Best Places to Visit in Andaman (2026): Beaches, Diving and Island Hopping

Andaman sits 1,200 km off the east coast of India in the Bay of Bengal. Most people know it as "that island with the blue water" from Instagram posts. What they do not know is that the archipelago has 572 islands, only about 37 are inhabited, and tourists are allowed on fewer than a dozen. The result is one of the least crowded beach destinations in Asia, but only if you plan right.

Places to visit in Andaman range from the colonial history of Port Blair to world class dive sites at Havelock and the quiet, unpolished charm of Neil Island. The problem is that most itineraries circulated online pack in too many spots and underestimate ferry times. A "3 day Andaman plan" usually means you spend half your trip in transit and see nothing properly.

This guide focuses on the places that justify the flight, what order to see them in, and what to skip.

TL;DR

• Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) is the main draw. Radhanagar Beach and scuba diving alone justify the trip.
• Port Blair is a transit stop, not a destination. One day covers Cellular Jail and Ross Island.
• Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) works as a quiet 2 day addition with better snorkelling than Havelock.
• Best time: October to May. Peak clarity for diving: March to May.
• Budget: 3,000 to 5,000 per person per day for mid range. Flights from Bangalore cost 8,000 to 14,000 return.

What Are the Best Beaches in Andaman?

The beaches are why you come. The water here is a different colour than anything on the Indian mainland. The sand is finer. The crowds are smaller. But not all beaches are equal.

Radhanagar Beach (Havelock) is consistently ranked among Asia's best beaches and it earns the reputation. The sand is white, the water shifts between turquoise and deep blue depending on the time of day, and the treeline behind the beach blocks wind in the late afternoon. It faces west, so sunsets here run 15 to 20 minutes of shifting oranges and purples over open ocean. Get there by 4 PM for the best light. Morning visits are quieter but the sun is behind you.

One caveat: sandflies are a real problem on Radhanagar from 4 PM onward, especially during and right after monsoon. Carry repellent or wear light full length clothing.

Elephant Beach (Havelock) is 30 minutes by boat from the jetty or a 40 minute trek through forest. The coral here is accessible from shore, which makes it the easiest snorkelling spot on the island. The reef starts about 20 metres out at low tide. Sea walking and jet ski operations run from here, which makes it noisier than Radhanagar during peak hours (10 AM to 2 PM). Go early or go late.

Laxmanpur Beach (Neil Island) faces west like Radhanagar but with a fraction of the visitors. On a typical February evening you might count 30 people on the entire stretch. The natural rock bridge at the south end is a photo spot at sunset, though it has eroded significantly over the past decade. The beach itself has shallow, warm water good for wading but the coral here is mostly bleached.

Kalapathar Beach (Havelock) sits on the southeast coast and is named for the black rocks scattered along the shoreline. It is beautiful for photos and a quiet walk, but swimming is limited because the water stays shallow for a long distance. Think of it as a 45 minute stop, not a half day beach.

I would skip Corbyn's Cove in Port Blair entirely. It is the closest beach to town and it looks like it: crowded, narrow, murky water, lined with food stalls. Your time is better spent at Cellular Jail.

Is Havelock Island Worth the Hype?

Short answer: yes, but set your expectations correctly.

Havelock (officially renamed Swaraj Dweep in 2018, though everyone still calls it Havelock) is the most developed tourist island in Andaman. It has proper hotels, restaurants, dive shops, and a functioning road network. The ferry from Port Blair takes 90 minutes on a fast catamaran (Makruzz or Nautika) or 2.5 hours on the government ferry.

The island has three areas that matter for visitors. Govindnagar near the jetty has the budget stays and local restaurants. Beach No. 5 (Vijaynagar) is the mid range zone with resorts and proximity to Elephant Beach boats. Beach No. 7 (Radhanagar) is where the high end properties sit.

