The Two Iconic Islands of Andaman and Nicobar

There would be no one in the world who hasn’t heard about the naturally formed islands situated in various corners of the world. Islands have always played a significant role in different civilizations and various segments in one’s life. With the advancement in technology and science, people have started to form man-made islands in many highly-developed regions. The resplendent beauty of the place attracts hundreds of travel enthusiasts from various corners of the world. Andaman and Nicobar Island is one of the oldest and fascinating islands in the world. Andaman and Nicobar Islands have always played a pivotal role in the history of India. The archipelago is known to be a concentration camp during colonial days. Many innocent and brave freedom fighters of India were imprisoned for no reason in the Cellular Jail of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Over there they faced many brutal torturing and mental stress. Some of them ended up in their precious life. While others patiently for the day of freedom. There was a time when people feared to visit the marvelous. After gaining independence the Andaman and Nicobar Islands came under the administration of the Indian government. After learning the scenic beauty and amazing collection of fauna and flora the tourism department of India took the initiatives to attract the tourist from various corners of the world. Understanding the scope of tourism in Andaman and Nicobar Island travel lovers from different corners of the world grab the tour packages to the archipelago. Some of the prominent islands of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are Port Blair, Neil Island, Havelock Island, Guitar Island, and many more. Before learning more about the islands and their unique features let us take a glimpse of the well-reputed travel operator called Andaman Tour Travel. They are the ones who curate mind-blowing tour packages by incorporating excellent tourist places and also create customized packages and itineraries. They try their best to provide outstanding accommodation with mouth-watering food dishes.

Boarding to Andaman and Nicobar Island

After availing of tour packages to the eye-catching tourist destination called Andaman and Nicobar Islands, you will be requested to board the flight to Veer Savarkar International Airport. It is the only airport situated in the governing city called Port Blair. If you really want to enjoy the ambiguity of the island, you can opt for the ship voyage. Usually, the voyage starts from Chennai, Vishakhapatnam, and Kolkata. People who are craze to enjoy the scenic beauty while sailing on the sapphire waters you can choose to the ship trips. It is always said that for a safe and reliable journey, experts advise opting for a ship voyage during the return journey.

Jolly buoy Island

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Located in the hearts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jolly Buoy Island is known to be a haven for coral reefs and amusing underwater plants and other marine creatures. The island is known to be one of the stupendous islands in the whole region. It is one of the mesmerizing islands that marvel at each and every visitor with its eye-catching coral reefs. The best and effective way of exploring the mind-blowing coral reefs is to opt for glass-bottom boat rides. It is an ordinary boat with glass plates being fitted on the bottom portion. The captain of the main lead of the boat will take you to the portion of the island where you can witness the abundant collection of varieties of coral reefs and also amusing species of marine creatures. Glass bottom boat rides will not last more than 20 minutes. But I assure you that those few minutes will offer you enchanting moments. When you decide to explore the audacious beauty of the island do not forget to gain prior permission from the senior authorities. Understanding the need for basic facilities of the visitors the authorities of the island, have provided good functioning toilets and other basic needs.

Red Skin Island

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Popularly known as an alternate island, Red Skin Island is situated in the inner parts of the Mahatma Gandhi National Park in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The ambiguity of the island and its charming beauty will truly inspire you in many ways. Just like Jolly Buoy Island, Red Skin Island also carries many mind-blowing coral reefs and other noteworthy features of the marine world. The island is known to be a haven for not families but also for newly married couples and youngsters. After enjoying the beauty of the coral reefs do not forget to catch the alluring images of zebrafish, parrotfish and sea urchins,s and so on.

When to visit the gorgeous tourist place with your dear ones?

 Even though the Andaman and Nicobar Island are encapsulated with many eye-catching attractions and sapphire small islands, there are some places that carry some restriction. Just consider the case of Jolly Buoy Island and Red Skin Island, they remain open only for consecutive 6 months. So if you truly want to explore the magnificent beauty of these islands consult with your travel operator and check whether it is convenient to visit or not. Never conclude the island just discovering the beauty of the islands. Make your trip awesome and entertaining by participating in adventurous activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, jet-skiing, parasailing, and many more. Also, you can participate in trekking, wildlife safari, nature walk, and many more. Before practicing the adventurous activities never forget to seek permission from concerned authorities.

