Cinque Island
Cinque actually comprises two islets, joined by a
spectacular sand isthmus with shallow water either side that covers it
completely at high tide. The main incentive to come here is the
superlative Diving and Snorkeling around the reefs. The lure of
underwater coral gardens and unspoiled beaches especially a sand bar
joining two islands are irresistible. Cinque Island is a super place
for water sports such as Scuba Diving, Swimming, Fishing and Camping.
Although there are no ferries to Cinque, it is possible to arrange
dinghies from Chira Tapu village on the mainland. The two dive centers
in Port Blair also regularly come here with clients. Currently
travelers with permit only are allowed to spend the day on the island,
overnights stays are prohibited.
Diglipur
Situated in North Andaman Island Diglipur provides a
rare experience for eco friendly tourists. It is famous for its
oranges, rice and marine life. Saddle Peak the highest point in the
islands is nearby. Kalpong, the only river of Andaman flows from here.
The first hydroelectric project of the islands is coming upon this
river. One who comes by road from Port Blair has to take a boat from
Mayabunder to Kalighat and from their journey by road to Diglipur. And
from there to Kalipur for viewing Kalipur and Lamiya bay beaches. One
can feel the innocent beauty of village life everywhere in Diglipur.
One who prefers to be away from the hustle and bustle of urban life
must come here to enjoy unhurried holidays.
Havelock Island
Havelock is the largest island in Ritchie's
archipelago, and the most intensively cultivated, settled like any in
the region by Bengali refugees after Partition. Thanks to its regular
ferry connection with the capital, it is also visited to greater
numbers than anywhere else in the Andaman’s. In Peak season as many as
three hundred tourists may be holed up here, and at day times
Havelock's much-photographed Radhanagar beach, often touted as the most
beautiful in India, can feel overwhelmed.
On the plus side, the boat journey from Neill,
skirting a string of uninhabited islets with shadowy views of Middle
Andaman to the west, is wonderful, and wildlife, both on land and in
the sea, remains abundant despite intensive settlement and
deforestation. Havelock's main jetty is on the north side of the island,
adjoining the village known as Havelock.
Neil Island
Tiny triangular-shaped Neil is the most southerly
inhabited island of Ritchie's group of islands, a couple of hours'
ferry ride northeast of Port Blair. The source of much of the capital's
Fish, fruit and vegetables, its fertile centre, ringed by a curtain of
stately tropical trees, comprises vivid patches of green paddy dotted
with small farmsteads and banana plantations. The beaches are mediocre
by the Andaman's standards, but worth a day or two en route to or from
Havelock. Boats leave Port Blair four times each week for Neil i.e.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; depart 6:30 am, continuing on to
Havelock and Rangat. From the jetty a two minute walk brings one to
the ANIIDC to Yatri Niwas a dozen or so clean carpeted rooms with
sit-outs, ranged around a central courtyard and restaurant. It is the
only accommodation on the island, so book ahead before one leaves for
Port Blair. Neil boasts three beaches, all of them within easy cycling
distance of the small bazaar just up the lane from the hotel. You can
rent cycles from one or other of the stallholders. Neill Kendra a gently
curving bay of white sand straddles the jetty scattered with
picturesque wooden fishing boats. Exposed to the open sea and thus
prone to higher tides, Sitapur beach, six km south at the tip of the
Island, is less appealing but the ride across Neill's central paddy
land is pleasant.
Viper Island
The tiny, serene beautiful island of viper is
situated inside the Port Blair Harbor. The island derives its name from
the vessel 'Viper' in which Lt. Archibald Blair came to the islands in
1789 with the purpose of establishing a penal settlement. The vessel,
it is believed met with an accident and its wreckage was abandoned near
the island. A Mute Witness Of The Indian Freedom Struggle - Viper
Island witnessed the untold sufferings the freedom fighters had to
undergo. Dangerous convicts found guilty of violating the rules of the
penal settlement, were put in chains and were forced to work with their
chains on in this island. Freedom fighters like Nanigopal and Nandlal
Pulindas, who had resorted to hunger strike at the Cellular Jail, were
imprisoned at Viper Island. Sher Ali, the Pathan guilty of murdering
Lord Mayo, was condemned to death and hanged in gallows at the Viper
Island. Now the ruins of jails and gallows can be seen on the island.
Long Island
This island is located southeast of Middle Andaman
and has sandy beaches and good coral reefs. There is a Forest Rest
House and an APWD rest house on the island. It is a good place to camp.
Campers must first obtain permission from the APWD in Port Blair. From
Port Blair and Havelock there are boats on Wed and Sat to this island.
The boat stops here before going to Rangat. You can rent a bicycle to
get around. From Rangat visitors can sometimes take a lumber boat to
here.
