Turquoise lagoon seen from above, light patterns rippling over pale coral sand next to a forested shore

Between the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea

Andaman Islands travel guide

An independent guide to getting there, the islands worth your days, permits, the seasons, beaches and diving. Written to help you plan, not to sell you a package.

Follow the route Jump to the guides

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands count 836 islands and islets, and only 31 are permanently inhabited. Most travellers see three or four of them. This guide helps you choose which, and how to reach them.

Chapter 01, the route

From the mainland to the islands

01
By air
Most travellers fly to Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair, the capital, officially renamed Sri Vijaya Puram in 2024.
02
By sea
Passenger ships sail from Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. The district administration puts the voyage at about 50 to 60 hours in fair weather.
03
Between islands
From Port Blair, ferries cross to Swaraj Dweep (Havelock), about 41 km away, and Shaheed Dweep (Neil), about 36 km away. All sailings depend on the weather.

How to reach the Andaman Islands, in detail

Schematic, not to scale.

Chapter 02, before you go

Six things to plan, from the surface to the reef

The paperwork sits on the surface, the beaches in the shallows and the diving on the reef. Scroll down through each layer.

Surface
Permits
Foreign visitors need an Indian visa and show their passport on arrival. Check current permit rules before travel.
Read more about permits
Surface
Season
January to April are the driest months in Port Blair. The south-west monsoon runs from May to September.
Read more about season
Shallows
Ferries
Book inter-island ferries once your flights are fixed, and never plan one for the morning of a flight home.
Read more about ferries
Shallows
Beaches
Swim where others swim, keep away from mangroves and creek mouths, and never stand on coral.
Read more about beaches
Reef
Diving
November to May brings the calmest seas and the best visibility for diving, according to PADI.
Read more about diving
Reef
Closed places
North Sentinel Island and the tribal reserves are closed to visitors by law. Respect the line.
Read more about closed places

Chapter 03, rain and sea

When the sea is kind

Port Blair gets about 3,113 mm of rain a year, and almost all of it falls from May to November. January to April are the dry months, and the best time for ferries, beaches and diving.

On a narrow screen, swipe the chart sideways to see all twelve months.

Average monthly rainfall in Port Blair, mm. Source: India Meteorological Department normals, as published in the Port Blair climate table on Wikipedia.