Exploring the Andaman and Nicobar Islands!

At the beginning of this year, I visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with my family. These islands are far from the hustle and bustle of mainland India, and are uniquely beautiful. I found the islands among my favourite places in India, and their natural beauty was only rivaled by what I saw in Ladakh. I am grateful that these islands are a part of India!

The Andaman Islands have a rich and intriguing history, with traces of early human settlements dating back thousands of years. The islands served as a penal colony during the British colonial period, and the infamous Cellular Jail in Port Blair, also known as 'Kala Pani,' witnessed the incarceration of many Indian freedom fighters.

Here are some photos/memories from the trip:

Port Blair

We arrived in Port Blair from Chennai and got to see amazing aerial views of the islands, especially North Sentinel Island. For those who don't know, North Sentinel is the only island untouched by the rest of civilization and populated by tribal people.

North Sentinel Island seen from flight

There are a lot of things to check out in Port Blair including historical and natural. We went to the Flag Point, where Netaji Subash Chandra Bose hoisted the Indian flag for the first time on Indian soil. And there is also the cellular jail, where we went to see a documentary related the independence and its relation to the islands.

For nature, there are amazing beaches in Port Blair. We went to Corbyn's Cove Beach in the evening one day and it was great! To see a nice sunset, people recommend going to Chidya Tapu and Wandoor Beach, and I would say they are correct. The sunset was really nice and I think i got some good photos! Ross Island, which is next to Port Blair is also recommended as one of things to check out, for old British architecture and fun adventurous activities. I tried parasailing and it was super fun!

Havelock and Neil Islands

Apart from Port Blair, we also went Havelock and Neil Islands. I think I have never seen better beaches elsewhere in India or maybe in the rest of the world too. They are clean, the water is amazing and the crowd is relatively less by Indian standards. I think when I first went saw the beach next to our hotel in Havelock, I was blindsided by how good the water looked because I had never really seen something like that before.

I also tried scuba diving at Havelock and it was a nice first time experience. It kind of motivated me to go get certified and dive more often.