Middle Andaman
You can reach this island by boat or bus from Port
Blair. The west side of the island is mainly made up of the Jarawa
Tribal Reserve. When the bus passes the Jarawa reserves the bus carries
an armed guard, because the Jarawa tribals have been hostile since
losing their land to Indian settlers. It is not a good idea to travel
alone.
Rangat
The closest nice beach is in Betapur, 20 km away on
the road to Mayabunder, which can be reached by bus. There is good
snorkeling at Amakun Beach 9 km from Rangat. There are places to stay
in Rangat and Mayabunder. To stay in the APWD rest houses, visitors
need permission from the APWD Chief Engineer, whose office is near the
Shompen Hotel in Port Blair (30215). The APWD rest houses are good
places to stay, but are sometimes full. Permission to rent a room must
be given by the local APWD officer
Mayabunder
Mayabunder is seventy km north of Rangat (three hrs
by bus) and one hundred sixty km by sea from Port Blair. The beach at
Karmateng takes half-hour by bus. There are several islands in the bay
with beaches for swimming. None of the places in the area are good for
snorkeling. The APWD Guest House is a good, clean place in a great
location. It should be reserved in advance if possible. It is the best
place to eat in town. Dhanakakshmi Lodge is the only place available
for staying. Yatri Niwas Karmateng Bay, 10 km northeast of Mayabunder
should be booked at A&N Tourism in Port Blair. Mayabunder can be
reached by the daily bus from Port Blair (9 hrs). There are several
daily buses to Rangat and Karmateng. To get to North Andaman Island,
you take a ferry to Kalighat or Ariel Bay, from where you can catch a
bus to Diglipur. Also private boats leave early in the morning to
Kalighat.
Kalighat
Kalighat north Andaman location is a small
settlement. It still makes a very pleasant and peaceful stopover between
Port Blair and the north. You can cross the river by the mangrove
footbridge and follow the path up into the forest which is good for
bird watching.
North Andaman
The main place to stay here is at Diglipur. There
is a sandy beach at Kalipur, to which buses travel. You can walk from
there to Saddle Peak, but you first have to take permission from the
Forest Officer at Arial Bay. There is a weekly ferry to this place from
Port Blair with bunk and deck class. You can get tickets on the boat,
but often only deck class is available. There is a daily boat from
Mayabunder on Middle Andaman direct to Diglipur. You can also take a
boat from Mayabunder to Kalighat and then a bus to Diglipur. The Yatri
Niwas has rooms. It should be booked at A&N Tourism in Port Blair.
From Diglipur there are regular buses to Aerial Bay and Kalighat. In
Kalighat there is a APWD Guest House. Balaji is a decent place to eat
near the boat jetty. From Kalighat there is a crowded ferry to
Mayabunder around noon and regular buses to Diglipur.
Little Andaman
The last 100 persons belonging to the Onge tribe
live on a reserve at the south end of the island. Foreigners are not
permitted to visit the reservation. The best beach is about twenty km
north of the boat jetty. It is a good place to camp and swim, but is
not good for snorkeling. Basic supplies can be purchased from the
village a couple of km north of the boat jetty. At APWD guest house, one
km north of the village. Rooms are available. It should be booked at
A&N Tourism in Port Blair. When you arrive, you have to register at
the police station a few km north of the APWD Guest House. Boats dock
at Hut Bay on the east side of the island. There are one or two boats a
week between Port Blair.
Chatham Island
The island is five km northwest of Aberdeen Bazaar
and is connected to Port Blair through a tiny land strip, with the sea
lapping on both sides, housing Asia’s largest saw mill. The first
British settlement on Chatham Island was made in 1789, near Port Blair
during the Governor Generalship of Lord Cornwallis. The British founded
the first penal settlement in 1858, with 200 prisoners, mostly rebels
from the Indian Army who demonstrated against the British atrocities
during the first war of Independence. The British built the Chatham
Sawmill here and it is one of the oldest and largest timber processing
plants in India. Dating back to 1836, the enormous workshops are built
in the durable but expensive Padauk wood. Since the 1970s, logging on
the islands has been banned and most of the wood now comes by ship from
Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. You can observe the entire process of
the logs being unloaded, sorted, cut, planed and finally stored in vast
Godowns to be shipped off to the mainland. The forest here is a feast
to the eyes with most colorful and rare varieties of orchards and
beauty of other flora and fauna.
Interview, Narcondam, Brother, and Sisters Islands
These can be visited only on day trips, but there
are no regular boats to these islands. You can take a boat to the
volcanic Barren Island, but you are not allowed to leave the boat. The
only places to stay on these islands are in Forest Rest Houses, or in
APWD Guest Houses. Reserve in advance in Port Blair at the APWD office
near the Hotel Shompen, or at the Forest Department in Haddo. Some
people bring tents and hammocks and camp out on the beach. You can rent
a tent from Andaman. Fires are not permitted, so you should bring a
kerosene stove with you. It is often not possible to buy kerosene on
the islands, so you should bring your own supply.
