Viper Island- For historic and pleasure vacation

Viper Island is a tourist destination as well as a destination with historical importance. Viper Island is the place where British constructed the first jail in British-India. The major attraction in Viper Island is the jail which is open for tourists. Tourists can explore the jail and learn the inhumanity faced by the freedom fighters from the British. Until a new cellular jail was constructed in Port Blair, the jail in Viper Island was the only place convicts where kept. Sher Ali the one who killed Lord Mayo the viceroy of India in 1872 was hanged here. The Island is named after the vessel “Viper” on which Lieutenant Archibald Blair reached this island in 1789.

The accessibility to Viper Island is through Port Blair. Port Blair has an airport which has flights from different parts of the country via Cochin and a few flights from Kolkata and Chennai. Port Blair offers local ferries to reach Viper Island. There are several hotels and resorts in Port Blair for tourists to stay.

Havelock Island – The Deep Blue Dream

Among the Andaman groups of islands dotted in the Bay of Bengal, Havelock Island is one of the most famous. Havelock is famous for her long endless sandy beaches, coral reeves, crystal clear sea and soft waves. The beauty of the island is beyond words can express, perfect place to attain nirvana. There are several beaches here such as, Radha Nagar beach, Elephanta Beach, Vijay nagar beach etc. Times magazine has rated Radha Nagar beach as Asia’s best beach. The activities in these beaches include snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing etc. Havelock Island is ideal for honeymoon couples or workaholic people to take a break.

Andaman and Nicobar islands is very much away from our Indian coastline and road transport is not possible, but travel is possible by air through flights and water ways through ships. It takes 3 days to travel by sea and just 2 hours by flight to reach Port Blair from Chennai. Ships travel once every weak from Chennai and Kolkata but the travel time between Kolkata and Port Blair may exceed more than three days. Shipping services to the Andaman and Nicobar islands from Vizag are available once in two months. There are several hotels and resorts in Havelock Island to make a memorable vacation for tourists.

Kalapani: History in closed bars!

Kalapani is one of the most famous cellular jails in the country. It was famous because it was there the British Empire kept the freedom fighters. It is located in the far shores of Andaman Island. It was near to impossible to run away from this notorious cellular jail. Many great freedom fighters spend their life in this jail sacrificing themselves for the freedom of the nation. Today these torture cells are tourist destination. People from all around the world come there to grasp the emotions of innocent freedom fighters who suffered for the sake of independence.

Netaji Subash Chandra Bose raised the Indian flag near Kalapani on December 30 1943, declaring independence from British. Today any tourists reaching Port Blair, will never leave the island without a glance of Kalapani. Kalapani is a national memorial today.

Port Blair is connected by air with Chennai, Kolkatta and Bangkok. There are slips that connect Port Blair with Chennai, Kolkatta and Vishakhapatanam. There are around 30 hotels and resorts in the capital city of Andaman for tourists to stay.

Port Blair: Enchantment in blue

Andaman and Nicobar is a cluster of 572 islands which is dotted in Bay of Bengal 1000km far from India – 800km from near Myanmar towards Indonesia. Non-Indian nationals need permits to visit Andaman Islands while the Nicobar Islands are inaccessible to tourists.

Port Blair, with most number of hotels, is the capital and focal point of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The most famous attraction in Port Blair is the cellular jail built at the time of British colonial rule. Today the Port Blair jail is a national monument and the major tourist attraction. The second highest peak in Andaman- Mount Harriet is a very well known tourist destination. People come there for adventure filled activities like trekking. It is also a perfect spot for bird watching. The other tourist attractions include Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park at Wandoor, which is a group of 15 islands blessed with a rich array of aquatic life. Activities like glass bottomed boat ride and snorkeling are the main specialty.

Port Blair has connectivity with two Indian cities, Chennai and Kolkata, by air. There are also regular ship cruises that take tourists from Chennai, Kolkata and Vishakhapatanam. There are resorts and tourists homes to take care of the accommodation.

