Chatham Saw Mill: Asia's Oldest Sawmill in Port Blair
Chatham Saw Mill sits on a small island at the northern edge of Port Blair, joined to the city by a 100-metre bridge. The British set it up in 1883 to cut timber for the new settlement, and it still runs today under the Forest Department. You can walk along the mill floor while logs go through the saws, look into a bomb pit left by Japanese air raids in the Second World War, and spend half an hour in a small forest museum full of Andaman Padauk. Most of our guests give it about an hour, usually on their city sightseeing morning.
Updated October 2026 by the Blue Bubble Andaman team in Port Blair
History of Chatham Saw Mill
The mill opened in 1883, when Port Blair was still a British penal settlement. Its first job was to supply sawn timber for buildings on the islands, and before long the British were also shipping large amounts of Andaman hardwood back to Britain. The first machines installed here were second-hand.
During the Japanese occupation in the Second World War, bombs destroyed a large part of the mill. One crater is still inside the compound, now filled with water. The mill was put back to work after the war and has been running ever since, which is why it is often called the oldest and largest sawmill in Asia.
Its best-known timber is Andaman Padauk, a hard red wood found only in these islands. Local guides like to tell visitors that Padauk seasoned at Chatham went into woodwork at Buckingham Palace. It is a story you will hear more than once here, though we have not seen it in any official record.
Chatham Saw Mill, on Chatham Island in north Port Blair
What To See at Chatham Saw Mill
The whole compound is walkable in under an hour. We would take it in this order, starting with the museum near the gate and ending on the mill floor.
Go on a weekday morning. The gates close at 2:30 pm and the mill is shut on Sundays, so an afternoon plan usually means missing it. Mornings are also when the saws are busiest.
Museum
Forest Museum
Near the entrance · 20 to 30 minutes
The Department of Environment and Forests built this museum inside the mill compound in 2006. It has polished cross-sections of red, white and golden Padauk, furniture made from timber cut at the mill, and carved crocodiles and birds.
Old photographs on the walls show the mill in British times, and a few panels cover the islands' forests and wildlife. It is a good place to touch Padauk furniture, since you will not find much of it for sale elsewhere.
Second World War
Bomb Pit and Japanese Bunker
Short flight of steps · 10 minutes
A few steps up from the museum is the crater left by a Japanese bomb, now a small pond. A little further on there is a concrete bunker from the same period.
If you liked the bunkers on the road to Corbyn's Cove Beach, this is a closer look at the same war.
Working Mill
The Mill Floor
Follow the arrows on the floor · Stay in marked areas
This is a working mill, so you walk a marked route while staff feed huge logs into the saws and stack the planks. The machines are old, the noise is loud and the whole shed smells of fresh wood.
Keep children close and do not step past the marked lines. Staff are usually happy to explain what is being cut if you ask.
Timber Yard
Timber Yard and Old Machinery
Between the sheds · 10 minutes
The storehouses are stacked to the roof with planks and logs waiting to be cut. Out in the yard you will see old machinery parked among the timber, including a rusting Caterpillar tractor.
It is the best spot in the compound for photos, especially in soft morning light.
Chatham Saw Mill Timings and Entry Fee
The mill is open Monday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm, and closed on Sundays and government holidays. Tickets are sold at the counter by the gate and cost very little, about ₹10 to ₹20 per adult, with a small extra charge for cameras. Plan for 45 minutes to an hour, a bit longer if you read everything in the museum.
Best Time To Visit Chatham Saw Mill
The mill is under cover, so you can visit in any season. That makes it a handy plan for a rainy day in the monsoon, when boat trips to Ross Island and North Bay are often cancelled. For the islands as a whole, October to May is the best time to come. On the day itself, a weekday morning between 9 and 11 is ideal, before the city heats up and while the saws are running.