Scuba diving is the other half of Havelock's draw. The dive sites here regularly offer 15 to 25 metre visibility, which is outstanding by Indian Ocean standards. Lighthouse is the most popular site with hard and soft corals, sea fans, and occasional reef sharks at 18 metres. Dixon's Pinnacle is for advanced divers and sometimes delivers manta ray sightings between February and April.

A PADI Open Water certification costs 25,000 to 30,000 at most Havelock dive centres. If you already have a cert, fun dives run 3,500 to 5,000 per dive. Book directly with the dive shop, not through a tour package middleman.

The honest caveat: Havelock's infrastructure has not kept up with its popularity. In December and January, ferries sell out days in advance, restaurants have hour long waits, and the roads get clogged with rented scooters. If you can come in October or February instead, you get the same water with half the crowd.

What Should You See in Port Blair?

Port Blair is where you land and where you catch ferries to other islands. Treat it as a 1 day stopover, not a base.

Cellular Jail is the one mandatory visit. This colonial era prison held Indian independence fighters from 1906 onward and the architecture alone tells a grim, important story. The radial wing design meant every cell was isolated. Each cell measures roughly 4.5 by 2.7 metres. The light and sound show in the evening (6 PM and 7:15 PM, Hindi and English respectively) gives historical context that the daytime tour often lacks. Spend 2 to 3 hours here including the museum.

Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island) is a 15 minute boat ride from Aberdeen Jetty. It served as the British administrative headquarters until an earthquake in 1941. What remains now are ruined colonial buildings overtaken by tree roots and a population of spotted deer. It is atmospheric in a very specific way. The whole island takes 90 minutes to walk at a relaxed pace. Boats run every 30 minutes between 8:30 AM and 2 PM.

North Bay Island sits adjacent to Ross and is the most accessible snorkelling point from Port Blair. The coral quality is decent, not Havelock level, but good for a first dip. Glass bottom boat rides also operate here for non swimmers.

Skip the Anthropological Museum unless you have a specific interest in Andaman's tribal history. It is small and the displays are dated. The Samudrika Naval Marine Museum is slightly more engaging, with coral specimens and a history section, but neither justifies more than 30 minutes.

How Does Neil Island Compare to Havelock?

Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) is 40 minutes by fast ferry from Havelock and is what Havelock was 10 years ago: small, quiet, and unhurried.

The island is about 18.9 square kilometres. You can cycle the entire thing in half a day. The three main beaches, Laxmanpur, Bharatpur, and Sitapur, are all within 15 minutes of the jetty by bicycle. There are no dive centres on Neil (you do that on Havelock), but the snorkelling at Bharatpur Beach is surprisingly good, particularly on the reef edge at low tide where you can spot parrotfish and clownfish without going deep.

The food situation is basic. A handful of restaurants serve fish curry, dal, and fried rice. There is no nightlife. The power supply was unreliable until recently, though solar installations have improved things. If you need air conditioning, book one of the newer guesthouses.

Neil works best as a 1.5 to 2 day stay between Port Blair and Havelock. It brings the pace down, which after 3 or 4 days of island activity, you will probably welcome.

My take: Neil is the island most people skip and most people regret skipping. The silence at Sitapur Beach at sunrise, with only a few fishing boats in sight, is the closest thing to an unspoiled tropical morning you will find in India.

What About Baratang Island and the Limestone Caves?

Baratang is 100 km north of Port Blair and most tour packages push it as a "must visit" for its limestone caves and mud volcanoes. The reality is more complicated.

The drive takes 2 hours through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve, where you travel in a police escorted convoy. You cannot stop, photograph, or interact with any tribal members along the route. The convoy timing is fixed (6 AM and around noon), and missing it means a wasted day. Once at Baratang, you take a boat through mangrove creeks (about 25 minutes, and the scenery earns it) and then walk to the caves.

The limestone caves themselves are small. If you have seen caves in Meghalaya or even basic show caves elsewhere, these will not impress. The mud volcanoes are similarly underwhelming: small bubbling pits, maybe 30 cm across.

