Best Beaches in Andaman: An Island-by-Island Guide
The Andamans have hundreds of beaches, but most trips only reach three islands: Port Blair, Havelock and Neil. This guide picks the 15 beaches we send our own guests to, grouped by island, with how far each one is from the jetty, what you can do there and whether it is safe to swim.
Our team lives in Port Blair, so the timings and tips here come from what we see on the ground every season.
Updated October 2026 by the Blue Bubble Andaman team in Port Blair
Beaches on Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)
Havelock is where most people spend the longest, and it has the two beaches everyone asks about. The island's beaches are numbered from the jetty, which is why drivers still say "Beach No. 7" for Radhanagar.
Only one full day on Havelock? Go to Elephant Beach in the morning for snorkelling, rest through the hot afternoon, then reach Radhanagar by 3 pm and stay for the sunset.
No. 1 · Best All-Rounder
About 12 km from Havelock jetty · Swim, sunset · Free entry
Close to 2 km of soft white sand with forest growing right up to it. TIME magazine named it the best beach in Asia in 2004, and it got the Blue Flag tag in 2020.
The sea floor slopes gently, lifeguards watch the swimming zone and there are lockers and showers near the entrance. The beach faces west and closes at sunset.
Read our Radhanagar Beach guide
No. 2 · Best for Snorkelling
Speedboat from Havelock jetty, or a forest walk · Snorkel, sea walk, jet ski
The reef starts a few metres from the sand, so even first-timers see coral and fish here. Most of Havelock's water sports run from this beach.
Boats go out in the morning and stop by early afternoon, or earlier if the sea picks up. Go early to beat the crowd.
Read our Elephant Beach guide
No. 3 · Best for Sunrise
East coast of Havelock, past Govind Nagar · Sunrise, quiet walk
Named after the black rocks along the shore. The road runs right beside the sand, and the beach faces east, so it is the place to be at dawn.
The rocks make swimming awkward. Come for the light and the walk, with a chai from the stalls by the road.
Read our Kalapathar Beach guide
No. 4 · Close to Hotels
Vijay Nagar Beach (Beach No. 5)
East coast, next to many mid-range hotels · Morning walk
A long, calm beach that a lot of Havelock hotels open straight onto. At low tide the water pulls far back and you can walk out a long way over the flats.
Old mahua trees lean over the sand and give shade. It is a beach for an easy morning, not a big outing.
Beaches on Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)
Neil is small and flat, and you can get around it by cycle. The pace is slower than Havelock, and one night here is enough to see all three beaches. For more, see our Neil Island guide.
No. 5 · Closest to the Jetty
Walking distance from Neil jetty · Snorkel, glass-bottom boat
A shallow, sheltered lagoon with coral close in. The water stays calm on most days, which makes it Neil's main swimming and snorkelling beach.
It gets busy for an hour or two after the morning ferries arrive, then goes quiet again.
Read our Bharatpur Beach guide
No. 6 · Best Sunset on Neil
A short drive from Neil jetty · Sunset, natural rock bridge
There are two parts. Laxmanpur 1 is a wide stretch of white sand where people gather for the sunset.
Laxmanpur 2 is rockier and leads to the natural rock formation, a coral arch locals call Howrah Bridge. You can only walk to it at low tide, so check the tide time first.
Read our Laxmanpur Beach guide
No. 7 · Sunrise on Neil
Sitapur Beach
Far end of Neil from the jetty · Sunrise, cliffs
Sitapur faces the open sea to the east, with limestone cliffs at one end. The waves are stronger here than anywhere else on Neil, so it is not a swimming beach.
Come at sunrise, when you will often have it to yourself.
Beaches In and Around Port Blair
Every trip starts and ends in Port Blair, and the beaches here fit well into the arrival and departure days. Our Port Blair guide covers them in more detail, along with the city's other sights.
No. 8 · Closest to the City
About 7 km from Aberdeen Bazaar · Swim, jet ski, speedboat
The one beach inside city limits. A curve of sand lined with coconut palms, calm enough for a swim in season, with jet ski and speedboat rides on the water.
Read our Corbyn's Cove guide
No. 9 · Best Sunset Near Port Blair
25 km south of Port Blair · Sunset, birdwatching
The southern tip of South Andaman. Forest runs down to the shore, birds are everywhere in the morning and the sunset from Munda Pahar beach is the best near the city. Swimming is not advised along most of it.