Spellbind the Stunning Charm of Three Mind-Blowing Destinations of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Travelling, the word is familiar to everyone. There would be no one in the world that wouldn’t have travelled to any of the places far from your hometown. The beguiling charm and classy green nature will truly touch your heart in many ways. No one could exactly say when and from where our ancestors started to explore the new places. They might have learnt about the necessity of visiting the unexplored destinations even before the invention of the word ‘travelling’. Mingling with different communities and discovering the specialities and beauty hidden in each place will help you to upgrade your knowledge and practical sense. If you really want to marvel your hearts with the incredible beauty of nature just avail of the tour packages to the most astounding archipelago of India called Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is quite normal that all of us would be ready to back our bags to explore the scintillating beauty of lush green places but we hesitate to step into the turquoise islands. It is not because we are fear of aqua venture games but of the socio-culture and characteristics of the regions. Now as Andaman Tour Travel has curated exotic travel packages to the most famous island without any concerns and fear, irrespective of age and gender anyone can discover the magnificent beauty of the region.

Andaman tour packages

Describing each and every peculiarity of the archipelago in a single document is practically impossible hence it would be good to know some of the salient features of the some of the unexplored destinations of the island. Even though the entire archipelago comprises of 572 islands only 35 islands are inhabited. Among these 35 islands, there are many more to be discovered and some of them does not encourage the visitors. Onboarding the flight to Veer Savarkar International Airport you can traverse the neighbouring islands but if you want to witness the best of nature just visit the distant islands like Cinque Island, Ross and Smith Island and so on. To learn the fascinating features of these islands, narrow down the following paragraphs.

Ross and Smith Island

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Ross and Smith Islands of Andaman and Nicobar are popularly known as ‘Twin Islands’. The audacious beauty of the island marvels each and every visitor. The lovely archipelago inspires many nature lovers. It is the thick white sand bar that differentiates these two islands. Does anybody know the peculiarities of the island? During the strong tides, the sandbar disappears while the low tides it reappears leaving behind an audacious trace. The twin-island is popular not only for its scenic beauty but also for its striking collection of coral reefs and other marine creatures. The island shelters a stupendous Marine Sanctuary that protects many rare and endangered species of coral reefs and aquatic organisms. Before entering the sapphire coloured island you are supposed to get the permission from the authorities of the Diglipur forest lying next to the island. Hundreds of travel enthusiasts gush to the island to participate not only in sunbathing, scuba diving and sunbathing but also to trek the breathtaking hills. Do not return back from the island without capturing the glimpses of the Oliver Ridley Turtles.

Cinque Island

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Cinque Island, famously known as ‘mini Mauritius of India’ is known to be one of the captivating islands in the entire world. The ambiguity of the island could not be described in mere words. The alluring island is separated into two sections namely North Cinque Island and South Cinque Island. Just like the Ross and Smith Island even the two sections of the Cinque Island is separated using the sandbar, unfortunately, the Tsunami that hit the island in the year 2004 destroyed the sandbar. Later it was reconstructed by the islanders. Both the islanders carry many awe-inspiring resources of the island. On reaching the island you can indulge in mind-blowing water sports such as scuba diving, snorkelling, and sea walking and so on. Close to Cinque Island, one could enjoy the gorgeous beauty of the birds belonging to various species and families. The island is also home to different marine creatures such as sea anemones, turtles and other amphibians and so on.

Neil Island

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Neil Island is also popularly called as ‘Shaheed Island’ produces different kinds of vegetables and fruits. In fact, it is known as the island grows crops and cereals to the entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is a gorgeous island situated at a distance of 37 km from the capital city called Port Blair. If you want to enchant the emerald beauty of the captivating surroundings just avail of a boat jetty to the neighbouring island of Port Blair called Neil Island. While strolling through the awesome archipelago for a moment you will feel like you are wandering through a highly developed town. It is the perfect place for you to do the shopping for your dear ones and friends. It is an exquisite destination to learn the serenity and calm ambience. As the island lacks good internet connectivity, you can spend the quality time with family and acquaintances.

These three are the eye-soothing destinations for visitors who love to explore the magnificent places. There are many ways to commute top the stupendous island. One is by boarding the flight to Port Blair or by sailing in the cruise run by the government. It is always recommended that if you are visiting the island for the first time and that too through the ship. Avail it on your return journey as there are chances for the travellers to feel a slight discomfort. There are only three places from where you can commute to the Andaman and Nicobar Island there are namely Chennai, Kolkata and Vishakhapatnam. To avoid the difficulties of last moment grab the tour packages as soon as possible. You can clarify all your concerns by communicating with their customer support team.

