Sample itineraries for the Andaman Islands
The Andamans reward a trip of about five to six days, built around a Port Blair arrival and one or two island-hops, with a little slack for weather. Because ferries can be delayed or cancelled, never plan a tight island-to-airport turnaround on your final day — sleep in Port Blair the night before you fly out. Below are three shapes of trip.
Four days (the essentials, brisk). Enough for the historical core and one beach island, but with little margin for weather.
- Day 1 — Port Blair. Arrive, settle in, and visit the Cellular Jail in the afternoon; stay for the evening Light and Sound show. If time allows, add Corbyn's Cove.
- Day 2 — Ross Island + North Bay. A harbour boat trip to Ross Island for the ruins and to North Bay for snorkelling or a glass-bottom boat, then the afternoon ferry to Havelock (Swaraj Dweep); overnight there.
- Day 3 — Havelock. Radhanagar Beach in the morning, Elephant Beach or a scuba/snorkel session in the afternoon. Sunset at Radhanagar. Overnight Havelock.
- Day 4 — return. Morning ferry back to Port Blair; last museum or market stop; depart. (Keep the flight for late in the day, and have a fallback if the ferry slips.)
Five to six days (the comfortable version). The recommended pace — adds Neil Island and takes the rush out.
- Day 1 — Port Blair: Cellular Jail and the Light and Sound show; Corbyn's Cove.
- Day 2 — Ross Island and North Bay, or Chidiya Tapu for sunset and birds. Overnight Port Blair.
- Day 3 — ferry to Havelock (Swaraj Dweep): Radhanagar Beach and sunset. Overnight Havelock.
- Day 4 — Havelock: Elephant Beach and a diving or snorkelling day. Overnight Havelock.
- Day 5 — ferry to Neil (Shaheed Dweep): Bharatpur, Laxmanpur and the Natural Bridge; slow island evening. Overnight Neil.
- Day 6 — return to Port Blair by ferry; final sights or shopping; overnight in Port Blair before flying out the next morning.
Six to eight days (diving or deep-explorer version). Follow the five-to-six-day plan and use the extra days either to complete a scuba certification course on Havelock (typically three to four days), or to add the long Baratang day-trip (limestone caves and mud volcano) and a day at the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park (Jolly Buoy or Red Skin from Wandoor). This slower pace lets you dive multiple sites, absorb the history properly, and ride out any weather day without wrecking the plan.
Whatever the length, keep the layout simple — base in Port Blair, then move outward to Havelock and Neil in one direction rather than criss-crossing — and always leave the final night on the island closest to the airport.