Trip to Andaman & Nicobar Islands

➥Second Day (Havelock Island / Swaraj Dwip / Radhanagar Beach)
The next morning, we were scheduled to depart for Havelock Island, now renamed Swaraj Dwip. Spread across approximately 113 square kilometers, Swaraj Dwip is known for its white sandy beaches surrounded by coral reefs and dense green forests. This island is located about 39 kilometers northeast of Port Blair.

Early morning at 6 o’clock, our driver Ravi took us to the jetty in Port Blair from where we were to travel to Havelock Island by cruise. The cruise named Sea Link was incredibly beautiful and comfortable. After an adventurous journey of about 2 hours, we arrived at Havelock Island around 8 o’clock. There, our driver Prakash took us to our resort, Gold India Beach Resort, nestled amidst coconut groves and facing the seashore. This resort is exceptionally beautiful. After having breakfast, around 11 o’clock, we headed towards Radhanagar Beach. Prakash briefed us about the specialties of Radhanagar Beach along the way.

Radhanagar Beach is a very beautiful beach known for its white sand, turquoise blue waters, and lush greenery. It has been ranked by Time Magazine as one of Asia’s top three beaches. Visitors come here for activities like swimming, snorkeling, fishing, and scuba diving. We spent quite a long time swimming at this beach and then sat under the shade of beautiful trees along the shore, enjoying wild fruits.

We also experienced a Fish Spa, where small fish in tanks nibble away dead skin from our feet. We lost track of time spending about 4-5 hours at this beach. Around 6 o’clock, we returned to our resort. After having tea in the evening, we strolled along the beach in front of our resort. The serene and enchanting atmosphere with cool breezes after sunset made walking on the sand incredibly delightful.

➥Third Day (Havelock Island / Swaraj Island / Elephant Beach)
After breakfast, driver Prakash took us to the jetty on Havelock Island where we were supposed to board a steamer for Elephant Beach. Elephant Beach is located at the other end of Havelock Island where you can reach either by trekking through the jungle in about 30 minutes or by a steamer which takes only 15 minutes. Along the route of the steamer, there is a beautiful lighthouse shaped like an elephant’s trunk which guides ships at night through the waters.

Elephant Beach is popular due to the variety of water sports available here. Tourists flock here for activities like Jet Skiing, Sea Walk, Sofa Ride, Snorkeling, and Parasailing. We enjoyed Jet Skiing and Sofa Ride, and waited for our turn for Parasailing with our tickets in hand. The atmosphere on the beach was festive. Fallen trees on the beach added to its beauty. The platter filled with local fruits and the sweet taste of coconut water were invigorating, necessary for Parasailing.

After about an hour, our turn came. A small steamer took a group of 10-12 people to a special platform in the sea for Parasailing, equipped with special gear. The Parasailing steamer took us into the sea and gradually raised us into the sky using a parachute attached to the body, offering breathtaking views of the deep blue sea and frothy waves beneath us.

It was a thrilling and unforgettable experience, lasting about 15 minutes. The entire group took about 2.5 hours for Parasailing. After Parasailing, we returned to Elephant Beach. After spending some time on the beach, we returned to our resort via steamer from Havelock Island’s jetty. In the evening, the resort arranged a Candle Light Dinner by the beach, with candlelit bottles on the shore, creating a serene atmosphere under the twinkling stars in the clear sky. Dining amidst the scent of fresh flowers on the table and the sound of waves crashing gently against the shore was a truly wonderful experience.

➥Fourth Day (Neil Island / Shaheed Dweep / Sitapur Beach / Bharatpur Beach / Scuba Diving / Laxmanpur Beach)
After spending two days on Havelock Island, our next destination was Neil Island, now renamed as Shaheed Dweep. Neil Island is located approximately 36 kilometers northeast of Port Blair and 18 kilometers south of Havelock Island in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. This triangular-shaped island is a prime source of fresh fruits and vegetables for the Andaman Islands group.

We reached Neil Island at 9 o’clock via our cruise, C-Link, after a one-hour journey. Our driver, Sujit, took us to our resort, Tango Beach Resort. After resting for a while, we set out for Sitapur Beach. This beach is a sunrise point where the sun rises from within the sea. The greenery along the shore, the white sand, and the blue water make it a great option for swimming. After taking some photos, we enjoyed the natural scenery.

After Sitapur Beach, we were supposed to visit Bharatpur Beach where we had planned to do scuba diving. In scuba diving, after wearing a special swimming dress equipped with an oxygen cylinder, one gets to witness marine life beneath the sea’s depths. We boarded a boat with professional divers and headed towards an old, broken lighthouse near the sea. This place was ideal for scuba diving due to its unique depths and the presence of the lighthouse. The trained team for scuba diving consisted of four members in total: a boat driver, one person to assist during the dive from the surface, and two divers who were to guide us through the dive.

On the boat, they explained the functioning of all the equipment and the signals for underwater communication. Upon descending into the sea from the boat, we were taught how to breathe using the oxygen cylinder through our mouths. After completing all the necessary training, we started our dive into the sea. The underwater view was incredibly beautiful with coral reefs, colorful plants, and stunning fish.

A school of fish swam around us, making the underwater world unique and colorful. We remained underwater for about 30 minutes, enjoying the unparalleled experience. Our photos and videos were also captured with a special camera. After experiencing the excellent adventure of scuba diving, we returned to our resort.

