Travelogue - Andaman Isles
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Andaman,
Travelogue
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Andaman is a beautiful place and all the factual details are worth a click.
Now lets get the dope on this place.
Usually the peak season starts with the "Pujo" season of the Bengalis i.e October onwards. From October to January its pretty difficult to get a foothold in the isles with the number of Indian travelers almost equal to the number of foreign souls that come visiting. Since my free time was in July, peak monsoon, I found the half empty Air India Flight quite a pleasant experience. The flights in and out of Andaman are mostly Jetlite and Air India and the journey is about 2 hours. Costs something close to 5 grand for a one way ticket.The accommodations were not really a problem with me as I took to the Army facilities quite well. However, since Tourism is the largest industry on these isles, accommodation is available aplenty with plenty of options with regard to pricing but a decent one is going to cost you about 1 grand a night. The places to visit are numerous but make sure that you have done your homework before setting out.Also, Veer Savarkar airport, the International Airport at Port Blair is 1 of the few airports which allow photography on the runway. This runway is shared by the Army/Naval forces so please be careful of where you point your lens.
The most notable place for Shopping is the Sagarika Emporium which is run by the Government. Fabulous collection and watch out for huge shells that cost upwards of 250 bucks.
The Havelock islands are the crown jewels of Andaman. This island has the Delightful Radhanagar beach...amongst the longest beaches in Asia. It is also a nesting site for Olive Ridley Turtles. The snorkeling opportunities here at the Elephanta beach are not to be missed either. The Steamers leave every morning at 6.30 and tickets get sold out 2 days in advance so make sure you have your travel agent pulling the right strings. The return trips are at 2 and 4 pm respectively. It takes about 3 hours to travel one way and the seas are patchy along the way with huge waves dashing about just for fun.
The triple tour of the Ross/North Bay/Viper Islands are worth a go. Ross Island was the seat of power of the British and the place is a throwback to the days of the rule offering glimpses into their settlement. North Bay is famous for snorkeling and its corals. Viper Islands used to serve as a penal settlement and isn't much of a look around. The steamer leaves at a decent time of around 9.30 and brings you back by 5. These isles also require a permission letter to be issued for the visits.
The limestone caves and the mud volcano will entail a 4 hour trip from Port Blair and also a sneak peek into the Jarawa people...people indigenous to the isles of Andaman. This trip requires a permit and a special permission for return if you are thinking of heading back the same day.
The museums are also quite a look about especially the aquatic repository.
The costs are pretty astronomical in terms of travel. The rent-a-car thing charges about 900/- a day for intra City, i.e. Port Blair travel. The one way steamer charge for Havelock is about 300/- a pop. The vehicle to take you to Radhanagar Beach and then snorkeling has to be hired separately with both costing 1000/- combined. The triplet tour of Ross/Viper/North Bay is also about 400/- one way.
And a Man went there...... :)
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