Andaman & Nicobar Islands Complete Travel Guide 2026: Port Blair, Havelock, Radhanagar, Cellular Jail

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Andaman & Nicobar Islands Complete Travel Guide 2026: Port Blair, Havelock, Radhanagar, Cellular Jail

TL;DR

I flew into Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram, renamed September 13, 2024) and spent twelve days across Havelock (Swaraj Island), Neil (Shaheed Dweep), Baratang, Ross Island and Diglipur. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands cover 8,249 square kilometres across 572 islands of which 38 are inhabited, 1,200 kilometres east of Chennai in the Bay of Bengal. Indian citizens need no permit; foreigners get a free 30-day Restricted Area Permit on arrival with a valid e-visa (USD 25, 60 days). Radhanagar Beach on Havelock was named Asia's best beach by TIME in 2004 and still earns the title. Cellular Jail (Port Blair, British 1906, 7 wings, 696 cells) is where Savarkar served from 1911 to 1924. Budget travellers manage on USD 50 a day, mid-range USD 100 to 200, Taj Exotica or Barefoot push past USD 400. October through May is the dry window. Plan around Makruzz or Green Ocean ferries (2.5 hours, USD 18 to 25). Respect the Jarawa Reserve drive-through: no photography, no stopping, eyes forward.

Why Visit Andaman & Nicobar Islands

I had three reasons for booking this trip, and all three held up. First, access is genuinely easy now. Indians need nothing beyond a confirmed flight ticket. Foreigners get an e-visa for USD 25 valid 60 days and the Restricted Area Permit is granted free at the airport for 30 days. Direct flights run from Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad on Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara and Akasa Air. I paid USD 180 round trip from Hyderabad. The flight time is 2.5 to 5 hours depending on origin.

Second, Radhanagar Beach really is the best beach I've walked in Asia. Two kilometres of white silica sand, no jet skis, no banana boats, no touts. The TIME magazine 2004 ranking still holds because the local administration has refused commercial water sports on this stretch.

Third, the diving sits in the same league as the Maldives at roughly half the price. Visibility hit 30 metres in April off Aquatica's house reef at Havelock. PADI Open Water certification ran me USD 380 over four days. Add the Cellular Jail Light and Sound Show, the limestone caves of Baratang, the mud volcanoes that exist nowhere else in India, and the ruins of Ross Island. The chain is India's easternmost union territory: you are closer to Yangon than to Mumbai.

Background

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands form a single union territory but are geographically two groups. The Andaman group covers 6,408 square kilometres, the Nicobar group 1,841 square kilometres, separated by the Ten Degree Channel. The territory was formed in 1956. Population around 380,000: 96 per cent are mainland migrants and their descendants (Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayali, Hindi-speaking settlers and Nicobarese Christians). Around 4 per cent belong to the six recognised indigenous groups: Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa, Sentinelese, Shompen and Nicobarese.

The capital is Port Blair (population 100,000), officially renamed Sri Vijaya Puram on September 13, 2024 though most locals still use Port Blair. A Lieutenant Governor administers the territory. The Andaman & Nicobar Command, set up in 2001, was India's first unified tri-service command: the eastern flank of the Indian Ocean.

The British annexed the islands after 1858 to build a penal colony for rebels of the 1857 uprising. Cellular Jail was completed in 1906. Japan occupied the territory from 1942 to 1945; Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted the Indian tricolour at Port Blair on December 30, 1943, making the islands the first Indian territory considered free of British rule under his Provisional Government. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake of magnitude 9.1 to 9.3 and the tsunami that followed killed roughly 1,000 people in the Andamans and more than 5,000 in the Nicobars, with 6-metre waves wiping out coastal villages.

Top Tier-1 Destinations

Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram) and Cellular Jail

I gave Port Blair two full days and that's the right amount. The Cellular Jail National Memorial is the anchor. Construction finished in 1906 with seven wings radiating from a central tower and 696 solitary cells in total. Only three wings survive after the 2004 tsunami and earlier earthquakes. Indian freedom fighters called it Kala Pani, the Black Water, because crossing the sea meant ritual loss of caste.

