Nature’s Blessing—Andaman & Nicobar

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are a veritable Garden of Eden and a naturalist’s heaven. A marvelous mix of nature’s most precious delights, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are a once in a lifetime holiday experience. Also, the first rays of the sun kiss its beaches every morning!

by REPORTER@DAYAFTERINDIA.COM

Located in the Indian Ocean, in the southern reaches of the Bay of Bengal, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands with their clean environment,

roads, greenery as well as unpolluted fresh air attract all nature lovers. The tropical rain forests and waters of Bay of Bengal are the home of a vast collection of plant, animal and marine life. The capital of this territory is the Andamanese town of Port Blair.

WHAT TO SEE: Adventure tourism like trekking, Island camping, snorkeling, SCUBA diving etc. and other water sports are the real attractions. Sandy beaches of these islands are famous for turtle nesting. Important species of turtles are also seen here.

CORBYN’S COVE TOURISM COMPLEX: One of the most picturesque sea-beaches, Corbyn is ideal for sea bathing and sun-basking. A number of restaurants, resorts and guest houses provide a kaleidoscopic view of the blue water front. Radhanagar and Vijaynagar Beach in Havelock are real exposures of unpolluted nature for an environment lover. The beautiful Harminder bay beaches are situated at Hut Bay island at a distance of 100 kms from Port Blair and are connected by Inter Islands shipping services.

MONUMENTS: The most celebrated is the Cellular Jail. The British used the islands as an isolated prison for members of the Indian independence movement. The mode of imprisonment was called Kalapani. The Jail, completed in the year 1906 acquired the name, ‘cellular’ because it is entirely made up of individual cells for the solitary confinement of the prisoners. The Jail, now a place of pilgrimage for all freedom loving people, has been declared a National Memorial.

ROSS ISLAND: Ross Island, the erstwhile capital of Port Blair during the British regime, is a tiny island standing as guard to Port Blair harbour. The island presently houses the ruins of old buildings with the historical background, the Island has gained a lot of popularity among the tourists.

PICNIC SPOTS: CHIDIYA TAPU, 25 kms. from Port Blair, is the southern most tip of South Andaman. The lush green mangroves, forest cover with numerous chirping birds and the Sylvan Sands and Munda pahar beaches make it an ideal picnic site.

PLACES OF INTEREST IN NICOBAR: Comprising of 28 Islands, with an area of 1,841 sq.Kms. the Nicobar Islands are separated from Andamans by the Ten Degree Channel.. The Nicobars abound in coconut-palm, casuarina and pandanus. Great and Little Nicobar have the Giant Robber Crab, Monkeys with long tail, Nicobarese Pigeons in plenty. Megapode, a rare bird is found in Great Nicobar. The southernmost tip of India is not Kanyakumari as has till recently been considered, it is Indira Point in Great Nicobar Island. Nicobar group is out of bounds for foreigners at present.

KATCHAL: Katchal is a tiny island in the Nicobar group. It was this island, which heralded the new millennium with the first sunrise on 1st January 2000. This island has beautiful beaches at East bay, Jhula and West bay.

GREAT NICOBAR: The beach near Galathia is the nesting ground for Gaint Leather Back Turtles.

HOW TO REACH: One can reach by sea or air. By sea, services are available to Port Blair from Chennai, Calcutta and Vishakhapatnam and back. There are three to four sailings every month from Calcutta and Chennai to Port Blair and vice-versa. There is one sailing from Vishakhapatnam in a month. The voyage takes about 50 to 60 hours and the ship normally berths at Port Blair for about two to four days.

By Air, Port Blair is connected with Chennai and Calcutta. Presently flights are operated by Alliance Air / Indian Airlines and Jet Airways.