Andaman Trip Itinerary for first timers

Andaman Trip Itinerary

If you are visiting Andaman for the first time, there is a lot of info available on the internet on where to go and what to do. You have seen the picture perfect clear blue waters and white sand beaches. If you could, you would fly there right now. So what’s a great way to plan an Andaman itinerary for first timers?

Here are a few simple steps

1. How would you like to plan your trip?

a) Group package tour: Some people love to travel in the comfort of a guided group tour. You have someone to take care of every aspect of the group, a nice group of individuals to travel with and a planned fun experience. You can approach a tour agency in your city to do this

b) A regular package tour: This can be a package customized for your family, friends and colleagues. You can approach a local tour operator for this. Ideally that is who everyone approaches as they have the best local knowledge and are well aware of every trip nuance.

c) Self-planned trip: With all information now available online, it is easy to book your own trip the way you want. You can get quotes from multiple tour operators from aggregator websites and choose the package you want for the best price.

If you choose a, you’ll probably already have your entire itinerary planned for you. If you choose b or c, you have lots of room for customization. Here’s what to do next

2. Book your flight tickets

Flight tickets are quite a cost component in an Andaman trip. Booking one as soon as possible, especially if there is a sale / discount can let you save a lot of money. Here’s all the info you need on Flights to Andaman

3. Plan you number of days of stay

If you are a first timer, we recommend you spend at least 5 days on the island. Give another 2 days for travel and that makes it a week of vacation. This is good for a regular and a honeymoon package.

4. Plan you budget

Google cheap Andaman packages and you’ll find one for as low as Rs. 5000 per person and others for more than a lakh and a half. It depends on the level of service, type of stay and choice of activities. We generally recommend that “cheap” not be a guiding factor as you many end up with a less-than-good experience.

4. Now comes the best part – your actual Andaman itinerary

Andaman has a lot of beaches with popular ones featuring in most itineraries and the quite ones tucked away from sight. Ideally, everyone wants the best of both. Similarly, you want to see the popular sites but also want some alone time, relaxing and enjoying. You want a bit of adventure with a scuba or snorkel but also want to explore the natural magnificence of the limestone caves and a slice of history at the cellular jail. And of course, no vacation can be complete without some souvenir shopping. Here’s how to plan it all in your Andaman itinerary

1. A day at Port Blair

The main attraction in the city is the Cellular jail and its sound and light show. You can plan your trip in such a way that you can visit the jail during the day, spend some time out shopping and around the Corbyn’s Cove (It is a regular beach) and then catch the sound and light show in the evening

2. Spend a day around Neil Island

Neil has some wonderful beaches like Sitapur, Bharatpur and Laxmanpur. It has the famous Howrah bridge and can offer a day of relaxation and an amazing sunset. Stay at the Neil island and soak in a wonderful Andaman experience

3. A day at Havelock

Havelock has beach No. 7 or Radhanagar beach which is voted the best beach in Asia and 8^th best in the world. Considering its popularity, you may find it a tad crowded but nonetheless, it is a must visit.

During day 2 or 3, you can choose to snorkel and/or a glass bottom boat ride.

4. Scuba diving day

A Try Dive is great for anyone who wants a slice of adventure (even if you don’t know how to swim). Done in half a day with a short theory followed by an actual dive with an instructor, it will be everything you dreamed of. Return to Port Blair for the night

5. Limestone caves / Mud volcano day trip

The trip requires that you leave your hotel around 3AM, navigate through the dense Andaman forests and canoe through the mangroves to catch 2 amazing natural wonders. You’ll return the same day by 5PM to spend the night at Port Blair

While this is a great standard itinerary that covers a bit of everything, you can stay an extra day to either explore some of the other beaches for a day of relaxation or do another day of scuba diving.

Additional notes

Honeymoon packages can get a few add-ons like candle light dinner, bed decoration on one occasion and an additional session of snorkelling on the house.

Large groups of 15-20+ can bargain for better rates for most services

Here are some more package options for your first Andaman trip. Time to start planning!