The Andamans- 2017!!

The Andamans-
Local languages- Bengali, Tamil, Hindi and English
Approx budget for 7 nights, 8 days- Flight tickets Included ( Tickets if booked well in advance)- 90K for 3 people.

The Andamans- Years back, our vacations used to be coming home from North and spending time here in Chennai. However, we used to go on trips from North India. To think of it, we have covered almost every state now...From the Himalayas to Kanyakumari, we have tried a bit in covering some places...

Well, till around 5 years back, the trips were more impromptu. But when we discovered, that as a family we love to travel and explore, we started planning ahead! After every trip, we decide in a month
where to go the next year and start saving!

We are not spend thrifts but make a decent holiday with stay in 3 star hotels and plan a comfortable holiday!

Last year was to the North east and this year to the Andamans! We plan at least 7 days holiday, so that we have a relaxed vacation and spend more time as a family.

The Itenary: 8 days and 7 Nights

Departed from Chennai- 19th March. Morning by Indigo
Back from Portblair- 26th March- 11.30 Indigo.

Day1:

The andamans, I would only associate this place to BLISS! The excitement starts ever since the Captain of the flight announces, Landing alert! You see, your flight is in the middle of blue ocean and you find patches of land in the middle...! For a moment, you cant contain the excitement to think of spending time in an island!!

Pick up from Airport and checked in to the hotel by 12 Noon.
Had lunch and Left to sight seeing the very same day.

2 Pm: The Cellular Jail- well, I have nothing else to add, than just say, This place of historical importance can bring tears and make you wonder, how on earth did the Britishers plan this historic place!!! A century back, how did they manage to make this architectural wonder. Do not miss the Light and Sound show thats at 6 Pm and 7 PM everyday. It takes maximum an hour to go around the Jail.

3.30 Pm- Anthropological Museum- A museum that showcases, the culture and the lifestyle of the Islanders and the Jarawa Tribes. No photography allowed.

4.45 PM- Corbyn's Cove Beach- This is where your journey to exotic beaches start! A beautiful, coral filled beach with very less crowd and crystal clear water. try Jet skiing here, if interested.
Speed boats to an Island called Snake island is arranged from here. You just get to see the island from the boat.

6.45 PM- Reached cellular Jail and had one of the most beautiful experiences of travelling along the journey of the cellular Jail.

8.30 PM- Got back to the hotel to get ready for the travel to Havelock and Neil Islands

Day 2- 20th March

8 AM- Departed from Portblair to Havelock by Mackcruzz Cruise.

10.30 AM- Reached Havelock Island
11 Am- Checked in to the Hotel

2 PM- Proceeded to Visit Beach no 7, Radha Nagar beach- The best beach in Asia. If u thought Corbyn's cove was WOW...Visit radha Nagar to search for a better adjective. Soaked ourselves in the beach and left at ard 5.30 ish.

6 PM- Got back to the Hotel.

8 Pm- Wrapped up the day with a dinner in the hotel.

Day 3- 21st March

8 AM- Checked out from the hotel and got ready for the water sports activity in beach number 2.

8.30 AM- Reached PADI Scuba institute for Scuba diving. I was only a mute spectator and waited for my better half and the little one to come back from the scuba session.

if you are not phobic to water, DO try SCUBA. It took them altogether 3 hours to get done with the training in the shallow waters and do the scuba for half an hour and return.

12 Noon- Reached Kalapathar beach, another marvel.,,,If you are one of those like us, who did not have a pre wedding shoot, do go prepared! You are not gonna repent!

2 PM- Left Havelock by mackruzz to Neil islands

4 PM- Reached Neil

4.30 PM- Nature's bridge visit- Do visit this beautiful rock structure that had formed into a bridge along side the beautiful beach.

6 Pm- Checked into the resort ( This is the only resort we opted to have a beach side view)

The resort is in the shores of Lakshmanpur beach which is one of those must see's in neil Islands! Went for a walk along the beach and we were thrilled that it was only the 3 of us in the beach!

8 PM- Wrapped up the day with a dinner buffet at the hotel.

Day 4- 22nd March -Bharatpur beach, Neil

8 Am- Left to Bharatpur beach, checking out from the hotel.

This was one day in the beach with absolutely no agenda! We spent close to 6 hours in the beach. Snorkeling, Speed boat, Glass boat was the to finish activities here..So we got them done by 10 and did nothing...LITERALLY NOTHING....! sat by the waves...talked, laughed, built castles, wrote names and challenged the waves...

The most amusing thing about Bharatpur was, you dont have to worry about the luggage. The local people out there tell you, Hamare upar biswas hai toh, rakhey jao bhabhi...! All of us, left our luggage just there and came back after 5 hours to find every little belonging remain there, untouched!

Had lunch at the beach and got ready for the Cruise at 4 pm to get back to Portblair.

6 PM- Checked into the hotel in Portblair. Had a small Gokula Krishna temple near our hotel, Visited the temple as well!

Day 5- 23rd March - Baratong Island, Mangrove Creeks, Limestone caves

This was ONE OF THE KIND of experiences that we have had in all these years of travel! Well, we were alerted by the guide, that we were going to pass through a tribal reserve forest area and that we must BEHAVE. More stories in the next paragraph.

6 AM-Get set go...We were wondering why on earth was Biswas ( Our guide) racing our car so fast...In around 1.5 hours, he brought the car to a halt and we were in a queue behind 25 vehicles.
Thats when he told us, We could enter the reserve area only as a convoy and the convoy was set to leave at 9.30.

