India · Islands & Beaches
Your destination at a glance
The Andaman Islands form a forested archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, reached through Port Blair by air from several Indian cities or by the slower passenger-ship services operating from selected mainland ports. What you find is a chain of forested islands in the Bay of Bengal where mangrove creeks open into shallow turquoise lagoons and living coral reef. Port Blair carries the harder history: the Cellular Jail and the penal settlement to which freedom fighters were transported. A ferry ride away, Havelock and Neil are slower and greener, built around the water — snorkelling, first dives, long stretches of pale sand backed by forest. The islands suit couples, families with older children and anyone curious about the sea, and they reward travellers willing to let ferry timings and the weather decide the shape of a day.
| Best time to visit | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar (shoulder: Apr, Oct) |
|---|---|
| Suggested duration | 5–7 Days |
| Starting price | ₹21,000 per person — a starting figure, confirmed in your proposal |
| Region | India · Islands & Beaches |
| Trip style | Beach, honeymoon |
Build the days around what matters
A long curve of pale sand on the western side of Swaraj Dweep, backed by dense forest and facing the open sea. Swimming is the main activity, along with walking the length of the bay and staying on for sunset, which is the beach's best-known moment. Lifeguards patrol the marked zones.
The colonial-era prison built by the British to hold political prisoners in solitary confinement, its surviving wings radiating from a central watchtower. Visitors walk the cell blocks, the gallows and the museum galleries, and most stay on for the evening sound-and-light programme that narrates the penal settlement's history.
A small island off Port Blair, now officially Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, once the administrative headquarters of the penal settlement. Ruined churches, barracks and a bakery stand half-swallowed by banyan roots. Visitors arrive by boat, walk the trails and share the paths with deer and peacocks.
Reached by boat from Port Blair and known for its shallow reef, this is where many travellers try water activities for the first time — glass-bottom boat rides, snorkelling and introductory sea walks. There is little onshore beyond the activity jetty, so a visit is built entirely around the water.
Officially Shaheed Dweep, a small, flat, farmed island with a slower rhythm than Havelock. Days are spent cycling or riding between its beaches, walking out to the natural rock bridge at low tide and snorkelling off the shallow coral shelves. Good for travellers wanting quiet rather than activity.
A forested headland at the southern tip of South Andaman, named for its birdlife. Visitors come in the late afternoon for the sunset point looking across the water, and earlier in the day for birdwatching along the shoreline trail and on the small beach below the forest.
A long day excursion north from Port Blair combining a road convoy, a vehicle ferry and a boat ride through mangrove creeks, then a walk to a chamber of limestone stalactites and stalagmites. The road crosses the Jarawa Tribal Reserve, where stopping and photography are prohibited.
The reefs off Swaraj Dweep are the Andamans' best-known diving grounds, with shallow sites suited to first-time divers and certification courses, plus boat access to Elephant Beach for snorkelling. Operators run dives through most of the year, though visibility and sea state vary a great deal with the season.
A starting point, not a fixed package
Visit Radhanagar Beach (Havelock Island), Chidiya Tapu.
Visit Cellular Jail (Port Blair), Baratang Limestone Caves.
Visit Ross Island, Havelock scuba & snorkelling sites.
Visit North Bay Island.
Visit Neil Island.
Season by season
Getting there from India
Port Blair is the main air gateway, with direct or one-stop flights from several Indian cities. Island connections continue by scheduled ferry.
Passenger ships operate from selected mainland ports on published schedules. They are slower than flying and should be planned as a separate sea journey, not a routine connection.
Road travel is limited to connected islands. Ferries determine most inter-island movement, so keep transfer days flexible around weather and sailing schedules.
Know before you go
The Indian rupee is used throughout. Port Blair has ATMs and accepts cards, but smaller islands, beach shacks and dive shops often work in cash only.
Hindi and Bengali are widely spoken thanks to the settler communities, alongside Tamil and Telugu. English works comfortably with hotels, dive schools and guides.
India uses one national time zone, so no clock change is required. Daylight hours vary by season and longitude.
Warm and humid all year. Dry skies and calm seas run from roughly November to April, while the monsoon from May to September brings heavy rain and rough crossings.
Port Blair has reliable mobile data and fibre-backed broadband. Coverage thins on Havelock and Neil and disappears on remote islands, so plan for stretches offline.
Seafood, coconut and rice define island meals, including fish curry, grilled catch, prawns and crab. Port Blair offers the widest choice, while smaller island menus may close early. The mixed Bengali, Tamil and Telugu settlement culture sits alongside protected indigenous communities whose areas remain closed to visitors.
Small details, smoother days
A closer look
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Useful answers
October to May is generally the most practical period for an Andaman trip, with calmer seas and more dependable inter-island movement. December to March is especially popular for beach and water activities. June to September brings the southwest monsoon, rougher seas and possible ferry disruption, so itineraries need more weather flexibility during those months.
5 to 7 days is a sensible first-trip duration for the Andaman Islands. It allows time for Port Blair plus at least one major island stay without making ferry transfers dominate the holiday. A shorter 4-day trip can work, but it leaves less margin for weather-related changes and makes the overall schedule considerably tighter.
The Orbitz Holidays master-list starting price for Andaman is ₹21,000 per person. This is a starting figure rather than a guaranteed final trip total. The final amount can vary with travel dates, hotel category, occupancy, transport and confirmed inclusions. Any unconfirmed taxes, entry charges, activities or airfare should be confirmed before travel.
Inter-island ferries and flights are weather-dependent, and some protected or restricted zones have separate access rules. Indian travellers do not normally need a visa for the Andaman Islands, but government photo identification is required for travel formalities. Any local permit, ferry, tribal-reserve or activity requirement should be confirmed before travel before publication.
Andaman suits couples, families and travellers who want beaches with a strong historical component. Radhanagar Beach provides the classic island landscape, Cellular Jail adds important colonial-era history, and Elephant Beach is associated with marine and water-based experiences. Together, these stops make the destination more varied than a beach-only holiday.
The published starting price is ₹21,000 per person. Exact hotel category, meals, transfers, sightseeing, permits, taxes and transport are included only when stated in the final proposal. Confirm the itemised inclusions before payment.
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