Andaman Island Tour Packages

If you are looking for local tour operator for Andaman Island tour packages, you are at the best place. Adventure Andaman is Andaman Island based travel company that brings you wide variety of tour packages to choose from. Whether it is Family tour, Honeymoon tour or LTC tour to Andaman Island, Adventure Andaman is the best choice. We offer best tour packages and other services like car rental, ferry tickets, hotel booking and water sports activities, etc. We are local ad know everything about Andaman and Nicobar Islands and hence can guide you better than anyone, being local we have strong hold on service providers and hence can promise you best services while on tour.

Andaman Islands are one of the best tourism destination in India, these islands have few world class beaches and exotic locations. With greenery all around these islands are best getaway from your daily routine and polluted city environment. These islands also has best coral reefs which are admired by the scuba divers from all around the world. Scuba diving and Seawalking facilities are made available to common people due to the flexible policies of Andaman Tourism Department. In addition to Scuba Diving there are other activities glass bottom boat ride, semi sub marine, snorkelling, etc., to get a glimpse of underwater world of Andaman sea. These islands also has mangrove forest which you can experience while going to Limestone Cave at Baratang Island. The route to the limestone cave passes through dense mangroves which is fascinating to almost everyone.

How to book reasonable and best tour package to Andaman Islands?

If you want to book reasonable and best tour package to Andaman then book it from us because we are one of the best, honest and local tour operator of Andaman Islands. Yes, we can give you better offer than those famous online portals which will show you attractive rates first and when you will start booking they will add their convenience fee and other taxes, which ultimately will increase total cost, don't you agree with this? But our prices will include all taxes and we provide what we promise because we really exist unlike those on IVR.

There are few more ways to save money and get best of your Andaman Tour Package

What kind of traveller are you exactly?

Do you want to visit most of the places you can cover during your holiday to Andaman Islands or do you want to relax while covering few beautiful places. Plan an itinerary which suites your personality, tell our sales manager what you would like to do? They will help you plan itineraries which will exactly suite you. For example:- (1) 90% of the tourists who have visited Mud Volcano will suggest skipping it, if I say that they can start their journey at 6:00 AM rather than 3:30 AM in the morning, if they skip Mud Volcano. (2) If you are senior citizen, you should not visit Elephant Beach because Elephanta Beach at Havelock has water sports activities which older people will not be able to do. (3) If you are short on days and have to choose between Neil Island and Baratang Island, I would suggest skipping Neil Island. Similarly there are many alterations one can do in his/her trip to make it customized for him/her. We can suggest you different itineraries for Andaman for couple, family, friends and big groups as per their budget, likes, and types.

Select hotels wisely

Let me tell you the truth about Andaman Islands, most of the hotels you see in the online portals are not actually proper hotels but they are home stays. Home stays are max 6 room accommodation facilities, which are build in residential areas. Due to the increasing demand for accommodation at Andaman Islands, the local administration has given permission to the house owners to provide accommodation to the tourist and charge for it and the house owners have done the same but they named it in such a fancy way that most of the people searching for think that these are beach resorts or sea view hotels but actually they are situated in the residential areas fully crowded with buildings and drains. Would you like to stay at these kinds of places, that too by paying equivalent to regular hotel prices?

Only 4-5 hotels at Andaman Islands are star certified and therefore don't fall prey, if someone say that they are giving 3 star or 4 star hotel. Check the actual price of the hotel by visiting the hotel's website, the higher the price the better the hotel is. Yes, it is a straight logic, but I don't know why people search for good quality at lesser price? If it's cheaper it's not better, why would someone sell better property for cheaper price?

Check the photographs of hotels on Google, and other website, check for photographs uploaded by visitors but don't trust a single source, check the photographs on different websites. When you check the user ratings of the hotel, check for the number of reviews also, a 4 star user rating with 100 reviews is better than a 5 star user ratings with just 10 reviews (it can be their friends)

Check the prices of the hotels with us before booking from online portals; we normally have better deals than them.

