District · Andaman & Nicobar Islands

South Andaman travel guide

Officially Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

  • 17 places to visit
  • HQ Sri Vijaya Puram
  • Best time November to April

Places to visit in South Andaman

17 places, grouped by kind. Each one shows how well it is verified: an official source, two independent sources, or not yet verified.

District headquarters 1

  1. Sri Vijaya Puram (district headquarters) Two sources

    Location: Sri Vijaya Puram · district headquarters

    Headquarters of South Andaman district (Wikipedia).

Memorials and heritage 2

  1. Cellular Jail Official source

    Highlight · Location: to confirm

    This three-storeyed prison, constructed by Britishers in 1906, is a pilgrimage destination for freedom fighters. (district portal)

  2. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island Official source

    Location: to confirm

    Once the seat of British power and capital of these Islands, it stands now as a ruin of the bygone days with the old structure almost in debris. (district portal)

Islands and towns 3

  1. Chatham Island Official source

    Location: to confirm

    Chatham Island has a Saw Mill lying on the tiny island connected by a bridge over a stretch of sea-water. This Saw Mill is one of the biggest and oldest in Asia. The main mainland -Island harbour is also here. (district portal; wording is the source's own claim)

  2. Little Andaman Official source

    Location: to confirm

    Little Andaman offers the best exposure, even if the season is quite short due to the monsoon which hits the sector from May to August. From November to February some southwest spots, accessible by sea, remain passable. (district portal; wording is the source's own claim)

  3. Shaheed Dweep Official source

    Location: to confirm

    This beautiful island with lush green forest and sandy beaches is the vegetable bowl of Andamans. Connected by boat from Port Blair four days a week, it provides an ideal holiday for eco-friendly tourists. (district portal)

Beaches, reefs and parks 9

  1. Barren Island Official source

    Location: to confirm

    Volcanic island in the Andaman Sea, about 138 km north-east of Sri Vijaya Puram (Incredible India).

  2. Chidiyatappu Official source

    Location: to confirm

    Chidiyatappu the southernmost tip of South Andaman Island situated at a distance of 28 Kms from Port Blair. Frequent bus service are available from Port Blair. (district portal)

  3. Cinque Island Official source

    Location: to confirm

    A sanctuary with rare corals and under-water marine life, Cinque Island has fine sandy-beach and sand–bar connecting North and South Cinque Islands and tropical rain-forest. There is no scheduled ferry service to Cinque Island. (district portal)

  4. Gandhi Park Official source

    Location: to confirm

    This beautiful park at Port Blair has facilities like amusement rides, safe water sports and nature trail around the lake, garden, restaurant and historic remains like Japanese temple as well as a bunker. (district portal)

  5. Jolly Bouy Official source

    Location: to confirm

    An island in Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, it offers a breath taking underwater view of coral and marine life. It is an ideal place for snorkeling , sea bathing and basking on the sun kissed beach. (district portal)

  6. Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park Official source

    Location: to confirm

    Marine national park of about 281.5 sq km near Wandoor, protecting coral reefs (Incredible India).

  7. North Bay Official source

    Location: to confirm

    The iconic light house of North bay appears on every 20 rupees Indian currency note. North Bay beach which is north of Port Blair provides snorkeling opportunities around its fringing coral reefs. (district portal; wording is the source's own claim)

  8. Swaraj Dweep (Radha Nagar Beach) Official source

    Location: to confirm

    Swaraj Dweep (formerly Havelock) has white sand beaches, including Radhanagar, coral reefs and forest (district portal).

  9. Wandoor Official source

    Location: to confirm

    Wandoor beach, about 29 km west of Port Blair, faces the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park; boats leave from Wandoor jetty. (district portal)

Museums and culture 2

  1. Corbyn's Cove Beach Official source

    Location: to confirm

    Corbyn's Cove is a coconut-palm fringed beach six kilometres from Port Blair town, with a hotel, restaurant, changing rooms and water sports. (district portal)

  2. Mount Harriet (Mount Manipur) Official source

    Location: to confirm

    Mount Harriet, 55 km by road or 15 km by ferry and trek from Port Blair, was the summer headquarters of the Chief Commissioner during British rule. (district portal)

In depth: Cellular Jail

South Andaman holds Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair), the capital, with the Cellular Jail national memorial, Ross (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose) Island and North Bay, and ferry links to Swaraj Dweep (Havelock) and Shaheed Dweep (Neil) (district portal; Incredible India).

