Back in March 2024, I decided to take a family trip to the stunning Andaman Islands. We planned an 8-days, 7-nights getaway to this tropical paradise of India. In this blog, I’ll be sharing:
- Our initial planning and itinerary
- The overall budget
- The hotels we stayed in
- A detailed account of the islands we explored
- Our scuba diving experience in the Andaman Islands
- Local transportation and inter-island cruises
Planning the trip to Andaman
My initial plan was to visit the Andaman Islands in January 2024, but I soon realized that hotel prices were unusually high during that period. That’s when I connected with Karan, owner of Water Element Holidays, a travel agent and guide based in Port Blair. He advised me to plan the trip after the 15th of January, as hotels typically charge nearly 1.5 times their regular tariff from November until mid-January each year.
I eventually booked our flight tickets in the first week of March and managed to secure a good deal—not just on the flights but on the hotel rates as well.
In March, the weather in the Andaman Islands is warm and humid, but not excessively hot, making it a comfortable time to travel. Air conditioning is recommended for indoor comfort.
While it’s possible to create a personalized Andaman itinerary on your own, I decided to rely on Karan’s assistance since we were a group of nine, including three senior citizens. Hiring a travel agent offers several advantages: they handle your hotel bookings, local transportation, and cruise tickets, taking care of everything seamlessly so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
Andaman Itinerary- 8 Days and 7 Nights
The itinerary was planned as follows:
On Day 1, arrive in Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and stay overnight.
On Day 2, take a cruise to Havelock Island and stay overnight in Havelock.
The next day on Day 3, visit Elephant Beach and enjoy various water activities in Havelock.
On Day 4, cruise to Neil Island. Overnight stay in Neil Island.
Cruise back to Port Blair on Day 5 and stay overnight in Port Blair.
Drive to Baratang on Day 6. Overnight stay in Baratang.
On Day 7, return to Port Blair by road.
On Day 8– Fly back from Port Blair.
The hotels we stayed at during the trip were all 3-star properties, with double occupancy in each room or cottage. Our travel agent arranged our accommodations in:
- Port Blair: Hotel Bay Leaf
- Havelock Island: White Coral Beach Resort
- Neil Island: Hotel Reef Valley
- Baratang: Hotel Dew Dale
Budget- Andaman Tour Package
The cost per person came to INR 28,000, which covered hotel stays, local transportation, cruise tickets, boat charges, parking fees, tolls, and daily breakfast. Lunch, dinner, and flight fares were not included in this amount. We paid 50% of the total package cost upfront, and we settled the remaining balance one week before our arrival in Port Blair.
The budget can vary significantly depending on your choice of hotel, class of travel in the cruise and type of cab. Additionally, the number of travelers affects the budget, as it influences the number of vehicles(cab) needed.
Day-1 at Port Blair, Andaman
We landed in Port Blair at 2:40 PM and headed to our hotel in a car arranged by the travel agent. Post lunch, around 4 PM, we visited the Cellular Jail and then stopped by a nearby beach. We returned to the hotel around 8 PM, had dinner, and called it a day. They scheduled our cruise to Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) for 11:30 AM the next day.
Day-2 at Havelock Island, Andaman
We checked out of Hotel Bay Leaf at 9:30 AM and headed to the port, a 25–30 minute drive by car. Our travel agent had already provided the ferry tickets. After the security check, we entered the passenger waiting hall. The port area itself was fairly basic—a large hall with seating and huge ceiling fans. While the washrooms and the hall were clean, the chairs were quite uncomfortable.
The Ferry to Havelock Island, Andaman
Our cruise was booked on the Makruzz Ferry, though several other ferry services operate between the islands, including Gonautika, which is also well-reviewed.
Ferries offer various classes of travel such as Premium, Deluxe, and Royal. We opted for the Premium Class, priced at around INR 1700 per person. For the 2.5-hour journey from Port Blair to Havelock Island, Premium Class felt comfortable. The seating was cushioned, air-conditioned, and there was a café on the same level.
The ferry departed right on time at 11:30 AM, and after sailing through crystal-clear blue waters, we arrived at Havelock Island at 2:00 PM. The representative from our travel agent who was already waiting at the port to receive us, drove us to White Coral Beach Resort.
White Coral Beach Resort consists of cottage-style accommodations located on Vijaynagar Beach. This was our home for the next two nights. After an excellent seafood lunch, we headed to the beach and spent the afternoon lounging beneath coconut trees, gazing at the greenish-blue water.
Around 4:45 PM, a cab picked us up for a visit to the iconic Radhanagar Beach. Watching the sunset here was absolutely breathtaking. However, due to the crowd, the water appeared less clear near the shore.
