Andaman and Nicobar, is like a glittering jewel, casually scattered on the velvetty carpet, is a group of 572 Islands & islets and rocks spread over like a broken pearl chain in Bay of Bengal covering an area of 8249 sq. Kms over a distance of 780 kms of ocean from North to South. The southern group - the Nicobar Islands is mostly inaccessible to tourists. It is separated from the Andaman islands by the ten degree channel.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the union territory of India. Informally, the territory's name is often abbreviated to A & N Islands, or ANI. It is located in the Indian Ocean, in the southern reaches of the Bay of Bengal. It is comprised of two island groups -the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands - which separate the Andaman Sea to the east from the Indian Ocean. The 10° N parallel, the Andaman’s lying to the north of this latitude, and the Nicobar to the south separate these two groups. The capital of this territory is the Andaman town of Port Blair.

The Andaman’s and Nicobar Islands have brilliant tropical flora and are thickly forested with evergreen, deciduous rainforest and tropical trees with mangrove swamps at the water edge. The Sparkling clear water is excellent for snorkeling with increasing opportunity for fabulous Scuba diving for beginner and experienced people. The Islands are also a paradise for bird watchers. The Islands, although an Union Territory of India, is very close to Rangoon(Burma), Phuket(Thailand), Malaysia and Sumatra. However to reach these islands, irrespective Indians or foreigners have to undertake journey from Chennai/Calcutta/Vizag. Andaman is graded as one of the ideal destination for availing leave travel concession to cover a long distance journey.

Map of Andaman and Nicobar (click to enlarge)

Places you can see in Andaman and Nicobar
Port Blair
Port Blair is the capital of the Union Territory Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is a small but picturesque place spread over a number of hills from Haddo across Secretariat Hill to Aberdeen Bazaar and South point. There are neat villages like Pahargaon, Shadipur and Garacharme.Portblair
The territory have a natural heritage, with evergreen moist deciduous and swamp forests. Today, Port Blair have grown and tourism is being developed to entice more people to enjoy the clean beaches and unpolluted waters that are already attracting divers and snorkellers.

Anthropological Museum
Tribes who are considered to be the original inhabitants of the Andamans inhabit the islands. The tools used by them, their dresses and many photographs of their life style have been kept in this museum.

Samudrika Marine Museum
The five sections of this unique museum display history and geography of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The displays include islands, the people, the tribals, their life-style, marine life and archaeology. The museum also has a sizable collection of shells and corals.

Mini Zoo & Forest Museum
Port Blair has a small Zoo, which houses some of the species which are found nowhere in the world. With over 200 species of animals, which includes the Nicobar Pigeon and the Andaman Pig.
The salt-water crocodile-breeding program has been very successful and the many crocodiles, which were bred here, are now in wild waters among the dense mangrove forests. Near the zoo is the museum maintained and run by the forest department.
This unusual museum displays locally grown woods, including Pad auk, which has both light, and dark colors are present in the same tree.

Chatham Saw Mill
One of the Asia's oldest largest wood processing units was setup in 1883. It is located on Chatham Island. Some of the woods being processed here are termed as rare. It was destroyed in World War II and revived in the 1950's

Cellular Jail
The Bastille of India Where India's freedom fighters were incarcerated symbols India’s freedom struggle see a poignant sound and light show. Monday closed time 9am - 12 noon and 2pm a- 5pm

Corbyn’s Cove
Corbyn’s Cove is the closest beach to Port Blair (8km). It is a white-sand beach surrounded by palm trees. The water is warm and the surf mild. A taxi costs about Rs 50. Taxis wait at the beach for return trips to Port Blair. It is a nice walk from Port Blair to Corbyn’s Cove. Andaman Beach Resort is a high-end hotel located near the beach.

Ross Island
Ross Island was once the site of the British headquarters, but it is now deserted and the buildings are in ruins. There is an interesting church on top of the hill and a museum near the boat jetty, which are worth seeing. Swimming is not allowed around the island. You may want to pack a lunch, as the island has no eating facilities other than a cold drink stand.

Chiriya Tapu
Chiriya Tapu is a small village, 33km south of Port Blair, with a good beach. There is another good beach a few km south of the village, with some of the best snorkeling on the island. It is a nice place for bird watching. There are good places to camp, and a few small beaches further south.
You can get a boat from this place to take you to Cinque Island. There are buses to Chiriya Tapu from Port Blair (1½ hr) every few hours. The last bus returns at around 7 pm. You can also come here by scooter.

Mahatma Gandhi National Marine Park
MG National Park encompasses fifteen islands and extends about 300 sq km. It is home to fifty types of corals, exotic fish, beautiful jungles, good beaches, mangroves, and bird life. It is a good place to snorkel. Only three of the islands can be visited Red Skin, Jolly Buoy, and Cinque. No one is permitted to stay overnight on the islands. Collection of coral and shells is not permitted.
To get to the park, you first go to the village of Wandoor, 30km southwest of Port Blair. There is a bus from Port Blair to Wandoor (1½ hr). From the boat jetty in Wandoor, boats visit some of the islands in the park. Tours also go to the park.

