CELLULAR JAIL THE CELLULAR JAIL ALSO CALLED AS KALA PANI (HINDI FOR BLACK WATER), WAS A COLONIAL PRISON IN THE ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA. THE PRISON WAS USED BY THE BRITISH ESPECIALLY TO EXILE POLITICAL PRISONERS TO THE REMOTE ARCHIPELAGO. MANY NOTABLE DISSIDENTS SUCH AS BATUKESHWAR DUTT, YOGENDRA SHUKLA AND VINAYAK DAMODAR SAVARKAR, AMONG OTHERS WERE IMPRISONED HERE DURING THE STRUGGLE FOR INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE. TODAY, THE COMPLEX SERVES AS A NATIONAL MEMORIAL MONUMENT. CARBYN’S COVE IT IS SITUATED 7KM SOUTH OF PORT BLAIR, IT IS THE NEAREST BEACH TO THE TOWN. THIS SOFT SANDY BEACH IS FLANKED BY COCONUT PALM AND PLEASANT SEA. YOU COULD JUST LAZE AROUND OR GO FOR WATER SPORTS LIKE SURFING, SCUBA DIVING AND BOATING. TOURISM COMPLEX AT THE BEACH OFFERS THESE ACTIVITIES. HERE'S MORE ON CORBYN'S COVE: " ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS' CORBYN'S COVE TOURISM COMPLEX IS ALSO FAVORABLE FOR SUN BATHING AND SUN BASKING. DO NOT TRY SWIMMING AS THE WATER HAS STRONG CURRENTS. YOU NEED NOT WORRY FOR ACCOMMODATION OR REFRESHMENT FACILITY AS THE BEACH HAS VARIOUS RESTAURANTS LOCATED IN ITS VICINITY. SOME OF THE VERY POPULAR NAMES ARE THE PEERLESS RESORT, HORNBILL NEST GUEST HOUSE AND THE WAVES RESTAURANT.

BARATANG ISLAND (MUD VOLCANO, LIMESTONE CAVE AND TRIBALS) INACCESSIBLE TO MANY TRAVELLERS AND MANY PEOPLE OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS, BARATANG ONCE USED TO BE ONE OF MOST FEARED DESTINATION. ATTACKS BY THE NATIVE JARAWA TRIBES WERE COMMON ALLOWING NOBODY TO PONDER AROUND THEIR PLACE. THE JARAWA TRIBE RESERVE TODAY STANDS AS A RESERVE FOR THE JARAWA TRIBES MEMBERS. EFFORTS WERE MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP THE NATIVE TRIBES AND TO GAIN TRUST. THE BARATANG ISLAND TRIP BRINGS FORWARD THE TROPICAL SIDE OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. DENSE FOREST, TRIBES, MANGROVES, DONGI RIDES, BEACHES, BIRDS, CAVES AND TREKKING. WELL, BARATANG HAS ALL OF THESE TO OFFER. AVAIL A TRIP TO THIS ISLAND AND BECOME A PART OF THE TROPICAL SIDE OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. WELL, MANY TRAVELLERS LOVE TO ADD THE EXPERIENCE OF BARATANG ISLAND IN THERE ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS HONEYMOON PACKAGES OR OTHER TOUR PACKAGES TO ANDAMAN ISLANDS. YOU CAN EITHER AVAIL A SHARED BUS TOUR TO BARANTANG ISLAND OR AVAIL A PERSONAL VEHICLE. DEPENDING UPON YOUR BUDGET AND CONVENIENCE YOU CAN DECIDE WHICH MODE OF TRANSPORT TO CHOOSE WHILE AVAILING BARATANG ISLAND TOUR. PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR SHARED BUS TOUR YOU WILL HAVE TO REPORT AROUND 3 AM IN THE MORNING AT DESIGNATED AREAS IN PORT BLAIR. USUALLY THE PICKUP POINT FOR THE BUS IS AT GOALGHAR, PHOENIX BAY, PHOENIX BAY JETTY, GANDHI STATUS, ABERDEEN BAZAAR CLOCK TOWER, DAIRY FARM, BHATU BASTI AND SIPPIGHAT.

