Things to Do in Andaman and Nicobar

Located in South Andaman district, Ross Island is a major part of Andaman and tourists have visited the island often because of the flabbergasting beauty of it. Earlier, it was headquarters of Andaman and after 1941 Port Blair became the administrative headquarters. What one can watch on this island is the remnants of an old church existed there, a swimming pool, the chief commissioner’s residence with gardens and ballrooms. 

There is a cemetery and a museum maintained by the Indian Navy. These historically significant sights in Ross Island gives a serious appeal to it rather than of a relaxed laid-back island. But everyone who visits Andaman would not love to miss Ross Island that is closely connected to the capital city that is Port Blair.

Highlights: The diminished beauty of Ross Island was preserved as a historical piece of representation of the glory the island once possessed but for many reasons, people love this island. All the buildings and the ruins found here on the island are covered by the thick roots of banyan trees and that itself is a vivacious aspect the structures on the island have to showcase. At the northern end of the island, there is a new concreted light house that is 10 meters high and it is in circular shape which was constructed during the year of 1977. 

The lighthouse is located on an offshoot rock that measures to be located at 50 meters away from the shore line. The thick, regularly swaying forest ranges and the impression it gives as a secluded and deserted space without no humans are another highlights the island displays. A wide collection of rare fauna and flora has its own authentic space on the island.

Activities: Boating, beachwalk, swimming, snorkeling etc are some of the easily available and refreshing water based activities done on Ross Island.

Distance from Port Blair: The island lies 3 km east from Port Blair.

Here is our well-curated list of best Port Blair resorts to have the best stay experience.

If you are in the hunt for undiscovered gems of Andaman, Baratang Islands should definitely be on your list as it is one of the best places to visit in Port Blair. It is known for its dense mangrove forests, exotic fauna and its ethnic population. A haven for shutterbugs, Baratang Islands is one of the most panoramic places to visit in Andaman. Even though it is slightly underdeveloped, Baratang Islands is where you can have your full dose of adventure. Tucked between South and Middle Andaman, Baratang Islands is a place which you will love if you like things untouched and unspoiled.

It is home to one of the oldest existing human races- the Jarawa tribe and many virgin beaches to let you bask in nature’s beauty. Some of the most exciting places to see in Baratang Islands include its gorgeous beaches, mangrove creeks, mud-volcanoes and mostly its limestone caves. It is one of the must visit tourist places in Andaman if you are a nature lover and wildlife enthusiast for the diversity of things it offers to the tourists. For a comforting stay after a day full of activities, you must check the resorts in Andaman.

Highlights: This island is one of the most striking places in Andaman for nature lovers as it offers myriad attractions like its limestone caves, mangrove creeks, tidal swamp forests and its interesting mud volcanoes.

Activities: Being a nature’s paradise, Baratang Island is a delight for witnessing nature at its best and involving yourself in activities like trekking and bird watching. One can indulge in boat riding through the mangrove forests and explore the limestone caves here. For the beach lovers, there in Baludera Beach where one can swimming and snorkeling.

Distance from Port Blair: Baratang Island is about 100 km away from the capital city, Port Blair.

A major island in Andaman, Viper Island got its name from the vessel H.M.S. Viper which was met with an accident and the ruins of the vessel were found near the island. Before the Cellular Jail was built, the jail at Viper Island was the place where the British inflicted the dark form of torture to those freedom fighters of India.

The tranquilizing island is a favourite tourist destination in Andaman and Nicobar now. The aching beauty of nature along with the historically significant attractions has made the island a throbbing tourist attraction. There is also another saying that the island got its name from the presence of numerous Viper and similar snakes on the island.

Highlights: Anyone who loves to visit the island would make it mandatory to take a tour of the old jail. A boat journey to the island will enable one to see the ports and Navy ships of Port Blair. Also, the exotic sights of seven points from the harbor are overwhelming.

Activities: Boating is the favourite activity done by the tourists coming to Viper Island and strolling along the long beaches would satiate your passion for spending time at a relaxed pace.

