If untouched stretches of white sand beaches, gigantic forests that look straight out of Jurassic era and exquisite marine life is your thing, then Andaman might be the destination for you! Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of 572 islands in the waters of Bay of Bengal closer to Thailand than to Indian mainland. The islands are at a distance of approximately 1200kms from mainland. Blessed with immense natural beauty, friendly people and relatively low cost of travel makes Andaman a backpackers’ paradise! Of the 572 islands, only about 38 are inhabited and out of them very few are accessible in Andaman while Nicobar is completely out of bounds for everyone other than locals of Nicobar and govt. servants posted in these islands.

This list doesn't cover all the islands, for instance there is no mention of Havelock here. Most of the information is available online but for remote islands and logistics for backpacking. This post covers those aspects.

Complete Itinerary : Andaman, India
2 Weeks in Andaman - Photos of Tropical Paradise

Let’s get to the details then

1. Port Blair

The largest town in Andaman, this would be the entry point to the islands. Apart from few museums, water sport complex, cellular jail etc there isn’t really a beach here. All the ferries would leave early in the morning so if you get here by afternoon, you need to spend the night in Port Blair and head for the other islands the next morning.

Coorg Niwas Home Stay

H. No. 106/1 J.N. Road | Opp. Delanipur Petrol Pump, Port Blair 744102, India

This is a clean, simple homestay close to the jetty and the harbor. The market is a bit further away and there isn’t much to see close by but if you are in Port Blair just for the night, makes for a good place to stay. Room costs INR 1000 and above.

The lesser known island compared to Havelock, Neil is a 2 hour ferry ride away from Port Blair. Neil is a place that still has retained the charms of an unspoilt island yet manages to give enough comfort for the traveler. Explore the fields, the rock bridge, Sitapur Beach, Ramnagar Beach and Bharatpur beach. 

Getting there and getting out:

The speed boat (something between a ship and a boat) leaves from Pheonix Bay jetty every morning at 6.30am. During the peak season, book your ticket in advance as the same jetty goes to Neil, then Haelock, proceed to State Island and Long Island. There is no ticket counter at Neil, to get out, board the ferry in the morning and take the ticket once aboard.
Ship Ticket price from Port Blair to Neil - INR 195

Bikes can be hired for as little as 250 INR a day to ride around the island. 

For those who wish to snorkel with assistance, Niel has options at Bharatpur Beach for about 300INR. 

Boating and Fishing can be done too, ask at the resort.

Tango Beach Resort, Laxmanpur

Phone No - +91 9434270454 / +91-9474212842

A lovely beach front resort, Tango is a perfect place to relax. The beach is just a minute away from the bamboo huts and the sunset point, the southernmost point of the island is just about 20 mins walk from the resort. Bamboo huts are available for 1000INR and cottages are available at a higher price. I would say this is the best property on the island so far.

Far away from the tourist crowd, Long Island is as remote as an island can get. Apart from two tempos for carrying goods and 5-6 motorbikes, there are no other vehicles. You have to walk around the island through narrow roads and forest paths. It has no tourist infrastructure and visit this island only if you want to experience life in a remote island, dense forests and one good beach. Lallaji Bay is a beautiful unspoilt beach on the other end of the island and you could either walk through the jungle or by the beach for 2-3 hours or hire a boat to get there. Chances are high that you could be the only tourist on the island.
Ship Ticket price to Long Island - INR 195

Getting there and getting out:

I boarded the ferry at about 8 in the morning and reached by 1 pm. It takes a long 4-5 hour ferry ride from Neil, Havelock and Port Blair to Long Island only on every Monday, Wednesday, Friday (not from Neil) and Saturday. The boat to Port Blair leaves on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Every morning a ferry leaves to Errata Jetty, if you wish to proceed towards North Andaman, to Mayabunder or Diglipur.

Blue Planet does offer snorkeling, boating trips and Scuba diving at Long Island and nearby uninhabited islands too, but you might have to pay more because it will be organized exclusively for you, unless you find more travelers to form a group.

Where did I stay?

