Andaman & Nicobar

Places it includes

Around 600 small islands combining to form Andaman & Nicobar

Culture & Festival

The people here can be traced back to few ethnic groups called Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa, Sentinalese, Nicobari and Shompen. While the cities are tourist-friendly and lead a normal lifestyle, a number of islands still have tribal inhabitants living a stone-age way of life. A multicultural scenario is common here and the flourishing tourism has revamped the lifestyle of natives here.

Few of the popular festivals are:

Sri Marriamman Thiruvizha –February Island Tourism Festival – December–January
Subhash Mela – January
Block Mela – January/February

Shopping Attractions

Shell Jewelry (Port Blair, Aberdeen Bazaar)
Wood Carvings (Port Blair, Aberdeen Bazaar)
Bamboo & Cane Furniture (Port Blair, Aberdeen Bazaar)

Highlights

Ross Island
Cellular Jail National Memorial
Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
Scuba Diving
Beaches
Snorkelling
Surfing

Best time to visit

October to May

Smart Tips

Since there is only one entry–exit point in Andaman & Nicobar, from Port Blair, it is always a good idea to confirm your dates in advance and book the tickets accordingly.

Non-Indian tourists need a special permit to enter the islands which is easily accessible with filling a form. Just make sure you do that in advance or get your tour operator to confirm it.

Description

Despite being an official part of India, the numerous islands of Andaman & Nicobar are a world of their own and offer a rather pretty escape from the world. Earlier known as Kalapani- Black Waters, the islands were used by British to keep the prisoners, rebels and freedom fighters in a penal colony before they became one of the most favourite tourist attractions in India.

Spread in around 600 various islands, Andaman & Nicobar is geographically farther from India than its South Asia counterparts and offers and eclectic experience of coral and marine life and exquisite beaches. Indulge yourself in various underwater activities like snorkelling, scuba diving in Havelock Island or surfing in Little Andaman Island.

For those who like exploring the ecological way, Rutland Island and Long Island with minimum population and infrastructure are the way to go. Or simply take a stroll in the city to adore the British-era colonial architecture still retaining its charm. The place also has tribal influence owing to its origin from various ethnic groups, some of which still follow their stone-age way of living. People living here are mostly from aboriginal tribes while some of them come from French or Portuguese ancestry who eventually settled here post British era. Commonly spoken languages include Bengali, Tamil, English and dialects of French.

How To Reach

By Air: The easiest way to reach Andaman & Nicobar, you can get various flights from Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi via Kolkata. The only airport located here is at Port Blair, the Capital and the centre city of Andamans.

By Sea: Passenger ships are regularly available from Kolkata, Chennai and Vishakhapatnam to Port Blair and takes around three days to complete the journey.

By Road: NA