Laxmanpur Beach, Neil Island: Sunset Point, Natural Bridge and Local Tips
Laxmanpur is where people on Neil Island go in the evening. It sits on the western side of the island, about 2 km from the jetty, and it has the best sunset on Neil. The name covers two beaches. Laxmanpur Beach 1 is the long sandy one where everyone watches the sun go down. Laxmanpur Beach 2 is rocky, and at low tide it leads you to the Natural Bridge, the coral rock arch you have probably seen in photos of Neil.
This page covers both, with timings, tide tips and an easy way to fit them into one afternoon.
Updated October 2026 by the Blue Bubble Andaman team in Port Blair
| Where | Laxmanpur village, western side of Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep), Andaman |
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| From Neil jetty | About 2 km to Beach 1 and 2.5 km to the Natural Bridge, 5 to 10 minutes by road |
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| Entry fee | Free |
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| Best time of day | Low tide for the Natural Bridge, evening for the sunset at Beach 1 |
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| Known for | Sunset, the Natural Bridge (Howrah Bridge), rock pools at low tide |
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| Water sports | None here. They run from Bharatpur Beach near the jetty. |
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| Facilities | A few tea and coconut stalls near the sunset point, basic toilets |
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Laxmanpur Beach 1 and 2: Two Beaches, One Name
Drivers and locals go by the numbers, so it helps to know which one you mean. The two are close to each other but feel very different.
Short on time? Go to Laxmanpur Beach 2 for the Natural Bridge while the tide is low, then move to Laxmanpur Beach 1 about 40 minutes before sunset. Both fit into one afternoon.
Beach 1 · Sunset point
Laxmanpur Beach 1
About 2 km from Neil jetty · Sunset, long walks, photos
This is the long one, a wide curve of white sand with trees right behind it and a few old fallen trunks near the waterline. It faces west, so the sun drops straight into the sea, and on a clear evening you can see Havelock across the water. For most of the day it is nearly empty. Around sunset it fills up, because almost everyone on Neil comes here at the same time.
The water is shallow and the sea floor has pieces of dead coral and a few rocks, so wear sandals if you wade in. At low tide the shore gets much wider and you can walk a long way out.
Beach 2 · Natural Bridge
Laxmanpur Beach 2
About 2.5 km from Neil jetty · Low tide only · Rock pools
Beach 2 is rocky, with very little sand. People come here for the Natural Bridge, which you reach by walking over the exposed reef at low tide. On the way you pass small pools with starfish, sea cucumbers, crabs and the odd small fish.
At high tide the water covers the path, so check the tide before you go. The rock is sharp and slippery in places, and good footwear makes a big difference.
More on the Natural Bridge
The Natural Bridge (Howrah Bridge) at Laxmanpur Beach 2
The Natural Bridge is an arch of coral rock that the sea has slowly worn through. Bengali settlers on Neil started calling it Howrah Bridge, after the bridge in Kolkata, and the name stuck. Every driver on the island knows it by both names.
From the entrance at Beach 2 it is a short walk over rocks and old coral. Local guides wait near the start. They show you the safe route and point out the creatures in the pools, which is worth it if you have not done a reef walk before. Agree the fee before you set off.
The bridge is easiest to reach when low tide falls in the afternoon, usually somewhere between 12 pm and 4 pm, but the tide moves every day. Ask your hotel or check a tide app the night before. For guests travelling with us, our team checks it and times the visit.
Please keep to the route the guides use, avoid standing on live coral, and leave starfish and sea cucumbers in the water. Taking shells or coral from Andaman beaches is not allowed.
Sunset at Laxmanpur Beach 1
Sunset is the main event here. The beach faces west, there is nothing built on the sand, and for a few minutes the light turns the shallow water orange and pink before it gets dark.
The Andamans run on Indian Standard Time even though they sit far to the east, so the sun goes down earlier than most people expect. From November to January it is roughly 4:50 to 5:10 pm. From February to April it moves to about 5:15 to 5:40 pm, and in the monsoon months it gets close to 6 pm. Arrive 30 to 40 minutes early to get a good spot near the water.
If the sky is clear, stay on for a while after the sun goes down. Neil has very little light pollution, and Beach 1 is one of the better places on the island to see the stars.
Things to Do at Laxmanpur Beach
Laxmanpur is a beach for slowing down. There are no jet skis or boat rides here, and most visitors like it that way.