Blue Planet Resort

Phone No - +913192215923 / +919474212180

Don’t be fooled by the word resort, Blue Planet is an eco friendly property built around a tree using bamboo the traditional way. The rooms are very basic and separated by bamboo walls, even the flooring is bamboo. Book in advance during peak season as this place is famous with foreigners for its remoteness and Blue Planet is the only accommodation available here apart from forest resthouse. Rooms are available at 1000 INR which can be reserved online and 350INR which are for people who drop by without reservations. 

Kalipur, is a small village 25kms from the largest town in North Andaman, Diglipur. Come here if you want to trek to Saddle Peak(732m) , the highest peak in Andaman, watch the turtle nesting, experience unhurried village life, visiting Ross, Smith and Interview Islands. Again, this place doesn’t feature high on the tourist grid owing to the taxing journey to reach here, but it is a nice place to explore for those willing to take the journey.

From Long Island, ferry reaches Eratta Jetty. Buses/autos ply from Errata to Rangat, 30 mins journey. From Rangat, you can get buses to Diglipur. Kalipur is 25kms away from Diglipur, buses ply every 30 minutes and drops you right in front of the resort. 

From Port Blair, buses ply every day to Diglipur. No overnight buses are available as the Andaman Trunk Road passes through the Jarawa Reserve. 

To get out of Diglipur, there are buses which ply everyday no later than 7.30am and overnight ferry service also exists few times a week. The road journey takes about 12 hours.

Ship Ticket price from Long Island to Erratta - INR 40 (I think)
Bus ticket from Erratta to Rangat - INR 9
Bus Ticket from Rangat to Diglipur - INR 200 (approx)
Auto from Diglipur to Kalipur - INR 250

Bus ticket from Diglipur to Port Blair - INR 300 (approx)

Snorkeling, Scuba diving, trekking guide to Saddle Peak, fishing, guided night walks to witness Turtle Nesting

Andaman Pristine Resorts, Kalipur

Phone no - +913192272532 / +913192272532 / +919474286787

Run by the very friendly folks of Alex and his family, Andaman Pristine Resorts is located right by the beach in Kalipur and has all deluxe cottages and comfortable bamboo huts. The cottages can be booked before hand, the bamboo huts ranging from 1000INR, 600INR and 300INR can be availed after landing at the resort. 

If unexplored islands, really long stretches of beaches, pristine unspoilt beauty, breathtaking blues of the ocean, waterfalls and lagoons are your thing, then look no further than Little Andaman. There is practically no tourist infrastructure and very few make it this far but it is completely worth the effort. Devastated in the 2004 Tsunami, the island has returned back to normalcy and hides some of the most spectacular scenery in all of Andaman. This is a huge island, with a lot of people residing here. It even has two SBI atms and airtel, bsnl work like a charm. It is far but in no way undeveloped.  This place is still famous for the swell and lot of foreigners visit here with the intent of riding the waves. Beware of crocodiles in several of the creeks joining the sea. The jetty is located in Hutbay.

Samsun, a cruseliner leaves from Haddo Wharf in Port Blair everyday at 7am. Tickets have to be booked earlier because locals do travel a lot to and from Port Blair to Hutbay. Another ship Campbell Bay runs between Hutbay and Port Blair, starting in the afternoon at 2pm which doubles up as a sunset cruise too. It takes about 5-6 hours. Speed boats are available too. Ships get cancelled frequently, so do plan on leaving two days before from Hutbay to avoid missing your flight from Port Blair.
Ship ticket - INR 260, cheaper for smaller boats

Bikes can be hired for about 250INR a day, thanks to the foreigners who have made it here much before us.

Muthu, a local rents surfboards and teaches surfing at times. 

Share autos to travel in the island. 

Sea and Sand Hotel, 1km from Hutbay Jetty.

Blue View Resort, 8kms from the Jetty. Phone No - +91 9734480840

Sea and Sand Hotel is a very simple and basic lodge mostly for locals who visit on business. Room rates start from 300INR upto 700INR. Very close to the jetty but far from Butler Bay beach and Kala Pathar Lagoon.

Blue View Resort is nothing more than few shacks and a common toilet for all built across the road near the beach. Room rates are at 300INR and 500INR. Right across the

General Details

Most of us might have conjured up images of aborigines with spears and arrows inhabiting the remote islands but the reality is far from that. Sad truth is the aborigines have been pushed to the very far corners and migrants from mainland are the ones living in most of the Andaman Islands currently. There is large number of Bengali, Tamil and Telugu population living here. 