Radhanagar Beach has changing rooms, and the calm waters are perfect for swimming, photography, and relaxing. With hills to the left and the emerald sea stretching ahead, it’s no surprise that Radhanagar is one of the most visited beaches in Havelock.
Around 8:00 PM, we returned to the resort, enjoyed a candlelight dinner on the beach, and wrapped up the day.
Day-3 at Havelock Island
This was the most exciting day of our trip, as my brother and I had pre-booked a scuba diving session. Our travel agent coordinated the arrangements, but the payment for the dive had to be made separately by us.
As instructed the previous day, a car arrived at our resort entrance sharp at 5:30 AM to pick us up. Once we reached the diving organization’s office, we completed the registration formalities and signed a self-declaration form.
Since this was my second scuba diving experience, I was already familiar with the process. We were taken to a shallow part of the sea for basic training. Unlike my first dive in Pondicherry—where the training was conducted in a pool—this one was done directly in the sea.
We were a group of about ten people. After roughly 45 minutes of training and practice in shallow water, we headed by boat to a nearby dive spot. Fully geared up and guided by professionals, I jumped into the sea. What followed is beyond words—the vibrant corals and rich marine life were absolutely mesmerizing. The video below captures the magic of scuba diving in Havelock far better than words ever could.
In the evening, we visited Kalapathar Beach, rounding off the day on a serene note.
The morning trip to Elephant Beach was canceled due to rough seas, and no tourist boats were permitted to head out. We waited at the jetty for two full hours, hoping conditions would improve, but it became clear that Elephant Beach just wasn’t meant to happen for us that day.
Havelock Island is a narrow strip of land, approximately 15 Km in length and 5 Km in width surrounded by sea on all sides. All resorts are concentrated along the coastline.
Day-4 at Neil Island, Andaman
Today, we took a cruise to Neil Island, once again traveling with Makruzz. The distance from Havelock Island to Neil Island is relatively short, and the journey took around 1.5 hours. We had a one-night stay planned on Neil Island.
After arriving at the port, we were driven to Reef Valley Resort. The resort was charming, with cottage-style rooms and lush greenery, though it wasn’t located directly on the beach. Our plan for the day was to visit the natural rock bridge and view the corals during low tide. However, an unexpected situation arose—one of the senior members of our group experienced a sudden medical issue.
I had to rush him to the island’s only government healthcare facility. The resort staff were extremely supportive and cooperative throughout the situation. For further treatment, I needed to travel back to Port Blair with the patient, while the rest of the group stayed on in Neil Island.
Neil Island, also known as Shaheed Dweep, is a narrow strip of land, approximately 8 Km in length and 3 Km in width surrounded by sea on all sides.
Day-5 at Port Blair, Andaman
According to our schedule, the rest of the team returned to Port Blair. By this time, after a general check-up and an overnight stay in the hospital, the patient had been discharged. I arranged flight tickets for him and his family, and they flew back to Kolkata that same evening. The rest of us remained in Port Blair.
After lunch, we headed to Munda Pahad Beach, located about 30 km from Port Blair. It marks the zero point of South Andaman. The beach is very peaceful and scenic, but we were not permitted to enter the water as crocodiles are found in quite often in the beach. We spent a quiet evening surrounded by water and greenery before heading back to our hotel in Port Blair.
Day-6 at Baratang, Andaman
Our destination for the day was Baratang in North Andaman. Since we were a group of eight, our travel agent arranged a Traveller vehicle for the journey. The distance from Port Blair to Baratang is about 100 km, which took roughly 4 hours to cover.
The road to Baratang passes through dense forestland, home to the famous Jarawa tribe.
Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any Jarawas along the way. We checked in at Hotel Dew Dale in Baratang, a quaint island village surrounded by backwaters and the sea, around 2 PM. The hotel itself is beautiful, with cottage-style accommodations.
In the evening, some of us visited Parrot Island, which was a truly memorable experience. We watched thousands of parrots flying to the island, a spectacle that unfolded as we waited on a speed boat anchored in the backwaters for about an hour, witnessing this unique natural phenomenon up close.
Day-7 at Port Blair, Andaman
We checked out of the hotel around 7:45 AM and took a speed boat to the Limestone Caves. On the way back, we encountered some members of the Jarawa tribe. The government has strictly prohibited Photography and videography in their territory, and violating the rule can lead to imprisonment.
Around 11 AM, we departed Baratang and reached Port Blair by 4 PM. In the evening, we attended the light and sound show at the Cellular Jail, which was both informative and deeply patriotic .
Day-8, return from Andaman
It was time to bid farewell to Andaman. We flew back and reached Bangalore in the evening.
You may also want to read through the blog on “Scuba Diving in Pondicherry”