India Travel
Smith Island in North Andaman
Over recent years Smith Island has become one the most popular escapes for travellers wishing to live out their Robinson Crusoe fantasies. Although it has not yet been included on the list printed on foreign tourist permits, it has achieved semi-official status and RslO permits are issued at the port authority in Arial Bay because of its proximity to the protected wildlife reserve at Ross Island (not to be confused with the one near Port Blair).The typically densely forested island has a small settlement at the ferry jetty, about thirty minutes’ journey from Arial Bay.
There are no roads, but a walking trail (2hr) leads across to the main beach, where up to thirty Westerners may be camping at any one time. There’s a tresh-water spring behind the beach but no food and only basic rice, vegetables and fruit are available at the village so all camping gear and other provisions must be taken along from the mainland. It is likely, however, that permanent rentable tents and even huts may appear soon. Fishing boats will ferry people direct to the beach for around Rs50 per head, as long as they’ve got a few takers. At low tide Smith is connected to Ross by a sandbar which people walk across, though they are not strictly allowed onto the protected island.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Travel details of the Andaman Islands
Flights Port Blair to: Calcutta (5 weekly; 2hr); Chennai (1-2 daily; 2hr). Boats Arial Bay to: Port Blair (2 weekly; 12—14hr); Smith Island (1-2 daily; 30min). Havetock to: Long Island (2 weekly; 2-3hr); Neill Island (4 weekly: 1hr-1hr 30min; Port Blair (6 weekly; 4-6hr); Rangat Bay (4 weekly; 4—5hr). Mayabunder to: Kaligtiat (2 daily; 2tir 30min-3hr) Port Blair to: Anal Bay (2 weekly; 12-14hr); Calcutta (1 every 2 weeks; 60hr); Chennai (1 weekly; 60hr); Havelock Island (6 weekly; 4-6hr); Little Andaman (2 weekly; 9-1 Ohr): Long Island (2 weekly; 7hr 30min-9hr); Neill Island (4 weekly; 3-4hr); Rangat Bay (4 weekly; 8-1 Ohr); Vishakapatnam (1
Barren Island in North Andaman
The most intriguing island open to tourists in the Andaman group has to be Barren Island, twenty hours' sea voyage east of Port Blair. India's only active volcano, the arid brown mountain blew its top in May 1991 after lying dormant for 188 years, and has done so on two occasions since in 1994 and 1995. The only living creatures on Cinque are a herd of goats, released in 1891 by the British to provide sustenance for any shipwrecked sailors. There are no ferries to the island, but diving expeditions regularly make the trip as the seas around Barren are
Details of Other islands
The remaining islands open to foreign tourists in the Andaman group are ail hard to get to and, with the exception of Little Andaman - where a vestigial population of Onge tribespeople have survived a massive influx of Indian Tamils and native Nicobars - uninhabited. Two hours' boat ride south of Chiriya Tapu on South Andaman, Cinque Island offers superlative diving, outshone only by distant Barren Island, whose volcanic sand beds teem with marine life.
