It was one amazing experience indeed! A trip to the Andaman & Nicobar islands in October 2012 kickstarted the first of the many travels my husband and me would embark on. Hence this trip has always been very special to me. These islands are blessed with luxuriant evergreen tropical rainforest canopy and vast rich coastline of 6 lakh sq. km. with immense variety of ecosystem and wildlife. The original inhabitants belong to six different tribes (shompens, nicobarese, onges, jarawas, great andamanese, Sentinelese).
Quick facts: comprised of 572 islands of which 37 are inhabited. Country: India; Capital: Port Blair; Currency: Indian rupee (INR); Coordinates: 11.68°N 92.77°E
Stay and cuisine:
We had a Talespin experience boarding the 9 seater Cessna 208A seaplane from Port Blair to Havelock island, officially Swaraj island. This 25 minute enjoyable trip provides an amazing aerial view of the tranquil shorelines, islands and rainforest canopies.
We stayed the beautiful Eco Villa Palm Beach Resort in the Govindnager village of Havelock island. This clean, eco-friendly property is well-maintained by its owner Saajan, a marine biologist himself. The Nicobari style cozy huts and cottages are right in front of the beach from where you see the tides come in and go out and enjoy a snorkel in the aquamarine crystal clear waters just outside your door.
Places of interest:
We hiked, biked, walked and even dived in the islands. The easiest means of transport is hiring a bike and zooming away to beautiful locales in the island. Both north and south Indian cuisines are popular and easily available.
Radhanagar beach:
This lovely paradise of breathtaking beauty is one of the stunning beaches of India. You can enjoy the long stretch of white sand beach and the vast sea with the backdrop of dense jungle and mountains. Life comes to standstill here.
Port Blair:
The city offers incredible views of oceans and rivers. We visited the anthropological museum, forest museum and cellular jail.
The Cellular Jail, also known as Kālā Pānī (black waters), stands as a dark reminiscence of the British rule in India. The colonial prison was used to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago. Many notable independence activists such as Batukeshwar Dutt, Yogendra Shukla and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar were imprisoned here. The jail complex is now open to public viewing as a National Memorial. It gives a glimpse of years of India’s struggle for freedom as well as the grit, determination and undue suffering of the freedom fighters. We walked through the corridors as mute spectators with a heavy heart. The place now regularly holds Light & Sound (Son-et-Lumiere) shows on India’s freedom struggle in Hindi and English.
My adventures:
Scuba diving: My very first scuba diving in Andaman was an unmatched, fascinating, one-of-a-kind experience. We explored the awesome sea life, vibrant fish and mesmerizing corals.
Treking: We visited deerpark in the Ross island of Andaman by boat. We enjoyed walks in the park, short treks and hikes in the dense jungles of Andamans and its marvelous hillocks.
Joyous bike ride amidst the tropical rainforest to the pristine Radhanagar beach (known as the best beach in India) in central Havelock, Andaman and Nicobar islands. Its fun riding in the narrow roadway flanked on either sides by dense jungles. The journey culminates into a breathtaking view of the serene, clean, white sand Radhanagar beach.
The Journal 
Recent Comments