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The secluded island group in the Bay of Bengal is a gamut of everything that you would want to have an exotic, away from the world, peaceful kind of vacation. With so much happening around, you have so many options to deal with at the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Go island hopping, watch nature spread across, laze around at the beach for days, hop from one ferry to another, explore the quaint beaches, dive deep into the ocean or discover wildlife in their natural habitat all on one island group and let your days go by, unnerved.
That is Andaman & Nicobar Islands for you and Rashmi Barthwal knew from the very beginning that she wanted to explore all and travel with no-nonsense fun and who better could make that happen for her than Thrillophilia? A lover of all kinds of places, dry land, desert, mountains, and beaches; Rashmi hailing from Mumbai decided to take the 6-day short trip to the islands
“Starting from Chennai, it was really exciting going to a new place and exploring Andaman Islands. I was sure that I was in there for a treat!” says Rashmi recalling the trip memories.
THE TRIP
With a motive to just chill with no frills, Rashmi landed at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands that may have around 500 islands but only a few are open to the tourists and that too, mostly in Andaman. With picture-perfect beaches, mangrove thick forests and extreme beauty all around, the trip started with a short tour to the Corbyn’s Cove beach post lunch for bathing and indulging in water sports activities.
After a fun-filled afternoon, the evening descended with walking back to history at the Cellular Jail where Rashmi got acquainted with the remnants of the British Colonial Period, wherein the super sound and light show depicted the horrid atrocities carried by the British on Indians during their rule. After a mixed emotional day 1 at the Andaman, the day 2 was straight out of a Hollywood movie. “The most tourist-friendly destination is the Havelock Beach where I reached via private ferry within 1 and a half hour. Havelock is a spectacular island and no words can do justice to its ethereal beauty,” says Rashmi.
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The island which is famous for magnificent beaches, coral reef snorkeling, scuba diving and panoramic view of the serene nature around enthralled Rashmi in all ways possible. “I and a couple of other travellers that I met during the trip started collecting shells and dried corals from the beach but then the local guide informed us that we are not allowed to carry them out of the islands and so had to leave little souvenirs back from where we picked them up. But the disappointment was levelled the next day during our 25-minute long snorkelling session at the Elephanta Beach on the shallow waters that rejuvenated us all. We stayed overnight at the Havelock beach and I wished to someday come back again and again and again.”
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A lot of people think that Andaman & Nicobar Islands are similar to the party destination Goa but that is not the case. There is lack of nightlife, alcohol isn’t readily available at all corners but has one of the most beautiful beaches in entire Asia in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The archipelago retains the peace, quite and calm culture for whoever is visiting the island group for a staycation. The delicate beauty of the beaches, pristine clear water, dense forests, free wildlife and soothing ambiance set the mood right and instantly washes off the worries.
The next day, Rashmi traveled to Kalapathar beach, another stunningly beautiful beach that is famous for its white sand beaches, shopping markets and small treks along the forest area that surrounds it. The beach got its name from the nearby village Kalapathar and the black stones that lie on the coastline along with white sand and the turquoise blue water of the sea. After a serene visit to the beach, the next day was for the Neil Island.
“I reached Neil Island via a jetty which took around an hour to reach there. Upon reaching, it looked like a small village by the sea with narrow streets surrounded by lush green trees on both the sides. When I asked about the island from few locals, they informed me that the first settlers at the island were Bangladeshi refugees during 1967 who escaped to India before the war of 1971. That is why most of the people at the island spoke Bengali and Hindi,” describes Rashmi about Neil Island visit.
The beaches at the Neil Island are named after the characters of Ramayana out of which, Rashmi visited Bharatpur and Laxmanpur, the most famous beaches of the island due to their exotic blend of blue, green and white hues reflected in sea, sand and forests. “I walked towards the rock formations that had shallow pools from where I saw corals and fishes in the crystal clear water. That was a magical moment to see such beautiful creatures around. The most stunning view was of the natural bridge made of rocks that the local people gave the name of Howrah Bridge as that in Kolkata. It was an ultimate marvel and I couldn’t believe something like that existed in India as well,” exclaims Rashmi. The best part of the beach was the stunning view of the sunset that added drama, beauty and silence to the travelers who were there during the trip.
“After a serendipitous journey of finding me at the right places at the right time with the right people, it was time to go back that I didn’t want to, at all. I with fellow travelers returned to Port Blair the same night on a jetty and rested my last night at the islands. I had a sumptuous meal at the hotel, overlooking the beach and under the star lit sky with sounds of waves reaching my ears. That night was one of the best memories I have had from the trip,” recalls Rashmi.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
According to Rashmi, there are a few things that you may need to know before getting on that aeroplane that will take you to the exotic islands.
You will get the chance to do scuba diving and snorkelling even if you don’t know how to swim
Please gather information about the weather conditions before the trip and pack your bags accordingly
Look for the hotels/guest houses/beach resorts online and check their conditions well before you start the trip and if you are not comfortable, you can always inform the operators and get it changed.
Things To Do In Andaman and Nicobar: https://www.thrillophilia.com/things-to-do-in-andaman-and-nicobar
Places To Visit In Andaman and Nicobar: https://www.thrillophilia.com/destinations/andaman-and-nicobar-islands/places-to-visit
THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
Rashmi says, “So, you do all the research and everything about the place and leave it to the tour operators to handle your trip in the best possible way. With no complaints from them, you suddenly realize that the one who made the biggest mistake was you; because you forgot to take the camera with you that you had just bought exclusively for this trip. Now, who’s the fool? Nevertheless, I captured everything with my eyes and my heart and my brain has the clearest memories of all the time spent there at the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.”
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“It is really amazing to go on a trip and meet new person which is another way to socialize with a lot of different minds. Also, Thrillophilia took care of everything and well informed me before and during the trip which helped me live the most of every day.”
