10 Best Places to Visit in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

When you picture an island getaway, thoughts often drift to remote tropical archipelagos halfway across the globe. Yet, right off the eastern coast of mainland India lies one of the most stunning island destinations in the world: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Surrounded by the warm waters of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, this tropical haven is home to dense rainforests, powdery white beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and a deeply moving national heritage.

Whether you want to unwind by calm turquoise lagoons, dive alongside sea turtles and colourful fish, or walk through historic colonial landmarks, the archipelago offers something truly special for every kind of traveller.

If you are currently planning your first trip or looking to revisit this tropical paradise, here are the 10 best places to visit in Andaman and Nicobar Islands to include in your itinerary.

Port Blair, officially renamed Sri Vijaya Puram, serves as the main gateway to the archipelago. Located on South Andaman Island, it is where your journey begins, whether you fly into Veer Savarkar International Airport or arrive by sea.

Port Blair brings together coastal charm and profound historical significance. Beyond being a transit hub, it offers bustling local bazaars, serene seaside promenades, and cultural museums that introduce you to the indigenous heritage and marine wealth of the region.

Top Attractions: Cellular Jail National Memorial, Aberdeen Bazaar, Samudrika Naval Marine Museum, Anthropological Museum, and Corbyn’s Cove Beach.

Best Activities: Watching the evening sound and light presentation at Cellular Jail, shopping for wooden crafts and shell jewellery in Aberdeen Bazaar, and enjoying local coastal seafood.

Who Should Visit: History enthusiasts, families, and culture seekers.

Travel Tips: Plan to spend at least 1 to 2 days in the capital city before boarding inter-island private catamarans or government ferries. Official entry requirements and ferry updates can be checked on the Directorate of Information, Publicity & Tourism portal.

Situated about 38 kilometres northeast of Port Blair, Swaraj Dweep (popularly known as Havelock Island) is the crown jewel of Andaman and Nicobar Islands tourism. Known for its postcard-perfect scenery, Havelock offers an effortless mix of laid-back beach life and thrilling outdoor adventures.

Dense mahua and padauk forests fringe the roads, opening up to dazzling blue coastlines. Havelock is the primary centre for scuba diving, offering some of the clearest underwater visibility and richest coral reefs in South Asia.

Top Attractions: Radhanagar Beach, Elephant Beach, Kalapathar Beach, and Vijaynagar Beach.

Best Activities: PADI-certified scuba diving, guided sea walking, mangrove kayaking, and catching sunrise at Kalapathar Beach.

Who Should Visit: Beach lovers, adventure seekers, honeymooners, and underwater photographers.

Travel Tips: You can easily explore Havelock on a rented scooter or via pre-arranged private cabs. Make sure to book your private luxury catamaran tickets (like Nautika, Makruzz, or Green Ocean) well in advance during the peak season from October to April. For a hassle-free itinerary, browse curated Havelock and Andaman tour packages with pre-booked transfers and activities.

If Havelock is vibrant and buzzing, Shaheed Dweep (Neil Island) is its peaceful, slow-paced sibling. Characterised by fertile green fields, coconut groves, and quiet coastlines, Neil Island provides a genuine countryside vibe surrounded by the sea.

The island is small enough to be explored across a day or two. Its low-tide marine life and unique geological formations make it a favourite for nature enthusiasts who prefer a calmer environment away from crowded tourist spots.

Top Attractions: The Natural Rock Bridge (Howrah Bridge), Bharatpur Beach, Laxmanpur Beach, and Sitapur Beach.

Best Activities: Exploring marine life exposed at low tide near the Natural Rock Bridge, taking glass-bottom boat tours over shallow reefs, swimming at Bharatpur Beach, and watching vivid sunsets at Laxmanpur Beach.

Who Should Visit: Couples seeking solitude, slow travellers, birdwatchers, and families with young children.

Travel Tips: Visit the Natural Rock Bridge strictly during low tide; during high tide, the coral walkway is submerged. Check tide charts locally before setting out.

Standing tall on the shores of Port Blair, Cellular Jail—historically known as Kala Pani—is an essential pilgrimage for anyone wishing to understand India's journey to independence. Constructed by the British between 1896 and 1906, this massive brick prison was designed specifically for solitary confinement.