Genarl Information of Middle Andaman
For most travellers. Middle Andaman is a charmless rite of passage to be endured en route to or from the north. The sinuous Andaman Trunk Road, hemmed in by walls of towering forest, winds through miles of jungle, crossing the strait that separates the island from its neighbour, Baratang Island, by means of rusting flat-bottomed ferry. The island's frontier feeling is heightened by the presence on 'the buses of armed guards, and the knowledge that the impenetrable forests west of the ATR are the Jarawa Tribal Reserve. Of its two main settlements, the more northerly Mayabunder is slightly more appealing
Long Island in the Southeast of Middle Andaman
Just off the southeast coast of Middle Andaman, Long Island is dominated by an unsightly plywood mill, but don't let this put you off. Served by only two boats per week from the capital (usually Wed & Sat), and two daily lumber launches from Rangat, it sees far fewer visitors than either Neill or Havelock, but boasts a couple of excellent beaches, at Marg Bay and Lalaji Bay, both of which are most easily reached by chartering a fisherman's dinghy from the jetty. The latter beach is earmarked as the site of a new private tented accommodation enterprise, which should
North Andaman
Shrouded in dense jungle, North Andaman is the least populated of the region's large islands, crossed by a single road linking its scattered Bengali settlements. Timber extraction is proceeding apace here, despite a promise by the Island Development Authority to phase out logging by the year 2000, but 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. Even if it were physically possible to reach this region, you wouldn't be allowed to, but it's
Moving on from Mayabunder in The andaman Islands
Until the last strelch of the Andaman Trunk Road and a bridge across the narrow strait to North Andaman Island just west of Mayabunder are completed in 2002, the shortest crossing is the ferry ride to Kalighat (2 daily; 3hr). The first departure of the day leaves at 9.30am, on a boat that's hopelessly small and cramped, so come prepared for hours of relentless sun (or torrential rain in the monsoons). That said, the journey is very memorable, especially towards its latter stages when the mangrove-lined sides of the creek close in as you approach Kalighat. The other boat leaves
Inter-island services in The Andaman Islands
Buses connect Port Blair with most major settlements on South and Middle Andaman, mainly via the Andaman Trunk Road. From the crowded, disorganized bus stand at the bottom of town, one daily government service at 5am runs via Rangat (6hr) as far as Mayabunder (9hr), from where you have to catch a boat across the straits to Kalighat on North Andaman in order to press on north to Diglipur and Ariel Bay. There's another daily service to Rangat at 6am. Several private companies including Geetanjali Travels (tickets at Tillie teashop by the bus stand) and the cheaper Ananda run deluxe
Cinque Island in North Andaman Islands
Cinque actually comprises two islets, joined by a spectacular sand isthmus, with shallow water either side that covers it completely at high tide. The main incentive to come here is the superlative diving and snorkelling around the reefs. However, heaps of dead coral on the beach attest to damage recently wreaked by the Indian navy during the construction of the swish air-conditioned "cottages" overlooking the beach. Rumour has it that these were built for the visit of a Thai VIP in 1996, but local government officials now use them as bolt holes from Port Blair. Although there are no ferries to
Mayabunder is the jumping-off place for Interview Island
Mayabunder is the jumping-off place for Interview Island, a windswept nature sanctuary off the remote northwest coast of Middle Andaman. Only opened to tourists in 1997, it's large and mainly flat, and completely uninhabited save for a handful of unfortunate forest wardens, coastguards and policemen, posted here to ward off poachers. As foreigners aren't permitted to spend the night on the island, few tourists ever make it to Interview, but those that do are rarely disappointed. If you've come to the Andamans to watch wildlife, this should be top of your list. The only way to reach Interview is to charter
Corbyn’s Cove and Chiriya Tapu in The Andaman Islands
The best beach within easy reach of the capital lies 10km southeast at Corbyn's Cove, a small arc of smooth white sand backed by a swaying curtain of palms. There's a large hotel here, but the water isn't particularly clear, and bear in mind that lying around scantily clothed will bring you considerable attention from crowds of local workers. For more isolation, rent a moped or take a taxi 30km south to Chiriya Tapu ("Bird Island"), 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
Little Andaman is the furthest point south in the archipelago
Little Andaman is the furthest point south in the archipelago you can travel to on a standard one-month tourist permit. Located ten hours by sea from Port Blair, most of the island has been set aside as a tribal reserve for the Onge and is thus off limits. The only areas you're allowed to visit lie on either side of the main settlement, Hut Bay, which sits halfway down the east coast. The northern part of this stretch has been mercilessly clear-felled, leaving a stark wasteland flanking the main road to the largest beach at Butler Bay, 16km from Hut
Moving on from Port Blair in The Andaman Islands
Port Blair is the departure point for all flights and ferry crossings to the Indian mainland; it is also the hub of the Andamans' inter-island bus and ferry network, Unfortunately, booking tickets (especially back to Chennai, Calcutta or Vishakapatnam) can E>e time-consuming, and many travellers are obliged to come back here well before their permit expires to make reservations, before heading off to more pleasant parts to kill their remaining days.
