3 of the Top Destinations in India's Andaman & Nicobar Islands

[Asap Holidays]

Harvider Chandigarh

Port Blair

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a union territory of India in the Bay of Bengal, and Port Blair is its capital, serving as the entry point for visiting the islands . Port Blair is connected with mainland India by both air and sea. It is a two-to-three-hour flight from mainland India to Veer Savarkar International Airport, and three to four by sea from Kolkata, Chennai, or Vishakhapatnam to Haddo Wharf. It is home to several museums and a major naval base INS Jarawa of the Indian Navy, along with sea and air bases of the Indian Coast Guard, Andaman and Nicobar Police , Andaman and Nicobar Command, the first integrated tri-command of the Indian Armed Forces and the Indian Air Force.

Home to several museums and the Seri Vettimalai Mutugan temple, Port Blair is also famous for the historic Cellular Jail (top) and other small islands like Corbyn's Cove, Wandoor, Ross Island, and Viper Island, once home to British colonists. Port Blair has been selected as one of the cities to be developed as a "smart city" under the Smart Cities Mission.

Baratang Island

Baratang lies 150 km (93 mi) north of Port Blair and has plenty of accommodations, with forest and PWD guest houses also available (visitors should book well in advance). Major attractions include its limestone caves, mud volcano, Parrot Island, and Baludera Beach.

Diglipur 

The largest town of North Andaman Island is located on the southern side of Aerial Bay, 298 kilometres (185 miles) north of Port Blair. It is crossed by the Kalpong Rive, the only river of the Andaman islands. Saddle Peak, the highest point in the archipelago, about 10 km to the south. Diglipur is also a county  of the North and Middle Andaman District of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Its area is 884 square km and its population is just under 43,000..

The town also profits from tourism to nearby attractions which include Ross and Smith islands; Saddle Peak National Park; the beaches at Kalipur, Lamiya Bay, and Ram Nagar (famous for sea turtle nesting from December to February). Also, Chalis Ek Caves (about 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Diglipur, near the village of Pathi Level) and Alfred Caves are major nesting grounds for the edible-nest swiftlet, whose nests are exported to China for bird's nest soup.