The Andamans: India's Island Secret That Won't Stay Hidden Much Longer
R
Rohit Chakraborty
14 April 20257 min read
Turquoise lagoons, coral gardens, a haunting colonial prison, and some of the best snorkelling in Asia — the Andaman & Nicobar Islands reward every traveller who makes the journey.
When people ask us to name India's best beach destination, we stop asking about their budget and ask one question instead: have you been to the Andamans? If the answer is no, the conversation changes entirely. The islands sit in the Bay of Bengal at a remove from the Indian mainland that feels — and largely is — like a different country.
Radhanagar Beach — The One That Earns the Superlatives
Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island was named Asia's best beach by Time magazine in 2004 and it hasn't done anything to lose that designation. The water is the kind of blue that looks digitally enhanced in photographs but is somehow even more intense in person. The sand is powder-fine, the jungle comes right to the shore, and the waves are consistent enough for swimming but gentle enough for floating.
Radhanagar at sunset — the sky turns colours that seem borrowed from somewhere more tropical than India.
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Pro Tip: Arrive at Radhanagar before 8am for the first two hours of solitude before the day-trippers from Port Blair arrive. The light is better anyway — golden rather than harsh — and the water is often calmer.
Elephant Beach — Where the Reef Starts at Your Feet
Elephant Beach is a 30-minute boat ride from Havelock jetty, and the snorkelling begins almost immediately upon entering the water. Hard corals, staghorn corals, parrotfish, angelfish, clownfish among anemones — the density of marine life here is extraordinary. You don't need to be a diver to experience it. Rent a mask and fins from the boat operator (₹200–300), wade in, and the reef is a metre below your face.
Elephant Beach — the coral gardens begin just metres from the shoreline.
Neil Island — The Quieter Alternative
Neil Island is smaller, quieter, and in many ways more rewarding than Havelock for travellers who have time for it. The natural rock formation called Howrah Bridge — a sea-sculpted arch that frames the blue water behind it — is unlike anything else in India. The beaches here (Bharatpur, Laxmanpur, Natural Bridge) are largely crowd-free even during peak season.
Neil Island's beaches reward those willing to take the extra ferry. Fewer visitors, quieter water, same extraordinary blue.
The Cellular Jail — Necessary History
No Andaman trip is complete without the Cellular Jail in Port Blair. Built by the British between 1896 and 1906, it housed independence freedom fighters in brutal solitary confinement. The sound and light show in the evenings is one of the finest historical presentations in India — deeply moving, well-narrated, and worth rescheduling an itinerary to attend.
Cellular Jail — the island's most important sight. The evening light and sound show is not to be skipped.
Getting There & Getting Around
Flights to Port Blair operate from Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, and Hyderabad — Kolkata is closest and cheapest. From Port Blair, government ferries and private speed boats connect to Havelock (Neil Island) and beyond. Book ferry tickets in advance through the Andaman & Nicobar government portal during peak season (December–March). The ideal trip length is 5–7 days: 2 days Port Blair, 3 days Havelock, 1–2 days Neil.
