Skip to main content.
Navigation: Home | Map Of India | Travel Tips | Currency converter | Distance Calculator | Shop | Contact Us | Site Map

The Emerald Islands - Andoman Nicobar

Floating in splendid isolation, the emerald-green Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the Indian coast of Bay of Bengal is an archipelago of more than 500 islands, islets and rocks.

The islands, unvisited by a vast majority of Indians caught unbelievable public attention with the release of a movie based on the famous erstwhile “Cellular Jails” of Andaman. With the efforts from the Tourism Department, the number of visitors to this serene place is on rise now. You can visit the place during the best season that spans from November to April. Indian Airlines has regular flights to Port Blair, from Calcutta and Chennai. Sea service is also available, though not as reliable as the airways. As to food and accommodation, most of the travel and tourist operators can help arranging the same as they have good ties with the limited hotels in the islands.
Can we first visit the National Memorial first? Yes, the same cellular jail which was constructed to house the Indian freedom fighters. To loan a few words from a website on Andaman “Cellular Jail - the colossal edifice that has mutely witnessed the most treacherous and inhumane atrocities borne by the convicts, who were mostly Indian freedom fighters”. The tale of the historic freedom struggle is brought alive in a show ‘Son-et-Lumiere' at the jail premises (in English on Wed, Sat & Sun 7.15pm; in Hindi daily at 6pm). This national monument complex also has a Museum and an Art Gallery which is open on all days except Monday.

Anthropological Museum, is an ideal place for those who want to continue the brush with the history. Built in 1975, this small but informative museum showcases the four Negroid tribes of the Andamans, and two Mongoloid tribes of the Nicobars.

Now, let us have a look at the real beauty of Andoman at Jollybouy Island. This beautiful island is one place where we can swim underwater and see all the beautiful corals and fishes. For those who cannot swim, the glass-bottomed boat in which they take the tourists around is a great alternative.

The Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, 29 km from the capital town of Port Blair, is the largest of its kind. The park made up of open sea, creeks and islands, is one which will steal our thoughts with its exotic beauty and the calm, yet strange wilderness. The Directorate of Tourism, and other private tour operators organize several conducted tours to the park. This a must-see-spot of Andoman.

Fisheries Museum, supplements to the visit we just made. It displays specimens from the enormous past and present aqua-wealth of the islands. The specimens of these rare varieties of coral submerged in the waters enough to drive us towards the fantacy of diving deep into those water depths to feel the life there in all freshness.

For the adventurous lot among us, the Andaman Water Sports Complex will be the apt place to spent a day wind surfing, wind skiing, scooba diving etc. as well as in trying our skills maneuvering paddle boats, row boats and water cycles. If you are looking for an ideal location for sun-bath there is the Corbyn's Cove Complex, the beach ideal for sun-bathing.

Gandhi Park - comprising of a children's park, amusement park, deer park, water sports facilities, Japanese temple etc. has an amusing fact attached to it. A huge tank, which was once the only source of drinking water to Port Blair was developed into this park in an unbelievably short time of 13 days.

Cinque Island - with facilities for swimming, scuba diving, snorkelling, fishing and camping, Mount Harriet - the highest peak in the South Andamans with scope for trekking, Sippighat Farm - where Research & development programs for cultivation of spices like cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, coconut etc are conducted, the Havelock Island - which very rightly boasts of virgin beaches, and an unpolluted environment – all are places worth spending our valuable time.

For those among we tourists, who are keen on collecting mementos, let us do some purchase of shell jewellery and decorative wooden show pieces. Let us take snapshots and video. Let us also vow to keep the place as clean as possible and preserve the beauty of the nature by leaving it intact. Let us just take back with us the memories of the place. As one traveler rightly put it across “No camera can capture the beauty of this place; no video could do justice to it. You have to be there to enjoy it.”