Can I meet the tribes?

It is fortunate for the tribes and unfortunate for the tourist, but as of now no one can visit the tribes. They tribal areas are off limits and human safaris illegal. So if anyone tries to sell you such a trip, decline. 

What language do the people speak?

Hindi is spoken and understood largely, in the remote areas, one of Bengali, Tamil or Telugu languages will work. English will work with some difficulty in most of the islands where tourists are allowed. 

Can I use my hammock instead of staying in resorts?

I haven’t tried it but I have heard that for a very nominal amount such as 60 -100INR, resorts will let you sleep in your hammock within the resort property and let you use the restrooms. If that is true, 

Can I visit Nicobar?

Unfortunately no! Nicobar still being inhabited only by tribes, entry is restricted. However, entry to Nicobar can be obtained by applying for a tribal pass with valid reasons. But the tribes are not weapons yielding naked hunters or something like that, they are developed.

Can I camp on the beach?
Officially it is not allowed unless the registered hotel or resort arranges for camping with permission.

Useful Links
http://www.go2andaman.com/
http://www.and.nic.in/transport/index.php
http://www.and.nic.in/tourism/howtoreach.php

Long Island:

**UPDATE**
Answered few more new questions. Check them out in the new section

So turns out in the last post I missed out few questions because of some goof up in email forwarding. Here are the answers to more questions. 

For the uninitiated, few weeks ago I asked my readers to Ask me Anything and I would answer.

**NEW Questions**

Vamsi Krishna asks
Why don't you share your photos?
Well, this is one question many have asked me and many have been wondering for a long time too. In the beginning I didn't think my photos were good enough to be shared. Then I figured they were fine but trip after trip was keeping me busy enough not to find time for processing the pictures at all. And this continues to happen till date. I find little time to work on pictures and so it takes forever for me to publish them. But to be honest, at the back of my mind I also feel like my best work should only be seen when published elsewhere. I also understand that art of any kind flourishes when allowed to be seen freely, which is what I try to do these days. Publish few, but good photos. I am not there yet, but I am trying to get there! I do have a photography website where I upload my work regularly, but for some reason I haven't been able to get myself to share it. But I think about time, you can follow my latest work here - neelimav.photoshelter.com

I do not come from a school of thought where I think all the images from a trip should be released. I like to showcase only the best from a collection even if that means very few, but I will make sure these are the very best ones. So you can never expect an entire picasa or flickr album from me! :)

Adarsh J Raju asks
How are you managing these leaves so often!
Most of it is explained here - How in the hell do I manage to get so many leaves?
But beyond that I can only say sometimes I do tend to get lucky! For instance the latest Nagaland trip happened because Monday and Tuesday were public holidays and Wednesday and Thursday were optional. I saved up these optional leaves since the beginning of the year and took all four at once in November for Diwali, Balipadyami and Moharram all together giving me 6 days of leave in a row. Come to think of it, it all comes to down to planning in the end and maybe a little luck! ;)

Thennarasu asks

When do get to see your travel videos like the ones in your previous post - 7 Travel Videos : Inspiration From Around The World?
While I am big fan of such awesome travel videos, I have to admit I am not any good at it at the moment. And it is going to take considerable effort from my side to come up with something like that. Given the fact that I am currently occupied with traveling, blogging, photography and writing, I do not think I should take on any new interests right now. I am barely managing to keep up with these things. So the answer is, not in the near future, the thought stays though.

Vinay asks
How much of editing goes into your photos and what tools do you use?
I am a strong advocate of editing and processing pictures to get the best out of the images. I predominantly work with adjustments in Shadows/Highlights and and I am a big fan of burning and dodging. Also I do like colors to pop considering I shoot landscapes the most. So I have changed the contrast/sharpness/saturation settings drastically in my camera to produce high contrast high saturation images straight out of the camera.

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Vijay Kulkarni asks 

How do you manage the work and photography ? Right now I work for xyz(name changed) and don't find time to go around.

Here's how - How in the hell do I manage to get so many leaves?

Beyond this, I can only say if you really want to do something, you will find a way, else you will find an excuse. For instance leaving for a trek on a Friday night and coming back to office on Monday leaves one with no spare time but that is a price most weekend travelers are willing to pay in exchange for some brilliant travel moments. You have to work with what you have got!

