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Cinque Island – Should You Visit this Secret Paradise of Andaman?

Adorned by the crystal clear and shimmering waters and covered by evergreen jungles, Andaman is truly a paradise where you can explore a lot of best kept secrets by nature. There are so many diving options and white sandy beaches to laze at. Water babes can explore around so many options here. Along with already-famed islands, here comes Cinque Island which is a secret paradise. It has recently come to limelight with increasing interest of tourists. This island is beautifully segregated into South Cinque and North Cinque Islands. It is truly a hidden beauty which should be explored by every nature lover. Read on and know more about this unexplored beauty and escape into the serene land of turquoise waters and white sandy beaches.

About the Island

Resting around 26 km from the city of Port Blair, Cinque Island remains inhabited and untouched in this archipelago. In the north, Cinque Island is sandwiched between Duncan and Passage Islands. Some parts are also located in Wandoor Marine National Park. South and North Cinque Islands are its two parts.

Along with having exotic surroundings, this island also houses exotic and rich marine life including fishes, coral reefs, star fishes and turtles. You can also explore the depths of water as an adventure lover with scuba diving which is instructed and guided well by PADI certified divers. You can also enjoy a lot of activities like snorkeling and sea walking. You can enjoy a lot of things here in this heaven and you will definitely be surprised with what you can explore here.

What is the Best Time to Get There?

Andaman is well known to receive tropical climate. Hence, it is one of the destinations in India which you can visit all the year round. Hence, Cinque Island is open for tourists all the year round. But if you still want to make the most of sunny days, you should go there during summer months. The weather turns ideal to relax under the sun and dive under water during winter months. However, we recommend you to avoid the rainy season from June to November as you won’t be able to enjoy water sports. It is the best season for budget travelers as resorts and hotels offer great discounts.

Things to know for tourists

If you are traveling to this island, keep in mind that you may not get mobile connectivity. Jio network doesn’t work here properly. But Vodafone works here at some places. If you are going there to disconnect for the world and connect with yourself, you won’t need any network.
Though this island remains inhabited, you can still access medical facilities in an emergency. Tour operators also keep a first aid kit handy for any situations. Along with it, island is also closely located to Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. However, you are still recommended to carry your own medications to avoid any inconvenience.
You are also recommended to carry some food items as this island remains inhabited and it doesn’t have any restaurants.
You are also requested to visit this island only in daytime and on very limited timings as it remains inhabited most of the time. You can take ferries from Chidiya Tapu on regular intervals, which take up to 3 hours one way. It is recommended to leave for the island early in the morning and spend a whole day with some amazing activities and get back by the evening.
You can enjoy a lot of adventure activities like scuba diving and snorkeling here, apart from witnessing its natural and raw beauty of marine creatures.

Getting There

Around 25 km from the capital city of Port Blair, Cinque Island lies in the proximity to Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. You can find a lot of options to get there.

By Ferries – You will need to take a chartered ferry or boat at Port Blair to reach Cinque Island. These ferries are available at regular intervals at the same route every day.

By Air – Veer Savarkar International Airport or Port Blair International Airport is the closest airport from Port Blair. It is well connected to all important cities and towns and you can easily get there within 4 hours.

Bottom Line

Cinque Island is one of the most popular Virgin Islands in South Andaman. It is well covered by white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. North and South Cinque Islands are the two portions of island. They have proper connectivity with a beautiful sand bar which was hit by tsunami and reformed well over the years.

So you are ready to hit this secret island and get in the mood for vacations. We hope this quick and handy guide has helped you. If you are planning your tour to this island, contact our travel agent in Andaman for further information.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Should I carry something when going to Cinque Island?

The Cinque Island is definitely a tropical landscape. So, we recommend you to carry some basic medications, extra pair of clothes, swimsuit, and sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful sun rays and tanning.

2. How much does a boat ticket cost when I reach Port Blair?

The cost of a ferry varies as per the season. If you are booking through a travel agent, the cost is usually included.

3. Are accommodation options available in Cinque Island?

Keep in mind that Cinque Island is uninhabited. So, you won’t find any hotels and resorts here. You can only go for day trips over there. It also shares the boundaries with Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park.

4. How to reach Cinque Island?

Ferry is the best and only option to reach Cinque Island. You can first visit Chidiya Tapu and then take ferry to reach there. The ferries are available all day to and from Port Blair.

