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Swaraj Dweep

Swaraj Dweep

India

The Andamans' dive capital — where the reef is the main attraction and everything else runs on island time.

Swaraj Dweep — you probably still know it as Havelock Island, and most locals and ferry tickets still say Havelock — is the reason people fly 1,200 km east of Chennai. It's the lar...

Best forDivers and snorkellersBeach loversCouplesBudget backpackersSlow travellersPhotographersSmall friend groups
Easy to moderate — relaxed island travel with optional adventure activities
|Basic fitness for beach walks and the Elephant Beach trek (1.5-2 hours through jungle, uneven ground). Diving requires reasonable health but no special fitness; you'll fill a medical questionnaire.
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What to Expect

Expect a 90-minute ferry from Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram) across the Andaman Sea, a jetty at Havelock that's chaos for 20 minutes when a ferry lands, and then immediate calm. Roads are narrow, two-lane, and shaded by jungle; scooters are the default transport (₹400-600/day). Power cuts happen, mobile data is patchy outside the main village, and ATMs are limited — carry cash. Radhanagar Beach is genuinely as good as the photos, but it's a 15-minute scooter ride from most stays and has no shacks on the beach itself. Diving is the real draw: PADI Open Water certification runs ₹22,000-28,000 and takes 3-4 days. Non-divers can snorkel, kayak through mangroves, or just beach-hop. Food is a mix of seafood, South Indian, and surprisingly good continental bakeries.

Honest Heads-Up
  • Internet is unreliable — BSNL/Jio work in the main village but drop to nothing on the beaches and at Radhanagar. Don't plan to work remotely from here.
  • ATMs are few and often empty. Carry ₹5,000-8,000 cash per person; cards work at bigger resorts only.
  • Ferry cancellations in monsoon (June-September) are common and can strand you for a day. Build a buffer before your return flight from Port Blair.
  • The ferry from Port Blair must be booked in advance in peak season (December-January). Makruzz and Green Ocean are the reliable private operators; government ferries are cheaper but slower and less predictable.
  • Elephant Beach has no permanent structures — the shacks are seasonal and basic. Bring water and cash.

Things to Do

Scuba diving at Nemo Reef and Aquarium
Half day to 4 days (certification)·₹3,500-4,500 per fun dive; ₹22,000-28,000 for Open Water certification
Group
Snorkelling at Elephant Beach
2-3 hours·₹800-1,500 including boat transfer
Group
Radhanagar Beach sunset
2-3 hours·Free (₹50-100 scooter parking)
Group
Mangrove kayaking near Havelock jetty
2-3 hours·₹1,200-1,800 per person
Group
Elephant Beach trek through jungle
1.5-2 hours one way·Free (guide optional, ₹500-800)
Group
Kalapathar Beach
1-2 hours·Free
Group
Game fishing trip
Half day·₹4,000-6,000 per boat (split among 4-6 people)
Group
Neil Island day trip
Full day·₹1,000-1,500 ferry + local transport
Group

Plan Your Trip

How to Reach

Fly to Port Blair (Veer Savarkar International Airport) from Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, or Bengaluru — 2-3 hours, ₹5,000-12,000 return depending on season. From Port Blair, take a ferry to Havelock: private catamarans (Makruzz, Green Ocean, Nautika) take 90 minutes and cost ₹1,100-1,800 one way; government ferries take 2.5-3 hours for ₹300-500. Book private ferries online in advance during peak season. The jetty is a 10-minute auto ride from Port Blair's main market. On arrival at Havelock jetty, scooters (₹400-600/day) or pre-booked taxis get you to your stay.

Travel Tips
1Book your return ferry the moment you book your onward ferry — peak-season seats vanish and you don't want to be stuck.
2Carry cash from Port Blair. The island's ATMs are unreliable and cards work only at bigger places.
3Rent a scooter, but check brakes and photograph existing damage before you ride off. Helmets are mandatory and enforced.
4Do your Open Water certification early in the trip so you can do fun dives afterwards with the same shop (usually discounted).
5Radhanagar is best at sunset but arrive by 4pm — the forest walk from the parking lot takes 10 minutes and the light goes fast.
6Elephant Beach boats leave in the morning; afternoon trips get cancelled if the sea picks up.
7Don't plan a tight connection between your Havelock ferry and your Port Blair flight — monsoon cancellations can cost you a day.
8Bring reef-safe sunscreen. The reef is the reason you came; oxybenzone kills coral.