Some Fascinating Festival Cultural Events of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Most of us would have heard about the most beautiful archipelago of India called the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Situated on the shores of Bay of Bengal the island always captivates the tourists with its astounding beauty and marvelous landscape imbibed with numerous natural resources. From the above lines do not think that I have visited the island several times. For the first time when I came to know about Andaman and Nicobar Islands is from my history books. Even though the island is famous all over the world for its beauty and climate, I came to know about it when I studied about the infamous cellular jail situated on the island. It was the place where many innocent and brave freedom fighters were imprisoned during the colonial days. Over there they were brutally tortured physically and mentally. From then onwards I had a concept that the entire Andaman and Nicobar Island comprises of many infamous places. Such misunderstandings were wiped off my mind when my best friend shared the pictures of the island, where they celebrated their exotic holidays. From here, I came to know many astounding features of the mind-blowing island. Even though both Andaman and Nicobar comprise of 572 islands out of them only 37 islands seem to be inhabited by humans. Due to geographical constraints, the islands seem to be unapproachable by humans. Only it is the only place where you could find aboriginal tribes namely Jarwa and Sentinel. They are the ones who love to follow the ancient lifestyle and hesitate to interact with modern people and bring changes in their lifestyle. Considering their privacy the governments have strictly prohibited to visit those areas. Apart from these two islands Andaman and Nicobar provide a plethora of opportunities to participate in various kinds of aqua venture activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, underwater sea walking, jet skiing, and so on. She told me that most of the travelers avail of tour packages to marvel their hearts with the surreal beauty of the island and also to be part of the enthralling games.

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On returning from Andaman and Nicobar Island she shared the sweet memories she experienced over there. For her it was really difficult to describe the beguiling charm of the island in mere words. Yet she said no other place in the world could be compared with that of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. As she visited the island at the end of December, she was able to participate in different festivals celebrated by the islanders. I exactly do not remember all the festivals of the island. Only a few I remember and that I would like to share with you. Island Tourism Festival is one of the prominent tourism festivals celebrated every year on 5th January in major parts of the island. Even though the festival is celebrated mainly in Port Blair, other islands such as Kamorta, Havelock Island, Neil Island, Diglipur, Hut Bay, Wimberlygunj, Campbell, Rangat, Mayabunder and so on also contribute to the festival and increase its beauty and grace. The inaugural function of the festival would be hosted by the honourable Lt. Governor. Followed to the inaugural function there would be an array of cultural programmes performed by the versatile and eminent actors of Bollywood. Along with it, one can witness the live music concerts of both classical and semi-classical. The islanders would not allow you to be as a spectator throughout the event. They will ask you to participate in various enthralling games such as scuba diving, parasailing and so on and win attractive prizes from the Island authorities.

Andaman tour packages

Monsoon music festival conducted annually during the monsoon season grabs hundreds of travel enthusiast and art lovers from various corners of the world. To make the event well-renowned across the globe many eminent singers from different nations perform and increase its elegance. The festival is usually conducted during the monsoon season and mainly in Port Blair. Along with the cultural event to attract the tourist, they also conduct a free show of Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air force. Beach festival is another fascinating festival celebrated during the scorching summer days i.e. in the month of April. The festival not only attracts international travellers but also a domestic travel enthusiast. The main events practised over there are Volleyball, Kabadi, tug of war and also musical chair. Females irrespective of age could participate in musical chair competitions and win attractive prizes.

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 Whatever be the festival one could find unity and brotherhood among the islanders. Along with various competitions, the locals of Andaman and visitors could also get a chance to relish many traditional and local dishes of the island prepared by experienced chefs. As the island is surrounded by waters on the four sides one will get immense opportunities to savour the plates of seafood prepared in different styles. Hearing this much I was not able to control my emotions and I expressed my wish to visit the island. I inquired how to visit the island without spending huge bucks. She said that it was Andaman Tour Travel she purchased the tour packages. They are the one who curates the packages at cheap prices. As we were hailing from Chennai they gave the provision to book the packages via online. What makes the travel agency is they provide excellent hospitality services. Also, they curate excellent itineraries by inculcating best sightseeing destinations. The customer support team of the agency are so helpful that they provide full support and also clarify our doubts each and every moment.