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was held here from 1911 to 1924 in cell 52 of the seventh wing's third floor. Batukeshwar Dutt, who threw the Central Assembly bomb with Bhagat Singh in 1929, spent time here too. The evening Light and Sound Show runs daily in English and Hindi; I'd recommend the Hindi narration if you understand the language. Entry INR 30, show INR 50 to 100. Wear modest clothing. This is a memorial.

The Veer Savarkar Memorial was inaugurated in 1989 and the Port Blair airport carries his name. The Samudrika Naval Marine Museum covers island geology and marine life. Chatham Saw Mill, set up in 1883, was once Asia's largest. The Anthropological Museum holds the most thoughtful display on the six indigenous tribes. Add Corbyn's Cove Beach for an evening walk and you've covered Port Blair.

Havelock Island (Swaraj Island)

Havelock was renamed Swaraj Island in 2018 along with Neil (Shaheed Dweep) and Ross (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island), but every dive shop and local still says Havelock. Radhanagar Beach, two kilometres on the western shore, is the headline. I cycled there at 5 in the morning, parked under a casuarina, and had the entire beach to myself until 7. Fine pale sand, gentle slope, safe swimming, no built structures behind the dune line. Sunset there ruins you for other beaches.

Elephant Beach on the northwest coast is the snorkelling spot, reached by a 45-minute forest trek or a 20-minute boat from Havelock jetty. The fringing reef sits in waist-deep water and I saw parrotfish, butterflyfish and a turtle within ten minutes. Kalapathar Beach on the southeast coast has black volcanic rocks and is the place for sunrise.

Havelock is the diving capital of India. Aquatica, Dive India, Barefoot Scuba and Doongi Dives all run PADI courses. I went with Aquatica at Beach No. 5; house reef visibility hit 30 metres on my open water dives. Best sites: Mike Madhumati, The Wall, Lighthouse, Johnny's Gorge. Pelagic action peaks April to May. A single fun dive costs USD 80 to 100 with gear; Open Water certification USD 350 to 500 over four days. Stay at Taj Exotica (USD 400+), Barefoot at Havelock (USD 250) or Munjoh Ocean Resort (USD 180). Mid-range guesthouses USD 50 to 80.

Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)

Neil is the slower, smaller sibling of Havelock. One hour from Havelock or 90 minutes from Port Blair by Makruzz. I gave it two nights. Bharatpur Beach next to the jetty has the softest sand and calmest water, ideal for swimming with kids. Laxmanpur Beach is the snorkelling and sunset spot. Sitapur Beach catches sunrise. The Natural Bridge (locally Howrah Bridge) is a limestone arch reachable at low tide from Laxmanpur 2.

Neil has fewer dive operators but Indian Scuba Explorers and Dive India run trips here. The seabed is shallower than Havelock and friendlier to novices. Accommodation is mostly low-rise: Summer Sands, SeaShell, Pearl Park at USD 60 to 150. I paid INR 1,800 for a bamboo cottage 200 metres from Bharatpur.

Baratang Island

Baratang is for travellers with more than five days. The drive from Port Blair takes 3 to 4 hours along the Andaman Trunk Road, which cuts through the Jarawa Reserve. Convoys leave at fixed times (6, 9, 12, 3) from the Jirkatang check post. No photography. No stopping. No food passed out of windows. Eyes forward. The Jarawa are a protected community of around 550 people; outside contact has historically killed them through introduced disease. The rules are not negotiable.

At Baratang you take a 30-minute boat through dense mangrove creeks, then walk 1.5 kilometres to the limestone caves. Active calcite stalactites and stalagmites. Carry a torch. The mud volcanoes (Jalki locally) are a separate excursion and are the only mud volcanoes in India. Day trips from Port Blair cost INR 1,500 to 2,500.