How To Reach Chatham Saw Mill
Chatham Island is at the northern tip of Port Blair, past Haddo, about 4 km from Aberdeen Bazaar. An auto or cab takes 10 to 15 minutes, and the road crosses a short bridge straight to the mill gate. Most guests see it as part of a city sightseeing day by car, along with Cellular Jail and the museums.
Right by the bridge is Chatham Jetty, where government ferries leave for Bamboo Flat across the harbour. That is the usual way to get to Mount Harriet, so the two fit well together on the same morning.
Places Near Chatham Saw Mill
Pair the mill with one or two of these. All are within a short drive or ferry ride.
Ferry From Chatham Jetty
Mount Harriet
Take the ferry from Chatham Jetty to Bamboo Flat, then drive up to the hilltop park for forest trails and the view of North Bay lighthouse.
Museum
Anthropological Museum
Tools, photos and models that explain the islands' indigenous tribes. Small, and an easy add-on on the drive back into town.
Museum
Samudrika Naval Marine Museum
Run by the Indian Navy, with shells, corals and a good overview of marine life around the islands. Worth a stop before any snorkelling trip.
History
Completed in 1906 to hold political prisoners. See the wings in the daytime and come back for the evening light and sound show.
Read our Cellular Jail guide
For the rest of the city, see our guide to the best beaches and attractions in Port Blair.
Want Chatham Saw Mill Added to Your Port Blair Sightseeing Day?
Where is Chatham Saw Mill?
It is on Chatham Island, at the northern tip of Port Blair past Haddo. The island is joined to the city by a 100-metre bridge, so you drive straight to the gate. It is about 4 km from Aberdeen Bazaar.
What are the Chatham Saw Mill timings?
The mill is open from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm, Monday to Saturday. Go in the morning if you can, because the saws are busiest then and the gates close early.
Is Chatham Saw Mill open on Sunday?
It is closed on Sundays and on government holidays. If Sunday is your only free day in Port Blair, swap it for Cellular Jail or a boat trip and see the mill on a weekday.
What is the entry fee for Chatham Saw Mill?
The ticket is cheap, around ₹10 to ₹20 per adult, and is sold at the counter by the gate. There may be a small extra charge for a camera.
How much time do I need at Chatham Saw Mill?
About 45 minutes to an hour covers the forest museum, the bomb pit and the walk along the mill floor. Give it a little longer if you like reading every panel in the museum.
Why is Chatham Saw Mill famous?
It was set up by the British in 1883 and is often described as the oldest and largest sawmill in Asia. It is still working, so you see timber being cut in the same sheds, and it handles Andaman Padauk, a red hardwood found only in these islands.
What can I see inside the Chatham Saw Mill complex?
There is a forest museum with Padauk furniture and wood carvings, a bomb pit and a bunker from the Second World War, a timber yard with old machinery, and the mill floor itself, where you follow a marked route past the saws.
Is photography allowed at Chatham Saw Mill?
Photos are allowed in most parts of the compound, though you may pay a small camera fee at the counter. On the mill floor, stay on the marked path and do not get in the way of the workers.
How do I reach Chatham Saw Mill from Port Blair?
An auto or cab from Aberdeen Bazaar takes 10 to 15 minutes. Most people visit as part of a Port Blair sightseeing day by car, along with Cellular Jail and the museums. We include it in our city tours.
Can I combine Chatham Saw Mill with Mount Harriet?
That works well. Chatham Jetty is right next to the bridge, and the government ferry from there goes to Bamboo Flat, which is the usual route up to Mount Harriet. See the mill first, then catch the ferry.
Is Chatham Saw Mill worth visiting?
It is worth an hour if you like history or want a break from beaches. It is also a good rainy-day plan in the monsoon, since most of it is under cover. If you only have one day in Port Blair, put Cellular Jail first.
Is Chatham Saw Mill good for kids?
Most children enjoy the big logs and the noisy saws. Keep them close on the mill floor, though, since it is a working mill with heavy machinery, and the marked lines are there for safety.