Enjoying the beauty of Long Island with my parents in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

There are many places in the world that help us to revitalize and rejuvenate. There was a time when people used to visit scenic places either alone or with their family and friends. It is always said that to make the trip fabulous we should definitely accompany our dear ones. When cleaning my shelf accidentally I came across an old album. The album consists of fabulous pictures that we clicked when we went to explore new places with our family. When turning each leaf of the album I noticed one thing how naughty I was. How I irritated my parents especially my dad. I was very lazy to walk so my dad used to carry me everywhere!!! Time flies so fast, isn’t it? After college, we hardly went on a family trip. It is not because of the financial crisis but due to lack of time. Soon after graduation, I got placed in one of the most reputed multinational companies of India in Chennai. Hence I hardly got time to visit my parents. But after looking at the album I decided to plan an exotic trip to any of the scenic places. When I presented my wish to my parents they agreed. But the only demand they put forward was to visit any new place which they haven’t ever seen or heard. The task was really difficult for me. One whole night I surfed on the internet to find such a unique place unfortunately I failed. Later I shared my dilemma with my close friends. They suggested many places within and outside India. As my parents did not have a passport we dropped the idea of exploring European countries. It was my senior Rakesh who gave an idea of visiting Andaman and Nicobar Islands. As it is an island I thought there would be nothing to discover other than water bodies. But he explained the vast opportunities of learning aqua venture activities such as snorkelling, scuba diving, underwater sea walking and so on. And also the island is of the cleanest tourist places in the entire globe. I was truly inspired by the eccentric features of the island and decided to book the tour packages from Andaman Tour Travel, the only travel agency in south India that curates fabulous packages to the island.

Andaman tour packages

As Andaman and Nicobar Island is situated on the shores of Bay of Bengal, it shows many similarities with that of our Indian culture. Onboarding to Veer Savarkar International airport, Port Blair, the staff of the travel agency gave us a warm welcome. From the airport, we proceeded to our resort. The roads in Andaman are bordered with tall trees. The avenues somewhat resembled that of a south Indian state say Kerala or TamilNadu. On reaching the resort the authorities gave us the keys of our rooms and also invited us for a special lunch. After getting refreshed we went to mess and savoured mouth-watering delicacies prepared in traditional Andaman style. By evening we began our exploration. First, we went to one of the most popular and also infamous prison, Cellular Jail. The prison serves as an exquisite instance for ancient colonial days. We also attended the light and sound show telecasted by the authorities of the prison. Through the program, we came to know more about the patriotic heroes of India.

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The very next day we went to one of the least explored island called Long Island. With picturesque landscapes and emerald surroundings, Long Island captivates hundreds of travel enthusiast. As it is situated nearly 80 km from the capital city like you I also thought the island might be devoid of all facilities. But to surprise, the island comprises of schools, health centre, shops and so on. It also offered immense opportunities to learn water sports. The moment I reached the island the first thing I did, I collected the passes for practising snorkelling. Under the guidance of a professional guide, I learnt it. At that, my parents like a newly married couple enjoyed the beauty of waves and shores by sipping ice candies and juices under a tall coconut tree. Over there many tourists were busy practising trekking on the bare mountains. The island not only delighted our minds with picture-perfect landscapes but also it showed fun-filled activities of dolphins. It would be really strange to know that some of the tourists avail of tour packages to Andaman only to enjoy the innocent play of beautiful dolphins.

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The island comprises of mainly three villages namely Lalaji bay village, middle village, and long village and all these villages are well-connected with wireless facilities hence I did not find any difficulty in uploading my photographs into social media. The best and effective way to enchant the beauty of the island is to sail in the boat, said by our tour guide. Therefore we availed of boat service and captured the beguiling beauty of the island into our cameras. In the evening all the travellers who purchased the services of Andaman Tour Travel gathered together and practised bonfire and also played antakshiri. I think it was one of the best moments of the entire trip. The very next day we moved to Havelock Island, the neighbouring island of Long Island. Havelock Island is famous for providing the facility to walk under the sea. By wearing helmets, children and adults could walk deep in the sea and enjoy the beauty of coral reefs and other marine creatures. Followed to it we did small shopping. My parents were really happy with the trip and it delighted me. By the evening we departed adieu to Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Thank you Andaman Tour Travel for making our trip into a fabulous one.