Select your ferries

For visiting Havelock and Neil Island, you have to take ferries (small ship), the ferries which are available are Makruzz, Green Ocean, Bhagya Express, Sea Link and Govternment Ferry. Although Government ferry is the cheapest but advance reservation can be done just 3 days before sailing and there's always a high demand because the local people usually travel by Government ferry and they have 80% reservation too. Therefore I won't suggest trying for Government ferry and risking your tour schedule. Green Ocean ferry is the next cheapest ferry but the best is Makruzz.

Book car as per the itinerary

Don't ever book car on per day basis, because most of the places of interest are nearby, with just 10 to 30 minutes time range except Baratang Island and you will not be using the car for more than 2 hours a day, then why pay for 8 hours 80 kms.

Visit during Off-Season

Actually off-season is a myth, there's no off-season in Andaman Islands, Andaman is open all around the year but during October to December most of the people have holidays and therefore most of the people come during the these months and hence it becomes over-crowded and therefore we tour operators call it tourist season, so actually it is tourist season for us not you. During these times the prices of hotels increases, getting accommodation of your choice becomes difficult. But if you visit during February to September, then it won't be crowded, prices of the hotels will be lower and everyone will have ample time to give you good service. Remember there's no difference in these islands during season and off-season, it's only because most of the people get time during the those months and if you can visit in other months you should opt that.

Choose wisely

Check the package rates properly, many people will give you rates excluding taxes and entry tickets, which will look like as if the Andaman tour package is cheaper but actually it is not. Please ask if all the entry tickets and taxes are included before booking your Andaman Tour, read the offer documents carefully, don't just look at the offer and get excited. Book from the registered local tour operators of Andaman Islands because if you even book through some big brand they ultimately need services of locals to conduct the tour, it's a very faraway place and none of the big daddies have their staffs here.

Introduction

The Andaman and Nicobar Island is a group of 572 islands. Out of those, about 550 islands are in the Andaman Group, 28 of which are inhabited. The smaller Nicobars, comprise some 22 main islands (10 inhabited). The Andaman and Nicobar are separated by the Ten Degree Channel which is 150 Kms. wide. These islands are covered with dense rain-fed, damp and evergreen forests and endless varieties of exotic flora and fauna. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been declared as two of the 218 endemic bird area of the world. As many as 270 species and sub-species of birds have been reported existing in these islands, 106 of them being endemic.

There are about 96 Wildlife Sanctuaries, nine National Parks and one Biosphere Reserve in the islands. The Andaman Wood Pigeon, Andaman Padauk and Dugong are declared as State Bird, State Tree and State Animal respectively. These islands also boast of freedom fighting days’ historically significant landmarks viz. Cellular Jail, Ross Island, Viper Island and Mount Harriet. Now a days Andaman Island is one of the most attractive tourism destinations of India, therefore don't wait book a tour package to Andaman Islands now.

Capital City	Port Blair
Districts	3 (South Andaman, North Andaman, Nicobar)
Total Area	8,250 Km2 (3,190 sq mi)
Population	3,80.520
Population Density	46/km2 (120/sq mi)
Official Languages	Hindi, English
Languages Spoken	Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Nicobarese and English
Time zone	IST (UTC +05:30)
Website	www.andaman.gov.in

Flora

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have a tropical rainforest canopy, made of a mixed flora with elements from Indian, Myanmar, Malaysian and endemic floral strains. So far, about 2,200 varieties of plants have been recorded, out of which 200 are endemic and 1,300 do not occur in mainland India.

The South Andaman forests have a profuse growth of epiphytic vegetation, mostly ferns and orchids. The Middle Andamans harbours mostly moist deciduous forests. North Andamans is characterised by the wet evergreen type, with plenty of woody climbers. The North Nicobar Islands (including Car Nicobar and Battimalv) are marked by the complete absence of evergreen forests, while such forests form the dominant vegetation in the central and southern islands of the Nicobar group. Grasslands occur only in the Nicobars, and while deciduous forests are common in the Andamans, they are almost absent in the Nicobars. The present forest coverage is claimed to be 86.2% of the total land area.

