Andaman Holiday

Visited Anadaman during the year end holidays with family. Wanted to share my trip details since I did lot of research.

Travelled 31st December - 5th January 2025

31st December 2024

Took Air India Express flight from BLR->IX (10:50-13:15). It was raining heavily when we reached !!
Took pre-paid taxi to hotel (SeaShell Coral Cove) and took the drivers number. Plan was to visit Cellular Jail and later light & sound 8:50pm show for which tickets can be booked online a week back (https://www.andamantourism.gov.in/etourist/index.php/home/bookMyShow/www.and.nic.in). Because of the rain which cleared up though, just did the show and it was an awesome experience under the starry nights. Must experience the show. Felt the story can be enhanced, too much focus on one person only. Came back to the hotel and felt asleep before the new year itself since we were tired from the journey.

1st January 2025

We called the hotel reception for packing breakfast and they said we should have informed the previous night. They did pack but only for one person. Left for jetty for 8am cruise from PB-HL. Its like airport check-in but very fast. Ensure to reach 1 hour before the departure. There is waiting area with shop to buy food, Makruzz also has food inside.

We had booked the upper deck (Deluxe) and had done the seat selection so we got window seats. They had live music in the lower deck because of the new year and it was great atmosphere on-board. They gave a small cake to every passengers as well. People were dancing to the nice songs sung. Had got contact of local driver from my PB driver and called him on reaching. The drivers have good network and he sent someone else who picked and dropped us to our resort (Silver Sand Beach Resort, Vijay Nagar Beach).

Check-ins for all hotels are 12pm so we had to waste time sitting in the reception area. We had booked Andaman Pearl room from Agoda. After the room allotment, got changed and went to the private beach. Water was not clean (lot of leaves, twigs) as expected.

2nd January 2025

Left for Radhanagar beach in the morning. Visited kala patthar beach as well but not recommended. Radhanagar beach is awesome. We spent entire time till sunset there only and kids did not even want to leave for lunch as well. We had packed some smacks so had that on the beach while watching the sunset. Sunset time sun looks fiery red. Beach is super clean. Booked camera person for 1k but the photos were not good so better just use your mobile phone to take pictures. There is paid locker room and changing rooms as well. At evening, changing rooms are super crowded and lot of mosquitoes as well.

3rd January 2025

Left for jetty for boat to Elephant beach. They take 1000/- per head (small kids are not charged). You can buy tickets for adventure activities before hand as well. We booked sea walk for my wife (I was not allowed because of blood pressure, they ask for medical conditions and don't allow patients with asthma, BP, heart etc). We also booked glass boat which they said is newer version which has magnifying glass.

Boat ride to Elephant beach was awesome. Suggest to wear sunglasses, hats, sunscreen since it was very hot. It was raining in the morning and we did not take our sunglasses and hats.

Elephant beach is like a market with all activities folks sitting in their areas. The boat person will help coordinate which activity you should do. It's crowded so be careful of your young ones. Wife left for sea walk and me and kids went to the beach. Then later we did glass boat. It was nice since they show fishes and corals. Kids love it. Later we did snorkelling as well which was the best experience.

4th January 2025

Left for jetty at 6:15am. Makruzz had preponed the 8pm cruise to portBlair to 7pm. People say you need not reach early but there was huge line for "verification" so ensure to reach early. Reached PB and called the old driver, he sent his friend. Reached hotel and again had to spend time in the reception. Got upgraded room because we complained about the previous breakfast box experience. Had lunch and then driver called to check for the days plan - we wanted to visit Cellular Jail and shopping, he suggested to goto Chiria tapu as well. Went to Cellular Jail (ensure you take the service of guide they charge nominal Rs200). Then went to Chiria Tapu for sunset (it was similar experience like Radhanagar beach so can be skipped). Did shopping at sagarika emporium and came back to hotel.

5th January 2025

Checked out of hotel for 1:50pm flight to BLR. Flight was delayed by an hour though.

Overall it was a wonderful trip. Radhanagar and elephant beach are must visits. We are vegetarians but did not have any major issue with food. Havelock resort was very nice but food can be improved. Locals are very nice. I know Bengali so conversed with everyone in Bengali but Hindi is also widely spoken.

Tips:

1. Book all tickets (flight, hotels, cruise, cellular jail light and sound) before hand.
2. Makruzz sents the online seat selection sharp 2 days before. Eg if cruise is on 8am, they will send mail two days before at sharp 8am.
3. Tell the hotel reception at the previous night to make "breakfast box" ready.
4. Vodafone worked in PB but only in the market area in Havelock. Must have Airtel/Jio sim for Havelock.
5. Don't go to Radhanagar only for sunset. Spend an entire day there.
6. Ensure todo snorkelling at least in Elephant beach. Most cost efficient (Rs1000/-) and best experience.
7. If you are just couple, you can book scooty in Havelock. But be careful riding it since cars drive very rashly because of the limited number of cars in the island. Also you can avoid eating expensive food in the resort and try cafes.
8. Take bill of your shopping items otherwise airport will not allow. One passenger was trying to take a big piece of coral and was stopped.

Costs:

Flight ticket - Rs97,980/- (used 16237 credit card points so actual cost Rs81,743)
Makruzz - Rs19,200/-
PB Hotel (2N)- Rs15,210/- They forced extra bed charge of Rs5600/- additional as well
Havelock hotel (3N)- Rs42,400/- Extra bed was Rs2500+GST per night so did not opt and adjusted somehow
Food - Havelock Rs13,173 PB- Rs4490/- and Rs3918/-
PB Cab - Rs1400 + Rs3000
Havelock Cab - Rs3000
Radhanagar beach - Rs1000 (photographer)
Elephant beach - Rs3000 (boat) + ~Rs8300 (sea walk and glass bottom) + Rs2000 (snorkelling)

The food cost at Havelock resort was very high even though we had time for only one meal everyday. Since we were with family we had to restrict to the resort only. Couples in scooty can explore outside food. Since we travelled during year end obviously cost was high. Major cost was airline and hotel which can be booked before hand. Will share the phonenumber of drivers in the comment if anyone is interested.

What we did not know was the bio-luminescence "activity" in the early morning. Would have surely planned for it if we had known about it. We intentionally skipped Neil island and beaches in PB since Havelock was enough for us.

Happy to answer any questions.