Location: Port Blair

Day 1 - 1 Dec 2018

Veer Savarkar International Airport

Content: We planned our vacation in Andaman Nicobar Islands. It was India's most remote state located in the Bay of Bengal. It was an ideal place to experience a tropical climate and glimpses of history and culture. This was our first time on the island. We got many pieces of information about where to go and what to do on the island through the internet. We planned our trip with my friend's family. We were very excited to explore the island while we travel on the flight. There are several flights to Andaman from all the major cities of India. Our Delhi to Andaman flight took around five hours. We landed at Port Blair airport, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Veer Savarkar International Airport was very small but the seating facilities were good and enough. The airport has a single runway but it accommodates most aircraft. We got a taxi from the gate to our pre-booked hotel in Port Blair.

Sea Shell Resort

Content: We checked into the Sea Shell Resort, located at the heart of Port Blair city. Port Blair is the capital of the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands which is the gateway to the island. Port Blair is located at the southern end of the Andaman island. Sea Shell Resort is one of the popular seaside resort with a picturesque view of Port Blair city. We booked Deluxe Rooms with a private sit-out. The rooms were very spacious with modern amenities. The staff offered a very warm welcome with a pleasant smile. The hotel has roof-top dining facilities in a fine atmosphere. We had a simple lunch from the "Salt & Pepper" restaurant. They served a multi-cuisine fare. We spend some time to get refresh and take a rest.

Cellular Jail

Content: The first place that we visited was Cellular Jail, which is also known as Kala Pani. It is one of the top tourist destinations in the city. It was built to keep freedom fighters as prisoners, now it is a pilgrimage dedicated to the Indian freedom fighters. The complex has seven wings with a central watchtower from where each wing is visible, each wing had three floors. We could feel the pain of the soundless cries as we walked from one cell to another. There is a miniature model of the whole cellular jail with seven wings, out of which three remain standing to this day. There is a Martyr’s memorial with models of the flogging stand, an oil mill that was powered by the prisoners, various instruments of punishment and torture. We waited to witness a light and sound show takes place in the late afternoon early evening.

Light and Sound show

Content: We headed to the Light and Sound Show that was held on the beautiful lawn at Cellular Jail. It aimed to tell the story of the jail and the history of the place. The entire show brings up the dark history of the islands and reminded us exactly why these beautiful islands were once called Kalapani (black waters). We headed towards, Corbyn's Cove Beach. We hired a taxi from Cellular Jail to the beach.

New Lighthouse Restaurant

Content: We had dinner from New Lighthouse Restaurant, located close to Marina Park in Port Blair. It was an open-air restaurant that is best known for its kinds of seafood. We had grilled fish which was fresh and tasty.

Location: Port Blair

Day 2 - 2 Dec 2018

Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex

Content: Today we set a day trip to the most famous place in the city, Ross Island. The island can only be reached by taking a ferry from the Water Sports Complex. Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex, commonly known as just "Water Sports Complex" is located near Marina Park. There is a well-developed walking path inside the complex. The walking area above the sea connects the front gate to the jetty. The place offers complete fun-packages. There are many activities such as paddleboats, rowboats, banana boats, speed boats, scuba diving, sea walking, and much more are available. It was necessary to carry identity proof for book tickets. We took a boat from the jetty to Ross Island.

Ross Island

Content: We reached Ross island, after paying the entry fee we stepped onto the island. Walking around the island through the well-marked trails is the best way to explore the island. It is also known as Netaji Subhash Chandra Dweep. The island was covered with endless coconut and palm trees. There are a tennis court and a swimming pool which served as a leisure spot for travelers. The first thing that attracted our eyes was the herds of deer. While walking through the island we saw some British buildings that were engulfed by the roots of the trees in Ross Island. The island was small and can complete in 3 or 4 hours. It served as a scenic location densely covered with huge wild trees and surrounded by the beautiful Andaman sea. By noon, we left the island and headed back to the city by ferry.

Chidiya Tapu

Content: From the Water Sports Complex, we took a car to Chidiyatapu. The second half of the day is perfect to visit Chidiyatapu to enjoy the breathtaking sunset view. It was worth to visit a few hours at this wonderful place. The Mundapahad beach and the Chidiya Tapu beach are the main destinations to visit. There is a Biological Park to preserve natural fauna. The park features exotic plant species like Mahuas and Padauks. While walking through the woods, we good hear the sounds of birds. There are many wooden seating arrangements available throughout the trek. There is also a reptile center where we saw crocodiles and snakes. The sunset at Chidiya Tapu is not something to be missed. We experienced a lovely sunset on the beach. The beach area was rocky but very calm and pleasant. It was charming to enjoy solitude with my family.

