Day: March 2, 2020

When it comes to the Andaman Islands, we often think of the feeling of tranquility, rejuvenation and utmost beauty. There is a huge range of islands that allures you to take a break from the grueling work pressure, hustles and bustles of city life, and maddening crowd. The clear blue sky and turquoise blue water will definitely make you connect with yourself.  

People often ask about islands and their nightlife before going for the Andaman Nicobar tour. Can I find any night clubs here? What are the nightlife options available? In this guide, we are going to answer all these questions and share different options for party animals and night owls – 

How’s life in the Andaman Islands?

Natives in Andaman live a very traditional lifestyle. Their routine starts at around 5 am. This way, people go to work early so they can get back home by sunset. The capital city of Island, Port Blair has no lack of markets and hotels. Most of the markets open till 9 PM only. Nightlife is not that happening in Andaman. Even in the capital city, there is no nightclub to hang out. But most hotels have private pubs to enjoy and chill with live music. 

There are no night clubs even in Neil and Havelock Islands along with Port Blair. You can have private parties or enjoy at the pubs in Summer Sands, Silver Sand Beach Resort, Coral Reef Resort, and Corbyn’s Resort. 

Nightlife Options in Andaman

Andaman has a lot of eco-friendly islands where you can enjoy peaceful walks, indulge in different activities, and relax with spa treatments. Here are a few of the best options for nightlife – 

• Jungle Trekking 

After sunset, you can enjoy trekking in Andaman. The thrill that comes at night is truly unmatchable. If you want to have a unique experience with nature and you are looking for the adrenaline rush, jungle trekking is really very exciting to have a great nightlife. No matter how prepared and excited you are, you must have a professional guide by your side. Avoid the jungles and go to safer areas. Seek advice from professionals before going for night trekking. 

• Enjoy the Romantic Candle Light Dinner 

Islands nightlife in Andaman is not all about adventure and partying. If you have your beloved, there is no better option than enjoying a romantic dinner with her. There is no better feeling than enjoying candlelight dinner while gazing at the starred sky reflected on the gamboling sea. You can either go to one of the beachside cafes or restaurants or talk to the beach resort management to arrange a candlelight dinner on the beachside for you. 

• Marine Adventures 

If you are certified in snorkeling or a professional scuba diver, you can definitely go underwater and get a different experience at night. But it is recommended only for advanced scuba divers who are very professional to dive late in evening or night. You can dive at night to have a different thrill. But diving is not available throughout the year. Keep in mind that it is not operational in monsoons and it is just seasonal. 

• Floating Restaurant 

The government also runs a floating restaurant in Andaman where you can have a completely different experience. The restaurant has nothing special and is a typical setting but dining over there is a different feel. 

• Evening Cruise in Andaman 

You can definitely opt for an evening cruise to enjoy the nightlife here. You can enjoy dining and wine on a cruise to make your life enjoyable with live music. However, you need to book a few days in advance and you will get booking confirmation only a few days before the trip. It relies on how many people are going to travel. 

• Bar Hopping 

Since it is about enjoying the nightlife in Andaman, this list cannot be completed without hopping the bar in the archipelago. You can consider some bars and pubs for nightlife and entertainment in Andaman and Port Blair and Havelock Island are some of the best places in Andaman. Keep in mind that these bars are not something you can expect. They have strict closing times and are quite simple. You also need to arrange your vehicle in advance as there is no public transport available. 

• Bonfire and Beach Camping 

When planning a vacation with friends, you can complete your experience with bonfire and camping. Andaman is known to serve as an ideal destination. At night, you can pitch the tents, gather at bonfires, and sing along to acoustic guitar’s tunes at a picture-perfect beach. 

Enjoying Nightlife in Christmas and New Year

During New Year, Andaman remains crowded. You can host your private parties. You can also book most of the hotels and host New Year’s Eve. A lot of tourists visit these islands for the purpose of hosting private parties and enjoying some time alone. From December 24th to January 1, Havelock Island never sleeps and remains crowded. A lot of 4-star hotels like Symphony Palm Beach Resort, Havelock Beach Resort, Barefoot, etc. host beach parties to welcome New Year. In 4-star hotels, you can also host destination parties if you are visiting in a group and you can enjoy this New Year in style. You can also enjoy the parties on cruises or ships. 

Final Thoughts 

Andaman Islands are well regarded for their natural beauty and are ideal to have a peaceful vacation. But these islands are also famed for having urban living. The islanders here believe in a peaceful and relaxed lifestyle. So, nightlife is not something you can expect in any beach destinations or cities in Andaman. Be sure to leave your urban trend behind and get ready to enjoy simple pleasures when visiting Andaman, such as enjoying candlelight dinners, walking on the beach, and taking a break from the busy world. Phone signals and the internet are limited here and restricted to just some parts. 

