Key Takeaways
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You could spend an entire Andaman holiday chasing beaches and still leave a lot unseen. The islands have plenty of places worth visiting for very different reasons, but they don’t all fit into a trip in the same way.
Some stops are easy to add to a Port Blair itinerary, while others mean an early start, a long ferry ride or a night away. Knowing that difference can make it easier to decide where to spend your time. So, here’s a list of the best places to visit in Andaman and Nicobar, along with what you can see and do at each one.
Best Places to Visit in Andaman and Nicobar
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have historical sites, coral reefs, mangrove forests, waterfalls, wildlife and quiet coastal spots spread across their islands. Here are some of the places worth adding to your itinerary.
1. Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island)
Swaraj Dweep is the main island to consider when beaches and water activities are a major part of your trip. It is larger and more commercially developed than Shaheed Dweep, so plan at least two nights here.
Radhanagar Beach is a good spot for swimming and sunset, while Elephant Beach is the main stop for snorkelling, sea walking and other water activities. Kalapathar and Vijaynagar beaches are great choices for a quieter visit, especially in the morning.
You can also join scuba diving trips to sites such as Nemo Reef and Dixon’s Pinnacle, depending on your experience and certification level.
Swaraj Dweep is also a popular destination for bioluminescence night kayaking. Many operators run guided bioluminescence kayaking trips, currently in the pre-dawn window under local rules, with visibility depending on the moon and conditions.
In the evening, you can spend time at beachfront restaurants, resort bars and a few venues with live music or DJ performances.
2. Shaheed Dweep (Neil Island)
Shaheed Dweep is smaller and quieter than Swaraj Dweep, with beaches, coral reefs and a few outdoor activities. One or two nights are enough to see the island’s main highlights.
Bharatpur Beach is the main spot for swimming and water activities such as snorkelling, glass-bottom boat rides and jet skiing. Consider visiting Sitapur Beach for an early-morning sunrise and a quieter start to the day.
Laxmanpur Beach is a top spot for sunset, and at low tide, you can walk across to the Natural Bridge (Howrah Bridge), a natural rock arch formation on the shore.
Scuba diving trips are available for different experience levels. Since the island is small, you can get around by bicycle, which is also a fun way to see more of the beaches and local roads.
Kayaking is also available around Bharatpur and Laxmanpur beaches, and on clear nights, the beaches around Laxmanpur and Sitapur are great for stargazing.
3. Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram)
Port Blair is where most Andaman trips begin, but it is worth setting aside time for the city itself. Its sights cover the islands’ freedom struggle, colonial history, marine life and local culture, so you can fill a full day with sightseeing.
Cellular Jail is a must-visit, with its museum and evening Sound & Light Show covering the history of the freedom struggle. Flag Point and the 30th December Memorial are also worth visiting for their connection to the islands’ role in India’s independence movement.
You can visit the Samudrika Naval Marine Museum for marine life and the Zonal Anthropological Museum to learn about the islands’ indigenous communities. The Fisheries Museum, Science Centre, Chatham Saw Mill and Forest Museum are also worth adding if you have more time.
For some time by the sea, Corbyn’s Cove is the easiest beach stop within the city, with swimming and activities such as jet skiing and speed boating.
For local products and souvenirs, Aberdeen Bazaar and Sagarika Government Emporium are two of the top shopping spots in Port Blair.
For an evening out, you can choose from dinner cruises, rooftop venues, live music and restaurants around the city.
4. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island (Ross Island)
Ross Island is only a short boat ride from Port Blair and is mainly visited for its British-era ruins and historic sites. Once the administrative headquarters of the Andamans, its abandoned buildings now sit among dense greenery.
The island’s main sights include the ruins of the Chief Commissioner’s House, Presbyterian Church, bakery, Secretariat and printing press, along with old cemetery grounds.
You can also see Japanese bunkers and other military remains from the World War II occupation. The Ross Island Museum and Smritika Museum add old photographs and artefacts that help put the ruins into context.
Deer and peacocks roam around the island, and the lighthouse and coastal paths give you a reason to walk beyond the main ruins.
You can visit the island as a half-day trip from Port Blair, and some boat packages combine it with North Bay Island. An evening Sound & Light Show is also held here, bringing the island’s colonial past to life.
