Andaman & Nicobar Islands Tours & Experiences

Things to do in Andaman

Dive or snorkel the reefs

The tourism department's three popular dive areas are Havelock (Swaraj Dweep), Neil (Shaheed Dweep) and North Bay off the capital. Introductory dives are open from the age of 10, and the department's register of approved scuba operators is the list to choose from. Our Andaman scuba diving experience books local dive centres on both Havelock and Neil, whether for a first dive with an instructor, a course over several days or reef dives for certified divers.

Sea walk at North Bay

Boats take 15 to 20 minutes from Aberdeen Jetty to North Bay, a small coral island off the capital, going out in the morning and back in the afternoon. At North Bay, says the tourism department, you can sea walk, ride a glass-bottom boat or take a beginner's dive without being able to swim.

Snorkel at Jolly Buoy or Red Skin

Boats leave Wandoor jetty for these uninhabited islands of the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. They open in turn between mid-November and mid-May, each on a Forest Department permit, and visitors are asked to bring nothing wrapped in plastic.

Explore Ross Island

The former British headquarters, now Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, is 15 to 20 minutes by boat from the capital. Walk among the ruined church and offices, look into the small museum and watch for deer and peacocks; the last boat back leaves at 4.30 pm.

Stay for the Cellular Jail show

In Sri Vijaya Puram, the former Port Blair, the national memorial to the freedom fighters once imprisoned here closes its museum at 5 pm and then holds a light and sound show. Book online, early when the islands are busy.

Go to Baratang's caves and mud volcano

Baratang is a long day out, about 100 km and three to four hours each way by road, for a boat ride through mangrove creeks, the limestone caves and a mud volcano with no entry after 3 pm. The road crosses the Jarawa Tribal Reserve in a police-escorted convoy, and your forest permit and original photo ID are checked at the Jirkatang check post; the reserve's rules are in the questions below.

Cruise past Barren Island

Between October and May, a cruise booked through the Administration's ship e-ticketing service circles Barren Island, India's one active volcano, for a view from the deck.

Kayak, parasail or fish

The department's list adds kayaking, parasailing, jet skis, game fishing, a harbour and dinner cruise, camping, trekking and stargazing; for water sports, choose an operator on its register.

Spend a day on Neil

Neil (Shaheed Dweep) can be explored in a day or two: watch the sun come up at Sitapur and go down at Laxmanpur, and reach the rock arch of the Natural Bridge while the tide is out.

Swim at Radhanagar on Havelock

Havelock's Radhanagar Beach carries the Blue Flag eco-label; our Havelock tours and experiences page has what we run on the island.

Choosing between our tours and experiences

Our one listing in the islands is an experience, scuba diving from Havelock and Neil, with guide support and transfers for the hop from Sri Vijaya Puram and our coordination with a dive centre; flights, ferry tickets and the dive or course fees, which vary by operator, are confirmed on your quote. It suits first-timers and certified divers alike, while non-divers can snorkel or keep to the beaches. Any tour package that stays in the islands appears here under its own heading; the scuba experience also sits in our Andaman beach and island list.

When to go for these

The tourism department's season for beaches and diving is October to May, busiest from December to February, and it warns off June to September, when rough water disrupts ferries and boat trips. Jolly Buoy and Red Skin wait until mid-November to open, and underwater visibility can reach 30 m in the season. The Administration's rainfall records for Sri Vijaya Puram show February and March as the driest months.

Permits, rules and safety

Indian visitors need a government photo ID and foreign visitors a passport and Indian visa; carry the originals, as photocopies are generally refused at Jirkatang. Permits come only from the A&N Administration: its Forest Department issues them for Baratang and for Jolly Buoy or Red Skin, and its Van Anumati portal handles islands that need prior permission. Leave coral and shells where they lie, and carry a refillable bottle, since single-use plastic is banned. Ask where swimming is safe, swim with someone and never at night, and keep away from creeks and mangroves, the saltwater crocodile's home. Flights, ferries and trip lengths are in our Andaman & Nicobar Islands travel guide.