Life seems to stop on the islands of Andaman, which is like a jewel on the seas of the Indian subcontinent. Some solitary walks and some gorgeous sunsets teamed with soporific and composed nights-The islands of Andaman are what dreams are made of. Just the way, the natural beauty has its own fanbase with drop-dead gorgeous islands like the Swaraj Dweep or more popularly known as the beloved Havelock Islands and the other part like the capital city Port Blair still tells those tales of the martyrs who spent a rigorous life in the cellular jail of Andamans where they were deported and prevented from carrying out further revolt against the British Raj during the pre-independence stage of India.

The capital city of Port Blair, the Veer Savarkar International can be reached from the major metropolitan cities of India like Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Bhubaneshwar, and the national capital New Delhi.  The flight time ranges from 2 to 5 hours at max depending on the city of the flight. The other very interesting way of reaching the island is -the way of water. From Chennai, Vishakapatnam, and Kolkata, the 325 island land can be reached. The journey time can range from 2 to 3 days on a whole. If you are already lost with a plethora of options, hold Frontiers Beyond’s hands to guide you across the azure blue waters of this surreal land.

One of the most iconic islands of Andaman is part of Ritchie’s archipelago comprising of 17 islands, situated 70 km from Port Blair and can be reached via steamboats.  Yes, Havelock, the beauty is absolutely pristine and can ensure some unique experiences that no other place in India can offer. Havelock boasts of some exotic marine life, enthusiastic diving schools, and remote and intoxicatingly gorgeous beaches. In fact, the Radhanagar beach of Havelock has been voted as one of the best beaches in the world. Frontiers Beyond really recommend at least a 2-night stay in the islands of Havelock to experience this paradise in its true form. From the jetty itself, vehicles in the form of 2, 3 or 4-wheelers are available to take you to the hotel.

Rented vehicles are available and even cars with drivers can be arranged as per the preference of the people. The island comprises 5 villages and a few commercial centers. The villages are Shyamnagar, Krishnanagar, Govind nagar, Radhanagar, and Vijaynagar.  Since the natives are people who have shifted from the mainland of India and Bangladesh, Andaman does not really have a very strong culture or a language to call their own. Most people speak Hindi and Bengali and they all understand English. Life in Havelock is very laid back and people are generally sweet and warm by nature. Though being a small island, their life can be very hectic, and you will get the idea when they receive goods from the capital city of the Union Territory of Andaman. Loading and unloading basic material is no easy feat. You can definitely expect amenities of basic rank in Havelock but that is all. Phone connectivity and ATMs are available but not as rampant as in mainland cities.

Beaches in Havelock are numbered starting from 1 and we always recommend you remember the names of the beach instead of the numbers. Beach number 7 which is Radhanagar beach is located on the west coast and attracts tourists since it has ranked as one of the best beaches in Asia in 2004 by Time Magazine. This is located on the west coast and has some amazing frames to capture during the sunsets. The splurge of colors the sky above breaks into before it adds its aura to the seas is something unbelieving. Since the beach is Sandy and shallow, it’s great for swimming, but ensure to delve into the earmarked regions only where lifeguards are also available. It has a very big parking lot and from there a border of seawater can be viewed, but as you walk towards it that you realize its vastness and beauty.

If you are looking for some watersports-related fun then Elephant beach beckons you like no other. Reaching Elephant beach can also be intriguing. You can reach it through a tropical forest walk and be sure that you are in for a muddy ride in case it has rained sometime back. Less than a 2 km walk from a narrow portion of Radhanagar beach but this is a very exciting beach trail to reach the shores. The other way to reach it would be by water which takes around 20 minutes and the same boat can carry you back after 3 hours to the main Havelock jetty. Enough changing rooms are available with locker facilities and many shops and eateries for your taste buds after your adventure here. You can parasail, snorkel, jet-ski, scuba dive, enjoy a banana boat ride, and sea walk. Choose what your heart wants and definitely taste the fruit chaat after you are done. There is a part of the beach that stands solitary and you can expect less crowd there comprising of fallen trees and submerged trunks. This part was heavily affected during the Tsunami and Elephants were used to remove the logs and hence the name of the place.

You can also visit the less popular Vijaynagar beach to enjoy some calm and peace. To experience some nightlife you can try the Bonova café in Govindnagar and gorge on some seafood delicacies like coconut prawn and barbecued fish. Frontiers Beyond can also recommend you Aberdeen restaurant in Port Blair if you are an ardent vegan tourist.

Andaman celebrates all the mainland festivals and also revels in island festivals which allows the island to showcase most of its talent. The island is a celebration of life and natural beauty and no trip to India is complete without a sortie to Andaman and Nicobar islands.