Andaman & Nicobar Islands Travel Guide: Islands, Ferries and Permits

Ferries from Sri Vijaya Puram link the main islands, so a first trip can pair the capital's sights with Havelock and Neil. Ross Island, North Bay, Jolly Buoy and Baratang are day trips from the capital.

Cellular Jail National Memorial

The British built the Cellular Jail in Sri Vijaya Puram to hold India's political prisoners and freedom fighters, and it became known as Kala Pani; its star-shaped plan was designed for constant surveillance. It is now preserved as a national memorial with a museum. The Andaman tourism department lists the jail and museum as open from 8.30 am to 5 pm, followed by an evening light and sound show that is booked online. Photography is not allowed inside the cells.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep (Ross Island)

Ross Island was the British administrative headquarters in the Andamans. Its old churches, offices and houses survive as ruins, there is a small museum of colonial-era objects and photographs, and deer and peacocks roam free. The Prime Minister renamed it after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in December 2018. Boats from the capital take 15 to 20 minutes, and the tourism department gives its hours as 8 am to 4 pm, with the last boat back at 4.30 pm.

North Bay (Coral Island)

North Bay, about 5 km from Sri Vijaya Puram, is a small reef-fringed island whose lighthouse appeared on an older twenty-rupee note. People come for the coral: according to the tourism department, sea walking, glass-bottom boat rides and beginner scuba dives here need no swimming skills. Boats leave Aberdeen Jetty, at the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex, between 8.30 and 11.30 am and return between 2 and 4 pm, and the island is visited by day only.

Jolly Buoy and Red Skin islands

These uninhabited islands belong to the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and are reached by boat from the jetty at Wandoor, about 30 km from Sri Vijaya Puram. They open only from mid-November to mid-May, and Jolly Buoy takes turns with Red Skin, so check which one is open on your date. Permits are issued by the Forest Department, visits run from about 9 am to 2 pm, and the tourism department discourages taking anything in plastic onto Jolly Buoy, even packaged food.

Swaraj Dweep (Havelock)

Havelock, renamed Swaraj Dweep in 2018, lies about 39 km north-east of Sri Vijaya Puram, and more of the dive operators registered with the tourism department work there than on any other island. Its Radhanagar Beach was among the eight Indian beaches awarded the international Blue Flag eco-label in 2020, and Elephant Beach, on the north shore, is known for snorkelling and sea walking. Our Havelock travel guide covers its beaches, dive sites and ferries in detail, and our Havelock tours and experiences list what we arrange there.

Shaheed Dweep (Neil)

Neil, renamed Shaheed Dweep, is about 37 km from Sri Vijaya Puram and small enough to explore in a day or two; its farmland has earned it the nickname "vegetable bowl" of the Andamans. The tourism department suggests Sitapur Beach for sunrise and Laxmanpur Beach for sunset, and recommends seeing the Natural Bridge rock formation at low tide, when the rocks and marine life are clearest. Bharatpur Beach is about 500 m from the jetty.

Baratang

Baratang, about 100 km from the capital by road, three to four hours each way, is known for its mud volcano and limestone caves and is usually visited on a long day trip. The road passes through tribal reserve areas, where vehicles travel in convoy, and a vehicle ferry crosses the creek. A forest permit is checked at the Jirkatang check post and at Baratang jetty, and the mud volcano is open from 7 am to 3 pm, with no entry after 3 pm.

Start with the reefs. The tourism department names Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep and North Bay as the places to dive, sets 10 as the minimum age for an introductory dive, and publishes a list of the scuba operators it has registered, which is worth checking before you book. Our Andaman scuba diving experience works with local dive centres on Havelock and Neil, for first-timers on an introductory dive with an instructor, divers taking a course over several days, and certified divers. We arrange guide support and transfers for the island hop; dive and course fees vary by operator and are confirmed on your quote.

On the water, sea walking, glass-bottom boats, kayaking, parasailing, jet skis and game fishing are among the activities the department lists, and it keeps a register of water sports operators. Barren Island, India's only active volcano, can be seen on a cruise booked through the tourism website, and the capital has a harbour and dinner cruise and the Cellular Jail's evening show. Ashore, the department's list adds bird watching, trekking, camping and stargazing. For trips we arrange, see our beach and island experiences in Andaman & Nicobar and our Andaman & Nicobar tours and experiences; to compare the islands with the mainland coast, read our guide to the best beaches in India and how to choose between them.

The islands are warm all year. In the A&N Administration's Port Blair records, monthly average highs ran from about 29°C to 34°C and lows from 23°C to 27°C between 2016 and 2019, and the normal rainfall is 3,180 mm a year. Between 2015 and 2019, February and March were the driest months and May to September the wettest; October and November still brought regular rain, and December ranged from dry to very wet.

The tourism department gives October to May as the season for beaches and diving, with December to February the busiest months, and advises against June to September, when rough seas can disrupt ferries. Two dates matter for planning: Jolly Buoy opens only from mid-November to mid-May, and the cruise to Barren Island runs from October to May.

By air, Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ) in Sri Vijaya Puram has regular flights from Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, among other cities. By sea, passenger ships sail between Haddo Wharf in Sri Vijaya Puram and Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam, a voyage of 60 to 72 hours depending on the weather.

Between the islands, the Directorate of Shipping Services runs ferries from Phoenix Bay Jetty to every populated island, and private high-speed boats sail to Havelock and Neil. The government ferries take about two and a half to three hours to either island and the private boats about an hour and a half. Helicopters fly daily from the capital to Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, Diglipur and Hut Bay. Book boats ahead in the peak season.

Indian citizens need only a valid government photo ID, which hotels also ask for at check-in. Foreign nationals need a passport and an Indian visa (an e-Visa is accepted); tourists among them do not need a Restricted Area Permit for the islands opened to tourism, though some islands may be visited by day only, and the exceptions are set out in the questions below. Reserved forests, wildlife sanctuaries and tribal reserves need separate permission, and some islands need prior permission through the Van Anumati portal.

Single-use plastics are banned, and collecting coral or shells is forbidden. Swim only where it is marked safe, never alone or after dark, and keep out of creeks and mangroves, where saltwater crocodiles live. Flying a drone needs official permission.