Sea Shell Resort

Content: We had dinner from the Sea Shell Resort's Amaya", rooftop lounge bar which overlooks the Andaman Sea. They gave wide options for seafood dishes. There were signature beverages from the bar. They arranged a live music band to keep their guest entertained. We had dinner in a unique atmosphere. It was an ideal destination to spend a weekend or a holiday with family. The food was good and well-presented in an ample ambiance.

Location: Port Blair

Day 3 - 3 Dec 2018

Wandoor Beach

Content: This day was too busy as we planned to head to Jolly Buoy Island. After breakfast from the hotel, we hired a taxi to Wandoor beach. It is located about 25 km away from Port Blair. It is the gateway to Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and Jolly Buoy Island, two popular destinations on the island. We reached Wandoor beach one of the popular beaches. The glass-bottomed boats to view the coral reefs were available on the shore. We moved to Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park.

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park

Content: Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, also known as Wandoor National Park located near the beach. There is an aquarium that preserves marine life. We could see varieties of crocodiles, tortoises, and some other aquatic species. It was a perfect spot to learn about marine life. There was a beautiful lawn just outside the complex. After exploring the aquatic animals we headed to our next destination.

Jolly Buoy Island

Content: We hired a glass-bottom boat from Wandoor Beach to Jolly Buoy Island. We walked through a wooden bridge and get a ferry. Wandoor jetty has to boat facility regular intervals so that access to the beautiful island. The way was so beautiful and the atmosphere added our excitement. As the boat moved towards the island, we could see the watercolor changed from dark green to deep indigo and a mystical cyan. It is necessary to take a permit and tickets from the tourism department to visit the island. On the way, we could see the beautiful corals and marine life in action. Snorkeling is a famous activity on the island, many tourists came to do this. We took a dip in the blue waters and white sands at our feet. There are a couple of coconut leaves based sheds available to relax in the open air on the beach. The excitement ended as we hired a boat to return. The ferry staff called us to return to the small boats which carried us to Wandoor. We came back to the city with extraordinary memories with us.

Port Blair

Content: We had a burger and fresh juice from a restaurant on the way back to our accommodation. The day was filled with memories. The dinner was simple but humble. We return to the hotel to sleep.

Location: Port Blair

Day 4 - 4 Dec 2018

Phoenix Bay Jetty

Content: After breakfast, we checked out from the hotel and headed to Phoenix Bay Jetty also known as Polar Blair Jetty. It took about 2.5 hours to cover the journey from Port Blair to Havelock Island. The journey was fulfilled and scenic. The sea was very calm and pleasant. Two islands are separated by water so a ferry is the only option. It was the most convenient and economical way to go from Port Blair to Havelock. Both private and government-operated ferries are available.

Location: Havelock

Day 4 - 4 Dec 2018

Havelock Island jetty

Content: The journey towards Havelock was very relaxing and beautiful. Havelock island was located in the middle of the ocean between India and Thailand. It was known for the blue beaches and mangroves. Most of the settlers in and around the island were Bengalis. Simple bamboo huts set under coconut trees are the first impression that we received from the island. Radhanagar Beach was the most attractive and main reason to visit the island. We walked towards our hotel which is very close to the jetty point.

Havelock Island Beach Resort

Content: We could find accommodation options from luxury resorts to budget stays for backpackers. We found ideal accommodation, Havelock Island Beach Resort situated at Govind Nagar Beach. They offered a family cottage for us. The rooms are well-maintained and furnished. There were some outdoor seating. The staffs were very polite and friendly. We dropped our bags and spend some time to refresh.

Radhanagar Beach

Content: We headed to explore the island, started with Radhanagar beach. We decided to spend our evening on the shore of Radhanagar beach. We rented a bike and headed to the beach. We parked our bikes and decided to explore the beach by walking along its length. White sand and emerald blue waves attracted our eyes. We reached the beach before the sunset so that we got a beautiful view of the sunset. We spend some leisurely hours relaxing on the shore enjoying the waves. We could capture the colors of the evening sky on our camera. There were a lot of people on the beach. The whole way was dotted with small shops and vending carts. After dinner, we headed back to our resort.

