and November to April is the most popular stretch.

• October to March: clear skies and the best conditions for beaches, snorkelling and boat days. The Island Tourism Festival is held in January.
• April to June: a quieter shoulder season with fewer crowds. Water activities are still possible, but check conditions.
• July to September: the rainy off-season. Rain can disrupt ferries and water sports. If you go, lean on Port Blair: Cellular Jail, the museum and Chidiya Tapu, and keep the island-hopping loose. The things to do in Andaman in September are mostly indoors or short outdoor stops, so build in spare days.

For month-by-month detail, read our best time to visit Andaman guide.

A few practical Andaman travel tips that save trouble:

• Carry photo ID for ferries and sites, and keep a copy.
• Do the Cellular Jail show early in the trip, while the history gives context to what you see on Ross Island.
• Check the tide for the Natural Bridge on Neil. It is visited when the tide allows.
• Pack for swimming at Radhanagar, including a change of clothes, and take water and snacks to quiet beaches.
• Be careful with rocks at Kalapathar and the Natural Bridge.
• Get permission for Baratang's limestone caves from the Baratang Forest Department.
• Leave a buffer day before your flight, since ferries can be disrupted by weather.
• Book water activities after you see conditions, and expect them to cost extra. Our trip cost guide lists typical prices.