Is July the Best Month to Visit Andaman? Know the Best Places to Explore

Every year, thousands of tourists visit Andaman for spending a memorable vacation or honeymoon. No matter the reason, you can rest assured to have an exciting time when you visit Andaman in July. Monsoon is considered to be the best season to visit Andaman as it remains cooler than hot and humid summer months. You can also visit several places during this month.

You can witness the beautiful caves which are best kept secrets by nature along with vibrant species of flora and fauna. Andaman is full of surprises for the tourists of all ages. It is very easy to reach Andaman as Port Blair is well connected to all major cities of India by flight. You can also visit there by cruises or ships which add to a great experience.

Best Places to Visit during Monsoons in Andaman

You can have a fun vacation when you visit the following places in Andaman in the month of July. They are truly mesmerizing and easy to reach –

1. Wandoor Beach

It is one of the most frequented places to visit in Andaman as it is closely located to the capital city of Port Blair and is well regarded for beautiful corals. The whole region is covered by the lush greens of trees and mountains and turquoise blue water. This beach is ideal for swimming and also opens in June. But it is advised not to swim in heavy rainfall. Overall, you can relax and chill by the beach and have a romantic time with your partner. The beach is well positioned in Wandoor Village that is easy to reach by ferry from Port Blair. Wandoor is just 25 km from Port Blair.

2. Baratang Island

This location is literally untouched by tourists’ crowds and is truly a gem in Andaman. Baratang Island is full of lush green mangroves which make it really beautiful. You can definitely live up to your adventurous side in this place. You can also come across Jarawa people of Andaman. The island is also loaded with lots of limestone caves to offer the great essence of this idyllic island. You can visit the island by hiking or canoeing. The island becomes really very impressive in monsoon as the temperature is low and you can explore the island easily. It is located around 100 km from Port Blair.

3. Bharatpur Beach

Bharatpur Beach is well located in Neil Island and is one of the most visited beaches of Andaman. It has been visited by hundreds and thousands of tourists from different parts of the world to witness its cleanliness and spectacular beauty. The whole beach is stretched over 500 km. Children also love to visit the island as it is ideal for family vacation. It has lush greens of the mountains which meet white sands in Bay of Bengal. The spot is ideal for scuba diving and snorkeling. However, these activities are not available in monsoon because of heavy rainfall. It is located around 40 km from the capital city of union territory.

4. Mud Volcanoes

Along with shocking impacts of history and breathtaking natural beauty, Andaman is also famous for mud volcanoes across the world. You can find around 25 mud volcanoes across Andaman and most of them are located in Baratang and Diglipur Islands.

This phenomenon was created by natural gases like methane and hydrocarbon. You can easily witness the same in July. The volcanoes are active during this time. You can hike or trek to the volcanoes to witness these natural phenomena. Diglipur Island is located over 350 km north of Port Blair. You can get there via seaplanes or cruise ships.

5. Cellular Jail

Apart from being the leading tourist attraction in Andaman, Cellular Jail also serves as a memorial to the country’s fight for freedom. History buff can find a lot of facts to explore. You can learn a lot of things related to British rule in the country. A lot of leading freedom fighters from Veer Savarkar to Batukeshwar Dutt have been imprisoned before India’s independence.

If you are planning to visit Cellular Jail in July, you can also enjoy the iconic light and sound show which takes place every evening outside the prison. You can also get back to the colonial past in several picture galleries and exhibition galleries and witness the British atrocities before 1947. The Cellular Jail is located 15 km from Port Blair.

6. Ross Island

It is one of the most popular islands in Andaman as it was the hub of union territory. It is a visually great and historically iconic island. You can walk through the island to witness how the life before India’s independence was and get the experience when Andaman was used to imprison and torture people. You can now explore the historical evidence in cemeteries and museums. Also visit the lighthouse located there if you visit in July. You can have the breathtaking 360o view of Bay of Bengal from the top in showery rain. It is around a 30m tall tower. Ross Island is easy to reach as it is just 3 km from Port Blair.

7. Radhanagar Beach

Radhanagar Beach is truly the pride of the country as it is different from several other beaches of the country. It is covered by tropical greens offering the serene view of blue waters to add to the beauty. It is one of the most visited attractions on Havelock Island. Most of the beaches are open in the monsoons in Havelock Island, except Elephant Beach. You can enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling here at all times of the year, except in heavy monsoons. It is located only 72 km from Port Blair.

You can find excellent views of the above places in monsoon. You can easily explore the above places despite the fact that some activities may be closed due to heavy rains.

Day: March 18, 2020