It is a rock arch on the shore of Laxmanpur Beach No. 2 on Neil Island, now officially called Shaheed Dweep. The sea has worn a hole through a ridge of old coral rock, leaving a natural bridge you can walk up to when the tide is out. Most people know it as the Natural Bridge or Howrah Bridge.

Locals named it after the Howrah Bridge in Kolkata, because the arch spans a gap the way the big bridge spans the river. Many families on Neil have roots in Bengal, so the name stuck.

It is at the rocky end of Laxmanpur Beach No. 2, on the western side of Neil Island. Cars and autos drop you near the beach, and from there it is a short walk over sand and rock.

Go at low tide, ideally one that falls between late morning and mid-afternoon. For the season, October to May is best, and December to March has the calmest sea. Avoid the monsoon, when the rocks stay slippery and the sea is rough.

Look up a tide table for Port Blair the evening before your visit. Low tide comes about 50 minutes later each day, so the timing keeps shifting. Aim to reach an hour before the predicted low and head back once the water starts rising. We send tide timings to our guests along with their Neil plan.

Entry is free. There is no ticket counter or gate, so the only cost is your auto, car or scooter from the jetty.

It is roughly 3 km, about 10 minutes by auto or scooter. The jetty is at Bharatpur Beach and the road across the island is flat and quiet.

Plan for about an hour at the arch and the rock pools. Add another half hour if you like taking photos or have children who will want to look into every pool.

Wear water shoes or strapped sandals with good grip. The coral is sharp and the wet rock is slippery, so flip-flops and bare feet are a bad idea. A cap, sunscreen and a bottle of water help too, since there is no shade on the rocks.

At low tide the pools usually have sea cucumbers, starfish, small crabs, sea urchins and little fish, along with patches of live coral. Look but leave them in the water, and do not pick up coral or shells, as taking them out of the Andamans is not allowed.

This is not a swimming spot. The floor is rock and coral, the water is very shallow at low tide and choppy at high tide. For snorkelling, go to Bharatpur Beach near the jetty.

Children who are steady on their feet usually love the rock pools, as long as an adult holds their hand on the rocks. Older travellers with knee or balance trouble may find the rock walk hard, but the arch can be seen from the sand end.

It is possible with an early ferry out and an evening ferry back, but the low tide may not fall within those hours. We suggest staying at least one night on Neil so you can time the visit with the tide and catch the sunset at Laxmanpur Beach No. 1.

Laxmanpur Beach No. 1 is the sunset spot and a short drive away. Bharatpur Beach is next to the jetty for snorkelling and glass-bottom boats, and Sitapur Beach on the eastern tip is the place for sunrise. Ramnagar Beach is quieter if you want a slow walk.