At a glance

Type
Former colonial prison, national memorial (Wikipedia) Two sources
Built
1906 (district portal) Official source
Also known as
Kala Pani (Wikipedia) Two sources

History and significance

1906
Cellular Jail completed (district portal). Official source
1941
Earthquake damages the jail (Wikipedia). Two sources
2024
Port Blair renamed Sri Vijaya Puram (estimate).

What to see

Chatham Island
Chatham Island has a Saw Mill lying on the tiny island connected by a bridge over a stretch of sea-water. This Saw Mill is one of the biggest and oldest in Asia. The main mainland -Island harbour is also here. (district portal; wording is the source's own claim)
Chidiyatappu
Chidiyatappu the southernmost tip of South Andaman Island situated at a distance of 28 Kms from Port Blair. Frequent bus service are available from Port Blair. (district portal)
Cinque Island
A sanctuary with rare corals and under-water marine life, Cinque Island has fine sandy-beach and sand–bar connecting North and South Cinque Islands and tropical rain-forest. There is no scheduled ferry service to Cinque Island. (district portal)
Corbyn's Cove Beach
Corbyn's Cove is a coconut-palm fringed beach six kilometres from Port Blair town, with a hotel, restaurant, changing rooms and water sports. (district portal)
Gandhi Park
This beautiful park at Port Blair has facilities like amusement rides, safe water sports and nature trail around the lake, garden, restaurant and historic remains like Japanese temple as well as a bunker. (district portal)
Jolly Bouy
An island in Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, it offers a breath taking underwater view of coral and marine life. It is an ideal place for snorkeling , sea bathing and basking on the sun kissed beach. (district portal)

Visiting

Timings, fees
Not published on the pages read. Confirm locally. Not yet verified

Festivals

Local festivals
Dates to confirm. Not yet verified

Visitor guidelines

  • Protected and restricted areas (including tribal reserves) need permits; foreign nationals receive a permit on arrival for listed islands, and Nicobar is closed to most visitors (estimate; confirm with the A&N administration).
  • Do not touch coral or feed fish; marine parks charge entry (estimate).

How to reach Cellular Jail

By air
Veer Savarkar International Airport, Sri Vijaya Puram (IXZ) (estimate).
By sea
Ships from Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam; inter-island ferries (estimate).

Month by month

MonthTemp °CSunriseSunsetVerdict
JanIMD normals to add05:4217:13Best: calm sea, dry
FebIMD normals to add05:4117:26Best
MarIMD normals to add05:2717:30Good
AprIMD normals to add05:0817:31Good; warm
MayIMD normals to add04:5617:35Monsoon begins late May; ferries may be cancelled
JunIMD normals to add04:5517:43South-west monsoon: rough sea
JulIMD normals to add05:0217:47Monsoon
AugIMD normals to add05:0817:40Monsoon
SepIMD normals to add05:0817:21Monsoon
OctIMD normals to add05:0817:01Rain easing
NovIMD normals to add05:1616:52Good: season opens; north-east monsoon showers
DecIMD normals to add05:3116:57Best

Suggested plans

One or two days
Cellular Jail, Chatham Island, Chidiyatappu, Cinque Island.

How to reach South Andaman

By train
See "Getting there".
By air
Sri Vijaya Puram (IXZ) (estimate).
By road
See "Getting there".
Headquarters
Sri Vijaya Puram
Coast
Islands

Find trains, flights, buses and tours to South Andaman

Best time to visit South Andaman

Best time
November to April (estimate).
Climate
Tropical; south-west monsoon late May to September (estimate).

Dates to plan around in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

  • Island Tourism Festival — Sri Vijaya Puram: Usually January; 2027 dates to confirm (estimate)

Where to stay in South Andaman

No stays have been verified for South Andaman yet — our guide lists a stay only after checking it with an official source.

Quick answers about South Andaman

What is South Andaman known for?

Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

What is the one place not to miss in South Andaman?

Cellular Jail. This three-storeyed prison, constructed by Britishers in 1906, is a pilgrimage destination for freedom fighters. (district portal)

Which is the nearest railway station to South Andaman?

See "Getting there".

Which is the nearest airport to South Andaman?

Sri Vijaya Puram (IXZ) (estimate).

When is the best time to visit South Andaman?

November to April (estimate).

How many places are there to visit in South Andaman?

Our guide lists 17 places in South Andaman district, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, across district headquarters, memorials and heritage, islands and towns, beaches, reefs and parks, museums and culture.

Official links and sources