Walking along its remaining three-storey wings gives visitors a poignant look into the immense courage of freedom fighters such as Veer Savarkar, Batukeshwar Dutt, and countless others.

Key Highlights: Solitary confinement cells, the central watchtower, the martyrdom gallery, and the evening sound and light presentation narrated from the perspective of an ancient peepal tree.

Best Activities: Taking a guided heritage walk during the day and attending the evening sound and light show.

Who Should Visit: Every traveller visiting the Andaman Islands; it offers context that enriches the entire trip.

Travel Tips: Cellular Jail remains closed on national holidays. The sound and light show tickets in Hindi and English sell out quickly, so it is recommended to book them ahead on the Official Andaman Tourism e-Tourist Portal.

Consistently ranked among the best beaches in Asia, Radhanagar Beach (Beach No. 7) on Havelock Island lives up to its global reputation. Stretching over a wide, sweeping bay, the beach features soft white sand, calm turquoise waves, and an unbroken backdrop of lush green native forest.

Unlike many commercialised beaches, Radhanagar has preserved its natural look. Motorised water sports are intentionally prohibited here, ensuring the shoreline remains pristine and clean.

What Makes It Special: Gentle slope into the ocean, crystal-clear water with no hidden rocks, and spectacular multi-coloured sunset skies.

Best Activities: Swimming in dedicated safe zones, shoreline strolls, relaxing under the shade of coastal trees, and sunset photography.

Who Should Visit: Swimmers, families, couples, and photography enthusiasts.

Travel Tips: Facilities including clean changing rooms, eco-friendly showers, and snack stalls are available near the entrance. Swimming after dusk is strictly prohibited by local beach lifeguards for safety reasons.

If Radhanagar is where you go to relax, Elephant Beach on Havelock Island is where you go for water sports. Situated on the north-western side of the island, this beach is famous for shallow reefs teeming with hard and soft corals, parrotfish, clownfish, and sea anemones.

The shoreline is dotted with weathered driftwood and fallen trees, giving it a distinctive coastal character.

Top Attractions: Colourful reef systems close to the shore and a lively beachside adventure hub.

Best Activities: Snorkelling, underwater sea walking, jet skiing, banana boat rides, and parasailing.

How to Reach: You can reach Elephant Beach either via a 20-minute speed boat ride from the Havelock jetty or by taking a scenic 2-kilometre guided trek through the tropical forest trail.

Who Should Visit: Adventure lovers, first-time snorkellers, and groups looking for watersports.

Travel Tips: The beach generally wraps up activities by early afternoon, so plan to arrive between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM for the best sea conditions and clear water.

Located just a short 15-minute boat ride across the water from the Aberdeen Jetty in Port Blair, Ross Island (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep) is an open-air museum frozen in time. Once the administrative headquarters of the British Penal Settlement—often referred to in colonial days as the "Paris of the East"—the island was abandoned following an earthquake in 1941 and subsequent wartime occupation.

Today, giant roots of banyan and peepal trees have intertwined around the brick walls of the old church, ballroom, chief commissioner’s residence, and hospital, creating a striking scene where nature has reclaimed human architecture.

Top Attractions: Colonial ruins covered in ficus roots, friendly spotted deer and peacocks roaming freely, the historic cemetery, and a lighthouse.

Best Activities: Exploring the walking paths, wildlife spotting, and learning about the wartime history of the islands.

Who Should Visit: Photographers, heritage lovers, and families travelling with children.

Travel Tips: The island is managed under strict environmental guidelines. Plastic littering is banned. Battery-operated buggies are available on the island for senior citizens and young kids.

Easily identified by its distinctive red-and-white lighthouse featured on the back of the older Indian 20-rupee currency note, North Bay Island is one of the most accessible marine adventure hubs near Port Blair.

Surrounded by shallow coral beds, the island is tailored for travellers who want to experience the underwater world without needing extensive boat travel or long training sessions.

Top Attractions: The historic lighthouse viewpoint and vibrant shallow coral banks.

