Andaman - What an experience !!!

Target Audience: This blog is for all those lovely peoples who are interested in exploring beautiful places in India. We were searching for some nice place and one of my office colleague, Ankit, suggested Andaman. First thought, I was not sure if Andaman would be that worth as I was planning for Maldives or Malaysia. Andaman trip has totally changed my view and I am happy that I spent my money in India and could enjoy this beautiful yet very peaceful place. My aim is make it story like and at the same time giving all required details in one place also suggest  how many days to spend on which island and make small attempt to increase tourism to this place.

Trip break up:

I did lot of study and was initially very confused as to which island to go because Andaman has total 572 islands with around 33 having human life. The only airport in the islands is 'Vir Savarkar Airport' in Port Blair, which has scheduled services to Kolkata and Chennai. This means your port of entry can be only Port Blair and you will need to go either from  Kolkata or from Chennai. I did my air ticket using http://www.makemytrip.com/ from Delhi to Port Blair passing via Kolkata.  Out of so many island there are only 5-6 which are of tourism interest. Below is summary of how i broke my tip of 7 days (details in later part of blog):

1. Day 1: Arrive to Portblair and stay there watching Portblair city and cellular jail light and sound show.

2. Day2-Day3: Take ferry from Portblair to 'Havlock' island. Havelock is most beautiful of all island and worth spending as much time as you can. We spent two days in Havelock and wish could have spent more time there. Scuba diving is one of must attraction in Havelock.

3. Day 4: Take ferry from Havelock to 'Neil' island and spent one day here. Very small island but some very nice views to look.

4. Day 5: Take ferry from Neil to Port Blair. There are three islands visibly close from PortBlair- Ross island, Viper island and North Bay. Ferry tickets available easily in Portblair and whole trip will take around 5 hours.

5. Day6: Either go to 'Jolly Boy' or 'Bartang'. 'Jolly Boy' is known for corals and beach while Bartang gives you bus ride through Andaman forest and you can watch lime cave and mud volcano.

6. Day 7: Take morning flight back from Port Blair to Delhi.

Day1 [Delhi- Port Blair]:

We took 'Go Air' flight to Port Blair and arrived around 10:45 morning. From plane Andaman looks beautiful...breath taking...so many islands separated by  turquoise blue water, shining sand and coconut tree forests. 

One of Andaman's island from 16000 feet above

I had done booking to hotel 'Mainak ' http://www.themainak.com/ through MakeMyTrip and they give complimentary pick up from airport. Hotel is very average and I would rather suggest  hotel Bluesea http://www.blueseahotels.in/. We relaxed for a while in hotel and then took auto to cellular jail[Kalapani].
Ticket 25 rs per person with camera or 10rs without camera. It was very emotional moments to see how freedom fighters were tortured, beaten, made to work as animals, kept thirsty for days, whipped mercilessly till backs were full of blood, saw hanging room and could feel souls of dead people.We also saw Veer Savarkar's cell . In evening, attended Light and Sound show [tickets 20rs each] which depicts story of what happened in cellular jail with light and sound affect. 

Very shameful to feel that the country whose freedom costed so many lives and unbearable pain to our freedom fighter is now deep in corruption. Remembering freedom fighters returned back to hotel with auto.






Day2[Port Blair- Havelock island]:

We had done rest of the booking  through 'Majha Andaman' group 'http://majhaandaman.webs.com/contactus.htm and overall experience with them was very satisfactory. Definitely recommended, though I am providing sufficient details in this blog so that you can book everything directly. 

1. Took a ferry to Havelock in the morning. Link: http://www.makruzz.com/site/preferred_agents.html
2. Symphony resort room: 24. Met an auto guy Mithun.
3. Beach wife shy old aunty saying dont shy aish karo aish karne aaye ho
4. Havelock is very rich place and very good transport system. If you have driving license we hired white activa costing 350 INR for 24 hours and 150 INR for fuel from AKM travel.You can also hire bicycle costing rs 70 for 24 hours. Only one main road and not difficult to go around Havelock. Mainly two places: Radha Nagar beach and Kala Patthar. Back to hotel by evening and had nice vegetarian food.


Day3:

Havelock is a beautiful laid-back tropical island encompassing about 55 square miles, located about 2-3 hours northeast of Port Blair. 