Area – Stretched over 8,249 sq. km

Administrative Capital – Port Blair 

Airport – Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair

Languages Spoken – Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Nicobarese, and Malayalam 

Humidity – 70-90%M

Highest Mountain – Saddle Peak (at 732m) 

Climate – 23o min, 31o max

Tribes – Jarawa, Onge, Sentinelese and Andamanese, Shompen, and Nicobarese 

Currency – INR

Forest Cover – 86% of reserve forest and 92% of conserved forest

Andaman & Nicobar Islands are known to have a rich history which dates back to over 800 BC. These are some of the world’s most famous island with India’s best beaches. There is no lack of Andaman tourist places to visit for tourists of all ages. These islands are inhabited by the indigenous population of Nicobarese and Andamanese tribes. There are five indigenous tribes living in the islands of Andaman and Nicobar, such as Onges, Jharwas (Jarawas), Shompens, The Great Andamanese, and Sentinelese. They usually speak languages like Nicobarese, Sentinelese, Jarawa, Onge, and Andamanese. 

The successors of African slaves also inhabit the Andaman Islands along with other tribes. Those African slaves are believed to be the ones who entered by a wreck of a Portuguese ship. However, many anthropologists claim that they are Negritos, not Negros. 

Andaman and Nicobar Islands have seen a lot of faces for years from the First War of Independence of India, which started in 1857 during World War II against the Japanese invasion. After the independence of the country in 1947, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands became united with the Indian mainland. You can spot the artifacts, past relics, and ruins across the island these days in the Cellular Jail museum in Andaman. The Cellular Jail was designed to name Andamans as “Kala Pani” over the years. Andaman was used as a central prison to keep prisoners far away from the mainland. Today, the Cellular Jail serves as a major tourist attraction. 

Geography and Landmarks 

Andaman & Nicobar Islands are known to have the longest coastline of over 2000 km. In 1956, Andaman & Nicobar Islands turned union territory with a total of 572 islands and 32 of those islands are inhabited. Tourists from every nooks and corner of the world visit the Andaman Islands. These islands are located close to mainland India stretching around 800km in length from North to South. 

The Nicobar Islands are mostly restricted for tourists as they are mostly inhabited by tribal people and the only Andaman Islands are open for tourism. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are stretched from the longitude of 92° to 94° in the east and latitude of 6° to 14° in the north and the islands are separated by 150km wide channel. 

The 750m high Saddle Peak is the highest peak in Andaman & Nicobar Islands when measuring from the sea level. When it comes to the distance between the islands and mainland India, Chennai is located around 1190 km and Kolkata is 1255 km. 

The major island here is North Andaman, which consists of islands, such as Sound Island, Landfall Island, and Narcondam Island. The middle Andaman houses the islands like Interview Island and South Andaman houses Baratang Island, Ritchie’s Archipelago, Neil Island, Ross Island, and Rutland Island. Little Andaman consists of the hilly part of the island. Along with it, Barren Island is India’s only island with an active volcano. 

Climate 

Andaman and Nicobar Islands are known to have a tropical climate which is usually warm and humid. These islands don’t get freezing winter or extreme summer. Instead, they get the balmy climate all year round. Even though the best time to visit these islands is from November to February, you can still enjoy amazing water sports like swimming, boating, sea walking, snorkeling, parasailing, and others all year round, except during monsoons. 

May to December is the best month for nature lovers as they can enjoy sightseeing and bird watching. The Andaman Islands normally receive around 3000mm of rainfall. The humidity remains at 80% and the minimum temperature is 23.2oC and maximum 31oC. 

Language and Tribes

A lot of Andamanese and Nicobarese tribes maintained their isolated presence in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands over a long period of time and changing generations into various cultural, linguistic and territorial groups. Some of the common tribes in the Andaman Islands are Jarawa, Onge, and Sentinelese who belong to Negroid descents. 

On the other side, Nicobarese tribes like Shompen belong to Mongoloid descent. These tribes are known to have arrived around 60000 years ago from Africa to these islands. They basically hunt animals and they collect roots, honey, and berries from the forest. These tribes also speak different languages like Andamanese, Onge, Sentinelese, Nicobarese, and Jarawa. 

All in all, Mongoloid and Negrito tribes mostly inhabit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, including Sentinelese, Great Andamanese, Onge, and Jarawas. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are union territory and many tribes of Nicobarese and Andamanese call it their home. They are well renowned as Adivasi groups of India.  Here are some other details of common tribes in Andaman & Nicobar Islands – 

• Jarawas – This tribe belongs to the southern parts of Andaman and they are known as Adivasi groups. Around 250 to 400 people belong to this group in the Andaman Islands. These Andamanese residents are connected to the modern world but still isolated by the rest of the world. 
• Onge – These Andamanese people are spread around little Andaman Island and they rely on gathering and hunting for survival. 
• Shompen – These are basically the indigenous tribes of Nicobar Islands and they usually live in the inner parts of Great Nicobar Island. 
• Jangil – Also called as Rutland Jarawa tribe, Jangil is known to be extinct but they were spread around the internal parts of Rutland Island. 
• Sentinelese – These people are known as Paleolithic groups of Andaman Islands who are completely isolated from the outside world without any contact. These are indigenous individuals who are almost untouched with no influence on the modern world. They are also declared as Scheduled Tribes in India. These are the world’s most isolated tribes and most dangerous of all.