Barren Island

About 135km north-east of Port Blair, this tiny island in the Andaman Sea has India’s only active volcano. The local press was reporting that it had started spewing mildly again. Keen to revive the tourist industry, the administration had increased the frequency of tourist vessels around the island. If I was lucky, and Barren Island was in form, this was going to be nature at its most primordial.

For a first-timer, there is nothing as bracing as the sound of a ship’s horn, its intense baritone finding reverb on the shores being left behind. At the 10pm departure call, I made two important decisions: On my first sea journey, I would not stay strapped to my cabin seat, and I would remain awake through the night to experience the sea and see Barren Island at first light. With most passengers remaining in their seats, it wasn’t difficult to find a place at the ship’s most cherished real estate, its bow, from where there’s nothing but the infiniteness of waterscape before you.

Munda Pahar Beach

Set in a serene setting of the Emerald islands at just 25 kms away from Port Blair, Munda Pahar beach in Chidiya Tapu is about as close to nature as it gets. From its meandering mangrove cover to the stunning sunsets, Munda Pahar beach offers you the essentially Andaman experience. Only 40 minutes by road, the beach is also called Sunset Point that offers you a majestic view of the seaside sunset. The seabed however is very rocky and not recommended for swimming.

Since its emergence as a favored spot by travelers, Munda Pahar Beach has redesigned and remodeled infrastructure for its visitors. You can also satisfy the adventure junkie in you by taking up the trek to the southernmost tip of South Andaman. The 1.5 km trek, though treacherous and covered with a dense forest cover, ends in a splendid view with the infinite waters spread in front of you and nothing but the horizon for company. The trek has benches en route and with adequate amounts of food and lots of water, you can make a picnic out of your day here.

Ross Island

Ross Island is located very near to Port Blair and thus can be easily reached within few minutes. Regular ferries connect the island with Port Blair Marine Park.

The island was the headquarter of the British colony in A&N. On visiting the island, one can understand the reasons why British chose Ross Island as their head quarter. The place gives picturesque views from all around.

Radhanagar Beach

Radhanagar is Without a doubt the most famous beach in the Andaman Islands. Crowned as “Asia’s best beach” and “7th best beach in the world” by Time Magazine, this place sees a lot of tourists. It truly is an unforgettable curve of white sand with perfectly coloured blue waters, all lined by lush forest and palm tress. It is easy to enjoy this postcard perfect beach – lie down and marvel at the sunset, or go in for a quick swim.

Due to its reputation and popularity one would expect crowds of people rushing to the beach, but the most amazingly the Radhanagar remains mostly empty compared to other popular beaches of the world. It can get bit crowded straight down the entrance but if you walk couple of hundreds meters to the left or right you will be alone again.

The largest of the Nicobar Islands

The largest of the Nicobar Islands in India, the great nicobar island covers an area of 1,045 sq kilometers. The island is however sparsely populated with a population of around 10,000. The area was severely affected by the 2004 tsunami in the Indian ocean resulting in many deaths and was cut off from the outside world for a couple of days. Nevertheless, the great Nicobar island is known widely for its rainforest that houses a diverse wildlife, and is also a part of the World biosphere reserve. The unique location of the island rainforest has made it a home to several unique species of fauna and aqua fauna. The island also contains the indigenous tribe called ‘Shompen’ which is one of the oldest tribes in the world. Wildlife photographers can also visit the Campbell bay which is home to a number of unique fauna including includes Crab-eating macaque, giant robber crab, megapode, and Nicobar pigeon.

Viper Island Jail

Viper Island is very near to Port Blair and was the site of the old Jail where the British used to harbor convicts and political prisoners Viper Island is a serene beautiful tourist destination and can be approached by harbor cruise originating from Aberdeen Jetty in Port Blair. This place is visited by number of tourists as it has multiple attractions with historical importance and also has mesmerizing picnic spots with natural picturesque environments.

This Island was part of the great Indian independence history and had witnessed the sufferings and sacrifices of Indian national involved in freedom struggle.

This small island derives its name from the vessel `Viper' in which Lt. Archibald Blair came to Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1789. The vessel, it is believed, met with an accident and its wreckage was found near the island.

Marina Park and Aquarium

Located at Port Blair, Marina Park is also known as ‘Samudrika Marine Museum’ and is managed by the Indian navy. The main purpose behind its establishment was to create awareness about the conservation of the aquatic life and resources in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. One can also get detailed knowledge about the group of islands and the social and tribal life they house. The park consists of five sections which are geographical information, archaeology, people information, history of Andaman Islands and marine life. There are also miniature models of the islands displayed here with large tanks which contain natural coral reefs and different kind of aqua flora and fauna which are unique to these islands. The operating hours of this park are from 9.00 am to 12.00 noon and 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm except on Mondays.

Limestone Caves

Located at the Baratang Island the limestone caves are a must visit site for all the people who are planning their itinerary for the Andaman and nicobar islands. While there is not much to see at the caves except for marveling at this natural wonder, the speed boat journey one takes is totally worth it. The boat ride is covered with a canopy of the forest which is also a home to the indigenous ‘Jarwa’ tribe. However one needs to be careful of the sea crocodiles and should not go near the water. Inside the caves, the stalactites and the stalagmites will immediately gather your attention and the erosion have formed some unique shapes inside the caves. The company of an experienced guide will make the trip more enjoyable as you might get to know some interesting facts about the local tribes and the history of these caves.

Cellular Jail

During the British occupation of India, the prisoners were sent to Cellular Jail, to keep them far off from the revolution. Once in these places, it was very difficult to get out and this led to the death of a number of prisoners. After a brief occupation by the Japanese forces during World War II, the town of Port Blair became the base of the Azad Hind Fauj.

The execution rooms, the cells, the torture rooms and different areas of the jail are open for public viewing. Presently, there are no prisoners and the jail is open to visitors.

Inside the compound of the Cellular Jail a well maintained, beautiful garden has been created. There is a light and sound show every day at 5 pm in Hindi and 6 pm in English.

There is a small museum at the jail gates where pictures and replicas of the inmates have been preserved along with the dreaded torturing equipments. A Martyr’s memorial has been constructed inside the jail, and a gallery in the building can be found which comprises of 7 regions with 3 floors for cells and the 4th floor which was used as a watch tower. The Gobind Ballav Pant Hospital is located inside the jail premises.

Bharatpur Beach

Located at the jetty near the Neil islands, Bharatpur beach is famous for its coral reefs and white shores. The best time to visit these beaches is during mornings and evenings. The morning time is especially good for the people who would like to go snorkeling and enjoy the view of the coral reefs located here. Because of the beauty of the reefs located here, Neil islands are often termed as the coral capital of Andaman. Do not worry if you’re not much of a snorkeling enthusiast, you can enjoy the beach simply by carrying a hammock and a book and enjoy the calm and cool sea breeze and indulge yourself. There are a number of benches for strollers to rest their feet and local vendors who sell coconut water.