We had 2 hours in hand and there are a row of shops that sell delicious south Indian break fast. A hilltop temple and time just runs away.

9 AM- The convoy starts moving and we are there entering the forest. We are instructed, not to stop the vehicle if we spot the Jarawa tribes, No driving faster or slower than 40 Km /h.
No over taking, No mobiles, No photographs. Your excitement to see a tribal increases multi fold after all the multiple reiterations.

We spot a couple of tribal kids on the way and were relaxed when suddenly biswas stopped our vehicle. Wondering if he wanted to take a break, all 3 of us look at him, he nods his head and says, Tyre Puncture ho gaya Sirji.

We are right there in the middle of a forest, instructed multiple times not to even open our windows and we had to pinch ourselves to figure out if it was real.
He quickly started fixing the Tyre, while my man also helped him fix it. My little one and I, suspiciously turning at every leaf movement we heard. Luckily cos it was a convoy a couple of fellow drives stopped to check for help.

The Tyre was fixed in half an hour and we were back to action. Just 200 meters away from where we were stranded, there were a big group of tribal standing and watching the convoy.
Biswas tells us casually, Bach gaye!

After all the hungama, we cross the 60 KM stretch of the forest and reach Baratong Island. A ferry takes us across the ocean to visit the Dense Mangrove creeks and naturally formed Limestone caves.

Our Convoy to leave back to Portblair was scheduled at 3. So we had to come back to the convoy point by 2.45.

3 PM- Journey back to Portblair. Reached Port blair at 6.30. Recollected the eventful day and hit the bed by 9 PM.

Day 6- 24th March- Ross Island/ North Bay Island

8 AM- Dropped at the rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex
9.15 AM- Ferry to Ross Island

Ross Island is an island of Historic importance and a place that was captured by the Japanese during the world war 2.
You are given 1 hour by the ferry captain to go around the small island.

11 AM- Ross Island to North Bay Island- By the same ferry

North bay island is a well known beach for water activities. If you missed Scuba or Snorkeling in Havelock, North bay is the next option.

3 hours with no agenda, cos we had done all the activities in Havelock. So there we were, gaping at people, making castles, eating and singing...! Had Maggi Cuppa and slept in the shores on a coconut plank...! Let me tell you, never had I imagined I would take a nap along the shore of a beach!

2.30 PM- Ferry back to Port blair.

4 PM- Dropped back at the hotel

6 PM- Walk to the Auberdeen Bazaar, a market that would remind you of markets in Tirunelveli, Nagercoil etc.
You guessed it right, you find a whole lot of Tamil shops and you start striking a conversation with every shop keeper.

Mahesh Juice Bar- DO NOT MISS this place..exotic milkshakes, mock tails and fresh juices at absolutely affordable prices!

8 PM- Back to hotel, done with yet another day!

Day 7- 25th March- Chidiya Thap and Mundapahar beach

For the first time, Biswas told us, lets leave by 10 Am tomorrow...! So started the day in leisure...

11 Am- At Chidya thap, Munda Pahar beach.
A very secluded yet beautiful beach.

You are welcomed with a board - The last Crocodile was spotted on- 26th February, 2017.

Its one of those beaches where you find the least crowd and you could do a forest trek along the Mundapahar beach.

You are given multiple instructions before you get inside. We just walked along, sat for around a couple of hours.The sunset is supposed to be one beautiful event but we skipped it.

4 PM- Reached hotel, had a late lunch, took a small nap

6.30 PM- We were at the Blue sea Hotels, that's very near Sagarika- The state emporium plus there are a string of shops that sell, shell artifacts, Corals, Pearls etc. Did some shopping, Walked down to Annapurna for dinner, got back to the hotel

Day 8- 26th March

8 AM- Had Breakfast
9 Am- Biswas picked us up from the hotel and dropped us at the airport.
11 Am- We left to Chennai.

To Think of it, This has been one of those memorable trips ever. It was with a very heavy heart, we bid good bye to this splendid place on earth! We made beautiful memories, that would last in our minds for a life time!

Some More pointers:

1. Do not collect any corals from the beach. They are taken back during baggage scanning.
2. We stayed at a couple of hotels in PB. Blue Sea Hotels was the best with a pure Veg restaurant.
3. Book a Double deluxe room, which is a very newly built structure.
4. Pure Vegetarians who would have food ONLY at PURE VEG Restaurants- You have very limited options, Its Veg Creek in Blue Sea Hotels and Annapurna in PortBlair.
Havelock and Neil- We could not find any ONLY VEG Restaurants. Pls start loving Maggi Cuppa thats what we had for lunch for 3 days.
5. Always book the tour with a reputed tour operator. Its advisable as they arrange all tickets and permits for all the places.
6. Food is a bit on the costly side, cos they have to be transported from Chennai or Kolkata
7. All hotels with breakfast package, pack your breakfast and give it to you, as early as 6 am, if requested the earlier night
8. Do not expect HI FI facilities in the hotels. They are clean and decent with facilities like AC and geysers. Carry a kettle if you require.
9. Now for the BIG news...You are not gonna have Mobile signals and Data transfer is absolutely NIL in most places...Most Hotels do not offer free WIFI. Even if thats the case,
the coverage is limited to the lobby.
10. Dont miss the tender coconuts and the fruits...!

The Radha nagar Beach!