Ross Island (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island)

Ross was the British administrative headquarters from 1858 to 1942. The Japanese took over from 1942 to 1945. The 1941 earthquake damaged most buildings, the 2004 tsunami finished the job, and what remains is an overgrown ruin of a chief commissioner's house, Presbyterian church, bakery, swimming pool, printing press and cemetery. Ross is a 20-minute boat from Aberdeen Jetty. The evening Light and Sound Show, narrated by Om Puri, is a quiet, affecting hour. Combine Ross with North Bay (snorkelling and the lighthouse from the INR 20 note) for a full half day.

Top Tier-2 Destinations

Diglipur and Saddle Peak

Diglipur sits at the northern tip of North Andaman, 325 kilometres from Port Blair through the Jarawa Reserve. The 4WD trip takes 12 hours including convoy waits and ferry crossings at Middle and Austen Strait. Saddle Peak at 732 metres is the highest point in the Andamans; the trek up takes 4 to 5 hours one way through tropical forest. Forest department permit required.

Ross and Smith Islands are connected by a natural sandbar at low tide; you can walk between them. Ramnagar and Kalipur Beach see Olive Ridley turtle nesting from April to May, and the forest department runs an informal monitoring camp where you can watch hatchlings released at dusk. Stay at Pristine Beach Resort, Turtle Resort or the Diglipur Andaman Tourism Lodge.

Long Island

A 2-hour government ferry from Yerrata or Rangat Bay. Lalaji Bay, 30 minutes by boat from the jetty, has an undeveloped white-sand beach with no road access. Half a dozen guesthouses. Carry cash.

Cinque Islands

Two uninhabited islands joined by a sandbar 26 kilometres south of Port Blair. Permits required, access by chartered boat only, around INR 5,000 per head for groups of six. Day trip with snorkelling.

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park

The park covers 281 square kilometres across 15 islands off Wandoor, 30 kilometres southwest of Port Blair. Jolly Buoy and Red Skin alternate on a six-month cycle to protect the reef. Glass-bottom boat rides cover the coral and you can snorkel from shore. One of India's two entries on the UNESCO tentative list for marine sites. Entry INR 50, boat INR 750 to 1,000.

Chidiya Tapu

Twenty-five kilometres south of Port Blair, locals call it the sunset point of the Andamans. Munda Pahad Beach below the viewpoint is quiet on weekdays, and the biological reserve behind it is good for birdwatching. 45-minute drive.

Cost Table (INR / USD)

Category	Budget	Mid-range	Luxury
Accommodation (per night)	INR 1,500 to 4,500 / USD 18 to 55	INR 5,500 to 15,000 / USD 65 to 180	INR 30,000+ / USD 360+ (Taj Exotica, Barefoot, Munjoh)
Local meal	INR 150 to 350 / USD 2 to 4	INR 400 to 900 / USD 5 to 11	INR 1,500+ / USD 18+
Lobster / crab / fish curry	INR 200 to 800 / USD 2.50 to 10	INR 1,000 to 1,800 / USD 12 to 22	INR 2,500+ / USD 30+
Port Blair to Havelock ferry	Govt ferry INR 500 / USD 6	Makruzz / Green Ocean INR 1,500 to 2,200 / USD 18 to 25	Premium class INR 2,800 / USD 33
Port Blair to Havelock flight	n/a	n/a	INR 3,500 / USD 40 (seaplane / helicopter seasonal)
Port Blair to Neil ferry	Govt INR 400 / USD 5	Makruzz INR 1,200 / USD 14	Premium INR 2,000 / USD 24
4WD to Diglipur (12 hr)	Shared INR 1,000 / USD 12	Private INR 8,000 / USD 95	Private and driver INR 12,000 / USD 145
Cellular Jail entry and show	INR 30 + INR 100 / USD 1.50	n/a	n/a
Single fun dive (Havelock)	INR 6,000 / USD 72	INR 7,500 / USD 90	INR 8,500 / USD 100
PADI Open Water (4 days)	INR 29,000 / USD 350	INR 35,000 / USD 420	INR 42,000 / USD 500

Planning Your Trip

The best months to visit are October through May. November to March is peak season with cool dry weather averaging 24 to 30 degrees Celsius. April and May are hot at 30 to 33 degrees with the best diving visibility but rising humidity. June to September is monsoon: heavy daily rain, rough seas, ferry cancellations and reduced underwater visibility. Cyclones touch the islands in November and occasionally May but are rare.

