Andaman and Nicobar is the archipelago of total 572 islands but only 36 islands are available for tourism. These islands are covered by turquoise blue waters and sunny skies to make your holiday pleasing.

You can have great experiences in Port Blair and explore its flora and fauna, museums, and rich marine life. Some of the best places are Port Blair, Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep), Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep), Radhanagar Beach, Baratang Island, Chidiya Tapu, Wandoor, Cellular Jail, Ross Island (Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Island), Bharatpur Beach, Elephanta Beach, Kala Patthar Beach, Diglipur Island, Baratang Island, Red Skin Island and Jolly Buoy Island. These islands offer vivid wildlife, exotic sunsets, and views of migratory birds to soothe your soul.

Sea and Air are the only mediums to enter Andaman Islands. You can take a regular flight from Kolkata and Chennai and you can also get there by waterways.

By Air – Port Blair has direct connectivity to Chennai and Kolkata from Veer Savarkar International Airport. Several flight services like Jet Konnect, Spice Jet, Air India, Vistara and GoAir are available.

By Sea – MV Swarajdweep and MV Nancowry are two major ships sailing from Chennai and MV Akbar and MV Nicobar from Kolkata. These ship services take around 50 to 60 hours. You can reach various islands of Andaman through inter-connectivity options.

No, Indian nationals don’t have to apply for a visa. Only foreign nationals have to obtain a visa from Indian consulate, mission, and high commissions. In order to visit restricted areas, you need Restricted Area Permit (RAP) from authorities like –

• All Indian Missions Abroad
• FRROS and MHA
• Immigration Officer, Port Blair
• Chief Immigration Officer, Chennai

You need to visit Port Blair and get RAP to visit restricted areas, which are issued for free for foreign tourists.

Basically you need up to 6 to 7 days to visit the whole Andaman and cover several spots. You can customize your itinerary and keep it short. You can plan your Andaman tour by booking a tour package. You can customize your plan and remove the burden of choosing day, location and time. Also you can enjoy various water activities available in the Islands. 

No permission, visa or passport is required for Indians. But it is vital to carry ID proofs and RAP (Restricted Area Permit). But foreign nations should have Indian visas. It is also applied to foreigners who are coming from a private yacht or charter to Andaman. In addition, they also have to carry RAP (Restricted Area Permit), which is available on arrival from immigration counter at Port Blair airport or at seaport. You can get RAP for 30 days, which you can extend to 15 days max.

You can enjoy a lots of exciting water activities in Andaman Islands. It is a paradise with turquoise blue waters. You can explore the vivid marine life and dive in deep. Here are some of the best things to do –

• • Scuba diving in Port Blair, Neil Island and Havelock Islands
  • Sea walking in Port Blair and Havelock Island
  • Andaman Dolphin Glass Bottom Boat ride in Port Blair
  • Semi Submarine Ride in Port Blair
  • Snorkeling in Northbay Island, Radhanagar Beach, Elephant Beach, Neil Island, Jolly Buoy Island and Red Skin Island
  • Mangrove Kayaking
  • Volcano Tour in Barren Island
  • Cellular Jail to attend Light and Sound Show
  • Visit Chidiya Tapu for Birdwatching
  • Island Hopping
  • Jet Ski Ride
  • Parasailing, and so on

Scuba diving is a main activity in Andaman Islands. It is a great way to explore the underwater world.  You can enjoy lots of activities for scuba diving to cover marine life and get close to them. It is literally safe to enjoy scuba diving here in the Islands. There are professionals offering this activity with safety gears. Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex has proper SOS kiosks along with in Port Blair. 

Here are some of the most exciting sightseeing places in Andaman –

• Cellular Jail – It was once a British jail. Today, it’s a national memorial to pay a tribute to freedom fighters who were kept here. Most parts of the jail have been destroyed during the Second World War by the Japanese. But it still reminds us of gallant and brave freedom fighters.
• North Bay Beach – You can enjoy sea walking here at North Bay Beach and also explore Octopus’s Garden. You can explore marine life and swim here.
• Ross Island – It was once the “Paris of the East”. But an earthquake had hit the island in 1941 and it lost all its glory also because of Japanese invasion. You can still witness its machine gun nests and English architecture.
• Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park – It consists of 280 sq. km and it covers around 15 islands of tropical rainforest, mangrove creeks and coral reefs.
• Madhuban and Mount Harriet – For a great trekking experience, you can go to these places. It is a nice and exotic route to explore the beautiful flora and fauna. You can also enjoy elephant safari here.

There is no special place in Andaman which is dedicated for kids but there are several sightseeing and water activities available to enjoy. Here are some of them –

• Scuba Diving – Scuba is a wonderful activity that you can enjoy in various places if your kids are above 10 years.
• Havelock Island – It is really worth to see the small lighted galaxies and stars floating under the sea rather than serene blue sky. You can witness the bioluminescence on full moon night. You can also go for kayak tours.
• Go for Glass Bottom Boat Ride – You can have serene views of corals under the boat with safety gear. Your kids will definitely love the same.
• Riding Banana Boat – You can enjoy the thrilling and fun-filled banana boat which is an exciting thing to do in Andaman. Around 6 people can ride these boats.
• Cellular Jail – You can attend the famous Light and Sound Show here in Port Blair. It is a well-known attraction to explore Andaman. Your kids will love to learn about the iconic historical attraction. The show is narrated by a Peepal tree which is voiced by Om Puri. He tells the dark stories of the pre-Independence era when prisoners were tortured to death.
• SeaPlane Ride – You can ride a Pawan Hans seaplane and feel the thrill when going to Havelock from Port Blair.

Seafood is the main food and specialty of Andaman. Tourists can enjoy several types of seafood like crab, lobsters, cuttlefish, prawns, and different types of fishes. Some of the famous seafood restaurants are Full Moon Café, Lighthouse Residency, Anju Coco Restaurant and Ananda Bhavan.

There are also vegetarian restaurants offering best vegan foods, such as Annapurna and Ice Spicy Restaurant. 

No, you shouldn’t meet the tribal people as they have disconnected themselves from the rest of the world. They live in restricted areas and it is prohibited to meet them.

There are different souvenirs and things you can buy in Andaman, such as authentic pearl jewelry, wooden artifacts, vivid sarongs, handicrafts made of shells and seashells, bamboo crafts, handicrafts made of coconut shells, replicas of corals, local spices, authentic coral jewelry, coffee, tea and sculpted walking canes.

You can find ATMs of SBI and other banks in Andaman Islands. But you are still recommended to carry enough cash to avoid any crisis.

When you are going to Andaman Island, keep in mind that there is no internet connectivity in Andaman. However, Airtel, BSNL and Vodafone work in Andaman Islands but mostly for calling.

In case of emergency, you can find some good hospitals in Andaman like INHS Dhanvantari, GB Pant Hospital, Pillar Health Center, Chakraborty Hospital, and ACE Hospital.

Feel free to reach out to our Holiday Expert team at by calling on +91 8900909900, +91 9933202248, 03192-235179

For complete Andaman and Nicobar Islands information, refer to our Andaman Travel Guide.