9 Interesting Facts on Chidiya Tapu You Need To Look Out For While You Are in Andaman

Dipping into the white sandy beaches that are pampered by pristine clear ocean water would be quite evident while you are vacationing in the scenic islands of Andaman. But the sights and the experience that you are going to acquire from this particular area is indeed tantalizing, which is situated to the southern end of the island that also comprises the capital of Port Blair. We are talking none other than the awe-inspiring coastal stretch of Chidiya Tapu. Given below are the interesting facts on Chidiya Tapu you need to look out for while you are holidaying in the exotic island of Andaman.

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Sunsets that you get to witness here are of varied hues

Chidiya Tapu is one of the most popular beaches for watching those mesmerizing sunsets that these exotic islands do offer you. People visiting the calm beach had claimed that they had seen the bright large sun in the shades of golden yellow, bright orange and deep crimson. They would provide a different splendid view when they hid behind the dark clouds.

The nomenclature of the place was done citing the birds visiting here

The very naming of the beach and its areas goes behind the Hindi word for ‘bird’s paradise.’  It might have been done by the early settlers of the islands who had also migrated from the north of India. They are very deservingly called so, as you could see a large population of flying friends indulged in their own business and sometimes soaring out of nowhere.

Location at the tip of a large group of Andaman Islands

 As cited earlier, the charming coastal of Chidiya Tapu is located in the southernmost tip of the Emerald Island, which is in the South Andaman.  Astonishingly, moving a few distances off the shore, you could enter into a thick green mangrove forest, which is composed of entirely different ecology. One may lend their ears to the chirping birds and squirrels in the background.

 

Biological Park can be sighted near the beach

Due to the diversity of the flora and fauna existing in the region, they had been conserved as a Biological Park. So when you are visiting Chidiya Tapu, you could get to see the wild animals such as white-spotted deers and birds that are endemic to these parts of the island. Apart from that, you may collect seashells from the park. You may also note the remarkable orchids only at these parts of the island. The areas around this beach, Munda Pahar and Sylvan Sands together constitute the biological park.

The natural disaster made the shore more beautiful

The drastic Tsunami of 2004 had devastated various parts of the Archipelago. However, to the huge trees of the beach, these huge waves created yet another enchanting look. The massive trees at the shores were uprooted by them and now just lay lifeless and horizontally on the white sandy beaches of Chidiya Tapu. All of these are the coming photographers’ favourite points. Also, the visitors to Chidiya Tapu rest on these heavy trunks and admire at the vast expanse of the Andaman Sea.

Diverse birds do visit the beach frequently

As the very of the place indicates, the type of bird those appear on the shores and at the end of the dense mangrove forest are truly diverse. It is said that some of them were migrated from distant places, whereas the others are the endemic species of the islands, numbering around 46 types of them.

There is a trekking zone nearby the beach

No one would ever imagine a trekking zone like this at this part of the island destination, but they do exist. They are better known as Munda Pahar and is located quite adjacent to the beach itself. There is even a guest house near the beach that is at the top of a peak. From that very point, you could view at a panoramic and mesmerizing view of a large expanse of this Emerald Island. Even some urban spaces of Port Blair can be spotted.

Beach can be reached from the capital very quickly

Barely 45 minutes of drive from Port Blair covering 25 km of distance could take you to the beachside of Chidiya Tapu. So the travellers coming to the archipelago on tour could easily access the captivating beach. So they do not always have to rely on any random tour packages that are going to spare you more cash. Moreover, they are situated on the same island as the capital of Andaman is located.

Various diving sites are located at the seashores

Scuba diving could one of the most adventurous water sports activities to the traveller coming to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on tour. Some of them visit the alluring archipelago solely for this purpose, even from the major cities of the mainland such as Mumbai and Delhi. Therefore, by planning a weekend at the beachside of Chidiya Tapu, you too could indulge in the daring underwater activity. Inevitably, you will not get mesmerized by the appealing beauty of dead coral reefs and colourful fishes.

These facts would truly beckon any wanderlust to visit them in real. For the same purpose, you may contact Andaman Tour Travel, who could provide you with exciting tour packages that nobody else could, especially at such a lower price. Most excitingly, you may try your hand in the thrilling water sport activities such as snorkelling, scuba diving, banana boat riding, sea-walking and so on in these beaches. You may have to get in touch with their tour consultants who will inform you about the latest travel deals they provide. Pick up the most convenient one among the given packages that would be most appropriate to your travel preferences.  Moreover, their tour packages would cover all the major tourist locations of the archipelago such as the Cellular Jail Museum, Neil Island, Chidiya Tapu, Ross Island, Chatham Saw Mill, Baratang Island, Havelock Island and many others. You could make the best use of their travel deals and explore the picturesque island destination to its fullest.

