In case people are looking forward to spend their leisurely hours away from the bustling cities then Andaman and Nicobar islands will be perfect for them. This group of island is comfortable settled in the middle of the ocean. On one had lies the Bay of Bengal and on the other hand is the Indian Ocean. Several big and small islands have given way to Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Owing to its topography the leisure tourism in Andaman and Nicobar islands will be perfect for holidayers.
First stop from Port Blair is generally Viper Island, named after a 19th century merchant vessel that ran aground on it during the early years of the colony. Lying a short way off Haddo Wharf, it served as an isolation zone for the main prison, where escapees and convicts were sent to be punished. Whipping posts and crumbling walls, reached from the jetty via a winding brick path, remain, as relics of a torture area, while occupying the site`s most prominent position are the original gallows.
There are colonial remains on Ross Island too. Originally cleared by convicts wearing iron fetters (most of them sent here in the wake of the 1857 Mutiny, or First War of Independence), Ross witnessed some of the most brutal excesses of British colonial history and was the source of the prison`s infamy as Kalapani, or Black Water. Of the many convicts transported here, distinguished by their branded foreheads, the majority perished from disease or torture before the clearance of the island was completed in 1860. Thereafter, it served briefly as the site of Rev. Henry Corbyns "Andaman Home" - a prison camp created with the intention of "civilizing" the local tribes people.
Later it became the headquarters of the revamped penal colony, complete with theatre hall, tennis courts, swimming pool, hospitals and grand residential bungalows. Dubbed as "the Paris of the East", the settlement typified the stiff-upper-lipped spirit of the Raj at its most cruel. While the buna and memsahibs dressed for dinner and sang hymns in church, convicts languished in the most appalling conditions only a kilometer away. In the end, the entry of the Japanese into World War II, hot on the heels of a massive earthquake in 1941, forced the British to evacuate, and in the coming years most of the buildings were dismantled by the new overlords, who themselves founded a POW camp here.
Little more than the hilltop Anglican church has survived the onslaught of tropical creepers and vines and the island makes a peaceful break from Port Blair. To get here jump on one of the regular launches from Phoenix Jetty.
The best beach within easy reach of the capital lies 6 km southeast at Corbyn`s Cove, a small arc of smooth white sand backed by a swaying curtain of palms.
For more isolation, the travelers can rent a moped or take a taxi and move 30 km south to Chiriya Tapu ("Bird Island"). It is located at the tip of South Andaman. The motorable track running beyond this small fishing village leads through thick jungle overhung with twisting creepers to a large bay where swamps give way to shell-strewn beaches. The beach, usually, offers plenty of peace and quiet, forest walks on the woodcutters` trails winding inland from it and easy access to an inshore reef.
Tiny, triangular-shaped Neill is the most southerly inhabited island of Ritchie`s Archipelago. It is barely two hours northeast of Port Blair on a fast ferry. The source of much of the capital`s fresh fruit and vegetables, its fertile centre, ringed by a curtain of stately tropical trees, comprises vivid patches of green paddy dotted with small farmsteads and banana plantations. The beaches are worth a day or two en route to or from Havelock. Boats leave Port Blair daily for Neill, all services connecting with Havelock and some with Rangat.
Neill boasts of 3 beaches. The best place to swim is Neill Kendra. It is a gently curving bay of white sand which straddles the jetty and is scattered with picturesque wooden fishing boats. This blends into Lakshmangar as it continues for 3 km north. Wrapped around the headland, the beach is a broad spur of white shell sand, with shallow water offering good snorkeling. Exposed to the open sea and thus prone to higher tides, Sitapur beach, 6 km south at the tip of the island, is also appealing and has the advantage of a sandy bottom extending into the sea. The ride there by hourly bus or bicycle across Neill`s central paddy land is pleasant.
Ferries to and from Port Blair dock at Rangat Bay, 8 km east; some stop at Havelock Island and Long Island. And there are also two daily launches to Long Island from nearby Yeratta.
Another island that is worth visiting is Mayabunder. It is only 70 km further north by road, perched on a long promontory right at the top of the island and surrounded by mangrove swamps. Mayabunder is the springboard for the remote northern Andaman Islands. It is home to a large minority of former Burmese Karen tribal people who were originally brought here as cheap logging labour by the British. At the brow of the hill a small hexagonal wooden structure houses the forest museum. It holds a motley collection of turtle shells, snakes in formaldehyde, dead coral and a crocodile skull.
Shrouded in dense jungle in North Andaman is the least populated of the region`s large islands and crossed by a single road linking its scattered Bengali settlements. Although parts have been seriously logged, the total absence of motorable roads into northern and western areas has ensured blanket protection for a vast stretch of convoluted coastline, running from Austin Strait in the southeast to the northern tip, Cape Price.
Through a narrowing mangrove lined estuary from Mayabunder one can reach Kalighat. This tourist destination is a more relaxed point of entry. A cluttered little bazaar unfolds from the top of the slipway, hemmed in by dense mangrove swamps. From here Diglipur us accessible by bus.
The one worthwhile place to visit in this area is Ramnagar, 10km northeast of the town. Here one will come across a beautiful sandy beach backed by unspoilt forest where camping is feasible. Cycles can be rented from one of the stalls in Kalighat as the beach is 2km outside Ramnagar bazaar.
Known in the British era as Port Cornwallis, Diglipur, North Andaman`s largest settlement. Preferably if one heads 9 km on to Arial Bay there stands on a hillock overlooking the settlement`s tiny bazaar. It is the best place to while away time with a snack or beer while waiting for a boat.
From here a further 9 km will lead to Kalipur. It is served by several daily buses. There is an excellent deserted beach, backed by lush forest and covered in photogenic driftwood. Swimming is best at high tide because the water recedes across rocky mud pools.
Many tourists who find their way up here do so in order to explore the various islands dotted around the gulf north of Arial Bay, particularly Smith and Ross whose white sandbars, coral reefs and flora are splendid. Neither island is officially listed on the arrival permit, but day-trips can be sanctioned at the Forestry Department in Aria! Bay after paying a small price.
Other islands here include Cinque. This actually comprises two islets that are joined by a spectacular sand isthmus with shallow water cither side that covers it completely at high tide. The main incentive to come here is the superb diving and snorkeling around the reefs. Although there are no ferries to Cinque, it is possible to arrange dinghies from Chiriya Tapu village on the mainland.
In Delampur lies the Samudrika Naval Maritime Museum. It is open to visitors from Tuesdays through Sundays from 8.30am till noon and again from 2pm to 5pm. It is an excellent primer if one is heading off to more remote islands with a superlative shell collection and informative displays on various aspects of local marine biology. One of the exhibits features a cross-section of the different corals one can expect to see on the Andamans` reefs, followed by a rundown of the various threats these fragile organisms face, from mangrove depletion and parasitic starfish to clumsy snorkelers.
