Latest Information on Travelling to Andaman Islands?
  • Runway Status for Port Blair Airport From October,22 to February, 23

    Updated: 19 Sep 2022
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  • Andaman Tourism Opens

    Updated: 14 Aug 2021

    Andaman Tourism Opens: The Andaman & Nicobar administration has announced that all tourist spots in the South Andaman district will be opened for tourism activities with immediate effect 8 Feb 2022.

  • RT PCR report on arrival

    Updated: 14 Aug 2021

    A negative RT PCR report has to be presented by all passengers on arrival.

  • What is the advisory to travel to North & Middle Andaman District?

    Updated: 14 Aug 2021

    The tourists are allowed to visit Baratang/North & Middle Andaman on production of double dose covid certificate/ All other passengers viz. unvaccinated and partially vaccinated passengers (those who have taken only 1S1 dose of COVID vaccine) shall have to produce RT-PCR negative test report

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  • All asymptomatic fully vaccinated persons coming to these islands from mainland are exempted from the requirement of carrying RT-PCR negative test report,irrespective of the type of vaccine received and country of origin. Such fullyvaccinated individuals shall produce the final vaccination certificate at the origin airport, sea port in the mainland and at Port Blair Airport / sea port.
  • Alt asymptomatic children below 5 years of age are exempted from carrying RT-PCR negative test report and further RT-PCR testing at Port Blair Airport.
  • All other passengers viz. unvaccinated and partially vaccinated passengers (those who have taken only 1S1 dose of COVID vaccine) shall have to produce RT-PCR negative test report to travel to Port Blair from the mainland, as is the practice now. Such an RT-PCR test should have been taken within 48 hours prior to commencement of journey from the origin airport connecting Port Blair. Such passengers will also have to undergo additional RT-PCR test on arrival at Port Blair. Such passengers shall remain in self-quarantine till the arrival of the test report.
  • If a passenger on arrival is tested positive then, the prescribed quarantine protocol is to be followed.
  • All Airlines shall ensure strict compliance of this order and observance of COVID Appropriate Behaviour. Any non-compliance shall invite action under Disaster Management Act and other applicable laws. 
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General Guidelines defined for traveling to Andaman Islands during COVID :

  1. The Tourism Activities are permitted only in South Andaman & North & Middle Andaman District except Nicobar District.
  2. Persons above 65 years of age, persons with home co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years advised not to travel for tourism purposes.
  3. Tourists/Visitors who are at higher risk due to some medical history are advised to take extra precautions.
  4. Tourists/visitors shall minimize contact with other staff and visitors as far as possible and zero contact policy should be followed at all tourist destinations.
  5. All tourists/visitors shall be briefed by the hotel concerned about do’s & don’ts to be mandatorily followed during their stay and movements.
  6. While travelling tourists/visitors should wear a face mask and carry their own sanitizer and wet wipes for personal use.
  7. At all tourist destinations, staff must wear face masks and wash/sanitize hands regularly while performing their duties.
  8. Arogya Setu App shall be mandatory for all incoming tourists/visitors.
  9. Respiratory etiquettes to be strictly followed. This involves strict practice of covering one’s mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing with a tissue handkerchief/flexed elbow and disposing off used tissues properly after use.
  10. The tourists/visitors on arrival at Port Blair airport have to undergo mandatory Covid-19 screening with RTPCR test free of cost. Thereafter the tourists/ visitors are allowed to move to their respective hotels. However, they will have to be under quarantine at Port Blair in their hotel rooms until the result of RTPCR tests are received. In case of RTPCR positive test results, the tourists/visitors shall remain in institutional quarantine in hotels notified by the Hoteliers Association in consent with the A&%N Administration, on rate as specified or to the designated hospital/ Covid 19 care centre on case to case basis.
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What are the guidelines for testing for tourists coming to Andaman after August 03 2021?

On arrival at Port Blair :

1. The tourists need to carry COVID-19 negative test report from mainland based 1CMR approved lab using Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR). However, the sample for RTPCR test should have been taken within 48 hours prior to starting the journey from the origin station. (For e.g. if the tourist takes a flight from Delhi at 0600 hrs. on 1st September, 2021, the sample for RTPCR test should have been taken not before 0600 hrs. on 30th August, 2021).