An Auto Rickshaw Ride That Took Me to the Ferry Services of Andaman

It was one fine afternoon I was returning back from the weekly shopping from the supermarket. After waiting for a long one hour I finally got an auto-rickshaw. As the Diwali festival was commencing I had to buy many ingredients for preparing sweets for the festival. I somehow managed to keep all the things in the auto-rickshaw. The driver found it very hard to come out from the hectic road traffic. After struggling for nearly 10 minutes we manage to escape from the crowd. For the next 10 minutes, the journey was smooth and the cool breeze absorbed my sweat and tiredness. As I was started to relax suddenly I jumped like I got some electric shock. For a second I couldn’t understand anything. It took a few seconds for me to come back to the normal state. I just inquired about the matter to the driver. He just first apologized for his mistake. I asked him for what? He said he didn’t notice the hump and that was the reason why I felt discomfort. Within the next 10 minutes, I reached my home safely. Over there my parents were tensed for me being late. They helped me to carry the bags. After quenching my thirst I told them the whole incident. I started cursing the driver for his carelessness and also the government for taking measures to control the booming traffic in the city. My dad asked me to control my temper. He said that such incidents are part and parcel in everyone’s life. As I was born and brought up in a foreign country, adjusting with such limited resources in India is really difficult for me. Hearing to the conversation my mother joined us.

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 She asked me to consider the lives of people who have very little or never got an opportunity to travel by road. I just asked her are you joking mom. We are living in the 21st century and according to the reports the whole world is completely developed and I don’t think there would be anyone in this universe that hasn’t traveled by road. She smiled and kept her palms on my hair and said such people are there in the world and a small portion of them are living in Andaman. I asked her is that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands- the famous Indian archipelago. My dad nodded with a smile. It is really very difficult for me to believe that the islanders have never traveled by road. It is not like roads are not there but the islanders mostly like to depend on water transportation my mother said. She also added that there are many places on the island which are yet to be explored therefore roads could not meet all the corners. I was really amazed, over here in Madurai where we used to rarely get a chance to travel by water and over there in Andaman people have rarely seen roads in fact. So strange. I asked them, how the tourists who avail of tour packages from various parts of the world would be visiting the island. He said that either by airways or waterways.

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To travel from one island to another, islanders, as well as tourists, rely on the ferry services or row canoes on their own. The ferry services are considered as the cheapest and the best mode of transportation. Islanders have to pay low charges when compared to travelers who visit the island by availing of the tour packages. The charges may vary according to the size and facilities provided by the ferries. My dad told that there are mainly two types of ferries available in Andaman. They are known as Government ferries and Private ferries. The directorate of shipping services (DSS) directly operates the government ferries. The government may not provide all the modern amenities like a private cruise but always turn out to be the friendly transport services for the common people. As they do not have online booking services travelers will have to queue up in counters. They provide their services to not only the famous islands like Port Blair, Havelock Island, Neil Island, Baratang Island, and Diglipur Island but also to the regions which are least explored such as Mayabunder, Rangat, Campbell, Long Island and Hut Bay or Little Andaman.

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I asked my father to share something he knows about the private ferries. Private ferries are operated by private companies. Among them, Makruzz Gold is one of the prominent ferries in Andaman. It was constructed in the year 1996 and has the capacity to accommodate 330 passengers in a single go. It is also considered as one of the luxurious cruises in Andaman. Therefore the tickets are a little bit expensive travelers above age 2 are requested to avail of tickets worth 1000 INR. Traveling in Makruzz Gold will definitely provide a marvelous experience. The next one is the Coastal Cruise. The Coastal cruise was constructed in Singapore and has the capacity to carry 218 travelers at a single go. When compared to Makruzz the Coastal Cruise is really affordable. Travelers above 2 years will have to pay INR 600 onwards whereas tourists below 2 years are supposed to pay INR 105. And the last one is the Green Ocean cruise. The speed of Green Ocean is similar to that of the Government ferry. When compared to other private ferries the Green Ocean’s speed is comparatively low. As the cruise is spacious and allows passengers to walk over the deck it is a paradise for nature lovers and photography enthusiasts.

