Top Places to Visit on India's Andaman Islands

[Hruday Chand]

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are a group of islands in the Bay of Bengal between India and Myanmar. Of the 36 inhabited islands, only 9 islands in the Andaman are open for tourists while the Nicobar Islands are inaccessible to tourists. Port Blair is its capital and also the main tourist hub. Exotic beaches, secluded islands, evergreen tropical rain forest and vibrant marine life make Andamans one of the popular honeymoon destinations in India and among the best beach destinations in India. From the multicultural town of Port Blair to the pristine white sand beaches of Neil and Havelock Islands and the limestone caves of Diglipur, the Andaman Islands offer something for every tourist. These islands also famous for its water sport activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, sea walk, wind-surfing and water scooter.

Trawell.in presents the list of top places to visit in Andamans here.

Havelock Island

Havelock Island is a picturesque island as well as the largest among all the islands in Ritchie's Archipelago of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. With its pristine white sand beaches, warm lagoons and exotic nature, Havelock Island is the prettiest islands of Andaman and also the must include place in Andaman Tour Packages. Radhanagar Beach or Beach No. 7, Elephant Beach and Kalapathar Beach are the top places to visit in Havelock. The beaches of Havelock Island are also the best spots for water activities and romantic picnics with your loved one.

Radhanagar Beach

Radhanagar Beach is a secluded beach situated on the south coast of Havelock Island. Considered as the most famous beach in Andamans, Radhanagar beach is truly an unforgettable curve of 2 km long white sand beach with perfectly coloured blue waters lined with lush green forest. The beach is rated as Asia's best beach and among the top 10 beaches in the world by Time Magazine. Despite its popularity the beach would remain isolated and also very safe for swimming. There are no water sports but it is known to be one of the best places for nature lovers as it offers a wide range of flora and fauna.

Cellular Jail

Built by the British in 1896, the Cellular Jail, also known as Kala Pani, was a colonial prison situated in Port Blair, the capital city of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The prison was known to house many notable Indian activists such as Batukeshwar Dutt, Bhagat Singh and Veer Savarkar, among others, were imprisoned here during the struggle for India's independence. Today, the complex serves as a national monument which houses Art Gallery, Netaji Gallery and a Library on Freedom Movement. An eternal flame of Freedom-Swatantrya Jyoti has been erected in the vicinity of the Cellular Jail in memory of all freedom fighters and martyrs.

Ross Island

Ross Island is a small island covered with thick forests and full of coconut trees. The island has the ruins of old buildings like Ballroom, Chief Commissioner's House, Church, Hospital, Bakery, Press, Swimming Pool, and Troop Barracks of colonial era. There is a 10 m high circular Lighthouse at the northern end of the island, which was constructed in 1977. The tower is approachable during the low tide. It was at this lighthouse that photo voltaic panels were introduced for the first time in India, to charge the batteries for the operation of light. This island also has a graveyard and a small museum called Smritika, which has a collection of age-old records. The island is open to the public for all days except Wednesday.

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park is a marine park situated near Wandoor in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Sprawling over an area of 281 sq. km, the landscape of the park is dotted with 15 rocky islands and is covered with tropical forest. There are more than 271 different varieties of birds inhabiting the idyllic landscape of Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. The rich flora and fauna of the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park makes this park an ideal destination for the nature lovers and also one of the best Andaman tourist places.

Neil Island

Neil Island is a scenic and serene island situated in the Ritchie's Archipelago of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The island is widely famous as the Vegetable bowl of Andaman because of the large produce from the area as a result of the farming standards set with the help of favorable climatic conditions. With unexplored coral reefs, brilliant bio-diversity, white sandy beaches and tropical forest and vegetation, it is one of the best places to experience Andaman Tourism. Bharatpur, Laxmanpur, Sitapur, & Ramnagar beaches are the popular beaches in Neil Island. Natural Bridge is another chief attraction of Neil Island and is widely known as the Howrah Bridge. Snorkeling in Neil Island is a memorable experience.