Local Guide

Food & DiningVeg friendly

Eat where the fishing boats come in — the shacks near Havelock jetty and along Beach No. 5 serve the freshest catch at the lowest prices. Ask what came in that morning rather than ordering off the menu. Book dinner at popular spots in peak season; kitchens close early, often by 9:30pm.

FAQs

Is Havelock Island the same as Swaraj Dweep?
Yes. Havelock was officially renamed Swaraj Dweep in 2018, but everyone — ferry operators, dive shops, locals, Google Maps — still uses Havelock. Book ferries using 'Havelock' as the destination; that's what the systems show.
How do I get from Port Blair to Swaraj Dweep?
Ferry, and only ferry. Private catamarans (Makruzz, Green Ocean, Nautika) take 90 minutes and cost ₹1,100-1,800 one way; government ferries take 2.5-3 hours and cost ₹300-500. Book private ferries online in advance during peak season — they sell out. Government ferry tickets are bought at the Phoenix Bay jetty counter, often same-day.
How many days should I spend on Havelock?
Three nights minimum if you're not diving — that covers Radhanagar, Elephant Beach, and a slow day. If you're doing Open Water certification, budget 5-6 nights. Divers doing fun dives typically stay a week.
Is it worth doing my PADI Open Water here?
Yes, if you're going to dive anywhere. Havelock has 15+ dive shops with experienced instructors, warm water (28-30°C), and decent reef sites. Cost is ₹22,000-28,000 for certification, which is competitive globally. Visibility isn't Maldives-level but the instruction quality is solid.
Are there ATMs on Havelock?
A couple, in Govind Nagar and near the jetty, and they run out of cash regularly. Carry enough rupees from Port Blair. Bigger resorts and dive shops take cards; smaller guesthouses and eateries are cash-only.
Do I need a permit to visit Swaraj Dweep?
No separate permit for Indian citizens — your ID is checked at Port Blair airport and at ferry boarding. Foreign nationals need a Restricted Area Permit, which is issued on arrival at Port Blair airport. Everyone carries ID; a driving licence or Aadhaar works.
Is there good vegetarian food on the island?
Better than you'd expect. South Indian breakfast places (idli, dosa, upma) are everywhere and cheap. The bakeries do veg sandwiches and pasta. Pure-veg thali places exist in Govind Nagar. Strict vegans will struggle a bit — ghee and dairy sneak into a lot of dishes.
Can I drink alcohol on Havelock?
Yes, but it's limited. A few government-approved liquor shops and resort bars sell beer and spirits at marked-up prices. There's no nightlife scene — this isn't Goa. Most people have a beer at sunset and are asleep by 10pm.
What's the mobile and internet situation?
Jio and Airtel work in Govind Nagar and Havelock No. 5 village. Coverage drops to nothing on Radhanagar and Elephant Beach. Speeds are slow — fine for WhatsApp, useless for video calls. Many places advertise Wi-Fi but it's unreliable.
Is Havelock safe for solo female travellers?
Generally yes — it's a small island with a tourist-heavy population and low crime. Standard precautions apply: don't walk unlit jungle roads alone at night, use registered taxis or your own scooter, and be wary of overly friendly 'guides' at the jetty. Dive shops are professional and mixed-gender groups are normal.

Group Trips to Swaraj Dweep

Group trips to Swaraj Dweep — still called Havelock by everyone who matters — are less about organised tours and more about assembling your own crew and building the trip around the water. There are currently no packaged group tours listed for Swaraj Dweep on TripzSearch, and honestly, that suits the island. The best group travel here looks like four friends splitting a dive boat, a bunch of backpackers sharing a mangrove kayak, or a small gang renting scooters and racing the sunset to Radhanagar Beach. Group diving packages are where the real value sits: dive shops on Havelock run certification batches of four to six people, which brings the per-person cost of PADI Open Water down and makes the whole thing more fun than going solo. For groups travelling to the Andaman Islands together, Swaraj Dweep is the anchor stop — two to three nights minimum, more if anyone's diving — with Neil Island as an easy day trip and Port Blair as the necessary gateway. Budget roughly ₹4,500-7,000 per person per day for a mid-range group trip including stay, food, scooter, and one activity. The catch: ferries from Port Blair must be booked ahead in peak season, cash is essential because ATMs run dry, and monsoon cancellations can wreck tight itineraries. Go October to April, book the private catamaran, carry cash, and let the reef be the plan.

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