Fauna

This tropical rain forest, despite its isolation from adjacent land masses, is surprisingly rich with a diversity of animal life. About 50 varieties of forest mammals are found to occur in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Some are endemic, including the Andaman wild boar. Rodents are the largest group with 26 species, followed by 14 species of bat. Among the larger mammals there are two endemic[citation needed] varieties of wild boar, Sus scrofa andamanensis from Andaman and Sus scrofa nicobaricus from Nicobar, which are protected by the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (Sch I). Saltwater crocodile is also found in abundance. The State Animal of Andaman is the dugong, also known as the sea cow, which can be found in Little Andaman. Around 1962 there was an attempt to introduce the leopard, which was unsuccessful because of unsuitable habitat. These were ill-considered moves as exotic introductions can cause havoc to island flora and fauna.

About 270 species of birds are found in the territory; 14 of them are endemic, the majority to the Nicobar island group. The islands' many caves are nesting grounds for the edible-nest swiftlet, whose nests are prized in China for bird's nest soup. The territory is home to about 225 species of butterflies and moths. Ten species are endemic to these Islands. Mount Harriet National Park is one of the richest areas of butterfly and moth diversity on these islands. The islands are well known for prized shellfish, especially from the genera Turbo, Trochus, Murex and Nautilus. Earliest recorded commercial exploitation began during 1929. Many cottage industries produce a range of decorative shell items. Giant clams, green mussels and oysters support edible shellfishery. The shells of scallops, clams, and cockle are burnt in kilns to produce edible lime.

Location

Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located in Bay of Bengal. It’s about 1290 Kms away from Kolkata, 1350 kms away from Chennai and only 600 kms from Phuket, Thailand.

Longitude	92° to 94° East
Latitude	6° to 14° North

How to reach

Port Blair the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the only entry and exit point and it is connected by both Air and Sea to Mainland (India). Daily flights are available from various airlines like Air India, Go Air, Indigo, Jet Airways, Vistaara and SpiceJet from Chennai, Kolkata, Vizag and New Delhi.

How to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands by Ship

Port Blair is also connected through ships from Kolkata, Chennai and Vizag and ships are operated at-least twice a month.

Latest ship schedule for Andaman and Nicobar Islands can be found here https://www.andaman.gov.in/hi/web/guest/latest-updates

Ship fare for Andaman and Nicobar Islands are available here https://www.andaman.gov.in/web/guest/mainland-ship-fare-details

How to travel in between islands

Ferry and ship services are available to travel in between islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the services which a tourist should know are listed below

Makruzz

This is the first private ferry service playing in Port Blair - Havelock/Neil Island sector; she takes 90 Minutes to Havelock. Catamaran ferry leaves from phoenix bay harbor (fishery's jetty) at 8.15AM as normal trip to Havelock Island and 4 PM from Havelock Island to Port Blair. By travelling by this ferry you can save 1 Hrs. on one way. This ferry having a coffee shop on board. The vessel has 2 decks with passenger capacity of 280. It presents three classes for its guests –

• 208 seats in Premium class:- Lower deck with Mak Cafe ,best view is from the premium class.
• 64 seats in Deluxe:- On the upper deck with refreshment served and good leg space.
• 08 seats in Royal:- On upper deck a small cabin with 08 push back seats,refreshments served.

Green Ocean Cruise

Green Ocean cruise is the first and the only all weather deep-sea vessel to operate between port Blair and Havelock to provide unparalleled experience. With consciously designed space on board ship to facilitate unrestricted movement for the guest to enjoy the scenic beauty of the islands as it unfolds towards their voyage to Havelock Island.

Green Ocean Tariff-

ORIGIN	DESTINATION	EXECUTIVE	LUXURY	ROYAL
Port Blair	Havelock	900/-	1000/-	1300/-
Havelock	Port Blair	900/-	1000/-	1300/-

Government Ferry

Government ferry in Andaman is the life line of the people living around Port Blair. These ferries cater thousands of passengers (Islands & Tourists) daily to remotest of Islands and hot tourist destinations.