SEE AMKUNJ BEACH, MORICIDERA BEACH

THE MOST FAMOUS SIGHT TO BEHOLD AT NORTH ANDAMAN IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MAJESTIC TWIN ISLANDS OF ROSS AND SMITH CONNECTED BY A THIN FIFTY-METER-LONG SAND BAR. THIS SILKY WHITE SAND BAR DESCENDS INSIDE THE SEA AT TIMES OF HIGH TIDE AND SURFACES UP AGAIN DURING LOW TIDE. THE BAR DIVIDES THE SHALLOW SWIMMING AREA ON ONE SIDE AND SOME AMAZING SNORKELING ON THE OTHER. THE WARM WATERS ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR AND THE UNTAMED VIRGIN BEACHES ARE THE MOST PICTURE PERFECT ONES YOU WILL SEE ON THE ISLANDS. THE BEST PART IS THAT THE BEACH IS SELDOM CROWDED AND MOST OF THE TIME YOU CAN CHERISH THE WHOLE SIGHT BY YOURSELF. TROPICAL FORESTS SURROUND THE BEACH AND THE INNER ISLANDS ARE A PREFERRED PLACE FOR NATURE TRAIL HIKING. SMITH ISLAND HAS LIMITED FACILITIES; SPACIOUS BAMBOO HUTS WITH PLENTY OF SHADE, CHANGING ROOMS AND TOILETS CAN BE FOUND

JOURNEY BACK TO PORT BLAIR

HAVELOCK ISLAND HAVELOCK ISLAND, POPULARLY CALLED AS HAVELOCK, IS THE LARGEST ISLAND AMONG THE ONES THAT COMBINE TO FORM RITCHIE'S ARCHIPELAGO. APPARENTLY, HAVELOCK ISLAND IS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES IN THE UNION TERRITORY OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS WHERE ADMINISTRATION HAS ENCOURAGED THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-TOURISM. RADHANAGAR BEACH RADHANAGAR IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MOST FAMOUS BEACH IN THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. CROWNED AS “ASIA’S BEST BEACH” AND “7TH BEST BEACH IN THE WORLD” BY TIME MAGAZINE, THIS PLACE SEES A LOT OF TOURISTS. IT TRULY IS AN UNFORGETTABLE CURVE OF WHITE SAND WITH PERFECTLY COLOURED BLUE WATERS, ALL LINED BY LUSH FOREST AND PALM TREES. IT IS EASY TO ENJOY THIS POSTCARD PERFECT BEACH – LIE DOWN AND MARVEL AT THE SUNSET, OR GO IN FOR A QUICK SWIM. DUE TO ITS REPUTATION AND POPULARITY ONE WOULD EXPECT CROWDS OF PEOPLE RUSHING TO THE BEACH, BUT THE MOST AMAZINGLY THE RADHANAGAR REMAINS MOSTLY EMPTY COMPARED TO OTHER POPULAR BEACHES OF THE WORLD. IT CAN GET BIT CROWDED STRAIGHT DOWN THE ENTRANCE BUT IF YOU WALK COUPLE OF HUNDRED METERS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT YOU WILL BE ALONE AGAIN KALAPATHAR BEACH KALAPATHAR BEACH IS ONE OF THE POPULAR BEACHES OF HAVELOCK ISLAND. THE BEACH GETS ITS NAME FROM THE SURROUNDING VILLAGE, WHICH IS KALAPATHAR VILLAGE AND THE BLACK ROCKS THAT ADORN THE COASTLINE HERE. THE BEACH IS SMALL BUT THE WAY TO BEACH IS VERY GOOD. THE BEACH IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO SWIM BECAUSE OF THE ROCKS AT THE BEACH. ONE CAN GET THE MESMERIZING VIEWS OF SUNSET AT THIS BEACH. AS THE BEACH IS NOT SO CROWDED, COUPLES CAN ENJOY A ROMANTIC WALK AND FAMILIES CAN SPEND SOME PEACEFUL MOMENTS.

