Port Blair Beaches — Starting Point
Most visitors fly into Port Blair's Veer Savarkar International Airport. Port Blair itself has several beaches worth visiting if you have a transit day. Corbyn's Cove (7 km from city centre): a small but picturesque beach with calm water, good for an evening swim. Chidiyatapu (Sunset Point, 29 km south): a beach and forest reserve at Port Blair's southern tip — excellent sunset views and birdwatching in the mangrove forest. Wandoor Beach (29 km south): gateway to Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park — glass-bottom boat tours to Jolly Buoy and Red Skin islands with excellent snorkelling (₹500–800, tours start 9 AM). North Bay Island: 10-minute speedboat from Port Blair harbour — good snorkelling, sea-walking, and glass-bottom boat rides; more commercial than other Andaman options.
Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) Beaches
Havelock Island is the hub of Andaman beach tourism. Ferry from Port Blair: 2.5–3 hours (₹500–900). Radhanagar Beach (Beach 7): Asia's best beach — 2 km of white sand, turquoise water, protected forest backdrop. Best sunset in Andaman. Elephant Beach: 30-minute jungle trek or 10-minute speedboat from jetty — the best snorkelling in Andaman, coral gardens in 1–3 metres of crystal water. Beach 1 and Beach 5 near the jetty: more accessible, good for swimming, less dramatic than Radhanagar. Kalapatthar Beach (Beach 9): 10 km from jetty, black rock formations at the waterline contrast against white sand — extraordinary for photography at sunrise.
Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) Beaches
Neil Island is 1.5 hours from Port Blair by ferry (₹350–600) and is smaller, quieter, and less developed than Havelock — making it the choice for travellers seeking more isolation. Bharatpur Beach: the most accessible, calm lagoon water ideal for glass-bottom boat tours (₹300–500). Laxmanpur Beach: the best Neil Island sunset beach — a long stretch of sand with a dramatic rocky headland. Natural Bridge (Howrah Bridge): a natural coral rock arch formed by erosion at the northern tip of Neil Island — reachable on foot at low tide. Sitapur Beach: the Neil Island sunrise beach — a 2 km walk from the main jetty, with a rocky but photogenic shoreline. Day-trip from Havelock: Neil Island is reachable by a 45-minute direct ferry from Havelock — excellent as a day excursion.
Baratang Island — Limestone Caves & Mangrove Beaches
Baratang Island (100 km north of Port Blair by road through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve — a convoy system is operated at 6 AM, 9 AM, and 2 PM from the checkpoint) is a different Andaman entirely. The main draw is the Limestone Caves — a 30-minute boat ride through mangrove waterways leads to extraordinary karst cave formations. The adjacent beach (Baratang Bay) is deserted, mangrove-backed, and utterly peaceful. The mangrove creek boat journey itself — 30 minutes through dense mangrove tunnels — is one of the most atmospheric water experiences in India. Permits required; join the convoy through the tribal reserve at the checkpoint.
Ross Island & North Bay — Day Trip from Port Blair
Ross Island (10 minutes by ferry from Port Blair's Hajj Jetty, ₹80) was the British colonial administrative headquarters for the Andaman Islands. The island is now uninhabited — the colonial-era structures (church, tennis court, bakery, ballroom) are dramatically overgrown by jungle roots, creating one of the most atmospheric heritage sites in India. Spotted deer roam freely between the ruins. North Bay Island (15 minutes by speedboat from Port Blair) has the best accessible snorkelling near the capital — good coral coverage, fish including puffer fish and angelfish. Both can be combined in a half-day from Port Blair.
Andaman Coastline Facts & Getting Around
The Andaman & Nicobar archipelago has a total coastline of 1,900 km across its inhabited islands. The inter-island ferry network (operated by Directorate of Shipping Services) connects Port Blair to Havelock, Neil, Little Andaman, Diglipur, and other islands — book tickets at the Phoenix Bay Jetty office or online at tourism.andaman.gov.in. Private speedboat services (Makruz) run faster and more comfortable routes — book online. Best season: November to April (post-monsoon, pre-Cyclone season). Monsoon (May–October): most ferry services run reduced schedules, sea conditions are rough, many resorts partially close. Required: Inner Line Permit for Andaman is issued free on arrival at Port Blair airport/jetty for Indian citizens. Foreign nationals need to register within 24 hours.