Places to visit in the Andaman Islands
The places to visit in Andaman are a mix of town sights, island beaches and a few nature spots that need a permit. The tourism department's route links the capital Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram) with Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil (Shaheed Dweep), and its model plan runs for 6 days. A separate multi-day route covers North and Middle Andaman. If you want a ready-made plan, compare the Andaman island tours and packages.
Not every island is open. Tribal reserves are protected areas and not sights, and the Nicobar Islands need a Tribal Pass, with foreign visitors not allowed beyond Hut Bay. The permits page explains what applies to you.
Things to do in Andaman, island by island
What each area offers, with the page that goes deeper.
Port Blair: jail, museums and Corbyn's Cove
The city route takes in the Cellular Jail, Corbyn's Cove, Samudrika, the Anthropological Museum and Chatham Saw Mill. Opening days change, so check on the day.
Port Blair guide →Havelock: Radhanagar, Elephant Beach and Kalapathar
Radhanagar is the beach for sunsets, and the visit is allowed between sunrise and sunset. Elephant Beach is where the organised water activities run. Kalapathar is a beach of its own, and Vijaynagar is another beach on the island.
Havelock guide →Neil: beaches and the Natural Bridge
Bharatpur, Laxmanpur and Sitapur are the beach stops. Sitapur is the beach for sunrise and Laxmanpur for sunset. The Natural Bridge rock arch is reached at low tide, so time the visit by the local tide.
Neil guide →Ross Island and North Bay
Ross Island was the colonial administrative seat and is now a site of ruins. North Bay offers coral viewing and organised water activities, with free entry and a boat crossing of 15 to 20 minutes.
Ross and North Bay guide →Jolly Buoy and the marine park
Jolly Buoy sits in the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park near Wandoor. It needs a permit, runs from mid-November to mid-May and is capped at about 280 visitors a day.
Jolly Buoy guide →Baratang and Diglipur in the north
Baratang has limestone caves and a mud volcano, a full day by road with a convoy and a Forest permit. Diglipur has Ross and Smith Island, Saddle Peak and turtle beaches.
Baratang guide → Diglipur guide →Our picks: dives on Havelock
Two ways to try diving on Havelock, with a guided beginner dive or a short 30-minute session.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. 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.
Havelock try-scuba session
- Scuba equipment
- Photos and video
A 30-minute first dive. Bring a pen drive or data cable if you want to take the photos and video home.
Check availability →
Havelock beginner boat dive, choose your reef
- One-to-one certified instructor
- 30 photos and 3 videos
- Speedboat to the dive site
Gear, shallow-water training and hotel pickup within 5 km are covered. Ask whether the marine park fee is included before you book.
Check availability →Andaman tours and island trips
Island days, ferries, diving and sightseeing across the Andamans, with live prices and availability.
Places compared at a glance
What each stop needs before you go.
| Place | Main draw | Needs | Reached by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Blair | Cellular Jail, museums, Corbyn's Cove | Check daily hours | Flight to IXZ |
| Havelock | Radhanagar, Elephant Beach, Kalapathar | Ferry booking | Ferry, about 90 minutes on fast boats |
| Neil | Bharatpur, Laxmanpur, Natural Bridge | Ferry booking, tide timing | Ferry |
| Ross Island | Colonial ruins | Boat from town | Day boats 08:30 to 14:00 |
| North Bay | Coral, water activities | Free entry, activities extra | Boat, 15 to 20 minutes |
| Jolly Buoy | Marine national park | Permit, season | Boat from Wandoor |
| Baratang | Limestone caves, mud volcano | Forest permit, convoy | Road, 100 to 110 km |
| Diglipur | Ross and Smith, Saddle Peak | Forest permit | Bus on the Andaman Trunk Road |
For most first trips, combine Port Blair, Havelock and Neil, which is also the shape of the department's own route. Add Ross Island and North Bay as short boat days, and keep Baratang and Diglipur for a longer stay.
Water activities: diving, snorkeling and sea walks
Diving areas are Havelock and Neil, with Pilot Reef and Minerva Ledge near Havelock. Radhanagar Beach and Havelock Jetty are excluded from diving. In the marine national park a daily fee applies on top of the dive price, ₹500 for Indian and ₹1,000 for foreign divers (2026), with a prior permit. Read the scuba diving guide before you book.
Snorkeling, sea walks and glass-bottom boats are different activities. North Bay, Elephant Beach, Bharatpur and Jolly Buoy are the places for them. Rough seas can limit boats and visibility, and the snorkeling guide sets out the options.
Places you cannot visit
Some islands are closed on purpose.
North Sentinel Island is closed to everyone. Visits are forbidden and punishable, and no tour goes there. Read the page on North Sentinel Island for the background. The Jarawa Tribal Reserve is also not a sight: the Andaman Trunk Road passes through it in an escorted convoy, and stopping, photos, video and contact are forbidden.
Plan around places that are open and permitted. Permit-only spots such as Jolly Buoy and Ross and Smith Island need the permit before you go. For Jolly Buoy, book the permit and the boat ahead, because the daily number of visitors is limited.
Plan the rest of your trip
Pages that connect the places above.
Port Blair
The capital's sights and the trips that start there.
Radhanagar Beach
Sunset, swimming zones and how to get there.
Neil Island
Beaches and the rock bridge.
Ross Island and North Bay
Ruins and coral by short boat crossings.
Weather and best time to visit
Rain by month and the season for each trip.
Where to stay
Port Blair, Havelock and Neil by area.
Places to visit in Andaman: frequently asked questions
Which places should I visit in the Andaman Islands?
There is no single ranking. The department's route combines Port Blair, Havelock and Neil, and Ross Island, North Bay, Baratang and Diglipur extend it. The table above compares what each needs.
How many days do I need in the Andamans?
The tourism department's model route runs for 6 days across the capital, Havelock and Neil. Adding Baratang or Diglipur takes more time.
Which places in the Andamans need a permit?
Jolly Buoy needs a Forest permit and runs from mid-November to mid-May. The Baratang limestone caves need a Forest permit. Ross and Smith Island needs a Forest permit too. Foreign visitors should also read the rules on the Restricted Area Permit.
Can I visit North Sentinel Island?
No. Visits are forbidden and punishable, and no tour goes there.
Are the Nicobar Islands open to tourists?
No. They need a Tribal Pass, and foreign visitors are not allowed beyond Hut Bay.
Which beaches are on Havelock and Neil?
Havelock has Radhanagar, Elephant Beach, Kalapathar and Vijaynagar. Neil has Bharatpur, Laxmanpur and Sitapur.