For Indian citizens, no permit or visa is needed. Carry a government photo ID. Foreign nationals need an Indian e-visa (USD 25 for 60 days, applied online). On arrival at Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ), foreigners are issued a free Restricted Area Permit valid 30 days that covers Port Blair, Havelock, Neil, Baratang day trip, Mayabunder, Diglipur, Long Island and Wandoor. The Nicobar group is closed to all visitors with rare exceptions.

Direct flights run daily from Chennai (2 hours), Kolkata (2 hours), Bengaluru and Hyderabad (2.5 hours), Delhi and Mumbai (5 hours) and Visakhapatnam. Return fares USD 100 to 250 depending on season. Book three months ahead for December and January. The airport (IXZ) is six kilometres from Port Blair town centre.

Inter-island ferries are the workhorse. Makruzz and Green Ocean run luxury catamarans: Port Blair to Havelock in 2.5 hours, Havelock to Neil in 1 hour and Port Blair to Neil in 90 minutes. Government ferries are cheaper and slower (4 to 6 hours); buy tickets in person at Phoenix Bay Jetty. Book Makruzz online at least a week ahead in peak season. The 4WD road trip to Diglipur takes 12 hours including Jarawa convoy timings. Helicopter and seaplane services operate seasonally.

Climate is tropical: 24 to 32 degrees year round with humidity 70 to 85 per cent. Pack light cotton, a rain shell from June to September, a sun hat, two pairs of swimwear, modest cover-up clothing for Cellular Jail and reef-safe sunscreen (regular sunscreen damages coral and some operators refuse divers wearing it).

Dress sensibly. Beachwear is fine on beaches and at resorts. Cellular Jail expects respectful dress: long trousers or skirts, sleeves recommended. Temples, churches and gurudwaras follow the usual cover-shoulders-and-knees rule. The islands are socially conservative despite the beach setting; topless sunbathing is illegal.

FAQs

Do I need a permit or visa? Indian citizens: no permit, just a government photo ID. Foreign nationals: Indian e-visa USD 25 for 60 days online, plus a free Restricted Area Permit on arrival at IXZ valid 30 days. Nicobar group is off limits.

Are ATMs and cards widely accepted? SBI, ICICI, HDFC and Indian Bank ATMs work in Port Blair, Havelock and Neil. Cards work at mid-range and luxury hotels and at Makruzz counters. ATMs in Diglipur, Baratang and Long Island are scarce or out of cash. Carry INR if going north.

Can I drink alcohol? Yes, at licensed bars and resorts in Port Blair, Havelock and Neil. Beer, wine and Indian spirits are common. Dry days apply on religious holidays such as Mahavir Jayanti, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti.

What about vegetarian food? South Indian dosa, idli and sambar, Bengali rice and fish, North Indian dal, roti and sabzi are everywhere. Pure veg restaurants are common in Port Blair. Havelock adds European cafes with pasta, pizza and breakfast bowls. Seafood lovers should order lobster, mud crab, red snapper, kingfish, prawns and the local fish curry made with kokum or tamarind.

How do I book the inter-island ferry? Makruzz at makruzz.com and Green Ocean at greenoceanseaways.com. Book online 7 to 10 days ahead for December to February. Government ferry tickets are sold in person at Phoenix Bay Jetty. Both run economy, premium and royal class. I took premium at INR 1,800.