BHARATPUR BEACH IN NEIL BHARATPUR BEACH IS A SERENE, CALM AND WHITE SANDY BEACH. IT IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS CORAL REEF WHICH IS UNDOUBTEDLY BEAUTIFUL IN ANDAMAN. ANOTHER ATTRACTION OF THIS BEACH IS THE BEAUTIFUL LUSH GREEN VEGETATION AND FISHES. THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE IN NEIL ISLAND WHERE WATER SPORTS ARE BEING CONDUCTED. THIS BEACH IS IDEALLY RECOMMENDED FOR YOUNGSTERS BECAUSE OF ACTIVITY OPTIONS. THE BEACH IS POPULAR FOR ACTIVITIES LIKE CORAL WATCHING AND SWIMMING. ONE CAN HIRE GLASS-BOTTOM BOATS FOR VIEWING THE CORALS UNDER WATER. MOST OF THE TOURISTS VISIT THIS BEACH IN THE MORNING HOURS AND DO SNORKELING AS IN THE EVENING THEY GET TO WATCH THE SUNSET AT LAXMANPUR BEACH. THIS VAST SANDY STRETCH AND GENTLY CURVING BAY ALLOWS FOR A PERFECT SWIM. THE WATER IS SO SHALLOW THAT EVEN NON-SWIMMERS CAN TAKE A REFRESHING DIP. WATER SPORTS ACTIVITIES LIKE JET SKI RIDES AND SCUBA DIVING ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE BEACH. THERE ARE ALSO PLENTY OF STALLS SELLING REFRESHMENTS, COCONUTS, SNACKS AND SOME TOURIST SOUVENIRS. VISITORS CAN ALSO FIND TOILETS AND CHANGING ROOMS ON THE BEACH. LAXMANPUR BEACH IN NEIL THE LAXMANPUR BEACH IS CONSIDERED TO BE AS THE SUNSET POINT FOR THE VISITORS. ONCE CLEAN BEACH OF ANDAMAN WITH NICE VIEW OF SUNSET POINT. LAXMANPUR BEACH IS A PICTURESQUE WATERFRONT COVERING AN IMMENSE STRETCH OF AREA OF LAXMANPUR VILLAGE. THE BEACH IS COVERED WITH THE BLANKET OF WHITE SHELLS OVER THE SAND CONTRASTING TO THE BLUE SEA. THE BEACH IS ABOUNDED WITH MANY CORALS AND SEA SHELL, OFTEN COLLECTED BY THE VISITORS AS SOUVENIRS. LAXMANPUR BEACH IS AN IDEAL PLACE FOR MANY OF SUCH ACTIVITIES LIKE SWIMMING AND SUN BATHING. WHITE SHELL SAND WITH SHALLOW WATERS AND DEAD CORALS MAKE IT A PERFECT SPOT FOR SNORKELING AS WELL. THE SERENITY OF THE BEACH OFFERS STUNNING PANORAMIC VIEW ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SUN SETS ON THE HORIZON. THE WIDE BEACHES BECOME A PERFECT EVENING WALK WHERE IN ONE HAND YOU ARE SUITED WITH SUCH ATMOSPHERE AND TRANQUILITY AND ON THE OTHER HAND WITH SUCH DIVINITY OF SUNSET.

SITAPUR BEACH IN NEIL AT THE TIP OF THE ISLAND ABOUT 5KM FROM THE MARKET LIES SITAPUR BEACH OR BEACH NO. 5. ALSO KNOWN AS THE ‘SUNRISE BEACH’ IT IS BEST SITUATED TO ENJOY THE LOVELY SUNRISE EARLY EVERY MORNING. THIS POSTCARD PERFECT SERENE BEACH HAS TWO CURVED BAYS AND CLEAR BLUE WATERS WHICH TEMPT ONE TO GO FOR A SWIM. DUE TO ITS LOCATION, IT IS PRONE TO HIGHER TIDES AND STRONGER CURRENTS, BUT SWIMMING IS POSSIBLE AT ALL TIMES. ALL ALONG THE WHITE STRETCHES OF SOFT SAND THERE IS PLENTY OF SHADE FROM THE PALM TREES. AT LOW TIDE ONE CAN WALK TO THE SECOND BAY AND EXPLORE SMALL CAVES OR JUST ENJOY THE PEACEFULNESS OF SITAPUR BEACH. AS THE BEACH IS NEVER CROWDED THERE ARE NO FACILITIES YET, ONE CAN ONLY BUY FRESH COCONUTS. THERE IS A RESORT WITH A SMALL RESTAURANT 100 METERS AWAY IN CASE YOU RUN OUT OF WATER OR GET HUNGRY. NATURAL BRIDGE IN NEIL THE NATURAL BRIDGE IS A ROCK JUTTING OUT FROM THE MAIN WALL WITH A GIANT HOLE IN IT CREATED BY THE CONTINUOUS LASHING WAVES OVER THE YEARS. THE WALL ALONGSIDE BORE THE BRUNT OF TSUNAMI AND PROTECTED NEIL ISLAND FROM DEVASTATION. IN THE FAR CORNER ANOTHER NATURAL BRIDGE FORMATION IS UNDERWAY. THE BRIDGE IS ALSO KNOWN AS HOWRAH BRIDGE LOCALLY, A NAME GIVEN IN JEST BY THE BENGALI SETTLERS FOR WHOM THE HOWRAH BRIDGE IN KOLKATA WAS THE ULTIMATE MARVEL.

MORNING AFTER BREAKFAST, CHECK OUT FROM THE HOTEL AND LEAVE TO THE PORT BLAIR AIRPORT WITH HAPPY MEMORIES OF YOUR TRIP IN ANDAMAN.