2. The tourists/visitors on arrival at Port Blair airport have to undergo mandatory Covid-19 screening with RTPCR test free of cost. Thereafter the tourists/visitors are allowed to move to their respective hotels. However, they will have to be under quarantine at Port Blair in their hotel rooms until the result of RTPCR tests are received. In case of RTPCR positive test results, the tourists/visitors shall remain in
institutional quarantine in hotels notified by the Hoteliers Association in consent with the A&N Administration, on rates as specified or to the designated hospital/ Covid-19 care centre on case-to-case basis.

3. Tourists may also have to undergo random Rapid Antigen Test conducted from time to time on payment basis as prescribed by A8N Administration.

What if the tourists test positive after arriving at the Andaman Islands?


If the tourists tests positive during their stay in the Islands, he/she will need to undergo institutional isolation as per existing health protocols. The
cost of such isolation for govt. facility will be paid by the tourists as fixed by the administration from time to time.

If the patient wants to stay at hotels, he/she can stay in the hotels if all the conditions below are met:

a) Patients are not symptomatic and not more than 60 years old.
b) Request/ undertaking is made by patient in writing.
c)lf allowed by doctors.

Hotels will make necessary arrangements to designate a part of their rooms for institutional isolation for this purpose.

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  • Regular flights to Port Blair (the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) are operational now.
  • There are direct flights from Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Delhi.
  • Public transports like cabs, taxis, and bus services are also functional.
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Travellers should carefully follow social distancing norms and wear masks as well. Also, before making any booking, they should refer to the latest travel news on the government website of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

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Best National Parks in Andaman Islands That Every Nature Lover Should Visit

Best National Parks in Andaman Islands That Every Nature Lover Should Visit
Date : 23 Oct 2020
Categories: Travel Guide

The Andaman Islands, thea archipelago of hundreds of islands, is extremely rich in natural attractions, wildlife, and biodiversity. For wildlife activists, photographers, and conservationists, the national parks in the island are counted among top tourist attractions owing to rich marine life, fascinating coral reefs, and a spellbinding underwater world. These parks scattered over the Indian Ocean leave no stone unturned in casting a magical spell on travellers. These are the perfect place for you to spend your holidays if you crave adventure and thrill. The invigorating wildlife of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are sure to take your breath away with its richness and uniqueness.

Best national parks in the Andaman Islands

While vacationing in the beautiful Andaman Islands, you should definitely include these six national parks in your travel itinerary. To know more details about them, keep scrolling down.

  • Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
  • Mount Harriet National Park
  • Campbell Bay National Park
  • North Button Island National Park
  • Saddle Peak National Park
  • Galathea National Park

Mahatma Gandhi National Park

This famous national park is located near the Wandoor Beach of Port Blair. It is one of the most popular national parks in the island known for its colorful marine life, lively coral reefs, and snorkeling sites. A man-made park, you can witness a diverse variety of flora and fauna here along with some of the endangered species like the water lizard, wild boar, and sea snakes. Featuring splendid mangrove creeks and tropical rainforests, Mahatma Gandhi National Park is spread across a total of fifteen islands.

  • Location: SH8, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
  • Timings: Tuesday to Sunday – Open 24 Hours. Closed on Mondays
  • Entry Fee: INR 50 for Indian citizens and INR 500 for foreigners

Mount Harriet National Park

A well-known national park in the Andaman Islands, it is counted among the most exotic and most visited national parks on the island. Mount Harriet National Park is spread across an area of 46 square kilometers, set at a height of 383 meters. It is home to a few species like that of Andaman wild pigs, turtles, and robber crabs. You should choose to avail the facilities of the Forest Guest House also if you are willing to spend quality time amidst the wilderness.

  • Location: Hope Town, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands 744107
  • Timings: Monday to Sunday – 7 AM to 5 PM
  • Entry Fee: INR 10 per child (Indian), INR 25 per adult, and INR 250 per person for foreigners

Campbell Bay National Park

This national park extends across an area of 426 square kilometers. It is located at a distance of about 190 kilometers from the Sumatra region of the Indian Ocean. Campbell Bay National Park is rich in aquatic life and is home to species like Megapode, crab-eating Macaque, Nicobar Pigeon, and Giant Robber Crab. The park authorities also offer camps and cabin facilities for an adventurous day out if you are looking forward to getting close with nature. The national park is counted among the best spots to visit whether you are visiting with your family, spouse, friends, or alone.

