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.

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.

Andaman tour packages from Chennai

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

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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

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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.

A Trip to the Land of Coral Reefs

Andaman and Nicobar Island is an archipelago and one of the nine union territories of India. It comprises 572 Islands out of which only 37 are inhabited. The Island comprises people from southeast Asia, south India and also Negrotic ethnic people. What makes Andaman so pretty and favourite destination for tourists is the marvellous beaches, crystal water and an array of palm-fringed trees on the river banks. Adding to the intrigue is the underwater mesmerising aquatic world, excellent biodiversity, and many more. It would be very difficult to put Andaman in a nutshell with very few adjectives. To enjoy the real eternal beauty of Andaman, one should definitely visit the delightful place. Now visiting this fascinating place will be no longer a dream for travellers. As now many travel partners have come forward with many exciting tourism packages to the lovely Andaman Island. Andaman Tour Travel is one such travel company which emphasises on exploring the delightful and mesmerising Island at an affordable rate. Here, I would like to share the most important destinations and a few things that should be carried during the Andaman itinerary.

PORT BLAIR

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It is the capital of Andaman Nicobar Island. It is well known for serene beaches, beautiful coral reefs, tropical forest and moist biome. It is not only the natural resources, but the cleanliness which grabs the tourist towards the Island. The Island is famous for few important sites like Cellular jail, Viper Island and Radhanagr beach.

Cellular Jail – It is the most infamous place in Andaman but the most captivating site for tourists. It was the prison where convicts were kept during the colonial period and were brutally treated by the jail authorities. Instead of keeping all the convicts together in a single room, the authorities allocated single rooms or called ‘cells’ for each convict. This site is now a historical museum.

Viper Island – Before constructing cellular jail, convicts were kept in Viper Island.

Radhanagar beach – It is the most beautiful beach and rich with a large number of coral reefs and shells.

To enjoy the glory of Port Blair, many fun-filled activities can be practised like scuba diving, snorkelling, parasailing, banana boat ride and so on.

HAVELOCK ISLAND

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The most visited Island in Andaman. It is enriched with turquoise waters and pristine white sandy beaches covered with tall green trees. It is the perfect place for scuba divers and snorkelers. One can kayak through dense forest to reach the open sea. The Island comprises shrimps, barnacles, oysters, mud lobsters and mangrove crabs. Those who fear to try adventurous activities can opt for sea walking on Elephant beach under a guide.

NEIL ISLAND

ANDAMAN NICOBAR TOUR PACKAGES
People who have the thirst for peace, internal happiness,  and want relief from all stress by enjoying the natural beauty, the perfect place to quench will be Neil Island. It assures you complete solitude. It is situated 37km south of Port Blair. The climatic condition of the Island is perfect for the cultivation of various vegetables and fruits. And so it is known as ‘Vegetable bowl ‘ of Andaman Island. It is believed that all beaches on the Island have been named after characters from the Ramayana such as Ramnagar, Sitapur, Laxmanpur etc.

BARATANG ISLAND

Being less developed, Baratang Island is a least visited Island in Andaman. The Island is famous for its limestone caves and mud volcanoes.

ANDAMAN NICOBAR HOLIDAY TRIP

It is situated between middle and south Andaman. To please the tourist, the Island does not have fancy restaurants, resorts or any tourists. But it still tries to make the visitors happy by providing a night stay in virgin beaches and boat riding in mangrove forests and also offers plethora of various kinds of authentic Indian cuisines.

DIGLIPUR ISLAND

It is one most crowded and largest town on the Island. It is blessed with various kinds of flora and fauna, natural parks and mesmerising aquatic life.

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There are many ways to explore the beauty of the town like climbing the highest peak, exploring underground caves, finding the scientific theory behind an active mud volcano or observing turtle nesting and hatching in crystal clear waters. Diglipur is a wonderful place in all aspects.

RANGAT ISLAND

It is the second largest town on the Island but least crowded as it is far from the capital city. It is the perfect place for the shopaholics for collecting things as a token of remembrance. Fishing and cultivation are mainly practised here.

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I firmly believe that the above information regarding the important places on the Island might have pumped the level of curiosity. I would also like to add information about the things which should be taken care of while travelling to Andaman.

ATTIRE AND ACCESSORIES

  1. Sunglasses, hat and cap for the protection from the sun.
  2. Sundresses, light cotton shorts and pants.
  3. Flip flops, slippers and comfortable shoes.
  4. Night attire.
  5. Raincoats and umbrellas if needed.

Toiletries

1.Sunscreen lotion with high SPF.

2.Sunburn relief products.

3.Insect repellents.

4.Antibiotics and antiseptics.

5.Toothbrush, paste, deodorants and perfumes.

6.Face wipes.

7.Sanitizer for hand wash.

Accessories

  1. Digital camera.
  2. Mobile charger.

3.Power bank/Charge bank.

4.Notebooks, pens, travel guides.

  1. Water bottle
  2. Carry enough Memory card.
  3. As there are only 2 ATMs on the Island, it would be difficult to withdraw money when needed. So it is better to carry liquid cash.

Travel Documents

  1. Credit card.
  2. Passport
  3. Original and photocopies (xerox copy) of ID proofs.

4.Flight tickets and hotel vouchers.

There are many more places in the most fascinating water body, Andaman, where human footprints have not been seen. Tourism in Andaman and Nicobar will help nature lovers to explore the unspoilt and virgin places. One who gets an opportunity to visit the Nicobar Island should definitely taste the Pandanus or Nicobar Breadfruit. It is one of the rarest fruit seen on the Island. It is a wedge-shaped fruit with fibrous body and woody in nature with many edible seeds incorporated in it. The fruit and its plant are used for multiple purposes, such as the branches of fruit tree are used in construction, the leaves of the tree used in weaving mats and the woody exterior of the fruit is used as a brush for bathing.

Overall, visiting the Andaman Nicobar Island will give a lifelong experience with sweet memories to cherish.