Best Activities: Helmet sea walking along the ocean floor, scuba diving for beginners, semi-submarine glass-bottom rides, and dolphin boat tours.

Who Should Visit: Non-swimmers, day-trippers from Port Blair, and adventure enthusiasts of all age groups.

Travel Tips: North Bay is usually combined with Ross Island as a popular full-day twin-island excursion from Port Blair. Carry a dry bag for electronics and extra clothing for water sports.

For travellers seeking a raw, offbeat nature experience, Baratang Island offers an exciting day trip approximately 100 kilometres north of Port Blair. The journey itself takes you through the Andaman Grand Trunk Road and protected tribal reserve forests before reaching the mangrove creeks.

Baratang stands out for its unique geological wonders that are rarely found elsewhere in India, including massive naturally formed limestone caves and active mud volcanoes.

Top Attractions: Limestone Caves, dense mangrove waterways, and the Mud Volcano.

Best Activities: Speed boating through narrow, canopy-covered mangrove channels and walking into the ancient limestone caverns with stalactites and stalagmites.

Who Should Visit: Offbeat travellers, geology lovers, and adventure enthusiasts.

Travel Tips: Vehicles travel in regulated convoys through the tribal reserve under strict guidelines established by the administration. Do not take photographs, interact with, or disturb indigenous communities. A special forest permit is arranged locally by authorised tour operators for visiting the limestone caves.

Located inside the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park at Wandoor, Jolly Buoy Island is an exceptionally well-preserved marine eco-sanctuary. The underwater visibility here is remarkable, allowing you to view untouched brain corals, staghorn corals, and sea life swimming right up to the shoreline.

To prevent over-tourism and protect sensitive reef systems, the local administration alternates visitor access between Jolly Buoy Island and neighbouring Red Skin Island for roughly six months each year.

Top Attractions: Pristine living coral reefs, clear turquoise waters, and zero-plastic eco-zones.

Best Activities: Snorkelling over deep reefs, glass-bottom boat rides, and relaxing on an uncrowded beach.

Who Should Visit: Eco-travellers, snorkelling enthusiasts, and nature photographers.

Travel Tips: Jolly Buoy is a 100% no-plastic zone. You must declare all items at the Wandoor jetty checkpoint. Plastic bottles and bags are strictly forbidden; reusable water flasks can be rented at the jetty counter before boarding your boat.

The Andaman Islands enjoy a warm tropical climate throughout the year. However, the overall experience varies across seasons:

For the smoothest sailing between islands and unobstructed beach days, November through April is the most recommended window.

1. Permits & Identity Documents: Indian citizens do not need an inner line permit to visit regular tourist zones in South and Middle Andaman. However, you must carry valid government photo identification (such as Aadhaar, Voter ID, or Passport) at all times. Foreign passport holders should ensure their visa details are in order upon arrival at Port Blair airport.

2. Connectivity: Mobile network coverage (primarily BSNL and Airtel) has improved considerably with the undersea optical fibre cable, but internet speeds can still be intermittent on outer islands. Download offline maps and keep cash handy, as digital payments occasionally face connectivity downtime.

3. Respecting Marine & Tribal Laws: Never touch, break, or collect coral, dead sea shells, or marine specimens—it is an offence under the Wildlife Protection Act. Respect tribal reserve buffer zones and follow forest department guidelines everywhere you visit.

4. Advance Bookings: Ferries, water sports, and beach resorts fill up months in advance during peak holiday periods. Booking through tailored romantic honeymoon packages or comprehensive family itineraries ensures you won't miss out on top activities.

From the historic corridors of Cellular Jail to the calm white sands of Radhanagar Beach and the living coral reefs of Jolly Buoy, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands bring together raw natural beauty, thrilling water adventures, and peaceful island living in a way few other destinations can match.

Planning an island holiday across multiple waterways, ferries, and permit checkpoints can feel overwhelming. That is where local expertise makes all the difference. At Andaman Bliss, our local team designs customised island itineraries, manages private ferry bookings, arranges verified adventure sports, and ensures comfortable stays across Port Blair, Havelock, and Neil Island.

Take a look at the wide range of customized packages on the official Andaman Bliss website, and let us help you experience the very best of these islands without the stress.