Top things to see and do in the Andaman Islands
Cellular Jail National Memorial (Port Blair). The emotional and historical heart of any Andaman visit. Built by the British between 1896 and 1906 as a remote penal colony for political prisoners, the Cellular Jail — Kala Pani, the "Black Water" — was designed on a panopticon plan, with seven wings of solitary cells radiating from a central watchtower so that no prisoner could see or speak to another. It originally held nearly 700 individual cells; after an earthquake in 1941 and demolitions during the Second World War, three wings and the central tower survive. Freedom fighters including Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Batukeshwar Dutt were imprisoned here, and the site remembers episodes such as the 1933 hunger strike. Declared a National Memorial in 1979, it is now a museum you can walk through, cell by cell. Give it a couple of unhurried hours, and treat it as the place of reverence it is. Entry carries a modest fee with a small separate camera charge; verify current prices before visiting.
Cellular Jail Light and Sound Show. In the evenings, the jail's central courtyard hosts a moving sound-and-light presentation that narrates the story of the prison and its inmates, projected onto the old walls and the veteran peepal tree at its centre. Shows run in Hindi and English at separate scheduled times; the English show is usually later in the evening. Tickets are sold separately from daytime entry and shows can be cancelled in bad weather, so confirm the current schedule and language timings before you go. It is the single most recommended evening activity in Port Blair.
Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island). A short ferry hop east of Port Blair from Aberdeen Jetty, this small island was the British administrative headquarters of the penal settlement from the mid-19th century until the Second World War — a self-contained colonial town of a Government House, church, hospital, bakery, printing press, swimming pool and ballroom, now dramatically overgrown, with tree roots swallowing the ruins. Spotted deer and peacocks roam freely. Renamed Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island in 2018, it is maintained today by the Indian Navy (INS Jarawa) and has no civilian settlement, so visits are day-trips only. There is an evening light-and-sound presentation here too. Allow two to three hours; verify ferry timings and any entry or camera fees before visiting.
North Bay Island. The go-to spot near Port Blair for snorkelling, glass-bottom-boat rides, sea-walking and introductory scuba diving over accessible coral reefs, usually visited together with Ross Island on a harbour boat trip. Its historic lighthouse is popularly associated with the image on the old Indian ₹20 note. Good for first-timers and families who want reef life without travelling all the way to Havelock. Trips depend on sea conditions.
Corbyn's Cove Beach (Port Blair). The nearest proper beach to the capital, a coconut-palm-fringed curve of sand a short drive from town. It is a convenient sunset and swim stop, with some water sports on offer, and works well as a relaxed half-day close to base rather than a destination in its own right.
Chidiya Tapu (Port Blair). About a half-hour drive south of Port Blair, "Bird Island" is the area's celebrated sunset point and birdwatching spot, with forest trails, mangroves, and a nearby biological park. The viewpoint at Munda Pahad rock is a classic place to watch the sun drop into the Bay of Bengal. Quiet, green and unhurried — a good counterpoint to the town.
Radhanagar Beach (Havelock / Swaraj Dweep — Beach No. 7). The most famous beach in the Andamans and one of the best in India, a broad sweep of powder-white sand and turquoise water backed by forest, named "Best Beach in Asia" by Time in 2004 and later awarded Blue Flag certification. It faces west, so it is the premier sunset beach on Havelock. Swimming is generally good but currents can be strong at times — follow lifeguard flags and local advice. Unmissable.
Elephant Beach (Havelock). Reached by a short boat ride from Havelock's jetty or a jungle trek, Elephant Beach is the island's main hub for snorkelling and easy water sports, with a shallow house reef close to shore. A popular half-day for those who want to see coral and fish without a dive certification.
Scuba diving and snorkelling (Havelock and beyond). Havelock is India's leading scuba-diving base, with internationally certified dive schools running everything from beginners' discovery dives to certification courses and deeper dives at renowned sites for the already-qualified. Warm water, rich coral and abundant marine life make it a superb place to learn or log dives; conditions are best in the calm, clear dry season. Book through established, certification-agency-affiliated operators and confirm safety standards.
Bharatpur, Laxmanpur and the Natural Bridge (Neil / Shaheed Dweep). Neil Island is smaller, greener and slower than Havelock. Bharatpur Beach has shallow, swimmable water good for glass-bottom boats and snorkelling; Laxmanpur Beach is the long, sunset-facing western shore; and at the island's edge sits the Natural Bridge (locally "Howrah Bridge"), a naturally formed coral-and-limestone arch best seen at low tide, when the surrounding reef pools reveal live coral, sea cucumbers and small marine life. Tread carefully on the reef and never stand on or touch coral.
Baratang — limestone caves and mud volcano. A long day-trip north of Port Blair reaches Baratang Island's dramatic limestone caves, approached by a mangrove-creek boat ride, and India's only notable mud volcanoes — low, bubbling mounds of cool mud. The overland route runs on the Andaman Trunk Road through a tribal reserve under a convoy system (see day trips), which fixes the timings and the character of the whole excursion.
Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park — Jolly Buoy and Red Skin (Wandoor). Southwest of Port Blair near Wandoor, this protected marine park spreads across a cluster of islands and reefs. Day visitors go to one of two islands — Jolly Buoy or Red Skin — for pristine coral, snorkelling and glass-bottom boats. To protect the fragile reefs, the two islands are opened on an alternating seasonal basis (only one at a time), and Jolly Buoy in particular is run as a strict plastic-free eco-zone. Entry and boat arrangements are regulated; verify the current open island, timings and fees before visiting.
Museums and the harbour front (Port Blair). Between beaches, Port Blair's museums round out the story: the Samudrika Naval Marine Museum (marine life and island ecology), the Anthropological Museum (the indigenous peoples of the islands, presented respectfully), and the historic Chatham Saw Mill on Chatham Island, one of the oldest and largest in Asia. Each is a modest, air-conditioned hour and a useful primer on what you are seeing out on the water.