Distance from Port Blair: Viper Island lies 4 kms west of Port Blair and ferries are always available from city of Port Blair to reach the island.

Ross and Smith Islands offer a mesmerizing escape in the Andamans. Connected by a sandbar, they boast crystal-clear turquoise waters and pristine beaches. Perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and snorkelling, these islands are also home to lush forests and vibrant marine life. The Ross and Smith islands are perfect for having a tranquil as well as an adventurous experience amidst nature's untouched beauty.

Activities: Snorkeling and swimming are the most suitable and well acknowledged activities on both the islands. Adventure lovers find the space marvelous to do scuba diving tours as well.

Distance from Port Blair: By road, about 191 kms are there from Port Blair to Ross and Smith Islands, Aerial Jetty is the right spot to take a private boat from and travel to the island.

South Cinque Island and North Cinque Island are the two major portions that make the huge Cinque Island a vibrant and captivating beauty in Andaman. This famous underwater diving spot is located on the north side of the popular Duncan Passage and in the middle of Rutland and Passage Islands. The inhabited island is a surprising beauty to all the tourists arrive here. But the two divisions of the island are beautifully separated by a sandbar. 

Another important factor to know about Cinque Island is that it is a part of the very famous Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park in Wandoor. And thus, the abundant presence of colourful marine lives is not a surprising feature. Tourists mainly arrive at Cinque to enjoy adventure activities, especially diving and snorkeling. The beautiful corals and fish species give away the admiring time underwater to every nature lover.

Highlights: Mostly, day visits are allowed on the island that too with the permission in advance from Chief Wildlife Warden. The astonishingly beautiful corals are the main feature of Cinque Island. The island itself is a sanctuary as it houses a large collection of variety coral reefs, sea weeds, multi coloured fish species, starfish, sea anemones, turtles and water snakes.

There is an authentic declaration on the name of the island which says that Cinque Island is the mostly visited island in Andaman archipelago.

Activities: As everyone is quite clear about the fact that Cinque Island is an incomparable destination for the best scuba diving spots, tourists arrive here in large numbers every year. Those who would not want to be so adventurous also will not be disappointed since the island gives opportunities to do snorkeling and swimming at their best.

Distance from Port Blair: It is at a distance of 38.9 kms from Port Blair.

Close to Port Blair is the beautiful island of Rutland, which used to be the home for Jangil, an indigenous Andaman tribe. The Jangil groups were found in the major interiors of the island. The lighthouse situated on the slopes of the hill on the north of the island is about 2 km. 

A part of Rutland Archipelago and is located across the Macpherson Strait. Duncan Passage separates Little Andaman from Rutland Island and from North Clinique Island by the presence of Manner Strait. There are two major peaks, Mount Ford which is 433 meters high and mount Mayo, 227 meters high, located in the North and South parts of the island respectively.

Highlights: The major villages on the island are Rutland Villages, R M Point Village, Bamboo Nallaha, Kichad Nallaha, Bada Khari and Dani Nallah or east jetty. This island houses 119 households which have 347 inhabitants who speak Hindi, Bengali and Tamil. Cultivation is an identified livelihood activity on the island. Around 53 hectares of land is cultivated and 237 cattle heads and 157 goats are found on the island. 

The rich marine life appear on the island is yet another attraction. Both the smaller fish species and coral reefs are the prime attractions. Though there are a number of hills, the island offers the beautiful section of open jungle and bushes. The government has decided to open an underwater pipeline across Mac Pherson Strait to bring water from Rutland to Port Blair and from R. M Point to Phongibalu is South Andaman.

Activities: Tourists are really fond of Rutland because it is an ideal base for divers to get training in open water diving. The major tourist spots here are Jahaji Beach, Bada Balu, Photo Nallah and Dani Nallah which are offering the best space to just relax and have fun. The vast beaches are giving the tourists a lot of opportunities to do swimming and snorkeling along the stretched coral reefs.

Distance from Port Blair: From Port Blair, Rutland Island is located at a distance of 20 km and you can take a boat from Port Blair to reach the island.