Not the best time to travel to the Andamans

Port Blair is truly an amazing destination to visit but even roses carry thorns; so it is better to postpone your Port Blair trip for now. Monsoon is the dampener. Yes, finally, the monsoons are going to hit the Andaman shore this year. The depression, which hovered over south Gujarat coast for the past couple of days, is now moving fast towards immediate northwest. This prediction translates to rain in parts of Chhattisgarh, the northern part of Andhra, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Andaman, being a secluded part of the country, often gets cut off from the rest of India due to incessant rainfall. Both the seaway and airway remain closed till the Weather God smiles. Unless, you are an incredibly lucky traveller, chances are, you might get stuck in the islands for days. Much like the northeast, where landslides close the road, Andaman & Nicobar Islands too have its share of thorns!

Museums in Andaman

Anthropological Museum at Phoenix Bay depicts the life of the Paleolithic Islanders. It also houses the models of the aborigines (Native Australian) and their tools. Built in 1975, this small but informative museum showcases the four Negroid tribes of the Andaman’s, viz, the Jarawas, Sentinelese, Andamanese and the Onges, and two Mongoloid tribes of the Nicobars, viz, the Nicobarese and the Shompens.

Fisheries Museum displays about 350 species of sea-life, rare varieties of coral etc. The museum reflects the enormous marine life and wealth submerged in the waters of these islands.

Zoological Survey of India Museum is situated near to Andaman Teal House, this museum and research library exhibit a good variety of sponges, corals, butterflies, centipedes etc.

Forest museum offers an insight into forest activities through scale models and displays decorative pieces made of famous woods like Padauk, Marble, Peauma, Gurjan, Satin Wood, etc.

Ross-Island

People desire to know more and more about Ross Island. And it becomes the hot tourists spot in the territory.

It is an island where no settlement is allowed by the authorities. But, a few decades ago, this island was the seat of “British power.” Ross Island was the headquarters of the Indian Penal Settlement for nearly 80 years. It had everything — bazaar, bakery, stores, water treatment plant, church, tennis court, printing press, secretariat, hospital, cemetery and what have you. Today, everything has disappeared except some buildings, which housed some of these landmarks.

To access the island from the mainland, one has to arrive at the capital Port Blair first and then take a local transport to reach Phoenix Bay Jetty. From here, a short boat ride takes the tourist to Ross Island.

Union Territory in Bay of Bengal

Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India lies in the Bay of Bengal. It consists of about 527 islands both small and large. The coastline of the Islands stretches for about 100 km. Of the total land area 92% of the land is covered with rain forests.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie close to the Arakanmayo mountain range of Burma which lies to the sides of Sumatra of Indonesia. The Islands consist of 2 groups, the Andaman and Nicobar. These two groups are separated by about 300 km.

The visitors will enjoy Andaman and Nicobar islands more during December and March as the climatic conditions and weather will be excellent.

Overview of Andaman & Nicobar

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands remained the abode of the Negritos and the Mongoloids respectively, who occupied the Islands for centuries. The early history of Nicobar is not well known although these islands were familiar to traders in ancient times.
Middle Andaman Islands is the biggest Islands and it’s around 2600 Kilo meters. And the temperature is very normal and minimum. It attracts all natural lovers for clean environment, roads, greenery, as well as unpolluted fresh air.
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are once in a lifetime Holiday experience for anyone. Here people try to do their own adventures like trekking, island camping, snorkeling etc.

About Andaman & Nicobar

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are a Garden of Eden & a natural heaven. The Islands are covered with dense forests all around. Area of the Islands is about 8,293 square kilometers. The Islands consist of 2 groups, the Andaman and Nicobar. These two groups are separated by about 300 Km. Port Blair is the capital city of Andaman & Nicobar, most of the land(92% ) is covered with rain forests. We can find high mountains, lush green forests, wide roads, new buildings and long coastline. In addition to the beauty of  the palce and the various enticing features the peace loving people have made the Andaman and Nicobar Islands a tourist spot.