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
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Sri Vijaya Puram (district headquarters) Two sources
Headquarters of South Andaman district (Wikipedia).
Memorials and heritage 2
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Cellular Jail Official source
This three-storeyed prison, constructed by Britishers in 1906, is a pilgrimage destination for freedom fighters. (district portal)
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Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island Official source
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
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Chatham Island Official source
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)
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Little Andaman Official source
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)
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Shaheed Dweep Official source
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
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Barren Island Official source
Volcanic island in the Andaman Sea, about 138 km north-east of Sri Vijaya Puram (Incredible India).
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Chidiyatappu Official source
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)
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Cinque Island Official source
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)
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Gandhi Park Official source
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)
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Jolly Bouy Official source
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)
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Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park Official source
Marine national park of about 281.5 sq km near Wandoor, protecting coral reefs (Incredible India).
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North Bay Official source
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)
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Swaraj Dweep (Radha Nagar Beach) Official source
Swaraj Dweep (formerly Havelock) has white sand beaches, including Radhanagar, coral reefs and forest (district portal).
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Wandoor Official source
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
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Corbyn's Cove Beach Official source
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)
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Mount Harriet (Mount Manipur) Official source
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
| Month | Temp °C | Sunrise | Sunset | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | IMD normals to add | 05:42 | 17:13 | Best: calm sea, dry |
| Feb | IMD normals to add | 05:41 | 17:26 | Best |
| Mar | IMD normals to add | 05:27 | 17:30 | Good |
| Apr | IMD normals to add | 05:08 | 17:31 | Good; warm |
| May | IMD normals to add | 04:56 | 17:35 | Monsoon begins late May; ferries may be cancelled |
| Jun | IMD normals to add | 04:55 | 17:43 | South-west monsoon: rough sea |
| Jul | IMD normals to add | 05:02 | 17:47 | Monsoon |
| Aug | IMD normals to add | 05:08 | 17:40 | Monsoon |
| Sep | IMD normals to add | 05:08 | 17:21 | Monsoon |
| Oct | IMD normals to add | 05:08 | 17:01 | Rain easing |
| Nov | IMD normals to add | 05:16 | 16:52 | Good: season opens; north-east monsoon showers |
| Dec | IMD normals to add | 05:31 | 16:57 | Best |
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
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
- South Andaman: Cellular Jail (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Chatham Island (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Chidiyatappu (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Cinque Island (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Corbyn's Cove Beach (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Gandhi Park (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Jolly Bouy (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Little Andaman (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Mount Harriet (Mount Manipur) (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: North Bay (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Shaheed Dweep (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Swaraj Dweep (Radha Nagar Beach) (district portal) ↗
- South Andaman: Wandoor (district portal) ↗
- Incredible India: Barren Island ↗
- Incredible India: Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park ↗
- Wikipedia: List of districts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands ↗
- Business Standard: Boundaries of administrative units to be frozen on Dec 31, 2025 for Census (29 Jun 2025) ↗