Laxmanpur Beach was about 1 kilometer away from our resort, where there was a Sunset Point. The path to this point from our resort’s beach was not a paved road but rather through sand spread amidst the jungle and the waves of the sea. The rustling of green trees and the presence of white conch shells and crabs amidst the sand made this path extremely enchanting.

We were walking near the waves, feeling the water brush against our feet, as if we were being welcomed in its own way. After walking for about 15 minutes, we reached Sunset Point. This point is located on the westernmost shore of the island, shaped like a triangle.

Here, on one side, there is land, and on the other three sides, there is the vast blue ocean. There was quite a crowd here. Local people had set up small temporary shops for Maggi noodles, tea, and pakoras. These shopkeepers had wooden benches outside their shops where people could sit and enjoy the sunset view with sips of tea and bites of Maggi. As the sun was descending into the ocean’s embrace, the crimson hue in the sky was intensifying.

During sunset, the water of the sea was shimmering like a string of pearls, and the shadows of people standing amidst the waves presented a surreal scene. We didn’t realize how three hours passed in this way. Walking back along those sandy paths, we chatted and returned to our resort.

➥Fifth Day (Neil Island / Shaheed Dweep / Port Blair Market)
We woke up at 8 AM and had breakfast. After that, we went for a stroll in the coconut groves in front of our resort and on the beach beyond. After taking some photographs, we had to check out from our resort. Our driver, Sujit, took us to the jetty of Neil Island at noon. Our cruise was scheduled to depart at 1 PM for Port Blair. It was supposed to be a 2.5-hour journey, but we encountered a cyclone on the way, which led to heavy rain and very high waves. The waves started hitting the windows of our cruise ship, which were made of glass.

This experience was somewhat scary as our cruise was moving very slowly and was experiencing considerable turbulence. Due to the cruise ship getting stuck in the strong cyclone winds, it took us 5 hours to complete this journey that was supposed to take 2.5 hours. When the coastline started to appear, we felt some relief. At Port Blair’s jetty, we met our driver, Ravi, who safely took us back to our hotel.

After relaxing for about 2 hours, we went out to the local market for shopping. The main attractions of this local market are beautiful ornaments made of shells, pearls, and handcrafted showpieces for home decor. The market also offers sculptures of various indigenous people from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which look very beautiful due to their unique attire. We did a lot of shopping and bought gifts for family members as well. After shopping, we also enjoyed street food and then returned to our hotel.

➥Sixth Day (Baratang Island / Jarawa Tribe / Mangrove Forest / Limestone Caves / Port Blair)
Baratang is an island located approximately 101 kilometers north of Port Blair. To reach here, one has to pass through a jungle which is a Jarawa Forest Reserve. We left for Baratang via the road route at 3 o’clock in the morning because the gate of the Jarawa Forest Reserve opens only twice a day, once at 6 AM and the other at 9 AM. We chose the 6 AM slot and arrived at the gate around 5 AM to obtain the necessary permits and wait for the gate to open.

Once the gate opened at 6 AM, a convoy of tourist vehicles entered the Jarawa Forest Reserve. Leading the convoy was a vehicle from the Forest Department. This dense jungle of 40 kilometers is the habitat of the Jarawa tribe, the indigenous people of this forest. We saw Jarawa tribal people along the jungle roads, looking very attractive in their traditional attire, carrying bows and arrows.

Their settlement was visible from a distance. There were strict instructions from the Forest Department not to interact with these tribal people or offer them any food or drinks. They ensured that no harm came to the Jarawa people from the vehicles passing through their territory.

Around 1 hour later, we reached the other side of the Jarawa Jungle from where we boarded a ferry to Baratang Island. The main attractions of Baratang include its mangrove forests and natural limestone caves. We boarded a steamer to reach the limestone caves. Along the steamer route, we passed through dense mangrove forests that looked very impressive due to their long roots and vibrant colors.

After a 20-minute journey on the steamer, we reached a point amidst the jungle from where we had to walk about 2 kilometers to reach the natural limestone caves. In approximately 20 minutes, we arrived at the entrance of these caves and hired a guide for information. Initially, there was some light inside the cave, but as we ventured further in, it became darker.

The caves were naturally formed from white limestone rocks. With the help of torchlight, our guide showed us various formations inside the caves such as stalactites resembling a Shivling, an elephant’s trunk, a lotus flower, and more. These caves were a magnificent creation of nature. We spent about 1 hour exploring these caves and then returned to Baratang’s ferry shore by steamer. After having lunch at a local dhaba, we returned to Port Blair, passing through the Jarawa Jungle.

➥Seventh day (From Port Blair to Lucknow)
After this memorable 6-day journey, it was time to return home. Reflecting on our time spent in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, we cherished our unforgettable moments. The hospitality of the people here touched our hearts deeply. Gazing at the white sands and blue seas was truly peaceful. The lush green forests, mangrove trees, water sports, the Jarawa tribe, and the natural beauty made our Andaman trip truly unique.

The Cellular Jail narrates the story of our freedom fighters, filling one with respect for the martyrs. Soon, our plane was in the sky, where the islands of Andaman & Nicobar appeared like pearls in the ocean. Indeed, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are pearls in the sea.