Do you plan to arrange a basic photography session in Bangalore ?

At this point, no. If I ever do that, I will announce it here.

Where should I start with photography ? Any recommendations ?

I would say Digital Photography School is a good place to start with. The older articles are especially good to gain an understanding of the technical aspects of photography. I would also suggest looking through images on flickr/500px to gain an understanding of different kinds of photography. In this process you might also realize which genre interests you, such as Landscapes or Night Photography or Macro or Portraits. Then practice and more practice. 

Can I join with you for travel photography sessions ?

I do not conduct any travel photography sessions. Photography is just part of my travels at this point. Like I said, if anything, I would announce here.

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Jinu John asks 

Let's say there is some place which is on top of your wishlist, a place that you have been trying really hard to go to. Finally you do get a chance to visit that place but exactly at the same time some other important engagement comes up such as a friend's/relative's marriage or project delivery. What will you do - stay back or go ahead? 

Hmm, so far I have always chosen travel. :) 

My definition of important engagement and the generally accepted definition doesn't really match. But if I am really needed I will stay back. 

I leave for another trip next week and a very good friend of mine is getting married at the same time which I am missing. So maybe that answers the question.

Girish N asks

What filters does your photography kit usually carry?

Two Cokin Graduated Neutral Density Filter

77mm Hoya Circular Polarizer

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Abhishek Kurasala asks 

What camera and lens do you use ?

Canon EOS 500D and Tokina 11-16mm.

With this, I hope I have answered all the questions that were sent to me. 

Let me know if you liked the Ask me Anything posts. :)

Few days ago I posted here that you could Ask me Anything and I'll answer. As promised here are your answers. Thank you all for participating! :)

Renuka asks “I want to know about your most challenging travel experience in terms of photography.”

I have to say photographing in the outdoors during monsoons was the second toughest, first being taking portraits of strangers, which is why I started The 100 Strangers Project. Coming back to the monsoons, with the incessant rain, cloudy overcast weather, patchy light conditions, setting up the tripod in the rain, trying to protect the camera from getting wet, dealing with the water droplets on the lens, adjusting the graduated ND filter with one hand and holding the umbrella in the other, I had the toughest times in Sikkim. But thankfully all the effort paid off and I learned the camera can take much abuse! ;)

After that trip, I took the decision to photograph in the rains no matter what, because monsoons bring out the best in the nature. Looking at Sikkim and Madikeri pictures, I think I am getting the hang of it.

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Vignesh Krish asks 

Is there any place that you wished you had NOT visited?

Yes, I wished I hadn’t visited Manali in 2008. I had nothing against the place, except that after a bone breaking epic 20hr journey from Leh to Manali, the hawkers who surrounded our vehicle as soon as we reached Manali, refused to leave until we took a room and fought around us was a stark contrast from the peaceful times in Ladakh and that irritated me a lot. Over the next few visits I quite enjoyed Manali though.

Have you encountered any dangers, during your travel? If so, how did you overcome it?

All the dangers that I have managed to survive are now referred to as adventures. ;)

Jokes apart, the one time that a group of us encountered a lone wild elephant while trekking in Western Ghats freaked me out completely. Even cats and dogs scare me, so you can imagine my plight. There wasn’t much that we could do. The elephant was on the hill below us and we had to get down, we stood there looking at each other and wondering what to do. After a while we realized we have to get down somehow, so we walked straight and got down the hill further ahead, away from the elephant. But all the time my heart was racing like a maniac and it didn’t calm down until we reached the village nearby. Only to have another heart attack when the villagers told us quite recently an elephant had turned rogue and was found wandering alone in the ghats!

Ever been to a jungle safari? Or do you have one such plan in your wish book?

Yes, I have been on few safaris in Corbett National Park but I am not a big fan of safaris. I prefer a more intimate way of exploring the place on foot if possible.

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Vipin asks

I know some people travelling full time (after resigning their job). Do you plan to do that sometime in future?

I would love to do that but maybe not immediately.

Which was the most hardcore trek you have ever done?