Read our Chidiya Tapu guide
No. 10 · Coral Near the City
Short boat ride from Aberdeen Jetty · Snorkel, sea walk, scuba
The easiest place near Port Blair to get in the water and see coral. Non-swimmers often try a sea walk here. Most people pair it with Ross Island on a half-day boat trip.
Read our North Bay Island guide
No. 11 · Quiet
Wandoor Beach
25 km south-west of Port Blair · Gateway to the Marine National Park
Long, flat and very quiet, with mangroves at one end and tree trunks left by the 2004 tsunami still standing in the sand. Boats to Jolly Buoy leave from the jetty here. Read the warning boards before going in the water.
No. 12 · Clearest Water
Jolly Buoy Island
About an hour by boat from Wandoor · Permit needed · Seasonal
A small island inside the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park with a shallow reef and some of the clearest water in the Andamans. It opens in the drier months and takes turns with Red Skin Island, so the reef gets a rest. Plastic is not allowed on the island.
Beaches in North, Middle and Little Andaman
These take real time to reach and most first-time visitors skip them. If you have a week or more, or this is your second trip, they are worth the effort.
No. 13 · Twin Islands
Ross and Smith Islands
Boat from Aerial Bay jetty, Diglipur · Forest permit needed
Two small islands joined by a narrow strip of white sand, with water on both sides. You can walk from one to the other when the tide is low.
Diglipur is far up in North Andaman, so plan at least two nights there.
No. 14 · Turtle Nesting
Karmatang Beach
Near Mayabunder, Middle Andaman · Stop on the road north
A long, empty beach lined with casuarina trees. Sea turtles come ashore here to nest in the winter months, so parts of it may be marked off during that time.
No. 15 · Surfing
Butler Bay Beach
Little Andaman, north of Hut Bay · Ferry from Port Blair
A wide, curving beach on Little Andaman with proper waves, which is why the few surfers who come to the islands end up here. Facilities are basic and you will see very few other people.
Which Andaman Beach Is Right for You?
If you mainly want to swim, go to Radhanagar or Corbyn's Cove, where there is a marked zone and lifeguards in season. For snorkelling, pick Elephant Beach on Havelock, North Bay near Port Blair or Bharatpur on Neil, and take the boat to Jolly Buoy if it is open.
For the sunset, the best spots are Radhanagar, Laxmanpur and Chidiya Tapu. Early risers should head to Kalapathar or Sitapur. Families with small children usually do best at Radhanagar and Bharatpur, where the water is shallow for a long way out. If you want somewhere almost empty, try Wandoor, Karmatang or Butler Bay.
Best Time to Visit Andaman Beaches
October to May is beach season. December to March brings the calmest sea and the clearest water, and it is also when hotels and ferries fill up, so book early for Christmas and New Year. From late May to September the monsoon makes the sea rough. Some boat trips stop, Jolly Buoy closes and ferries get cancelled on bad days, though prices drop and the beaches are quiet.
The sun rises and sets early here because the islands run on Indian Standard Time while sitting far to the east. In winter it sets close to 5 pm, so plan to reach a sunset beach by 3:30 or 4 pm.
Beach Safety and Rules
Swim only where a beach has a marked zone or lifeguards, and come out when they blow the whistle. Read every warning board, because some beaches have saltwater crocodile alerts and strong currents. Most beaches close at sunset and nobody is allowed in the water after dark.
Taking coral, live shells or sand from the beaches is against the law, and bags are sometimes checked at the airport. Plastic is banned in the Marine National Park, and many beaches discourage it too, so carry a steel or refillable bottle.
Getting Between the Islands
Fly into Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair. Private ferries run from Port Blair to Havelock in about 1.5 to 2.5 hours, from Havelock to Neil in about an hour, and from Neil back to Port Blair. In December and January the morning sailings sell out, so book seats before you land.
On Havelock and Neil, most people use a cab or hire a scooty for the day. Diglipur and Little Andaman need either a long road trip or an overnight government ship, so build in extra days. If you travel with us, we book the ferries, cabs and Marine National Park permits for you.
Want these beaches built into your Andaman trip?