One of the most prominent tourist places in Andaman, Mount Harriet National Park is a place which will leave you speechless with its natural beauty. There is an awesome collection of places here that are sure to offer you some fantastic memories of Andaman holiday. Located at the second highest peak of Andaman which is the Ferargunj Tehsil, it is a great spot to catch the sunrise and bask in the glorious views of Andaman Sea.

A nice getaway if you seek relaxation away from all the noise and chaos, Mount Harriet National Park should not be missed when you are there. The natural beauty will leave you in surprise as you watch birds chirping and the soft wind blowing against your face. November to May is the most ideal time to pay a visit here when you are planning a holiday to Andaman. The park has watch towers, children's park, deer park, guest house and tourist sheds offering you everything for your recreational holiday. There are also long nature trails where you can savour an adrenaline rush by indulging in trekking.

Highlights: The astonishing feature of visiting Mount Harriet National Park is to capture the breathtaking sunrise over the panoramic blue ocean waters. The place is famous for its rainforests and all the nature lovers are in for a treat when they visit here.

Activities: It offers many enthralling activities like trekking, hopping on nature trails between the Guest house complex and kala pathar viewpoint. Other famous trekking route in Mount Harriet National Park is from Madhuban Beach- one till Mannarghat (10 km long) and the other till Guest house (15km long)

Distance from Port Blair: It is at a distance of 48 km from Port Blair Bus Stand.

Timing: 7 AM to 5 PM

Entry Fee: INR 25 for Indian Adult, INR 10 for Child

As the name suggests, Chidiya Tapu is the perfect haven for unseen migratory birds and common native birds found in the Andaman Islands and it is one of the popular places to visit in Port Blair. Recognized as the most enchanting beach in Andaman and tourists arrive here on a large scale as the beach extends the best ever sights for them including the eye catching sunrise and sunset views. This is a silent yet crowded beach encircled by evergreen forests on one side and the short hills on the other side. 

As it is considered to be the presenter of the most finishing touch of sunset and sunrise views, it is the main hub in Andaman Islands. The beach is filled with 46 varieties of endangered species of birds, and white spotted deer. There are a lot of seasonal orchids and other varieties of plants.

Highlights: The major attractions of Chidiya Tapu are the Chidiya Tapu Biological Park, the Sylvan Sands, the Munda Pahar Beaches etc. You will be able to stay at a forest guesthouse located nearby atop a hillock and from there, the panoramic view of Chidiya Tapu in detail.

Activities: Apart from sunset and sunrise views, plenty of people come for an Andaman and Nicobar trip to see this beach, to identify the rare species appear in multiple colours and size. Even though many of the birds are commonly found on the beach, you would find it as a unique and unnatural scene to find the colourful gathering of them.

Boating is an attractive activity done here as well as snorkeling and swimming are also a part of the adventure activities usually experienced by those who visit here.

Distance from Port Blair: It is located about 25 kms from Port Blair.

Rangat is the parent location of Aamkunj beach, yet another eco-friendly tourist destination in Andaman. As it is the nesting ground for the sea turtles, you will be interested to spend ample time at this beach to observe the sea turtles. The beach was turned to an eco-park to protect the marine species and the environment here and a natural fresh water source is available which is behind the reason for the concept of park’s establishment. 

This park is made up of wood completely and those wood logs were taken from the beach itself. Thus, this a famous tourist destination now. Hundreds of visitors arrive here to see the structures in the park and spend ample time on the beach. The grey sands on the beach and the exact replica of the beach is seen on the water as well but both these sights make the atmosphere so scenic and pleasant.

Highlights: The park itself is the highlight of Aamkunj and the easy access from Rangat makes the beach favourite to many locals and tourists equally. But the submerged boulders in the water would appear as a hindrance to snorkeling and scuba diving here. Check out the sites where you can do scuba diving in Andaman.

Activities: Aamkunj is declared as the ideal location for swimming, relax walks, sun bathing etc. People from nearby villages as well come to Aamkunj to have fun throughout the day. People spend time at the green park and watch the sea turtles’ nesting processes.

