Andaman Beach Holiday

Overview

Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Cancellation Policy

FAQs

Get the plan and price for your dates

Three details, and our Dehradun team calls or WhatsApps you. No payment, no obligation.

Highlights & Route

This is the compact Andaman holiday: five nights, two islands, and the places most families come for. You spend three nights in Port Blair and two on Havelock (Swaraj Dweep), with a single ferry crossing each way, and see the Cellular Jail and its light-and-sound show, the ruins of Ross Island, the beaches of Havelock and the mangrove creeks and limestone caves of Baratang. It fits a week off work with the flights on either side.

Havelock is the heart of it. Radhanagar beach on the western shore is a two-kilometre sweep of white sand and clear water that regularly tops lists of Asia’s best beaches, and the sunset there is the reason for the second night. Kalapathar beach, with its black rocks, is the morning photograph, and Elephant Beach, reached by a 20-minute speedboat, has a shallow coral reef where even non-swimmers can snorkel with a guide. Water sports are optional and paid on the spot, so that each member of the family chooses what suits them.

Port Blair gives the history: the Cellular Jail, where the British held political prisoners from 1906, and its evening show; Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep), the old colonial capital reclaimed by forest; and the Anthropological and Samudrika museums that explain the islands’ tribes and seas. The Baratang day, through the Jarawa reserve by convoy to the limestone caves and the mud volcano, is the long one, and it can be swapped for a quiet beach day at Chidiya Tapu if you prefer. Breakfast and dinner are included throughout, all ferries are pre-booked, and Indian citizens need no permit anywhere on the route.

Route

Port Blair (1 night) → Ross Island → ferry to Havelock / Swaraj Dweep (2 nights) → Elephant Beach, Kalapathar → ferry to Port Blair (2 nights) → Cellular Jail → Baratang day trip → Port Blair airport

Good to know before you book

Indian citizens need no permit for Port Blair, Havelock, Neil or Baratang. Foreign nationals require a Restricted Area Permit (RAP), issued free on arrival at Port Blair airport for most nationalities; citizens of a few countries need prior clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Carry a government photo ID; it is checked on every ferry.
Island hopping is by ferry: government vessels are cheaper but book out weeks ahead, private catamarans (about 90 minutes to Havelock, about an hour between Havelock and Neil) are quicker and air-conditioned. Sailings are cancelled in rough weather and we re-plan the day when that happens; the cost of any extra night is not covered.
The season is October to May, with the calmest seas and clearest water from December to March. The south-west monsoon from late May to September brings heavy rain and frequent ferry cancellations. Sunset is early, around 5 to 5.30 pm, so days start early.
The Baratang day begins around 4 am to join the first convoy through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve; photography or any contact with the tribal people is a criminal offence and windows stay closed in the reserve. The day returns by about 5 pm.
Port Blair is officially Sri Vijaya Puram (since 2024) and Havelock is Swaraj Dweep; signboards and tickets use both names.
Flights to Port Blair are not included; there are direct flights from Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Entry tickets other than the Cellular Jail and Ross Island, water sports and lunches are paid on the spot.

Yatra Highlights

Two nights on Havelock with sunset at Radhanagar beach and snorkelling at Elephant Beach
Cellular Jail with the evening light-and-sound show and the ruins of Ross Island
Baratang's mangrove creeks, limestone caves and mud volcano by convoy

Day 1 :

Arrival in Port Blair and the museums

Our representative meets you at Veer Savarkar International Airport at your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time and drives you to the hotel, about 15 minutes. After a rest and lunch (own arrangement), visit the Anthropological Museum, which introduces the six indigenous communities of the islands with tools, canoes and photographs, and the Samudrika Naval Marine Museum, with its corals, shells and maps of the archipelago. Both are closed on certain weekdays, in which case we swap them with another day.

In the evening walk along the Marina Park seafront or browse the Aberdeen bazaar. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Port Blair

Day 2 :

Ross Island, ferry to Havelock, Radhanagar sunset

After breakfast and check-out, a boat from the Aberdeen jetty takes you to Ross Island, the British seat of government until 1941, where deer graze among the ruins of the church, the bakery and the commissioner's bungalow, all gripped by ficus roots. Allow about two hours including the small museum.

Return for an early lunch (own arrangement) and transfer to the jetty for the afternoon catamaran to Havelock (Swaraj Dweep), about 90 minutes. Check in at the resort and drive across the island to Radhanagar beach for the sunset, the finest on the islands; lifeguards watch the marked swimming area. Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)

Day 3 :

Elephant Beach and Kalapathar beach

After breakfast a speedboat from the Havelock jetty reaches Elephant Beach in about 20 minutes. The reef starts a few metres from the shore and a guided snorkel session is included; sea-walking, jet-ski rides and an introductory scuba dive are available at your cost. Spend two to three hours, then return to the jetty.

