Andaman Islands InformationIn this three part series, we walk you through various beaches of Andaman and why you should visit (or probably skip) them. Each part in the series will cover 10 beaches and everything you want to know about them
Beaches of Andaman
Home to some of the best beaches in Asia, Andaman and Nicobar islands is a vacationer’s dream come true. The island paradise is blessed with tropical jungles and picturesque white sand beaches that allow you enjoy picture perfect sunsets, away from the crowd. The waters display some amazing shades of emerald green. The corals and marine life offer a beautiful underwater adventure. The watersports add to the thrills. The seafood ensures that your taste buds continue to tingle throughout.
But did you know that there are 572 islands in total in the archipelago of which only 38 are permanently inhabited. Each of these have an amazing coast line. Some are crowded for water sports. Others are popular with the tourists and hence you may expect to run into the crowd here too. But there are some gems that are a little away from the crowd and give just about give the privacy you need. In this first of our three part series, we bring to you a review of 10 beaches of Andaman and what’s special about them
Elephant Beach
Img Credit: Beach-on-Map.com
Known for its unspoilt beauty, Elephant beach is situated in the remote corner of Havelock Island. It is a must visit if you are going to Havelock, especially since it takes on 20 minutes from the dock. It is perfect place to just wade into the water and have a walk. Or you can even go snorkelling or do a scuba dive. The beach receives a 4.5 rating on Trip Advisor. Don’t go to the beach expecting many ‘things to do’. It is one of those Andaman beaches where it is even great to just unwind and relax.
Here’s more info on the beach:
Guitar Island and Beach
A marvel of nature, the Ariel view of the island shows you a guitar-shaped island. Strangely, this exotic island is tucked out of common tourist itineraries and is among the least visited islands. That’s probably because there isn’t anything much to do here other than sit back and enjoy the beautiful beach and the lovely view of the sea under the shade of a coconut tree. The island is near Long island and it’ll take around 15 mins. You will have to take a ‘dunghi’ or local boat to get there. Once you do, you’ll have a narrow curved stretch of beach (mostly) to yourself. Here’s where you can hear the sound of silence and that of your own heartbeat – where you can hear your thoughts and fell at peace with the universe. It often cited among the top 10 beautiful beaches of Andaman.
Interesting fact: Right besides the Guitar island is a smaller island called the Small Guitar Island because it is shaped like a guitar too! During low tides, the islands often get connected by narrow sand bars.
Red Skin Island Beach
Red skin doesn’t generally come as the first choice for both tourists and locals. Jolly Buoy, which is closer to it is a favourite tourist hotspot. The only reason why you may end up on Red Skin is if the weather is stormy and Jolly Buoy is off access. This isn’t your typical Andaman beach with a huge stretch of sand and blue waters. It is more like mangrove extension with a very narrow beach strip. If crowded, you won’t have much place to move. The island is beautiful, nonetheless, and the corals views are good too.
Chidiyatapu beach
Img Credit: Undiscovered Indian Treasures
Located in the southernmost tip of south Andaman about 30km from Port Blair, Chidiyatapu is also called the ‘Nightfall point’ or ‘Flying Creature Island’. This is the place you should go to catch a gorgeous sunset. The name Chidiyatapu comes from the fact that you can spot around 50 endemic birds here during dawn and dusk. Also, if you love picking up shells, you are bound to find your treasure here. From trees sticking out of the sea to sunset behind the hills, this is one beach you simply shouldn’t miss. It is one of the best beaches in Andaman for bird watching
Badabalu Beach
Disconnected from the general tourist crowd, Badabalu looks a different from the traditional Andaman beaches. The sand is greyish brown and the water is a cool shade of blue. The beach, though, is cut off from the crowd of tourists – probably because it lacks easy access and also it doesn’t have any facilities for visitors. The lack of crowd is not always a good thing. It is good to spot someone here and there to know that you are still in touch with civilization and there is someone around just in case of an emergency.
Little Andaman beach
Situated 88 km from Port Blair, this is the fourth largest of Andaman Islands. You can go for boat rides between the creeks, coral viewing and even an elephant safari. The Surf waterfall and Whisper Wave waterfall are accessible from the island too
Wandoor beach
The Wandoor beach is a popular tourist pit stop. If you want a non-beach experience, you can take a nice but slightly tough trek to the islands caverns early morning. People generally stop by at Wandoor on their way to the Mahatma Gandhi National Marine Park or Jolly Buoy. The ethereal part of the beach comes in the form of dead trees that lie on the shore as an aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami. It may not be the best place to catch your dinner but there will be lots of coconut water to keep you happy.
Morcidera Beach
One of the unique beaches of Andaman, Morcidera is strewn with jagged volcanic rocks. As such, the beach falls a bit pale compared to the other picturesque beaches of Andaman. Therefore, there isn’t much around the beach in terms of eating or drinking options. There aren’t any live corals here in the water but if you are lucky, you can catch some amazing views of the fish.
Aamkunj Beach
Situated close to Rangat, this beach was transformed into and eco park which serves perfect for recreation for both tourists and locals. It is also a place where the trees speak – of themselves and their history. Interesting trees have boards that describe them in first person. From dustbins to teapots to sofas – you’ll find everything here made of wood giving the place a natural touch. The beach has rocky and sand bed in patches.
Interesting fact: The dead logs lying along the seashore were dragged out by elephants to build the benches at the recreational area!
Diglipur beach
Diglipur beach is located in Ram Nagar. The water appears blackish because of the dark grey volcanic sand. Snorkelling or scuba isn’t the best option here as the water is already dark. Instead you can just hang around and take a walk. The Ram Nagar beach is also one of the homes to Olive Ridley Turtles during their nesting season late in the year.
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