Baratang Island at a glance
Baratang is known for its limestone caves, a mud volcano and Parrot Island. It lies about 100 to 110 km north of Port Blair, and the road leg alone takes 3 to 4 hours one way. That is why a trip here is a full day. If you would rather not arrange the transport yourself, look at the Andaman island tours that include Baratang.
The route follows the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve. You cross the Middle Strait on a vehicle ferry, take a boat through the mangroves and need a Forest Department permit for the limestone caves.
How the Baratang trip works
The order of the day, from the capital to the caves.
The road north
The Andaman Trunk Road leaves Port Blair for the north. The 3 to 4 hours describe the drive. Add time for the convoy check and the ferry queue, and start early.
The Jirkatang convoy
Vehicles cross the reserve in an escorted convoy, with a document check at the start. Departures are at about 06:00, 09:00, 12:00 and 15:00. Confirm the times with your driver or the local office, and carry your passport or ID.
The vehicle ferry
A vehicle ferry crosses the Middle Strait to Nilambur and Baratang. Your car or bus drives aboard, and the queue for a sailing adds to the day.
The mangrove boat ride
A boat ride through the mangroves is part of the trip. The boat leaves from Baratang Jetty.
The Forest permit
Every visitor to the Limestone Cave needs a Forest Department permit. You get it at Baratang Jetty before the boat leaves. Ask for the current fees for the permit, the boat and the vehicle ferry.
Our pick: Baratang day trip
A day trip to the mud volcano and the limestone caves.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Baratang tours from Port Blair
Day trips to Baratang and other island excursions, with live prices and availability.
Limestone caves in Baratang
The limestone caves are the main stop, with stone formations on the cave walls. The permit is required for every visitor, so treat it as part of the plan and not as an extra. You collect it at Baratang Jetty before the boat leaves.
Opening hours and closing days for the caves are not fixed, so ask at the jetty on the day. The road, the convoy and the vehicle ferry described above are the way to plan the day, and fees for the permit, the boat and the ferry change, so ask for the current amounts.
Mud volcano and Parrot Island
The mud volcano is a separate stop. It is a vent of mud, not a lava volcano like Barren Island, and it shows as a small cone with dried, cracked ground around it. A wooden fence runs in front of it.
Parrot Island is another stop near Baratang. Confirm locally what is offered on your day before you plan an evening there, and keep your return convoy in mind.
The Jarawa Tribal Reserve and the road
The Jarawa are one of several distinct Indigenous peoples of the islands, and the land they live on is a protected Tribal Reserve. The Andaman Trunk Road passes through it, and the escorted convoy is how the road is used.
The rules for the stretch are strict. Do not stop. Do not take photos or video. Do not try to make contact. Under the 1956 regulation for protected peoples, visits to a reserve to meet or photograph people are forbidden. A buffer zone reaches 5 km landward and 1 km seaward of the reserve, where commercial and tourist activity is banned. Driving through is not a visit to the people, and nothing about this trip should be planned around seeing them.
More on the peoples of the islands is on the history page, and the permits that apply to the islands are on the permits page.
Before you go
A short checklist for the day.
Start early
The earliest outbound convoy leaves at about 06:00. Reaching it means an early start from town, so settle the plan with your driver the day before.
Carry your documents
The convoy has a document check. Keep your passport or ID within reach, not in the luggage compartment.
Ask about the return
Ask at Baratang about the return convoy times on the same day, and avoid tight connections such as an evening ferry or flight the same night.
Weather
The rainy months run from May, see the weather and best time to visit page for monthly rainfall.
Plan the rest of your trip
Pages that connect to Baratang.
Baratang: frequently asked questions
How far is Baratang from Port Blair?
About 100 to 110 km by road, with 3 to 4 hours of driving one way. Add the convoy check and the ferry queue.
Do I need a permit for the Baratang caves?
Yes. Every visitor needs a Forest Department permit, sold at Baratang Jetty before the boat leaves. Ask for the current fee there.
When does the Jirkatang convoy leave?
Departures are at about 06:00, 09:00, 12:00 and 15:00, with a document check. Confirm the times with your driver or the local office before you go.
Can I see the Jarawa from the road?
Do not plan around it. The road is a protected route through a reserve, and stopping, photos, video and contact are forbidden.
Is the mud volcano a real volcano?
It is a vent of mud, not a lava volcano like Barren Island.
Is Baratang a day trip from Port Blair?
Yes, but it is a full day: 3 to 4 hours of road each way, plus the convoy check, the vehicle ferry and the boat. Start early and settle the return convoy before you leave.