Distance from Port Blair: Though it is located about 8 kms away from Rangat, it is lying at a distance of 163 kms from Port Blair.

Located in Rangat Island, Andaman, Dhani Nallah Mangrove is a 1 km long wooden walkway. It is a one-of-a-kind walkway that opens up at Dhani Nallah Beach. The walkway is built amidst lush greenery, surrounded by mangroves on both sides. You can enjoy a soothing walk in nature as well as witness a diverse range of mangroves.

If you are looking to add some offbeat places to visit in Andaman for your vacation, Long Island is sure not to be missed. Located remotely and not having the best connectivity to other major places in Andaman, Long Island is sure to excite the adventure lover in you. Often hailed as a modern village with its basic amenities, Long island is a place where you can bask in the beauty of mesmerising beaches, cozy caves, rolling meadows and fascinating mangroves. The place is a must visit for nature lovers as there is no dearth of evergreen forests here.

Also, the Merk Bay Beach will leave you spellbound with its white sands and pristine blue waters and an ideal spot for bathing, watching dolphins, snorkelling and bird watching. The untouched beauty of this island is one of the great ways to have an adventurous time for backpackers exploring the tropical forests and hidden caves. The island is also known to offer some killer views of nature and allows you to indulge in some amazing water sports.

Highlights: Some of the striking features of Long Island is its marine wealth with its exotic beaches. It’s a delight for adventure lovers as they are offered an electrifying vacation consisting of lush green tropical forests, unspoilt beaches, tropical forests and beautiful coasts.

Activities: Some of the popular activities to do here except from the obvious sunbathing, is trekking, snorkelling and scuba diving. People should also undertake a boat ride to Merk and Lalaji Bay Beaches along with shopping in Rangat Bazaar when they are here. Travellers can also visit the Boat Building Yard on the island and see some locally made boats. The island is also well-known for forest camping, beach camping, nature walks, trekking and exploring the villages through the densely

Andaman cruise packages are popular among the tourists, so we recommend for a cruise tour when you are Andaman so that you can witness the beauty of Bay of Bengal.

Distance from Port Blair: The island is located about 82 kms from Port Blair. You can use the boat service available from Port Blair to Long Island thrice a week.

Check out the list of activities in Port Blair that you can take part in.

One of the significant yet less explored islands in Andaman is Guitar Island and there is a fascinating reason behind the unusual name of it. The shape of a guitar is clearly drawn by the island and yet another feature is that this island gets connected to the neighboring island during low tides. For sightseeing and spending a fresh morning, this island is quite good. This inhabited island is a wonder for many as it is tucked away by the green nature and astounding azure water that would be supported always by the relaxed long beach. It has one of the best beaches in andaman. 

Apart from some fishing boats, the island is devoid of the crowd and you will feel the most private space on the island without any hindrance. Since there are no settlements on the island, night stay will be difficult. Hence tourists arrive here in the morning, spend some time relaxing and then go back by afternoon.

Highlights: The long sandy beaches are the major attraction on the island and the relishing nature supports it throughout. The pristine nature would eclipse everything else on the island.

Activities: Sightseeing and beach walk along the long, narrow yet beautiful sand bed are the most appreciated and welcomed activities but you will get enough chances to spot the sea animals like crabs, hermit crabs etc roaming around and a huge collection of shells will be seen here and there throughout the beach.

Distance from Port Blair: Since Guitar Island is a part of Long Island, it can be approached by dunghi or traditional boat to the island. It will take around 15 minutes only. From Port Blair, Long Island is around 90 km and one can reach by road or by sea taking a boat service.

The famous, prominent and beautiful Merk Bay Beach is located on the North Passage Island in Andaman which is the immaculate yet uninhabited island. It is close to the popular Straight Island and Long Island.

The combination of the turquoise water with the highly glittering white sandy beach executes the definition of unseen beauty very well. From Long Island jetty, one will get a lot of boat services to reach the beach and why tourists are eagerly coming to Merk Bay Beach is to simply relax or for a remarkable day out.