Around Port Blair in The Andaman Islands
At some point, you're almost certain to find yourself killing time in Port Blair, waiting for boats to show up or tickets to go on sale. Rather than wasting days in town, it's worth exploring the coast of South Andaman which, although far more densely populated than other islands in the archipelago, holds a handful of easily accessible beauty spots and historic sites. Among the latter, the ruined colonial monuments on Viper and Ross islands can be reached on daily harbour cruises or regular ferries from the capital. For beaches, head southeast to Corbyn's Cove, or cross South Andaman to
South Andaman: Port Blair and around
South Andaman is today the most heavily populated of the Andaman Islands - particularly around the capital, Port Blair - thanks in part to the drastic thinning of tree cover to make way for settlement. Foreign tourists can only visit its southern and east central reaches - including the beaches at Corbyn's Cove and Chiriya Tapu, the fine reefs on the western shores at Wandoor, 35km southwest of Port Blair and the environs of Madhuban and Mount Harriet on the east coast across the bay from the capital. With your own transport it's easy to find your way along the narrow
Mayabunder of Middle Andaman
About two hours further north by road, perched on a long promontory right at the top of the island and surrounded by mangrove swamps, is MAYABUN-DER; springboard for the remote northern Andaman Islands. The village, which is home to a large minority of former Burmese Karen tribal people who were originally brought here as cheap logging labour by the British, is more spread out and more appealing than Rangat, but again there is little to hold your interest for long. At the brow of the hill, before it descends to the jetty, a small hexagonal wooden structure houses the Forest
Willingdon Island in Kerala
Fort Cochin, Casino Hotel, Willingdon Island 0484/668 8421. This seafood restaurant is considered to be one of the best in India. You choose from the catch of the day and then you choose the style of cooking, which is all done in front of you-Delicious maybe, but it's very expensive, claustrophobic, and the decor is dull. Taj Malabar, Willingdon Island £0484/666811-Two restaurants: the Jade Pavilion for Chinese, and Rice Boats serving Western, north Indian and Keralan dishes in a beautiful waterside location. The food is excellent and prices reflect this; the Rs200 lunchtime buffet is varied and good value.
Viper and Ross islands in The Andaman Islands
First stop on the harbour cruise from Port Blair (daily 3-5pm; Rs20) is generally Viper Island, named not after the many snakes that doubtless inhabit its tangled tropical undergrowth, but a nineteenth-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 (including hunger strikers) 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
State tourist offices in Calcutta
The most useful of the many tourist offices representing other states in Calcutta are those that cover trie northeastern states, and issue whichever permits may be necessary (details of permit requirements can be found on p.1043), and that of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Andaman and Nicobar, 3A Auckland Place; Arunachal Pradesh, 41B Chowringhee Place; Assam, 8 Russell St; Manipur, 26 Rowland Rd; Meghalaya, 9 Russell St; Mizoram, 24 Old Ballygunge Rd; Nagaland, 11 Shakespeare Sarani; Orissa, 41 Lenin Sarani; Sikkim, 5/2 Russell St;
The Island of Diu in Gujarat
Set a little off the southern tip of Saurashtra, the island of DIU, less than 12km long and just 3km wide, was still under Portuguese control only forty years ago.Today, governed as a Union Territory from Delhi along with Daman, it has a relaxed atmosphere quite different from anywhere in central Saurashtra. Though irs smallish beaches are nowhere near as idyllic as Goa's, most visitors stay longer than intended, idling in cafes, cycling around the island or strolling along the cliffs. The leisurely pace is also due in part to the lack of alcohol restrictions: the island's many bars can