5. Baratang Island
Baratang Island is a day-trip destination with limestone caves, mangrove creeks and mud volcanoes, making it one of the more unusual places to visit in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
You reach the Limestone Caves by boat through the mangrove creeks, followed by a short forest walk. The Mud Volcano gives you a completely different sight, with mud pushed up from the ground by natural underground gases.
You can add Baludera Beach to your trip if you have time for a quiet break by the water.
One way to reach Baratang is by road through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve, followed by a vehicle ferry crossing at Middle Strait. The reserve is not a sightseeing stop: visitors must stay with the convoy and must not stop, photograph, record or interact with Jarawa people.
6. North Bay Island
North Bay Island is one of the easiest half-day offshore trips from Port Blair. Snorkelling, scuba diving and sea walking are the main reasons to come here.
Glass-bottom boat and semi-submarine rides let you see the coral and marine life without getting into the water. The surrounding reef is home to a range of tropical fish and other marine life.
You can also try activities such as jet skiing, parasailing and banana boat rides when they are operating. Since sea conditions affect both boat services and water activities, check availability before you go.
7. Chidiya Tapu
Chidiya Tapu is around 28 kilometres from Port Blair and is one of the main places near the city for birdwatching, a forest walk and sunset by the sea. The area is also the starting point for the Munda Pahad trail, so it can easily fill a half-day or longer.
Chidiya Tapu Beach is a good spot for sunset. The Munda Pahad trail starts near Munda Pahad Beach and leads through the forest to a sea-facing viewpoint. The trek is about 1.5 kilometres long and should be planned with enough daylight for the return.
An early-morning visit gives you a better chance of spotting birds such as the Andaman Green Pigeon, Andaman Bulbul, Andaman Treepie and Andaman Serpent Eagle found in the surrounding forest. You can also visit the Chidiya Tapu Biological Park to see native plants and wildlife.
Snorkelling and scuba diving are available in the wider Chidiya Tapu and South Andaman area, although the exact activity and access can depend on sea conditions and current operating rules.
Since Chidiya Tapu is reached by road from Port Blair, it works well as an afternoon-and-evening outing, with enough time for Munda Pahad before settling in for sunset.
8. Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park is about 30 kilometres from Port Blair and is accessed from Wandoor. The park is a good place to see coral reefs and marine life.
The park covers several islands, but the ones open to regular visitors are mainly Jolly Buoy and Red Skin, with access changing by season.
Both are day-trip stops with a limited visitor capacity, and the boat trip lets you see the park’s mangroves and smaller islands along the way.
Snorkelling and glass-bottom boat rides are the main ways to see the coral and fish, so even non-swimmers can get a look at the underwater life.
At Wandoor, the Marine Interpretation Centre is also worth a stop before or after the boat trip, with displays about the park’s marine environment.
The two islands do not stay open together. A Forest Department permit is required, visitor numbers are limited, and Jolly Buoy is a no-plastic zone, so check the current island status and permit arrangements before planning the trip.
9. Diglipur
Diglipur is one of the best places to visit in North Andaman, and it is a long way from Port Blair. The journey is worth it for Ross & Smith Islands, treks in Saddle Peak National Park, and beach time at Kalipur and Ramnagar.
A thin sandbar that appears at low tide links Ross & Smith Islands. You can walk along the sandbar and swim and snorkel in the clear, shallow water. You need a boat from Aerial Bay and a Forest Department permit to visit.
Saddle Peak takes you to a different side of North Andaman, with dense forest and a long trek to the highest point in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The peak rises to 732 metres, and the trail starts from the Lamiya Bay area. You can also spend some time at Lamiya Bay itself.
Kalipur and Ramnagar are popular beaches around Diglipur, and both beaches are turtle-nesting grounds from around November to March. Ramnagar also has a nature trail, while Kalipur sits close to Saddle Peak and has views of the mountain from the beach.
Beyond the beaches, Diglipur also has sights such as the Alfred Caves and the Mud Volcano at Shyam Nagar. Scuba diving is also available at selected sites around Diglipur, depending on current operations and sea conditions.
Since it is a long journey from Port Blair, plan at least two to three nights here to cover the main sights without rushing.