Through my parents, I came to know a lot about Andaman and their modes of transportation. I was amazed by their lifestyle. I expressed my wish to visit the stunning islands. My dad told that he will fulfill my dream by availing of the packages. I inquired from where he is planning to buy the packages. It is through the famous travel partner called Andaman Tour Travel. He also said that it is the leading travel partner who crafts the packages to Andaman at affordable rates and provides excellent hospitality services.

Some Indigenous Dishes and Festivals of Andaman and Nicobar Islands that Point Fingers to the Origin of its Inhabitants

Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of white-sanded Islands which often seems like a string of pearls. The beaches in Andamans are world famous with turquoise blue waters and beautiful coral formations in different shapes and sizes. Lovely beaches of Havelock Island, Chidya tapu, and limestone caves in Baratang are some of the must-go places in Andaman and are all well connected by ferry services. No wonder, Andaman tour packages sell like hot cakes in the tourism market. People from all over the world come to visit Andaman every year. However, only little do they know about the inhabitants of Andamans. People come to Andamans, get awestruck by its beauty and go back but it’s got a story. Apart from the tribes, the Andaman’s population comprises majorly of Bengalis. This is a story dating back to the pre-independence era. When the Bengal was being divided into eastern and western Bengal, a lot of lower caste Hindus from the eastern part of Bengal was sent to Andaman and Nicobar Islands as refugees. These people converted the uninhabited Islands of Andamans into livable places by cultivating architecture and constructing houses. However, the government also helped them with different policies. Gradually, they emerged as a distinctive group of people culturally but with traits of their Bengali origins. Even today, they talk with a Bengali dialect. Their cuisine is also influenced by Bengali culture to a large extent. Just like Bengalis, Andaman people also have a thing for fishes and are also often prepared in Bengali styles. Some of them are as follows:

1. Chilly Curry

Andamntourpackagefromkolkata
Just like the name suggests it is a hot and penchant curry usually seen in the Andaman Islands. It consists of a lot of onions and tomatoes and has a mouth-watering flavour. However, if you are not so used to having spicy food, you better avoid it.
2. Macher Jhol

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The curry is basically yellow coloured due to its high turmeric content. It comprises of fish, coriander seeds, chillies and some other ingredients too.
3. Coconut Prawn Curry

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The local spices of the Andamans are blended with prawns and thick coconut milk to make this yummy curry. In Andaman, people usually have this curry along with white rice. The travellers also seem to have a very good opinion about this curry.

However, it’s not just food, even in Andaman’s culture and religion; you can notice that Bengali resemblance. The 4000 families of low caste refuges from the eastern Bengal has not abandoned their traditions. They still hold on to many of the festivals from their native culture and celebrates them with great gusto just as in Kolkata and this can be witnessed if your tour package to Andaman and Nicobar Islands is during the time of these festivals. Some of them are as follows:
1. Kali Pooja

Kali-Poojaandamantourpackage
Maa kali is considered in Indian mythology as the goddess who destroys evil. During the month of Ashwin in the Hindu calendar arrives this festival which is generally between the months of October to November in the English calendar. Kali Puja is celebrated by keen interest and enthusiasm by the Bengalese and they pray against death, diseases and other difficulties in life and so do the early settlers of Andaman. Premnagar houses a huge kali temple and it is decorated completely with lighted lamps for these festivals. Certain kinds of pujas and arthis are offered during this time. A lot of devotees’ especially Bengalese look forward to visiting this temple. However, there are also other places in Andaman where the idols of Maa kali are installed. The day after, the image of kali is taken as a procession as people sing and dance to music while carrying it to Haddoo jetty, Aberdeen jetty and Junglighat jetty for immersing it. The procession is usually a very curious thing for tourists and you can see large crowds of tourists assembled at Goal Ghar, Junglighat junction, Dairy farm junction, Aberdeen bazar etc. to witness the procession. In Bengal, it is the largest festival in the state and comes on the day after Durga puja. In fact, the origin of this festival is as such Raja Krishnachandra instigated the festival around the 18th century in Bengal and from then on it attained greater importance throughout the years. Apart from the celebrations, throughout the night they worship the goddess with mantras and rites. Flowers, sweets, fish, meat and lentils are offered.
2. Durga Pooja

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This pooja is celebrated by all Hindus especially people of West Bengal. This is done as Nava Durga puja as the festival is celebrated for 9 continuous days and it happens during the month of September to October. In the Andamans also same is done.  Durga puja is also known as Sharodotsav and reminds the power of female shakti. It is also very usual to hear the sound of Dhak, Dhanuchi nacho, a mild fragrance of Shiuli which are all too close to a Bengali’s heart.
3.  Ganesh Pooja