The mangrove boat ride is the real attraction. If the idea of floating through dense mangrove tunnels with no other boats in sight appeals to you, Baratang is worth it. If you are going for the caves, redirect that day to another Havelock dive or a slow morning on Neil.

How to Plan Your Andaman Itinerary

The biggest mistake people make is underestimating ferry schedules. Ferries get cancelled due to weather, especially between May and September. Even in season, delays of 1 to 2 hours are common. Build buffer days.

A solid 6 day itinerary looks like this:

Day 1: Arrive Port Blair. Cellular Jail and light show in the evening. Stay in Port Blair.

Day 2: Morning ferry to Havelock (book Makruzz or Nautika in advance, tickets open 30 days before). Afternoon at Radhanagar Beach. Stay on Havelock.

Day 3: Scuba diving or Elephant Beach snorkelling. Evening at Kalapathar Beach. Stay on Havelock.

Day 4: Morning ferry to Neil Island (45 minutes). Afternoon at Laxmanpur Beach. Sunset at the natural bridge. Stay on Neil.

Day 5: Morning at Bharatpur for snorkelling. Afternoon ferry back to Port Blair. Ross Island if time allows. Stay in Port Blair.

Day 6: Buffer day. North Bay Island if you skipped it, or airport for departure.

Book ferries at andaman.gov.in for government services or through Makruzz/Nautika directly for private ones. Private catamarans cost about 1,200 to 1,800 per person one way and are significantly faster and more reliable.

For accommodation, Havelock has everything from 800 rupee beach huts to 15,000 per night resorts. Neil's options are more limited and top out around 4,000 to 5,000 per night. Port Blair has standard city hotels in the 1,500 to 3,500 range.

What Should You Skip in Andaman?

Not everything on the tourist circuit deserves your time.

Corbyn's Cove Beach in Port Blair is mediocre by any standard and terrible by Andaman standards. The water is murky, the beach is small, and the commercial activity around it kills the atmosphere.

Jolly Buoy and Red Skin Islands rotate access seasonally and the glass bottom boat experience sold there is overpriced for what you see. The coral is visible but the boats have scratched windows and the crowd on the boat blocks any decent view.

The "7 island day trip" packages advertised in Port Blair try to cover Ross, North Bay, Viper Island, and several others in a single day. You spend 80% of the time on boats and 20% speed walking through attractions. It is exhausting and unsatisfying. Pick 2 islands per day maximum.

The sound and light show at Cellular Jail is worth it. Most other sound and light shows marketed to tourists are not.

Practical Tips for Andaman in 2026

Carry cash. ATMs exist in Port Blair and on Havelock, but they run out during peak season. Keep 15,000 to 20,000 as backup. UPI works at most hotels and restaurants in Port Blair and at some places on Havelock, but do not count on it on Neil.

Phone signal drops more than you expect. BSNL works best across the islands. Jio and Airtel have improved but cut out frequently on Neil and in remote parts of Havelock. Download offline maps before you arrive.

For water sports, scuba intro dives run 3,500 to 5,000. Sea walking costs 3,000 to 4,000. Snorkelling trips go for 600 to 1,500. Jet ski is 800 to 1,200 for 10 minutes and parasailing 2,500 to 3,500. Prices are negotiable in the off season months between March and May.

IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet fly daily from Chennai and Kolkata. Bangalore and Delhi have 3 to 5 weekly flights depending on season. Book 6 to 8 weeks ahead for December and January travel. Afternoon departures from Port Blair cost less than morning ones.

If you are planning an Andaman trip, start with your ferry bookings, not your hotel. The ferries dictate your schedule, not the other way around. For group departures and packages that handle the logistics, browse trips on TripzSearch. If you are combining this with a trip from Bangalore or from Delhi, look for flight inclusive packages that also cover inter island transfers.