1. Scuba diving is one of the main attraction in Havelock

2. Even ppl from port blair goes to Havelock for scuba.

3. Mortal man, full of fear of scuba...what if crocodile appears, big fish, not able to breath, lost inside water etc

4. Looking around and inquiring came two three names. we did through Ocean tribe. Barefoot scuba is the best one as we heard from people.

5. Our instructor was David. Smiling man and to us our only hope to be alive post diving. Took us to beach number 3 and started telling us details of scuba.

6. With everything on including dress, oxyzen cylinder, face mask which closes your nose and shoes the most difficult part is to have calm mind and then learn how to breath with the nozzle connected to oxyzen cyclinder. What if cylinder doesnt pump air when i m inside watre? what if the nozzle slips out of my lips? what if what if what

7. Inside water human sound waves don't work so needed a mechanism to communicate with each other. Symbols were created: 1. If you like something/ everything is fine: last three fingers straight, with thumb and next finger making circle 2. Stop: All fingers straight 3. Go down: Thumb down 4. Go up: Thumb up 5. Problem: Palm waving horzontally and then indicate the place where problem is like ear eyes nose etc

8. If you feel too much pressure in your ears try to push air out of your ear. If you feel water inside your nose blow air out with fingers on your forehead.

9. Inside you hear only two sounds: One of your heartbeat and other of bubbles that are created as part of your breathing out. I had never thought life inside water is so beautiful so magical. Fishes all around you and if you observe closely you ll see that fishes have their own mechanism to protect. They create sand holes and  as soon as you cross they ll go inside their holes. Many moving around in their group.

10. We went around 10 meters down and then i went with David again.

11. With great experience we were back in our lovely cottage and slept through all day.

12. Evening walked in Symphony beach and dinner.

Day 4:
1. Its very simple to get ferry from Havelock to Neil Island. My agent told me that ferry is around 12. Dont forget to do your own little inquries and on enquiring we found that ferry is morning 10. Agent's helper Nishi was to help us get ticket. Morning we checked out from Symphony and reached jetty point. I understood that you dont need any agent's help and can go yourself, stand in line and take ticket.
2. It's government ferry which costs 195 per person. Not very great travel experience still managable and we said good bye to havelock and reached Neil in around 1.5 hours.
3. Talking to ppl in ferry I realized that ppl marry cross island as each island has less population. Looked like a great idea. So if you see any locals travelling in ferry most likely he is going to his in laws or relattives
4. Reached Neil Island. We planned to stay one full day in Neil. It looked like not as rich as Havelock with less population and less resources. Our driver Vibhash picked us up and took us to 'Natural Bridge'. Natural Bridge, also popular as the Howrah Bridge, is situated on Neil Island.  The name Howrah Bridge was given by the local Bengalis.  
5. From here we went to Bharatpur beach. Not so clean and here it displays poor tourism facilities. Did not like cleanliness of the changing room or in the beach. Though Salman Khan did inspire and I was inside water showing my swimming skills. One soumum family(South Indian from Mumbai) started talking and we did not know that this family will be part of our journy all along. 
6. From here we moved to our hotel- Tango Resort. On first go i did not like Neil as much but looking at our cottage in Tango changed my views diagonally. We were given sea facing cottage and cottage was very basic and made of wood. Near sea  they had swings (hammock)
 tied to trees and beautiful beach. Lying on the swing felt like Nawab lying naked and enjoying beach beauty.
7. One englo-chines couple pulled my attention. There was some strange chemistry between them. Looked in their 70s but in very much peace with themselves.
8.  Back to cottage and rested for a while and in evening went to sunset point which is in Laxmanpur beach. This spot is just walking distance from Tango resort. you can walk across beach line. In ten mins we were in sunset point. Its very beautiful and necklace shaped beach point. endless water and perfect place to show your bathing talent. Sunset is mesmerazing and it fulls your soul with peace. I had binoculars which added spice to the moment as you can look at human beauty along with natural beauty bit closely :)
8. Back to tango room rested for a while and walked to their restaurant.
9. Here one old Bengali couple in their mid 70s started talking to us. The old man still fond of her old wife said to us that she used to look like Suchitra Sen. I tried to run my imagination to paint Suchitra Sen's face on the old woman's face but failed to do so only option was to nod yes to the old man's comment. He liked us a lot and said we reminded him of his time and gave us comliment that we are very lovely couple with beautiful girl and handsome guy. Agreed on guy's looks and passed no comments on woman;s side :)
10. Dinner not so great but getting anything good vegeterian on such small island itself is very amazing. Walked around out hut a bit and in between we watched one crab crawling with his shell and leaving his foot prints on the sand. It again showed that be it any creature be it any small or big knows how to protect his own life.
11. Back to cottage, door closed rest is not to be talked.
12. Started talking to one Spanish man and he said he will stay for 20 days in Neil island. I looked surprisingly to him but his view was very beautiful "If you travel, dont just touch places. Travel in ease and with time so that you just don't see places but you live places".