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The month of Bhadrapad Sudha Chaturthi in the Hindu calendar witnesses Ganesh pooja every year. Ganesh temples of Aberdeen bazaar, Goal Ghar etc are decorated alluringly and the priests or pujaris will perform special poojas or arti for Ganesh. Out of all the Ganesh temples in Andaman, Sri Lakshmi Vinayagar temple at Aberdeen bazaar and Shri karpaga, Vinyagar at Goal Ghar are the main points of fascination during this festival. Another feature of this festival is that a dish prepared with rice flour, jaggery and coconut called ‘kozhukattai’ is offered to Ganesh as an important item of pooja prasad. Sundal is yet another dish used as prasad and is prepared from boiled chana and fried with mustard.
4. Pradhosha Pooja

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This is a festival commonly dedicated to Shiva. This was festival was not given much importance till 1999 but later the Islanders realized its auspiciousness and started to celebrate it in full swing. There is two Paradhosha pooja- one is celebrated when the period of the moon waxing down comes and the other during the period of depreciation when the moon comes up. For this festival, the Islanders will decorate lord shiva along with his wife, Parvati next to him. Nandi dev who is the security position of shiva will also be adorned with jewellery. Devotees usually bring rice to the temple as a present to Nandi dev and the same rice will also be distributed as prasad to all others present in the temple. Generally, devotees mix jaggery and cardamom with rice to offer as sweet. The devotees, on this occasion, whisper their requests in the ears of Nandi dev and it is believed that the Nandi dev will forward the same to shiva. As a result, long queues can be witnessed in the temple during these days.
5. Ram Navami

Ram-Navmi
The month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar sees Ram Navami and that comes along in the month of March to April. This is a very important festival in West Bengal and people even go on rallies through the city on this day. It is celebrated as the birthday of Ram. In Andamans, there are temples dedicated to Ram in Aberdeen basthi, Kumrakheti, Haddo and Diary farm and special poojas and artis are performed here on Ram Navami. The temples are adorned with colourful lights and to make the night very festive usually musical instruments are played. Songs on lord ram and Sita are also presented.
6. Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja

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This is yet another festival related to Lord Ganesh. The very name of the festival itself suggests the reason for celebrating the festival. ‘Sankat’ means “difficulties”, problems, sorrows, trails, straits, troubles, sufferings and narrowness” and “hara” means “to remove”. Therefore to remove certain stumbling blocks of life the devotees offer this puja to Ganesh. To celebrate this day, people lookout for a full moon day and after four days they perform the pooja. However, the pooja is performed at the time of sunrise as well. Kozhukottai, Pongal, Sundal, Laddoo are the usual items of prasad which the devotees present in temples. All the Ganesh temples on the Island will see a rush on these days.
7. Saraswati Pooja

saraswathi pooja
Saraswati pooja is celebrated with great enthusiasm in the Islands of Andaman. The puja is done individually as well as part of institutions such as schools, colleges, post offices etc. Sarawati is considered as the goddess of education and vidhdhai in Hindu mythology. Therefore people do continuous pooja and artis to succeed in those matters. There also happens a procession to immerse an idol of Saraswati and large crowds assemble to witness that.
8. Sri Shivaratri

mahasivararthri
In the Hindu calendar, the moth of Magha which is mainly in the month of February to March sees the festival of Sri Shivratri. The temples in Andaman dedicated to shiva such as Pahar Goan and Garacharma perform special poojas and Aartis with usual decorations. Shivratri nights in Andaman happens to be of a festive mood as bhajans, Kirtana, Devotional songs, speeches, talks, dramas, video films on shiva Parvathi continue throughout the night.

Thus its quite clear that how the people of Andaman are still connected with Bengali culture. I think every Bengali should make to Andamans at least once in their lifetime to see and experience their own culture presented slightly in a different way. There are a lot of tour operators in Andaman but however Andaman Tour Travel appears to be the best among them with foremost reputation and impressive customer reviews. They also offer the provision of customization so that you can make changes to the itinerary as you like. So don’t hesitate to pick up your receiver and talk to us about visiting the amazing Islands in the Bay of Bengal where those eastern Bengalis who still hold on to their Bengali culture and traditions.