Amazing Andaman and Rustic Nicobar

 The islands of Andaman and Nicobar provides you with a full-fledged experience on all verticals and horizontals of tourism. It has a variety of flora and fauna, coral reefs, beaches, forests, lighthouses, reserved forest areas with tribes, rich history of freedom movements and even a volcano. Here is the consolidated account of almost all places in Andaman and Nicobar. The summery will be from North Andaman and ends in the southernmost point of India.

Andaman, the first union territory of India, is an archipelago of 500+ islands, with Port Blair as capital. The two major divisions of islands are Andaman (Great Andaman and Little Andaman) And Nicobar (Great Nicobar and Little Nicobar). The Great Andaman has three more main island groups as North, Middle and South Andaman.

Port Blair can be reached easily by flights(only domestic flights available) from Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad. Another way is through ships, a three or four-day journey, from Chennai and Kolkata. So travel to other islands can be made from Port Blair. The Great Andaman Trunk Road or NH4 is the only highway running from the capital city of Port Blair to Diglipur.

In North Andaman, we can enjoy the crystal clear beaches in Ross and Smith island. It is a twin island joined by a natural sand bar.  Ross & Smith Islands requires a forest permit from the Forest Office at Diglipur. Spanning across 85 square km, the Saddle Peak National Park lies in North Andaman. Housing rare species of flora and fauna like the wild pig, Andaman hill myna, imperial pigeon, water monitor lizards, and saltwater crocodiles. It offers an 8-km long trek from its entry to the peak of the mountains for trekking lovers.

We move on to the middle island, which has its share of excitement. The journey from Port Blair to Baratang is through the national highway and a dense tropical forest. The Mangrove forest, mud volcano and limestone cave are the major attractions here. The tribes of the Jarwa community are spotted here as the trunk road cuts through the jungles of their home. Great Andamanese, another tribal community, live on Strait Island. They are the most primitive tribes of India who lost their identity due to the British invasion.

From Baratang Jetty, we travel through the mangrove forest in a private boat(1-hour ride) to reach parrot island. A mangrove island where one can watch hundreds of parrots flocking the island.

The National Parks in Andaman has a rawness of nature, so very quiet and untouched by humans. North Button, Middle Button and South Button National Parks fall into this category. They are famous for their exotic and endangered aquatic life. We have to get forest permission to travel here, and no accommodation or food is available here. North Button Island is 10 km from Baratang near Long Island, Middle Andaman. Middle Button and South Button is a bit far away.

The South Andaman is the most popular tourist center. Port Blair is the traditional place to stay for tourists. 

The Cellular Jail is also known as Kalapani, was a colonial prison in Andaman and Nicobar islands. Here one gets to glimpse the struggle of our independence movement. It has a rich historical note, and the architecture of the prison is unique. The sound-and-light show runs in the evenings narrates the trials and tribulations of the inmates.

The museums here are affluent in exhibiting the flora and the fauna of this place. All the museums are very near to Port Blair.

The Kalapani museum holds the history of the island. The exhibits showcase the torture of the inmates of the jail. 

The Anthropological Museum is an ethnographic museum that offers in-depth information on tribes, the oldest in the world. 

The Forest Museum with Chatham Sawmill, one of the oldest sawmills, exhibits the wooden carvings. 

Samudrika Naval Marine Museum, run by the Indian Navy, has informative coverage of the islands ecosystem, plants, animals, tribal communities and marine life. 

The Zoological Survey of India is an intensively maintained museum housing a collection of wildlife, with exotic marine species such as corals, whales and even anemones and starfish.

The beaches of Andaman are picturesque, crystal-clear water that offers a serene environment that makes an out-of-world experience. 

Corbyn's Cove Beach is a sandy, palm-fringed beach with jet-ski rentals, lounge chairs & several casual eateries.

Collinpur Beach is the residence of enchanting cobalt water and the tranquil stretch of smooth sand with a lesser crowd than other beaches.

North Bay Island beach doesn't have many sightseeing options for visitors other than the shoreline and jungle. But, it is one of the best places for Water Sports in the Andaman Islands.

Chidiya Tapu, Andaman's Bird Island, 28 km from Port Blair, is a carpet of rich mangrove forests that host numerous species of birds. It is famous for its bird watching hence the name. We can also watch the sunset by taking a trekking path to a small cliff. 

Ross Island renamed Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, is an island of ruins with a unique attraction, Japanese Bunker unruined. The island has an avid collection of some of the oldest British and Japanese structures in India that shows the luxurious life of Britishers after they occupied Andaman.

Viper Island has an old British jail. 

The Mahatma Gandhi National Park, located near Wandoor Beach, is something artificial park spread across 15 islands that feature beautiful mangrove creeks and tropical rainforests.

Mount Harriet National Park, renamed Mount Manipur, is the most exotic and the most visited national park on the island.

The two famous islands, tourist visits are Havelock and Niel Island, renamed Swaraj Dweep and Shaheed Dweep. 

Havelock Island has lots of picturesque beaches to enjoy sunset and sunrise. The trekking to Elephant Island through a village and forest are for first-time trekkers. The Night Kayaking for Bioluminescence viewing is also worthwhile. 

Niel Island also has lots of tranquil beaches. Natural Bridge formation from corals in Laxmanpur Beach and Floating Bridge in Bharatpur Beach are some attractions.

Both islands offer a variety of water sports activities such as Scuba Diving(Shore/Boat), Sea-Walk, Jet Skiing, Parasailing and snorkelling.

Nicobar islands don't have much tourist attraction and are rough terrain. We have the islands of Car Nicobar, Little Nicobar and Great Nicobar.  

Onges are one of the most primitive tribes in Dugong creek in Little Andaman. The Shompens live in the Great Nicobar island, are a semi-nomadic tribe.

Campbell Bay National Park in Great Nicobar island offer camps and cabin facilities for an adventurous day out. It is a bustling national park, home to species like Megapode, crab-eating Macaque, Nicobar Pigeon, and Giant Robber Crab.

 

Indira Point, the southernmost point of India's territory, was formerly known as  Pygmalion Point and Parsons Point. We can reach Campbell Bay by Pawan Hans Helicopter service. Inter-Island Boat from Port Blair is also available usually travels via Little Andaman.

Barren Island, located in the Andaman Sea, lies about 138 km northeast of Port Blair. It is the only confirmed active volcano in the Indian subcontinent and the only active volcano along a chain of volcanoes from Sumatra to Myanmar. We can visit the island by ferry after getting permission from the forest department. 

The Sentinelese are an uncontacted tribe living on North Sentinal Island. In 1956, the Government of India declared North Sentinel Island a tribal reserve and prohibited travel within three nautical miles (5.6 kilometres) of it.

It was a memorable trip for me when I visited the islands with my family in 2008. The Baratang and Ross island, the Cellular Jail, the museums and the picturesque beaches were my favourite locations. 

Be it your family vacation or an adventurous trip with your friends, Andaman has something to offer everyone.