Government Ferry Tariff:

ORIGIN	DESTINATION	SEAT	CHAIR
Port Blair	Havelock	396/-	580/-
Havelock	Port Blair	396/-	580/-
Havelock (Via Neil)	Port Blair	396/-	580/-
Port Blair	Neil	396/-	580/-
Neil	Port Blair	396/-	580/-
Havelock	Neil	396/-	580/-

Government ferry schedule for Havelock, Neil Island and Rangat can be found here https://www.andaman.gov.in/web/guest/neilhavrangat

Helicopter

Helicopter schedule for various island can be found here https://www.andaman.gov.in/web/guest/helicopter-schedule Helicopter fare for Islanders and Tourists can be found here https://www.andaman.gov.in/web/guest/helicopter-fare

Seaplane

Seaplane is not operational now a days. Seaplane's service began in January 2011 in Andaman Islands, the Seaplane flew from Port Blair to Havelock Island once or twice a day but the services of seaplane were suspended in the year 2016.

Inside the islands

Public Transport is easily available in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A variety of transports are buses, auto rickshaws, taxi, and mini buses. A traveller can also hire a two wheeler for sight seeing. Cycles are also advisable for wandering in small islands such as Havelock or Neil island.

If you want to enjoy your journey with the group then you can also take the bus. Many of the outer island connected by road so if you arrive in Port Blair then you can take buses from Mohanpura Bus terminus, the buses are operated by a private operator and also by transport department of port Blair.

1. Autorickshaws- These are abundant and cost Rs. 20-40.
2. Private car hires- You can hire private cars for local sightseeing around Port Blair and South Andaman. Please contact us for car rental charges for your Andaman tour.
3. Boats and Ferries- They are the most used transport service for traveling from one island to another and even within the islands.
4. Local buses- Many local buses are available at cheap rates for intra-city and inter-city travels in Port Blair.

Climate and Geography of Andaman Islands

The Andaman islands have a tropical climate. The South-west Monsoon sets in Andaman Nicobar islands towards the end of May and the North-east Monsoon in November. There is no fury of hot summer, no chilling winter, no water clogging or traffic jams. For those who want to enjoy boating, swimming, snorkeling, sightseeing all 12 months is season. North Indians find relief from burning heat and chilling winter if they visit the island from May/June/July and in December/January. Season for nature lovers is May to December when forest is lush green and waterfalls are at their prime. Divers can enjoy the best during December to April and bird watchers during winter times.

• Normal rainfall at Port Blair : 3900 mm
• Mean Minimum Temperature : 23.2° C
• Mean Maximum Temperature : 25° C
• Mean relative Humidity : 80 %

Tribes

(This is a tourism related website and we do not promote human safari or tribal tourism, therefore we are not writing anything about tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands)

Languages

Bengali is the most spoken language in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Hindi is official language of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, while English is declared an additional official language for communication purposes. As of 2011 census, Bengali is spoken as the first language by 28.49 percent of the Union Territorie's population followed by Hindi (19.29%), Tamil (15.20%), Telugu (13.24%), Nicobarese (7.65) and Malayalam (7.22%). Languages in Andaman and Nicobar Islands vary from community to community. Since the Union Territory is an abode to all types of communities, all the major languages of India are spoken here. The major languages spoken at Andaman and Nicobar Islands are listed below- Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, English, Punjabi, Kannada, Gujarati, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi, Oriya, Karen, Burmese.

Apart from the above, there are some tribal languages spoken around Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They are : Andamanese, Onge, Sentinelese, Nicobarese, Jarawa Since the cluster of islands have people from various cultural backgrounds and communities, so different languages in Andaman and Nicobar Islands are used. But the majority of the population of Andaman and Nicobar Islands speak Hindi. English is also spoken a by a large number of people along with their regional languages.