Mount Harriet Garden at Mt. Harriet (55 km, by road/15 km by ferry from Port Blair)
The summer headquarters of the Chief Commissioner during British Raj, it is an ideal place for a nice and fascinating view of the sun, sea and sand. It is 365 meters high, the highest peak in the South Andaman’s. One can trek upto Madhuban through a nature trail and can find rare flora and fauna, endemic birds, animals and butterflies. Conducted tours to Mt. Harriet are available from Andaman Tea House.

Water Sports Complex
This is a unique sports complex in India in its own kind. There are facilities for safe Water Sports such as Rowing Boats, Paddle Boats, Kayaks, Aqua-cycle, Aqua-glide, Bumper boats, etc., and Adventure water sports such as Water-skiing, Water scooters, Gemini boats, Para-sailing, Sail boats, Wind-surfers, Speed boats, Glass-bottom boats, etc., There are Saline Water Swimming Pool, Nature-walk, Change Room, Food Plaza, also. There is a Memorial built to commemorate the Battle of Aberdeen, fought between the British and Andaman aborigines in May 1859, in which many Andamanese died. There is an artificial water-fall nearby.

The Viper Island
The Viper Island, near Haddo Wharf, is at the mouth of Port Blair harbour is on 69 acres crescent shaped place. Once a full-fledged prison for local and mainland convicts, the Island had a gallows on top of a hillock. The Jail was abandoned after commissioning of cellular Jail. The island serves as a tourist attraction. It is known as Viper Island because of the presence of Viper snakes in the past.

Car Nicobar
Car Nicobar is a flat Island of 129 sq.km. Big Lapati, a village in this island is the parent village from where Nicobarese grew and fanned them selves out. The religion of most of the Nicobarese is Christianity. Bishop John Richardson who passed away at the age of one hundred is responsible for the conversion.

Nancourie
It is an Island of the most magnificent natural harbour along with Camrota and Trinket. Nancourie Island has an area of about 67sq.kms. On one side of Nancourie is Camrota Island, which is the administrative, headquarters of the Nancourie group. Ram Lachmi, the chief of Camrota and Nancourie lives here though there is not much of a tribal leader about her and she dresses like any other person on the mainland

Katchal
It is the most developed Island with an area of 175sq.kms and the majority of the population are Scheduled Tribe. The soil is good and rubber plantation is thriving. The Island of Pullomillor is a market for copra and bettle nuts. The beach is extremely beautiful.

Island hopping in Ritchie's Archipelago
Visit Neil Island, the vegetable bowl of the Andamans, Long Island and a number of uninhabited islands.

Barren Island
India's only active volcano can be seen.

Events and Festivals of Andaman and Nicobar

Island Tourism festival
Port Blair the capital city of the Andaman and the Nicobar Islands celebrates an annual Island Tourism festival. The festivities of the Island Tourism Festival that include exhibitions, cultural performances and water sport competitions carry on for a fortnight in the months of December and January. In case you are at the Andaman and the Nicobar Islands in January you may even participate in the Subhash Mela and the Vivekananda Mela that celebrate the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Swami Vivekananda at the Havelock Island and the Neil Island respectively.

Subhash Mela - January every year
Organised in Havelock every year on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. A week long festival filled with cultural programmes. 

Vivekanada Mela - January every year           
Organised at Neil Island to celebrate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanada. 

Block Mela -  January/February every year
Held at Diglipur, this highlights the developments that have taken place in the rural areas and displays the typical rural life of these islands.

Reaching Andaman and Nicobar

Air
Port Blair is connected by Indian Airlines with Madras, Calcutta and Car Nicobar.

Sea
Regular passenger ship services viz. M.V.Harshavardhana, M.V.Akbar and  M.V.Nicobar are plying between Port Blair and Madras (1190 km), Calcutta  (1255 kms), Vizag (1200 kms). One more passenger vessel M.V.Nancowry is likely to be inducted soon on this run. There are 2 sailings in a month each from Calcutta and Madras to Port Blair & vice versa. There is one sailing from Vishakhapatnam every 3 months. The voyage takes about 3 / 4 days and the ships normally berth at Port Blair for three days.
 
Hotels in Andaman and Nicobar
The Union territory has hotels of star and non star category catering to the needs of the tourists visiting the islands. Besides it has resorts, restaurants and cafés which cater to the needs of all segment of travelers.

Permits are required by forigners. Forigners ariving by air get permit on arival otherwise it takes normally 30days for permit. For tribal areas all visitors require special permission

Weather: summer: Maximum 30 °C and Minimum 23 °C

Best Time to Visit: October to April.

Languages: Bengali, Hindi, Nicobarese, Telegu, Tamil, Malayalam

STD Code: 03192