The Andaman Islands are an archipelago of around 300 islands located in the Bay of Bengal between India (west) and Myanmar. These islands are renowned for their white sand beaches, mangroves and tropical rainforests. Port Blair is the archipelago’s capital and it’s located on South Andaman Island, the gateway to the neighbouring islands.
The best time to visit the Andaman Islands is January to April when it’s relatively dry which means great visibility for diving in the archipelago’s seas. Monsoon season is usually during May to December but this means that the forests will be particularly lush. Important times to note include January where there’s the 10-day Island tourism festival which is held on various islands and features dance performances and concerts. There is also a beach festival held for three days in April, a music/monsoon festival for three days in August, a food festival for four days in September and a film festival for three days in november where they screen classic Indian films in Port Blair.
This archipelago is home to one of the last remaining tribes of people who do not have any contact with modern civilisation and most of the isles are still uninhibited. Additionally, in some areas, there are more feral elephants compared to humans.
Taj exotica Resort & Spa
In stark contrast with the lush greenery and fauna that the Andaman Islands are known for, is the ultra-luxury resort, taj Exotica, which boasts 50 modern luxury villas built without cutting down any trees. If you want to splurge on a luxury beach holiday, do consider the taj Exotica resort & spa because they combine luxury without sacrificing the environment. The Taj is committed to conservation and sustainable luxury with their own biogas facility, water bottling plant, a reservoir for rain water harvesting and is partially solar powered.
For travel groups with children, there are fun activities such as picking mud apples, mangoes and more at their orchards or jungle treks and beach picnics to soak in the beauty of nature. Not to worry because for the adults, there are amazingly luxurious beauty and wellness treatments, game fishing, night kayaking and also scuba diving and snorkelling.
Box: Address: Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans, Radhanagar Beach Number 7, Andamans 744211, India.
Beautiful Beaches
Speaking of the Taj Exotica, it is located at Beach no. 7 or radhanagar Beach! The main public path that leads to this beautiful beach is overgrown with coconut and mahua trees which obscures the view but do persevere to discover one of the most beautiful beaches in Asia. Charge your cameras and smartphones because every picture you take here will look like a postcard with the lush green canopy as a backdrop to the gleaming white sands.
Scuba diving
The Andaman Islands are especially popular with divers due to its untouched waters with clear turquoise blue waters, beautiful coral reefs and graceful manta rays. Havelock Island or neil Island are especially popular for scuba diving but there’s also the option of going to less visited areas such as Barren Island. Diving season here usually starts in october or november and goes on until May. Highlights of the diving sites include Dixon’s pinnacle and the manta ray cleaning stations around Barren Island.
As with any island holiday, important things to note are timing due to the monsoon season which will affect scuba diving and snorkelling trips. Additionally, do check with a general practitioner for any vaccinations you need to have before visiting India.
Sidebox: Be a responsible tourist by:
- Checking for visa requirements and ensuring you have all the necessary permits to enter the islands.
- Not entering restricted or tribal areas around the islands.
- Keep the islands clean by disposing of your garbage and plastics properly.
References: Bloomberg; Lonely Planet; Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans.