The first step is the hardest, they say. My first tough trek was the toughest. To trek without a trail, getting lost in the forest known to have gotten people killed, walking in the night in a place full of vipers, crossing waist deep streams after dark, camping in the middle of the forest with nothing but a tarpaulin over my head kept me in a constant state of fear for the two days. But after that experience I learned forests were not as scary as I had imagined. I went on many difficult treks that tested me in many ways but I think that first step in realizing these things can be done and getting past that mental block was the hardest. So I consider my trek to Ombattu Gudda in my early days of trekking as the hardest trek I did.

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Sandeep, Anusha and Pavithra ask “Can I join you on your travels?”

It is practically not possible for me to take people with me on treks, because I don’t organize treks or trips. I do not have a group either. What I do have is a lot of friends and connections through the adventure clubs listed above. I suggest go on treks with these clubs, you will meet enough like minded people. That’s how I got started.

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Anonymous asks

How do you remain safe travelling alone as a woman? I'd love to go all over India and any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Hmm, I do not have a specific answer but in general I’d suggest not to think in terms of what is safe for a woman, just think what is safe and what is not. Keep in touch with someone back home and listen to your gut feeling, most probably your instincts are right. Get out of any situation that worries you and remember that people in general are friendly. I suggest using public transport for both financial and safety reasons. Begin with solo-travel-friendly destinations such as Ladakh or Spiti or Rajasthan and get familiar with the idea of traveling alone. Do your homework before leaving for the destination, coming across as a woman who knows the place already will reduce the risks of being conned. You can also consider joining a group or an organized trip. As you gain more experience and get comfortable traveling alone, you will trust in your capabilities that much more. The internet is full of advice but I believe you can be your best teacher in this case.

What's your favourite place in India so far?

If you would’ve asked me this question 2 years ago, I would have answered Himalayas in the split of a second. But after traveling to all corners of our country I can’t answer this question with one place. I loved all the places that were serene, pristine and beautiful. On second thoughts, I think I would still say Himalayas. :)

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Manu Ponnappa asks

How do you prepare your itinerary when you decide a location? I mean when you finalize a place, how do you find unexplored places over there. I know you use Google (Read in your blog), but how exactly do you search for such places?

I do a lot of reading before I go on any trip. More than mainstream travel articles, local blogs contain information about off beat places. Googling helps in this matter. I don’t click on the well known web addresses. Instead I click on the .blogspot or .wordpress search results. I believe there is one google blog search too. I only book my flight tickets and keep the rest of the itinerary flexible. Once you reach a place, locals can help you plan your itinerary. Ask them, talk to them, they are the best guides around. Like in Rajasthan, I wanted to see ruins of havelis. So I told my guide exactly and specifically what I wanted to see and I also told him I don’t mind going away from the touristy destinations. Knowledgeable that he was, he directed me to some spectacular ruins where very few had gone before. Sometimes not finding any information online about some place suggests that it is offbeat. You may take a chance and find out yourself if it is worth visiting or not. For instance there wasn’t much information available about Little Andaman, so by default very few visit that place. I took a chance and landed there a few weeks ago and it was one of the best places I’ve been to.

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Senthil asks me about my camera gear.

Currently I shoot with a Canon EOS 500D and a Tokina 11-16mm Wide Angle Lens.

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Santhosh Krishnan asks

Is there any place which you are dying to visit in India? If any, what is the reason?

I really want to spend a winter in Spiti. The ease of access and the spectacular beauty of this Himalayan kingdom make Spiti an easy favorite. I have also heard from the locals that Mudh, the last village in Pin Valley National Park is cut off from the rest of the world during winters. The only way out is by walking on the frozen river for 40kms. I want to see how they survive the harsh winters.

Which is your favourite Western Ghats destination and why? (I know whole WG is beautiful, is there any particular fav place?)

As you said, the entire stretch of Western Ghats is enchanting. However, if I have to pick one, I’d say Kodachadri or Narasimha Parvatha, for the sole reason that these places showed me clouds beneath my feet!

Please add more details in your blog as to how to reach, where to stay and other travel tips. It would be helpful for us to plan trips along with some eco - friendly tips and suggestions.

Yes, I want to do this but it has been crazy of late and I am not able to write as much as I would’ve wanted to. I will try to add more help sections, guides and my two cents on eco friendly travel.