Highlights: The boat safari from the Long Island Jetty is quite exciting as the journey will be going through the vast creeks and it will take around one hour to reach the beach. There is one point to remember is that during the rainy season or rough weather conditions, there would high waves which will make your journey a bit tricky and difficult so it is always better to check the Andaman travel guide before visiting.

Tourists have pointed out that Merk Bay Beach is an ideal location for bird watching and there are plenty of opportunities to spot the playful dolphins coming out of the water to meet you.

Activities: Birding, beach walk, dolphin spotting etc are the main activities Merk Bay Beach loves to host and there are water-based activities like boating, swimming etc can be done.

Distance from Port Blair: From Port Blair, Long Island lies about 47 nautical miles away and after you reach Long Island, you can take the option of a boat ride from Long Island jetty to the beach.

A peaceful beach that attracts quite a lot of number of tourists is Lalaji Bay Beach located in the west coast of Long Island. The beach is closely connected to Rangat and Middle Andaman so that people won’t get confused about the route to reach Lalaji Bay Beach. Walking through the mangrove creek would be adventurous enough before you reach the charming beach. Facilities are limited on the beach so that tourists are always advised to bring drinking water with them. 

Highlights: The crystal clear sea and the copious green trees on the shore are making the beach looks amazing and splendid. This pristine beach is highly suitable for beach hopping or sole walking for a refreshing and rejuvenating mind. For a relaxed, peaceful time, Lalaji beach is the best. To surprise you, at times, the dolphins will come out of the habitat and meet the sun.

Activities: The beach is undoubtedly the best for swimming and snorkeling. But to relax for a while watching the crashing waves will be a remarkable experience for those who love to spend time in peace. To reach the beach, if you are ready, take a 2 hour long walk through the wilderness and the greatest pleasure on arriving at Lalaji Beach is the trekking trip.

Distance from Port Blair: Lalaji Beach is properly connected to Rangat via continuous ferry but it is lying at a distance of 89 kms from Port Blair. To avoid the long and tiring sea trips, people usually take the bus route to reach Rangat and from there they take the ferry service to reach the beach.

Don't miss to check out our guide on the top places to see in Havelock Island, which can help you in planning your trip. 

One of the most amazing places to visit in Andaman for water sports and leisure tour, Elephant Beach should not be missed from your Andaman holiday itinerary. Boasting of heavenly coral reefs and its enthralling underwater marine life, Elephant Beach is a great spot to spend your holiday time in Andaman. Whether you seek relaxing or a bustling escape from the monotony of daily life, Elephant Beach will charm you in all the ways.

Kalapathar Beach located near Kalapathar Village which is famous for the abundant black stones is an adorning beauty on the famous Havelock Island. The whole beach is dramatically lined by thick greenery and one important fact about the beach is that it is comparatively silent and most of the time, less number of people will be roaming around and that may be the reason why it sticks close to the visitor’s heart. As the number of people is lesser, Kalapathar Beach is very special for couples and families who would like to spend time in peace and utmost calmness. 

Along with that the indescribable sunset and sunrise views from the beach give unimaginable energy to the tourists. The emerald water, the silvery grains on the shore, the typical green colour of the tropical trees arrayed in a catching way and the pleasant views from the shore are the prime reasons why Kalapathar become a heroic figure many times.

Since there are n number of accommodation facilities near the beach, tourists are eager to take up a long vacation on Havelock Island and visit this beach.

Activities: Sunbathing is the best activity that can be done on Kalapathar beach. Snorkeling, bathing, swimming or just walk around are the possible activities that can be done on the beach. Watching the exciting sunset and sunrise is also considered to be refreshing activity here.

Scuba diving also is an important activity which would open the gates of wide coral reefs underwater.

Distance from Port Blair: It is located at a distance of 61 kms from Port Blair.

If you are traveling to Havelock Island from Port Blair then you must check our Port Blair to Hvaelock Travel Guide.