10. Little Andaman
Little Andaman is a much more remote trip than the main Andaman islands, with Hut Bay serving as the gateway. The ferry from Port Blair takes around 6-8 hours, so this is better planned as an overnight stay rather than a quick addition to a short itinerary.
Little Andaman’s main attractions are its beaches, surfing spots and forest waterfalls. Butler Bay is the main spot for surfing, with lessons and board rentals available during the operating season. Its long, crescent-shaped beach is also a nice place to spend some time by the sea.
Away from the coast, Little Andaman’s rainforest has two waterfalls worth visiting. White Surf Waterfall is a short forest walk away, while Whisper Wave requires a longer jungle trek.
You can also visit the Little Andaman Lighthouse and beaches such as Harminder Bay and Prabhas Mundi (Provash Mundi). The Red Oil Palm Plantation is another stop you can add along the route between White Surf Waterfall and Butler Bay Beach.
You can hire a scooter or motorcycle to get around the beaches, waterfalls and other sights. Birdwatching, forest walks and stargazing are also part of the island experience.
11. Rangat
Rangat is a town in Middle Andaman, around 7-8 hours by road from Port Blair. The area has many beaches, mangrove walks and nature spots for a full day or two.
Dhani Nallah is a good place to see Rangat’s mangroves, with a wooden walkway leading through the forest to a turtle-nesting beach. At Yerrata Creek, you can visit the Mangrove Interpretation Centre and learn more about the mangrove ecosystem.
Cuthbert Bay is another place to see sea turtles during the nesting season. Amkunj Beach differs from the island’s sandy beaches, with a rocky shoreline, eco-friendly sit-outs, and marine life visible around the rocks at low tide.
You can also visit Moricedera for its twin rock formation and sea views, or Panchawati for its seasonal waterfall. The Dhani Nallah mangroves are also a good place for birdwatching.
Rangat is easiest to fit into a two-day northbound itinerary, giving you enough time for Dhani Nallah, Cuthbert Bay and the other local sights without spending the whole stop on road transfers.
Conclusion
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have far more to see than a few famous beaches. Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island) and Shaheed Dweep (Neil Island) cover the classic beach and water activities, while Port Blair and Ross Island add the history of the islands.
Baratang is a good choice for limestone caves and mangroves, and North Bay and Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park bring you closer to coral reefs and marine life.
Chidiya Tapu is worth adding for sunsets and birdwatching, while Rangat, Diglipur and Little Andaman suit longer trips with their quieter beaches, forests and waterfalls.
Your choice of places will mainly depend on how many days you have and when you plan to visit. If you need help with putting together an itinerary, contact Dimaak Tours.
FAQs About Places to Visit in Andaman and Nicobar
1. What are the best places to visit in Andaman and Nicobar for first-time visitors?
For a first trip, Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island), Shaheed Dweep (Neil Island) and Port Blair are the main places to consider. Swaraj Dweep and Shaheed Dweep cover beaches and water activities, while Port Blair gives you access to the Cellular Jail, museums and other city attractions. Ross Island and North Bay Island are also easy additions from Port Blair.
2. Which places in Andaman are best for water activities?
Swaraj Dweep has the widest choice of water activities, including snorkelling, sea walking, scuba diving and kayaking. Shaheed Dweep also has snorkelling, scuba diving, kayaking and glass-bottom boat rides. North Bay Island and Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park are good choices for coral viewing, snorkelling, scuba diving and sea walking.
3. Which places in Andaman are best for culture and heritage?
Port Blair has the main heritage attractions, including Cellular Jail, Flag Point and the 30th December Memorial, along with museums covering marine life and indigenous communities. Ross Island is another important heritage stop, with British-era ruins, Japanese military remains and a museum.
4. Which island is best for a first trip to Andaman?
Swaraj Dweep is the main island to consider for a first trip if beaches and water activities are a major part of your holiday. It is larger and more developed than Shaheed Dweep, with several beaches, scuba diving, sea walking, snorkelling and kayaking.
5. Is Diglipur worth visiting on a short Andaman trip?
Diglipur is difficult to fit into a short trip because it is a long way from Port Blair. The journey takes several hours, so plan at least two to three nights to visit Ross & Smith Islands, Saddle Peak, Kalipur, Ramnagar and other sights without rushing.