What should I wear at Cellular Jail and the beaches? Cellular Jail: long trousers, covered shoulders, closed shoes if possible. This is a national memorial. Beaches: regular beachwear, swimsuits, board shorts. Cover up walking through villages.

How is scuba diving here compared with the Maldives or Thailand? Visibility 25 to 30 metres April to May, reef healthy, operators PADI or SSI certified. I rate it equal to budget Maldives at half the cost. Best operators at Havelock: Aquatica, Mike Madhumati Diving, Barefoot Scuba and Dive India. PADI Open Water USD 350 to 500. Day dives USD 80 to 150. Advanced sites: The Wall, Johnny's Gorge, Dixon's Pinnacle, Lighthouse.

Can I visit the Jarawa Reserve or Sentinelese Island? The Andaman Trunk Road passes through the Jarawa Reserve and you drive through in a convoy: no photography, no stopping, no food handed out, eyes forward. The Jarawa (around 550) have historically died from outsider disease. The Sentinelese on North Sentinel Island (50 to 200 on a 60-plus square kilometre island) are completely isolated. A 5-kilometre exclusion zone applies and entering is illegal under Indian law. In November 2018 American missionary John Allen Chau entered without permission and was killed by the Sentinelese; the Indian government has not recovered his body. Respect this. These are not tourist attractions.

Useful Hindi and Bengali Phrases

English	Hindi	Bengali
Hello	Namaste	Nomoshkar
Thank you	Dhanyavaad	Dhonnobaad
You're welcome	Aapka swagat hai	Apnar shagotom
Yes	Haan	Haan
No	Nahin	Na
Please	Kripya	Doya kore
Sorry	Maaf kijiye	Khoma korben
How much?	Kitna hai?	Koto?
Where is the beach?	Beach kahaan hai?	Beach kothai?
I don't understand	Main samajh nahin paaya	Ami bujhte parchi na
Water	Paani	Jol
Food	Khana	Khabar
Help	Madad	Sahajjo
Beautiful	Sundar	Shundor
Good morning	Suprabhat	Shuprobhat
Good night	Shubh ratri	Shubho ratri

Cultural Notes

The islands are linguistically and religiously diverse. Hindi is spoken by around 65 per cent as a first or second language, Bengali by 25 per cent, Tamil by 10 per cent, with Telugu, Malayali and Nicobarese populations. Hinduism accounts for 70 per cent, Christianity 22 per cent (largely Nicobarese), Islam 8 per cent, with small Sikh and Buddhist communities including a Tibetan refugee settlement.

The six recognised indigenous tribes are protected under the Scheduled Tribes provisions of the Indian Constitution. The Great Andamanese number around 10 surviving individuals; the Onge around 100; the Jarawa around 550; the Sentinelese 50 to 200 and completely isolated; the Shompen around 250; and the Nicobarese around 28,000. The Onge, Jarawa and Sentinelese are of Negrito descent and genetic evidence places them among the descendants of the first humans to leave Africa, with continuous habitation for over 60,000 years. The Shompen and Nicobarese are of Mongoloid descent and arrived around 2,000 years ago, possibly from the Malay peninsula or southern Myanmar.

North Sentinel Island is around 60 square kilometres and its inhabitants have maintained no documented peaceful contact with the outside world. The Indian government's policy since the 1990s has been non-contact, enforced through a 5-kilometre exclusion zone and naval patrols. On November 17, 2018, John Allen Chau, an American missionary who paid fishermen to drop him at the island, was killed by the Sentinelese. The Indian position held: the Sentinelese have the right to be left alone, and any contact risks introducing pathogens to which they have no immunity. The Jarawa initiated peaceful contact only in the mid 1990s after measles medical intervention; the Andaman Trunk Road rules exist to keep tourist contact minimal.

Cellular Jail was built between 1896 and 1906, with seven wings spreading from a central tower and 696 cells of 4.5 by 2.7 metres each. Freedom fighters held here included Savarkar, Batukeshwar Dutt, Yogendra Shukla, Sachindra Nath Sanyal, Sohan Singh and Trailokyanath Chakravarty. Three wings survive.

