Port Blair In Andaman

The only proper beach inside city limits and the one most people see first. It is a curved strip of sand lined with coconut palms, with Snake Island sitting just offshore. The water is calm in season, so it works well for families.

On the road in you pass old Japanese bunkers from the Second World War, which are worth a five-minute stop. Some signboards spell the name Carbyn's Cove.

Chidiya Tapu means "bird island", and early mornings here are full of birdsong from the forest that runs right down to the shore.

Most visitors come for the evening, though. The sunset from Munda Pahar beach is the best in South Andaman. Swimming is not advised along much of this stretch.

North Bay is a small island facing the city, and its beach is the easiest place near Port Blair to see coral. The view of its red-and-white lighthouse from Mount Harriet was printed on the old ₹20 note.

Most people combine it with Ross Island on a half-day boat trip.

Wandoor is long, flat and very quiet, with mangroves at one end and the trunks of trees left by the 2004 tsunami still standing in the sand.

Boats to Jolly Buoy and Red Skin leave from the jetty here. Read the warning boards before you go into the water.

If you want clear water and coral close to Port Blair, this is the trip. Jolly Buoy has a small white sand beach and a shallow reef you can see from the glass-bottom boat.

It opens only in the drier months and alternates with Red Skin Island so the reef gets a rest. Plastic bottles and bags are not allowed on the island.

Collinpur sees very few tourists. There are no water sports and hardly any shops, just a wide beach and a calm view across the bay.

Go if you have already done the popular spots and want somewhere empty.

Ross Island is not a swimming beach, but the walk along its shore is one of the nicest hours you can spend near Port Blair. The old British church, bakery and officers' quarters are slowly being taken over by tree roots, and spotted deer wander around without much fear of people.

Built by the British and completed in 1906 to hold political prisoners. Walk the wings in the morning, then come back for the evening light and sound show.

Ruined British settlement on a small island, 10 to 15 minutes by boat. There is a light and sound show here as well.

A smaller, quieter island with the remains of the gallows used before Cellular Jail was built. Usually added to the harbour cruise.

Hilltop national park across the harbour with forest trails and the view of North Bay lighthouse. Cooler than the city and good for a morning walk.

Run by the Indian Navy. Shells, corals and a good overview of island marine life. Handy before a snorkelling trip.

Tools, photos and models that explain the islands' indigenous tribes. Small, and well worth 45 minutes.

One of the oldest sawmills in Asia, on a tiny island linked to the city by a bridge. There is a forest museum inside the compound.

A long day trip north for limestone caves reached by boat through mangrove creeks. Start very early.