Location: Havelock

Day 5 - 5 Dec 2018

Elephant Beach

Content: After breakfast from the hotel, we started our day. We dedicated this day to the most beautiful spot on the island, Elephant Beach. The beach was much attractive because it is known for its exotic marine life and beautiful corals. It is perfect for a day trip. The trekking trail is the best way to reach Elephant Beach than taking a boat. The trek for Elephant Beach starts at Radhanagar Beach and ends at the Elephant Beach. There are no official roadways or connecting paths to the beach. The path was muddy but very comfortable to walk. It was very thrilling and enthusiastic to trek through the dense forest. The beach offered various water activities us as scuba diving, boating, and some others. The most disappointing thing was scuba diving is not done at Elephant beach for beginners. We went for a glass-bottom boat ride to explore marine life. Its spotless beauty and peaceful environment attracted many travelers. They arranged wooden seating and benches where we sat to enjoy the view of the beach with a bag full of snacks. We spend the day very well with our family. It was an ideal peaceful picnic day for our vacation. The water on the beach was shallow and free of rocks. The waves are medium and lively so that it was very ideal for swimming. We found some small snack shops, changing rooms, and bathrooms on site. We took a boat to return boat leaves from the beach within 30 minutes we reached the ferry ghat near the Havelock jetty.

Sea Dragon Bar & Restaurant

Content: One of the best things about a vacation is delicious food. We had dinner from the Sea Dragon Bar & Restaurant. We had a lovely dinner and drinks. The staffs were very polite and kind. We had starters and drinks. The ambiance and their presentation were good and attractive.

Location: Havelock

Day 6 - 6 Dec 2018

Havelock Island Jetty

Content: After breakfast, we get a ferry from Havelock Island Jetty to Neil Island Jetty. High-speed catamaran – Makruzz is the alternative means of transport to transfer to Neil Island. The scenic memories of the blue water and natural beaches were attractive and impressive. The natural beauty and seashore are the best things on the island.

Location: Neil Island

Day 6 - 6 Dec 2018

Neil Island Jetty

Content: Arrived at the island, we were amazed to see calm blue water, which appeared to be bluer than Havelock’s water. A government ferry from Havelock jetty took us to beautiful Neil island in two hours. We stepped out of the jetty in Neil jetty, it seemed like a village by the sea with a narrow road. Neil is a small and extremely scenic island in the south of the Andaman Islands. We rented a bike to explore a day on the island.

Laxmanpur Beach

Content: We drive to the first destination on the island, Laxmanpur Beach, a silent beach. The sunset here is quite captivating but unluckily we couldn't able to see it. The white sand and blue water beach welcomed us very peacefully. It was a great spot for swimming. We spend some time to relax dipping our feet on the beach. Then we walked further ahead, to a spot called Natural Bridge. Natural Bridge and Coral Point are the most popular spot on the island. We could spot sea cucumber, jackfruit corals, and an octopus. We met some local people, they called it the Howrah Bridge. We walked over the slippery rocks and view the marine wonders. There are two natural bridges available, the second one was more slippy and dangerous. We spend our time walking around the beach. We took a long walk on the rocky shores of the sea to discovered some interesting things like dead pufferfish, and big crabs. It was cloudy so the walk was easier and more relaxing. We took our bike and turn to Bharatpur Beach located very close to the jetty point.

Lunch

Content: We had lunch from a restaurant close to the beach. There are several beach-side shacks, especially on Bharatpur Beach. Most of the dishes in the hotel were prepared in a home-made style and delicious. We waited for 15minutes after ordering our food, but it was worthwhile. We had the most delicious foods on the island. Seafood was our first option, we had a fish fry and prawns.

Bharatpur Beach

Content: After heavy lunch, we headed towards another beautiful beach on the island. Shallow and clear water made the visit more memorable. We took a unique glass-bottomed boat ride where we got an opportunity to explore the corals and colorful fishes through the glass bottom of the boat. We changed our wet clothes in the dressing room and headed back to Havelock island. We found street vendors on the beach selling different kinds of jewelry items & decorative pieces made out of seashells. We hired a boat to Havelock Island Jetty from Neil Island Jetty.

Location: Havelock

Day 6 - 6 Dec 2018

Havelock Island Beach Resort

Content: We return to the hotel for an overnight stay. Asian and Seafood are quite common on the island. As per our request, the hotel staff arranged a candlelight dinner. The noodles were the tastiest and spicy. They served cocktails and chef’s specials of the day.

Location: Port Blair

Day 7 - 7 Dec 2018

Veer Savarkar International Airport

Content: We checked out from the resort after breakfast and headed to the jetty to take a boat back to Port Blair. We had lunch from a restaurant at Phoenix Bay Jetty. Then hired a car to the airport. Our seven days trip was perfect and fulfilled. The sunny skies, white sand beaches, and blue waters made our holiday perfect and memorable.