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake of magnitude 9.1 to 9.3 on December 26 killed roughly 1,000 in the Andamans and over 5,000 in the Nicobars, with 6-metre waves wiping out coastal villages. Many Nicobarese villages were rebuilt inland at higher elevations and cyclone-shelter infrastructure has been substantially upgraded.

The Andaman & Nicobar Command, set up in 2001, was India's first unified tri-service command. The strategic value lies in the islands' position astride the eastern approaches to the Indian Ocean and the Malacca Strait. Tourist movement near military installations is restricted.

Pre-Trip Checklist

Indian e-visa (USD 25, 60 days) if foreign national, passport with 6 months validity
Restricted Area Permit on arrival at IXZ, foreigners only, free for 30 days
Indian government photo ID for Indian citizens (Aadhaar, passport, voter ID)
Makruzz or Green Ocean ferry tickets booked online 7 to 10 days ahead
INR cash (ATMs in Diglipur and Baratang are unreliable)
Scuba certification card if PADI or SSI qualified, or budget for Open Water at Havelock
Reef-safe sunscreen (some operators refuse divers wearing regular sunscreen)
Modest covered clothing for Cellular Jail
Light cotton, two swimwear sets, sun hat, sunglasses
Rain shell if travelling June to September
Power plug type C, D or M; 230 volts at 50 hertz
Travel insurance with dive cover
Avoid June to September monsoon for clear water and reliable ferries

Sample Itineraries

5-Day Quick Hit (Port Blair, Havelock, Neil)

Day 1: Arrive Port Blair, Cellular Jail Light and Sound Show
Day 2: Ross Island and North Bay snorkelling, evening Corbyn's Cove
Day 3: Makruzz to Havelock, Radhanagar sunset
Day 4: Elephant Beach snorkelling, afternoon dive or Kalapathar
Day 5: Ferry to Neil, Bharatpur and Laxmanpur, evening Makruzz to Port Blair, fly out next morning

8-Day Standard (Add Diglipur and Baratang)

Days 1 to 2: Port Blair, Ross Island
Day 3: Baratang day trip (limestone caves, mud volcanoes)
Day 4: 4WD to Diglipur via Jarawa convoy
Day 5: Saddle Peak trek or Ross and Smith sandbar
Day 6: Return to Port Blair, Makruzz to Havelock
Days 7 to 8: Havelock beaches, Radhanagar sunset, fly out

12-Day Full Loop with Diving

Days 1 to 2: Port Blair, Cellular Jail, Ross, Wandoor NP
Day 3: Baratang day trip
Days 4 to 5: Diglipur, Saddle Peak, Ross and Smith
Day 6: Back to Port Blair, Makruzz to Havelock
Days 7 to 10: PADI Open Water at Aquatica
Day 11: Ferry to Neil, Bharatpur, Natural Bridge, Laxmanpur sunset
Day 12: Ferry to Port Blair, evening flight out

Related Guides

India Tamil Nadu Chennai complete travel guide (gateway flights to Port Blair)
India West Bengal Kolkata complete travel guide (the other main flight gateway)
India Odisha Puri Konark Bhubaneswar guide (east-coast pairing)
Thailand Phuket Phi Phi Krabi guide (comparable diving scene at higher cost)
Myanmar Mergui Archipelago guide (closest similar island chain to the north)
Indonesia Aceh Banda Pulau Weh guide (comparable diving across the Indian Ocean)

External References

Wikipedia: Andaman and Nicobar Islands article and Cellular Jail article
UNESCO World Heritage tentative list: Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and Andaman Tropical Evergreen Rain Forests
Andaman & Nicobar Tourism official site at andamantourism.gov.in
Wikivoyage: Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Lonely Planet: Andaman Islands chapter

Last updated 2026-05-19.

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