The main reason behind such vast diversity in Andaman and Nicobar languages is that the group of islands have people who have migrated from different states and communities to serve the punishment of "Kaala Pani" during the British rule. Thats how the Union Territory has people using different languages in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Religion

Religion in Andaman and Nicobar (2011):-

1. Hinduism (69.44%)
2. Christianity (21.7%)
3. Islam (8.51%)
4. Sikhism (0.33%)
5. Buddhism (0.08%)
6. Other or not religious (0.5%)

The majority of people of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are Hindus (69.44%), with Christians forming a large minority of 21.7% of the population, according to the 2011 census of India. There is a small but significant Muslim (8.51%) minority.

Local Cuisine

The Andaman and Nicobar islands are known for their exquisite sea food delicacies and one can find a Burmese and Thai influence in the cooking. A variety of sea foods such as prawns, fish, lobsters; crabs and so on are available at most local joints. Seafood might be a little on the expensive side but it is well worth the extra cost. Most of the hotels have their own restaurants and every island will have something different to offer.

The sea food Andaman and Nicobar Islands is usually found in the most unlikely of places. The restaurants at the various hotels are expensive and unless you are staying there it doesn’t make sense to eat at these places. The best bet is to ask the locals and figure out a cheap place to eat. Most of the shacks along the beach offer fresh catch.

Sea foods such as lobsters are usually available only in the upscale restaurants and they are quite expensive. Prawns, fish and crab are available everywhere and they are relatively safe to eat. You must try the Tandoori fish at the Lighthouse House Residency in Port Blair. Actually, most of the local joints also serve this dish and it quite stunning. The fish is covered with a variety of spices and then cooked in a tandoori open. Sea food lovers would have a wonderful experience at the Andaman’s. You can walk along the streets and explore the various dining options which are available to you. This is the best way to choose a good local joint.

Mainland Indian cuisine and Chinese cuisine is always available on the island. However, continental cuisine is mainly restricted to four and five start hotels in the region. They are quite expensive and might not be authentic in any case. Rice, roti, and naan along with a variety of Indian curries are available in most of the dhabbas around the islands. Curried prawns and grilled lobsters are ideal options if you have a cold drink in hand. One can find various barbeque parties and grilling sessions along the shore during the winter months. Freshly caught sardines, mackerel, king prawns, and crabs can be found here.

We have listed few good restaurants here https://adventureandaman.com/blog/cuisines-available-in-andaman-and-the-best-places-to-get-them/

Drink

The Andaman Islands hotel and bars are popular watering holes, the local bars are usually eerie and poorly lit but are normally safe. Fresh coconuts are available throughout the islands and these are a perfect accompaniment for any sea food dish. Most of the main islands have retail liquor outlets and you can pick up alcohol from here. But note than the beer would not be cold in most places. There are no clubs as such in the region and nightlife is largely restricted to the beaches.

Culture

The people of the region are not much different from rest of India. It means culture of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is similar to Indian culture. Remember that the islands are still a part of India and the customs and traditions are quite strict. Public displays of affection and inappropriate dressing are frowned upon. Bikinis and sarongs should be restricted to the beach and avoid drinking in public. The majority of the population is Hindu and a smattering of Christians and Muslims also live here. The tourist areas are quite open but the rest of the regions are still restrained. If you are traveling to some of the local villages then you should behave and dress appropriately.

Administration

Administratively, the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has three revenue Districts. Port Blair- the capital and gateway to the islands lies in South Andaman Island and falls under South Andaman District. The latest North & Middle Andaman District with Mayabunder as headquarters lies separated from South Andaman District by a creek. Car Nicobar is the District Head quarter of Nicobar District. As per 2011 Census, the total population of Andaman & Nicobar stands 3,79,944 and the literacy rate is 86.27%.

PORT BLAIR - THE CAPITAL OF ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS

Port Blair is the capital of the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Port Blair is the gateway to the pristine islands. Port Blair, an Island town offering water-based activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, sea-cruises, and glimpses of the history and culture of the region. The Aberdeen Bazaar forms the centre of the town.