Day 5: 1. We planned to say good bye to Neil island. It was worth spending one day here. Reached to jetty point. Not many ferries comes to Neil island so you need to esquire about ferries and timing in advance. One ferry that comes from Port blair, returns back to port blair from Neil and its not difficult to get ticket. Tickets are given when you are inside the feery like its given inside the bus. Goverment ferry costing 195 per head from Neil to Port Blair.
2. On reaching Port Blair we felt as if we are in some metro town becuase in comparision to most of island Port Blair is very populated and very good infrastructure.
3. There is one ferry ride which covers three island: Ross Island, Viper Island and North Bay. All these three island are very close to Port Blair. The whole journey to all islands takes around 5 hours. Unfortunately govt had closed Ross and Notrh bay that day so we had to be happy just by seeing Viper island.
4. Viper island was the first Kalapani jail which was later shifted to Port Blair Celluar jail. Emotionally viper island is valuable but post tusnami there is nothing in the island except two broken small rooms. from my side definitely a no-no spot to visit and not worth your money. For more details read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viper_Island
5. Its easy to get autos in port blair and we went to Sagarika which is govt emporium in port blair and did some shopping. Back to hotel with dinner and good night sleep.


Day 6:   in Hotel Blue sea in middle point. very nice hotel and very good location. Definately thumbs up for the hotel.


1.Day 6 we had two options: either go to Bartang or go to Jolly boy. Jolly boy is beach with lots of corals while Bartang is north andaman with lime cave and chances of seeing Jarwa( tribal people). More information of Bartang: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baratang
2. We decided to go to Bartang and for this you need to either book ticket yourself (which your hotel ppl can help you in) or ask your agent.ticket costs 850 rs per head which also include breakfast and lunch. The bus to Bartang leaves morning 3:45.
3. We somehow managed to catch bus so early morning and slept through journey. One hour later there is jungle checkpost and all buses wait there till they are allowed to go inside jungle. Buses go inside jungle in groups and you are not allowed to take pictures to keep triabal life unaffected by civilization interference.
4. Once you get down the bus you need to take a govt ferry costing 4rs per person to reach  Bartang. Its the only connectivity between Bartang to other land part. On reaching Bartang, you will be asked to sit in boat with life jackets on and will be taken to lime cave. The boat journey indicates why you are asked to have life jacket on :) and breakfast is served in the boat itself. from here you need to walk around 2km to reach to lime cave and these caves keep increasing with each rains. The rain water causes lime caves to grow and in some years the cave will be closed.
5. from here we were dropped back to the place where we were picked from and were pushed inside a jeep. From here we were to go Mud Volcano. Jeep ride reminded me of the ride in 'Dancing with Stone'. This ride tested strength of every joint in our body and from there you need to walk half km to reach mud volcano. Scientifically mud volcano might have its importance but as tourist it was not worth this much pain to go and see bubbles coming from inside of mud.

6. I was very irritated to take this much pain and see lime cave and mud volcano and specially with the way the organizer had organized the whole event. They rushed us the whole time and i did not find it worth to wake up this early morning travel 3 hours to reach bartang, take painful boat/jeep ride to see lime cave and mud volcano. From my side a no-no to Bartang for any tourist purpose.

7. From here we were taken to small house for lunch and post lunch we took boat which costed us again 4rs per person to reach to the place where bus had dropped us.

8. Slept all the way in bus and reached port blair around 4 pm.

9. Rested in hotel with good dinner and good sleep.

Day 7: 1. It was time to say good bye to port blair and we were all packed with our stuff.

2. Hired an auto which costed us 30 rs from Hotel Blue Sea to airport
3. Airport is named after 'Veer Savarkar' and is very small airport.

4. Checked in everything and took our flight back to delhi remembering beautiful days we spent in Andaman.