Get in
By airFor now the only way to reach the Andamans by air is from the Indian mainland. There are talks of opening up flights from Bangkok, which could drastically change the situation in the islands.
Air Deccan started daily flights in March 2006 from Kolkata and Chennai and are now the cheapest way to get to the islands. Fares from Rs 3000 one way.Jet Airways fly from Kolkata and Chennai. They charge a much higher rate for foreigners than Indian residents.Indian Airlines fly from Kolkata and Chennai. They charge a much higher rate for foreigners than Indian residents.Air Sahara just started the first flights from New Delhi direct to Port Blair.By seaIt is still possible to take a ship from Kolkata, Chennai or Visakhapatnam which takes almost 4 days to arrive in Port Blair. However, with the arrival of the
Air Deccan flights that allow foreigners to fly for the same rate as Indians, and cost about the same as the boat, there is little reason to spend 4 days at sea unless you're in it for the experience. Apparently at the same time of the new flights arriving the ship operators stopped letting foreigners into the most basic budget class, which would actually make this more expensive than flying.
Get around
Walking is a good option - Port Blair is a fairly small town .Auto-rickshaw's are abundant, and within town should cost Rs 20-40 (bargaining is usually necessary)Local buses are also an option.Scooters & motorcycles are available for hire from a few shops around MA Rd. Ask around, and also try your hotel.Private hire cars are also available for local sightseeing around Port Blair and South Andaman.Boats are available to destinations like Ross Island. You can also pay the local fishermen to take you on day trips to mangrove creeks (Bridget Creek is nice) or places like Mt Harriet National Park (where you can beach your boat and go birdwatching). Don't pay more than Rs 2000/day for the boat, and you can often bargain it down to much less. Be sure to check with the Forest Dept before heading out, as many destinations require certain permissions.See
Corbyn's Cove - an ok beach, and the closest to Port Blair, popular with locals for swimming and watching the sun set.Cellular Jail - a British built jail, come here for a taste of what was suffered under colonialism.Mini Zoo - A small zoo containing some species only found on the islands.Side-trips from Port BlairRoss Island - once the capital under British rule, it was moved to Port Blair after a 1940's earthquake. A great 1/2 day side trip from Port Blair.Chiriya Tapu - a small fishing village with good snorkeling, located at the southern tip of South Andaman. Buses run several times per day from Port Blair and take 1.5 hours, or rent a scooter and drive yourself. The best snorkeling is at a beach about 2km south.Barren Island is a volcano island and the only volcano in India. Day trips can be arranged from Port Blair. No additional permit is required to visit the island, however it is not possible to set foot on the island, only to view it from the boat.Buy
Jewelry, wood-carvings and Port Blair t-shirts are available around Aberdeen Bazaar.Eat
Lighthouse Residency, MA Rd (near Aberdeen Bazaar). A somewhat nice restaurant with good food and very popular with travelers, not least because they have a bar. Indian, Thai & Chinese. Rs 50-150.New India Cafe, MA Rd, (near Jagannath Guesthouse). A cheap, local eatery, great if you're on a budget. Thalis available.ICY SPICY An excellent restaurant/Cafe with a wide range of vegetarian food. Perhaps the best vege food in town at any price. Inexpensive.
Sleep
BudgetYouth Hostel, Aberdeen bazaar, +91 (0) 3192 232 459. Dorms Rs 50, rooms Rs 100.Central Lodge, Link Rd, +91 (0) 3192 233 632. Very basic but some rooms have nice character... and some are dank, so look at a couple if possible. Very popular with budget backpackers and those that haven't left India since they came in 1964. Rs 80-120.Jagannath Guesthouse, MA Rd, +91 (0) 3192 232 148. Basic, friendly and popular with locals and travelers. Rs 200-500.Mid-rangeSplurgeFortune Resort, Marine Hill, +91 (0) 3192 234 101, . The nicest hotel in Port Blair with great sea views. Has a bar and a restaurant. $70-170, credit cards accepted.Get out
By FerryHavelock Island 2-3 times daily from Phoenix Jetty and take about 3 hours.Niel Island once a day from Phoenix Jetty and stops on it's way to Havelock. 1.5 hours.Little Andaman several times weekly and take 8 hours to reach Hut Bay.Long Island several times weekly and take 8 hours. This ferry continues on to Ranghat on Middle Andaman.Diglipur a few times weekly and take 10 hours, overnight.By helicopterHelicopters used to run to Little Andaman once per week but were grounded after it was ravaged by the tsunami. Check with Air Deccan to see if they've started up a new service (and ask around locally about the current condition of Little Andaman before setting off).
Port Blair (Hindi: पोर्ट ब्लेयर) is the largest town and a municipal council in Andaman district in the Andaman Islands and the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India. It lies on the east coast of South Andaman Island and is the main entry point to the islands.
It is also the headquarters for the Indian district of Andaman, and the local administrative sub-division (
tehsil), which is also called Port Blair.
It is home to several museums and a major base for the Indian Coast Guard.
History
Port Blair is named for Lieutenant Archibald Blair of the British East India Company, who unsuccessfully attempted to establish a colony in 1789. Port Blair was re-established in 1858, as the site for a British penal colony. This was originally on Viper Island, named after Lieutenant Blair's vessel,
The Viper. The convicts, mostly political prisoners, suffered life imprisonment at hard labor under degrading, even cruel conditions. Many were hanged, while others died of disease and starvation. Between 1864 and 1867 a penal establishment was built with convict labor on the northern side of Ross Island. These structures are now in ruins. In 1872, Sher Ali, a convict in the Cellular jail, assassinated Lord Mayo, the then British viceroy to India, while he was on an inspection visit to the jail.
As the Indian freedom movement continued to grow in the late Nineteenth Century an enormous Cellular Jail was constructed between 1896 and 1906 to house even more Indian convicts, mostly political prisoners, in solitary confinement. It is also known as "Kala Pani" translated as "Black Waters".
For a time during 1943 and 1944, Port Blair was the headquarters of the Indian National Army government under Subhash Chandra Bose.
Although damaged by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, Port Blair survived sufficiently to act as a base for relief efforts in the islands.
Known as the Emerald Islands, today this is a recommended site for tourists, with its lush green forest and the blue of the sea.
Trivia
Popular singer Jack Johnson's song "Holes to Heaven" is about a surf trip to Port Blair.
Demographics
As of 2001 India census, Port Blair had a population of 100,186. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Port Blair has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 81%, and female literacy is 72%. In Port Blair, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Transportation
Ships transport passengers and cargo between Port Blair and the mainland cities of Kolkata, Chennai and Vishakhapatnam. Ferries link Port Blair to outlying islands. Vir Savarkar Airport is served by domestic Indian air carriers.
References
World Gazetteer: Port Blair (coordinates and population)
