I got this somewhat "crazy" idea of visiting Andamans in August, the mid of low season. My idea of the trip was to spend 1 week in the south Andamans, exploring some nice snorkelling spots. I got a really good deal from Air Deccan (ex Chennai) to Port Blair which helped to firm up my fickle mind .
(I must warn here that my experiences are from a perspective of a single independant traveller trying to do things cheap.)
Weather in August / during Monsoons:
Contrary to my expectations, I encountered rain only on two days out of seven days that I spent. Infact, the rest of the five days were warm, nice and sunny. The rain in Andamans really means business, but its not a continous deluge. It is advisable to carry a small foldable umbrella or a nice rain-proof jacket with a hat. Rains also mean Mosquitoes. So it is required to have a repellent. Insists for a coil or a electrical mat with your lodgers.
Arriving and getting around:
The "Veer Savarkar" airport is conveniently located about 5 KMs south from the center of Port Blair. You can get taxis and autos into the town. Foreigners are required to get an ILP (Inner line permit) which is given upon arrival (valid for 30 days). Indians do not need any permit for visiting North Andaman chain of Islands (including Little Andaman). However, Nicobar is off-limits to both Indians and Foreigners.
Autos would cost about Rs.50 from Airport to the town. Negotiate before hiring. If you really want to hold on dearly to the purse, you can simply walk out of the airport (ignoring the touts) and catch a bus into the town, which will cost Rs.5. If you arrive by the Ship, you will land at "Phoenix Bay" Jetty.
Port Blair town itself is fairly simple to move around. The heart of the town is made of Aberdeen Bazaar, Bus Stand and Phoenix Bay which are next to each other. All the buses orginate either from Bus Stand or from "Medical" (G B Pant hospital, next to Cellular jail) and head out to different parts of Port Blair.
One can hire two wheelers or catch autos to move around. I would recommend walking (if you are fit) as most of the touristic places are within 5 KM radius. Cycling may not be an option as the town is quite hilly.
Little bit about the South Andamans:
The Andman chain of islands (which are different from Nicobar) is divided into North and South Andamans. Port Blair, the capital lies in the South Andaman part. The major towns of this whole chain are Diglipur, Maya bunder and Rangat (North Andamans), Port Blair, Kadamtala and Nilambur (South Andaman). The "Andman Trunk road" connects both South and North Andamans. It starts from Port Blair in the South and weaves it way north towards. This road is asphalted (er, rather pot holed) and is about 300 km long! It passes through one of the most dense rain forests of Asia, which is also the home for aboriginies of Andamans (called Jarawas). They have very little contact with outside world. There are regular daily bus services between Port Blair and Diglipur (and all the towns in between).
Inter island travelling need to be done either by scheduled ship services or by Helicopter. The ships leave from Phoenix bay jetty (also known as Marine jetty).
Must see places:
At Port Blair, visit to Cellular Jail is a must. Other attractions are Samudrika Museum, Ross and Viper islands, Chatham saw mill, Aquarium, Corbyn's cove beach and Water sports complex.
At Wandoor (about 25 kms south of Port Blair), one can catch ferries to Red skin and Jolly bouy islands. These are part of Mahatma Gandhi Marine National park. The under water Marine life is one of the richest in this part of the world. This is a must see place for divers and snorkelling enthusiasts.
One can go up North using the Trunk road and visit the small towns and villages out there. Baratang (Nilambur) has some interesting lime stone caves and few beaches.
Visit to Andmans will not be complete without a visit to Havelock islands. Its a small Bengali settlement. The beach no.7 (Radha nagar) of Havelock is rated by TIME magazine as the "BEST BEACH in the whole of ASIA".
Places to stay:
I would recommend staying at Aberdeen Bazaar. That way you are close to all the tourist attractions, eateries and other essentials, and save on walking/bussing around. A/bazaar has plenty of small and clean guest houses.
Port Blair has number of hotels and resorts catering to all types of Budgets. During the season, they need to be booked in advance.
Places to Eat:
Indians (particularly Vegetarians) will have no problems at Port Blair or elsewhere. Most of the hotels and resorts now cater to Foreigners (Israeli, Italian and Continental food is available at most of the resorts) There are a number of Restaurants fitting to every type of budget and needs. Most of these will be either South Indian or Bengali type joints. But you also endup finding Punjabi food in them anyway! Annapoorna Cafe at Aberdeen Bazaar is recommended.
Tail piece:
I am glad that Andamans are part of our India. I recommend Andamans to everyone. However, little children and elderly may find this bit overwhelming. If you happen to visit Andamans, please be mindful of its fragile ecology and environemnt. Keep plastic (polythene) away from Andamans.
Happy Andamans!
Rejoinder: (Added on October 21, 2006)
As I am getting many PMs requesting more information about Andamans, I thought of adding this rejoinder.
Tourist season: It begins in October and lasts till February / March. If you are planning a visit in high season with your family, I recommend you book the accommodation in advance. Its no fun trying to get a place to stay after you have arrived. Most of the hotels / resorts also provide airport transfer (with some extra cost).
Hotels and resorts: There are many 'Guest houses', Hotels and Resorts in Port Blair and Havelock islands. See the below link for more information. It includes contact information and indicative budget.
https://tourism.andaman.nic.in/accommodation.htm
How many days to spend at Andamans?:
Now it entirely depends on you. According to me 1 week is enough for the middle-class Indians with a Family in tow.
If you are a 'beach freak' and a family guy, give 2 days to Port Blair and spend the rest of the days (3 to 4) at Havelock and Neil islands. I would recommend doing it with a tour operator at Port Blair who arrange sightseeing and day trips around PB. There are plenty of them all over PB.
If you are doing it alone (like me), you can do a lot in week. Spend 2 days at Port Blair, 1 day for Marine national park at Wandoor, 1 day for a trip up the trunk road till Baratang to spot the Jarawas and to see the lime stone caves and 2 days for Havelock.