After lunch (own arrangement) drive along the east coast to Kalapathar beach, where black rocks edge the pale sand and the water is clear and shallow. The late afternoon is free: Govind Nagar beach near the jetty, a cycle ride, or rest at the resort. Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)

Day 4 :

Ferry to Port Blair, Cellular Jail and the light-and-sound show

Check out after breakfast and take the morning catamaran back to Port Blair. Check in to the hotel and have lunch (own arrangement). In the afternoon visit the Cellular Jail, built between 1896 and 1906 with seven wings radiating from a central tower, now a national memorial; see the cells, the gallows and the photographs of the freedom fighters, including Veer Savarkar, held here.

Stay on for the light-and-sound show after dark, which tells the story of the Kala Pani from the courtyard (Hindi daily; English on fixed days). Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Port Blair

Day 5 :

Baratang: mangroves, limestone caves and the mud volcano

Leave around 4 am with a packed breakfast to join the first convoy through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve on the Andaman Trunk Road. The drive is about 100 km and three hours, including the vehicle ferry across the Middle Strait at Nilambur. At Baratang jetty a fibre boat threads through mangrove creeks to Nayadera, from where a 1.5 km walk on a raised path leads to the limestone caves, with stalactites and curtain formations seen by torchlight.

Return by boat and drive to the mud volcano, a field of small bubbling cones, before a simple lunch at the Baratang eateries. Join the afternoon convoy back, reaching Port Blair by about 5 pm. Evening free for shopping at Sagarika emporium. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Port Blair

Day 6 :

Departure

Breakfast and check-out. If your flight is after midday, a short visit to Corbyn's Cove beach or Chatham Saw Mill can be added. Transfer to Veer Savarkar International Airport at your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel) two hours before departure.

Overnight: not included (departure)

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
1	Port Blair	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
2	Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
3	Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
4	Port Blair	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
5	Port Blair	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

Is any permit needed for the Andamans?

Not for Indian citizens; a government photo ID is enough and is checked at the ferry. Foreign nationals need a Restricted Area Permit, issued free on arrival at Port Blair airport for most nationalities (or with the Indian visa or from FRRO offices); a few nationalities need prior Ministry of Home Affairs approval. The tribal reserves and the Nicobar Islands are closed to tourists.

How long is the ferry and can children and elderly manage it?

The private catamarans take about 90 minutes between Port Blair and Havelock, with reserved air-conditioned seats, toilets and a snack counter. Boarding is by gangway with staff help. The sea is usually calm from November to April; those prone to motion sickness should take a tablet half an hour before sailing. Government ferries are slower and open-deck, so we use the private ones.

Is vegetarian food available?

Yes, everywhere on this route. Port Blair has many vegetarian restaurants, Havelock’s resorts serve vegetarian menus and there are pure-vegetarian eateries near the jetty. Dinners at the hotels are vegetarian on request; Jain meals can be arranged with notice. Lunches are left open so you can eat where you are.

Can we skip the Baratang day?

Yes. It is a 12-hour day with a 4 am start and a strict convoy, and some families with small children or elderly members prefer not to do it. We replace it, at no extra cost if told in advance, with a relaxed day at Chidiya Tapu (sunset point and a small biological park) or Wandoor beach and the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park boat (park fee extra).

Are water sports included?

A basic guided snorkel at Elephant Beach is included. Scuba introductions, sea walk, jet ski and parasailing are optional and paid at the beach, so that each person chooses. Prices are fixed by the operators and we tell you the current rates before travel. Do not dive on the day before a flight.

When is the best season?

October to May, with December to March the calmest and clearest and also the busiest. October to November and April to May are quieter and good value. Late May to September is the monsoon, with rough seas and frequent ferry cancellations, and we do not recommend it.

Does this 6-day Andaman plan include Neil Island?

No. This plan keeps you to two bases: three nights in Port Blair and two on Havelock (Swaraj Dweep), with one ferry crossing each way. It covers Ross Island, Radhanagar, Elephant Beach, the Cellular Jail show and Baratang. If you also want Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep), with its Natural Bridge and quiet beaches, our 8-day Breathtaking Andaman programme adds a night there along with a North Bay coral visit.

Yatra	Duration	Starts from	Price
Andaman Beach Holiday (this page)	6 days / 5 nights	Port Blair	From ₹32,000
Andaman Island Family Holiday	5 days / 4 nights	Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram)	From ₹35,000
Andaman Islands Sightseeing Holiday	8 days / 7 nights	Port Blair	From ₹45,000
Andaman Relaxation Holiday	6 days / 5 nights	Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram)	From ₹30,000
Darjeeling, Pelling & Gangtok Hill Holiday	7 days / 6 nights	Bagdogra / New Jalpaiguri	From ₹40,500
Family Holiday in Sikkim	9 days / 8 nights	Bagdogra / NJP (Siliguri)	From ₹51,000
Kerala Luxury Getaway	6 days / 5 nights	Kochi	From ₹40,000
Kerala Scenic Nature Holiday	9 days / 8 nights	Kochi	From ₹55,000

Get the plan and price for your dates

Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

Not included

Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Documents to carry

Fitness and health

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

Book this yatra

Compare similar yatras

You can send your enquiry via the form below.