VANAMCOVE 
Crystal water, coral reefs and shack life on Havelock.
Why this weekend?
The day-by-day plan
Day 1 · Arrive & the jail
- Fly into Port Blair
- Cellular Jail + light-and-sound show
- Evening at Corbyn's Cove
Day 2 · Reefs & ruins
- North Bay snorkel / sea-walk
- Ross Island ferry + walk
- Chidiya Tapu sunset
Day 3 · Ferry to Havelock
- Morning Makruzz/ferry to Swaraj Dweep
- Radhanagar beach — the famous sunset
- Dive shop intro if you dive
Day 4 · Elephant Beach & more
- Jetty boat to Elephant Beach (water sports)
- Afternoon forest walk to Kalapathar
Day 5 · Neil day
- Ferry to Shaheed Dweep
- Bharatpur snorkel + natural bridge
- Cycle the island's lanes
Day 6 · Home
- Ferry back, fly out — or add Baratang if you have days
Geography & terrain
The Andaman group — over 500 islands — runs 700 km along the Andaman Sea, with Port Blair on South Andaman as the hub. Coral-fringed coasts, limestone caves and mangrove creeks define the terrain; Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil (Shaheed Dweep) are the ferry-close favourites.
History & culture
The islands were colonised by the British in 1858 specifically to build the Cellular Jail — India's most infamous colonial prison, where freedom fighters including Veer Savarkar were held. The Japanese occupied the islands in WWII, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Azad Hind flag was raised here in 1943.
Where to stay
Things to do
- Cellular Jail light & sound show₹500 · evening showBook
- Radhanagar + Elephant Beach day trip₹2,500 · full day incl. ferryBook
Fees & timings
- Cellular Jail entry (Indians)
- ₹30
- Cellular Jail entry (foreigners)
- ₹100
- Entry total
- ₹130
Eat & drink
- Fresh catch grills
- Coconut curries
- Seafood platters
Getting there
- Fly
- Delhi → Port Blair 4–5 h (direct or via Kolkata)
- By car
- None — you fly
Budget snapshot
- Total
- ₹22k–50k (6 days)
Practical info
- Connectivity: Good in Port Blair, patchy on the islands
Practical tips
- Book the Port Blair–Havelock ferry online the minute your flight is fixed
- Weekend trips work best on long weekends — add a day if you can
- Carry reef-safe sunscreen; the corals are the whole point
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for the Andamans?
An e-entry permit is granted on arrival for most islands; a handful (incl. parts of Nicobar) need special permits.
Which beach is best on Havelock?
Radhanagar for the classic sweep of sand; Elephant Beach for snorkelling; Kalapathar for solitude.
How many days are enough?
Five full days covers Port Blair + Havelock + Neil. Add two more for Baratang or a dive certification.
The plane drops out of cloud into a sea of impossible blue, and the islands appear like green crumbs on a sapphire table. Port Blair is a friendly, unhurried town of sea views and coconut stalls, but the Cellular Jail at night is a sobering weight — the cells, the darkness, the names. Then the ferry to Swaraj Dweep: wind in your hair, islands sliding past, and suddenly the famous beach, soft and white and almost empty. The water is bath-warm and clear, and snorkelling over the coral is like flying over a garden in colour. The ferry back is salt and sunset, the sea turning to gold. It is the most exotic weekend an Indian can have without a passport — and it never feels like only a weekend.
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