- Walk out to the Natural Bridge at low tide and look for starfish and sea cucumbers in the rock pools.
- Watch the sunset from Beach 1, then stay on for the stars.
- Walk the length of Beach 1 in the late afternoon, when the sand has cooled and the beach is still quiet.
- Take photos. The fallen trees on Beach 1 and the arch at Beach 2 are the two pictures most people want.
- Have a coconut or a cup of chai at the stalls near the sunset point.
Can You Swim at Laxmanpur Beach?
You can wade and take a short dip at Beach 1, and it is best at high tide when there is more water over the coral. There are no lifeguards, though, and the sea floor has rocks and coral pieces, so it is not a beach for a long swim. Keep small children at the water's edge. Beach 2 is not for swimming at all.
For proper swimming, snorkelling and water sports on Neil, go to Bharatpur Beach near the jetty. The glass-bottom boats and snorkelling trips start from there.
Best Time to Visit Laxmanpur Beach
October to May is the season, with calm seas and mostly clear skies at sunset. December to February is the most comfortable and also the busiest, so book ferries and hotels on Neil well ahead. March to May is hotter, but the water is very clear. From June to September the monsoon brings rain and cloud and the sunset is often hidden, though the island is green and very quiet.
Within the day, plan around two things: low tide for the Natural Bridge and the evening for the sunset at Beach 1.
How to Reach Laxmanpur Beach
Neil Island is a ferry ride from Port Blair or Havelock. From Port Blair, private ferries such as Makruzz, Nautika, Green Ocean and ITT Majestic take roughly 1 to 1.5 hours, and from Havelock it is about an hour. Government ferries cost less and take longer, and their seats go quickly. Every ferry docks at Neil jetty, next to Bharatpur Beach.
From the jetty, Laxmanpur Beach 1 is about 2 km and the Natural Bridge entrance about 2.5 km, a 5 to 10 minute ride. Take an auto-rickshaw, hire a cab, or rent a scooter or bicycle for the day. Neil is small and flat, so cycling is easy, but carry a torch if you ride back after sunset. The last bit to Beach 1 is a short mud lane where the tarred road ends.
If you book an Andaman tour package with us, the ferries, transfers and the drive to Laxmanpur are all arranged.
Our Suggested Afternoon at Laxmanpur
This timing works in winter. In summer, push everything back by about 30 minutes, and always move the Natural Bridge visit to match that day's low tide.
- 12:30 pm: Lunch near Neil market.
- 1:30 pm: Reach Laxmanpur Beach 2 and walk to the Natural Bridge with a guide.
- 3:00 pm: Back to your hotel to change and rinse off the salt.
- 4:10 pm: Reach Laxmanpur Beach 1 and walk along the sand.
- Sunset: Find a spot near the water and watch the sun go down.
- After dark: Stay a little longer for the stars if the sky is clear, then head back for dinner.
Hotels Near Laxmanpur Beach
Pearl Park Beach Resort is a short walk from Beach 1, and a handful of other resorts and cottages are on the Laxmanpur side of the island. Most of Neil's other hotels are around the market and Bharatpur, 5 to 10 minutes away by road, which is close enough for most people.
Tell us your budget and dates and we will suggest a few. Our packages come with Standard, Deluxe or Premium hotel options.
Other Beaches on Neil Island
Neil is small enough to see in a day. Most guests pair Laxmanpur with one or two of these.
Water sports
Bharatpur Beach
Next to Neil jetty · Snorkel, glass-bottom boat, scuba
The busiest beach on Neil and the only one with water sports. The water is calm and shallow, so it suits families and first-time snorkellers.
Sunrise point
Sitapur Beach
Eastern tip of the island · Early morning
Sitapur faces east, so this is where you go for sunrise. At low tide you can walk along the rocks at one end to some small sea caves.
Quiet
Ramnagar Beach
Few visitors · Better for walking than swimming
A long, empty stretch with sharp coral in the water. Go if you want a quiet beach to yourself for an hour.
A ferry away
About an hour by ferry from Neil · Swim, sunset
Most people visit Neil and Havelock on the same trip. Radhanagar is Havelock's best-known beach, with calm water and a lifeguarded swimming zone.
Read our Radhanagar Beach guide
For the whole island, see our Neil Island guide, or browse every Andaman beach.
Want the Laxmanpur sunset and the Natural Bridge built into your Andaman trip?