Andaman Islands Travel Guide: A 10-Day Itinerary
✈️ Based on my visit to the Andaman Islands. Written by Debarun Sana.
The Andaman Islands sit far enough from mainland India (closer to Myanmar and Thailand geographically than to the Indian coast) that they've stayed genuinely undeveloped compared to most beach destinations of comparable quality. This 10-day route covers Port Blair, Havelock Island, Neil Island, and a day trip to Baratang — the standard, well-established tourist circuit within the Andaman group specifically.
Andaman vs. Nicobar — an important distinction
Despite the shared "Andaman and Nicobar" name, this itinerary — like nearly every tourist itinerary for the region — covers only the Andaman group. The Nicobar Islands are a separate group further south, essentially closed to general tourism: visiting requires special permission from the Deputy Commissioner of the Nicobar District, rarely granted outside specific research or official purposes, largely to protect the indigenous communities living there. If you see "Nicobar" in a tour package name, it's almost always referring to the administrative territory's full name rather than an actual stop on the itinerary.
Best Time to Visit
October to May, the dry season, is when the weather is most reliable for beach activities, water sports, and inter-island ferries. Monsoon (June-September) brings heavy rain and genuinely rough seas that can disrupt or cancel ferry schedules between islands — worth avoiding for a first visit given how much of this itinerary depends on island-hopping by boat.
How to Reach the Andaman Islands
By Air: Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ) in Port Blair has direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata.
By Sea: Passenger ships operated by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration run between Chennai/Kolkata and Port Blair, taking roughly 3-4 days each way — a genuinely different, slower way to arrive than most visitors choose, but a real option for those with the time.
A 10-Day Itinerary
Days 1-2: Port Blair
Cellular Jail, a former British colonial prison used to hold Indian independence activists in often brutal conditions, is Port Blair's central historical site — the evening Light and Sound Show adds real context and is worth attending rather than just walking the grounds during the day. The Anthropological Museum covers the Andaman's indigenous communities, some of which remain among the most isolated peoples in the world (including the Sentinelese, who have no contact with the outside world and whose territory, North Sentinel Island, is entirely off-limits by law, not just discouraged). Corbyn's Cove Beach, close to the city, is a reasonable easy first beach stop before heading to the more dramatic beaches later in the trip.
Days 3-4: Havelock Island
Havelock (officially renamed Swaraj Dweep, though "Havelock" remains in common use) is reached by ferry (2-3 hours depending on the vessel) or, for a premium, seaplane. Radhanagar Beach, regularly ranked among Asia's best beaches in international travel media, genuinely earns the reputation with its combination of powder-fine sand and clear water. Elephant Beach is the standard snorkeling stop, reached by a short boat ride or a jungle trek; Kalapathar Beach, with its distinctive dark rock formations, is a strong sunset alternative to the more crowded Radhanagar in the evening. Havelock's coral reefs support a genuine, established scuba diving industry with multiple certified operators — worth booking with a PADI or SSI-certified outfit specifically given the reef conditions here.
Days 5-6: Neil Island
Neil Island (officially Shaheed Dweep) is reached by ferry from Havelock and has a noticeably slower, more low-key pace than Havelock's more developed tourist infrastructure. Laxmanpur Beach, Bharatpur Beach, and Sitapur Beach each have a distinct character — Laxmanpur known for sunset views, Bharatpur for calm, clear water suited to snorkeling and glass-bottom boat rides, and Sitapur (sometimes called Sunrise Beach) for its natural rock bridge formation. Neil's smaller size makes it genuinely walkable or cyclable between beaches, a different pace from needing transport everywhere.
Days 7-8: Port Blair Excursions
Back in Port Blair, Ross Island (officially Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep), the former administrative headquarters of British colonial rule in the islands, is now largely overtaken by jungle growing through the old colonial buildings — a genuinely striking, slightly eerie sight. North Bay Island is the main coral viewing and water-sports stop closest to Port Blair, offering snorkeling, sea walking, and glass-bottom boat options for those who didn't get to Havelock's reefs or want a second look. Chidiya Tapu, roughly 40 minutes from the city, is Port Blair's best sunset viewpoint and a decent spot for birdwatching given its forest setting.
Day 9: Baratang Island Day Trip
Baratang is reached by road and a river crossing from Port Blair, and the day trip covers limestone caves (reached by a walk through mangrove forest after a boat ride), mangrove creeks, and an active mud volcano — a genuinely unusual geological feature not found on most of the other islands. This is a longer, more logistically involved day than most of the itinerary, generally requiring convoy travel through parts of the route for security reasons — book through a proper tour operator rather than attempting it independently.
Day 10: Departure
Transfer to Veer Savarkar International Airport for departure.
Entry Requirements
- Indian citizens need no permit whatsoever to visit any of the islands on this itinerary — a standard government photo ID (Aadhaar, voter ID, driving license, or passport) is all that's required, the same as flying to any other Indian city.
- Foreign nationals generally don't need to arrange anything in advance either — since a 2018 relaxation, most nationalities are simply registered on arrival at Port Blair rather than needing a pre-arranged Restricted Area Permit (RAP), and this covers Port Blair, Havelock, Neil, and the other standard tourist islands on this itinerary. A valid passport (6+ months validity) and Indian visa are still required, as for any entry into India.
- Citizens of China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (and those with ancestral origin in those countries) still require advance Ministry of Home Affairs approval, as do Myanmar nationals wanting to visit Mayabunder or Diglipur in North/Middle Andaman specifically.
- Regardless of nationality, tribal reserve areas (including North Sentinel Island) are entirely off-limits and not part of any legitimate tour itinerary.
Travel Tips
- Accommodation and ferries: Book both well in advance during peak season (December-January especially) — inter-island ferry capacity is genuinely limited and can sell out.
- Health precautions: Sunscreen and insect repellent are genuinely necessary given the tropical climate and beach/forest time this itinerary involves.
- Water activities: Follow safety briefings for snorkeling and diving, and non-swimmers should be upfront about ability level before any water activity, particularly around the reef areas with real current.
- Responsible tourism: Avoid touching or standing on coral reefs, don't purchase items made from coral or shells, and follow marine park rules around Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and similar protected zones.
- Connectivity: Mobile and internet connectivity genuinely drops on the smaller islands — worth planning for and not assuming constant connectivity throughout the trip.
The Andaman Islands' relative remoteness from mainland India — which makes the trip logistically a bit more involved than most Indian beach destinations — is exactly what's kept the water this clear and the beaches this uncrowded, a genuine tradeoff worth understanding going in rather than expecting a quick weekend getaway.
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Have a correction or update for this guide? Email me at dscreationconnect@gmail.com.
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