Established in the year of 1992, Campbell Bay National Park is known for its beautiful variety of orchids and various flowering plants. It is located in an area that is strictly reserved for the betterment of wildlife and biodiversity. Activities like developmental, forestry, poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are illegal here. Their boundaries are well marked and circumscribed. The national park is one of the 96 sanctuaries in the islands. There are a total of 572 islands that form the Andaman and Nicobar stretch.

The national park has sprawling vegetation of tropical and mangrove forests. It is located in the Great Nicobar Island of the archipelago. Travellers from all over the country visit Campbell Bay National Park owing to the stunning variety of orchids and flowering plants. During the spring season, it looks extremely gorgeous as all the flowering plants in this area are in full blossom. Thick tropical evergreen forests and tree ferns dominate the landscape with beautiful orchids for a wonderful photography experience. The rich ecosystem of the national park is further enhanced with mangrove forests that have their unique ecosystems. The vegetation of this park comprises tropical evergreen forests, orchids, and tree ferns. There is the provision of the watchtowers in the forest from where travellers can watch various species of birds.

  • Location: Island of Great Nicobar, Nicobar Islands
  • Timings: 12 AM to 12 Noon
  • Entry Fee: NA

North Button Island National Park

This national park is a must-visit for all nature enthusiasts. North Button Island National Park is quite famous in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is spread across an area of 114 square kilometers and attracts tourists from all over the world owing to its rich presence of diverse animal species. The duration from December to March is the best time to visit this national park. And if you are lucky, then you can spot endangered species like the dugong, water monitors, dolphins, and a lot more.

The nearest town to North Button Island National Park is Long Island, which is at a distance of 60 kilometers. You have to hire a boat service to reach the national park from Long Island. It was established in the year of 1987. The island is surrounded by deep and blue waters of the Bay of Bengal. The region is known for its spotted deer population.

Reptiles like water lizard and monitor lizard also flourish here in plenty. The park is home to blue whales, sea turtles, dugong, dolphins, and so many other beautiful fishes.

South Button Island National Park and Middle Button Island National Park are also located near North Button Island Park. The district headquarter of the island is located at a distance of 60 kilometers from the park. The other places of interest around the park include Barren Island 60 kilometers from the Park, Marine National Park that lies to the west of Port Blair and Long Island.

  • Location: North Button Island, North Andaman Island, India
  • li>Entry Fee: NA

Saddle Peak National Park

This national park spans across an area of 85 square kilometers. Saddle Peak National Park lies in the northern part of the Andaman District. It is home to rare species of flora and fauna like the wild pig, Andaman hill myna, imperial pigeon, water monitor lizards, and saltwater crocodiles. Offering an eight kilometers long trek from its entry to the peak of the mountains, this park is a one-stop destination for hikers. This national park is a great place to be visited by tourists of all age groups.

Luxuriant and lush green and thick tropical rain forests cover the forest land of the islands. The vegetation is characterized by a humid, warm, and wet tropical climate. The park runs north to south along the eastern coast of North Andaman Island. Most of the eastern boundary of this national park borders the sea with a long and rocky beach.

Saddle Peak National Park was established in 1987. The nearby attractions to the national park are Ross and Smith Island, Ram Nagar Beach, Kalipur and Lamiya Bay Beaches, and mud volcanoes. In order to scale the Saddle Peak, trekking and hiking are undertaken by the tourists. The park also has a freshwater pool from which water is piped to Diglipur. There are as many as ten perennial streams and 132 seasonal streams inside the national park. Saddle Peak National Park is uninhabited by humans beings and wilderness stays protected here. The shoreline running along the park has patches of white sand and coastal rocks.

There are several huts and benches at close distances for trekkers to rest while they hike to the Saddle Peak. So that the trekkers can spend some time and bask in the natural beauty of the region, a vantage point has been artificially created atop the peak. One can also see ruins of lost temples and perennial streams flowing through different regions of the park. It is famous for housing some of the most endangered and rare species of flora and fauna. The vegetation found in this park is unique, which is rarely found in the national parks of mainland India.

  • Location: Saddle Peak, North and Middle Andaman Islands, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
  • Timings: Monday to Sunday – 4 AM to 5 PM
  • Entry Fee: INR 25 for Indian citizens and INR 50 for foreigners

Galathea National Park

This national park was established in the year 1992. It is located on the island of Great Nicobar and is a part of the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve. Galathea National Park is separated from the Campbell Bay National Park by a twelve-kilometer wide forest buffer zone. It is home to a variety of different species of birds, and animals. If you want to spot various species like the giant leatherback turtle, pythons, Malayan box turtles, water monitor lizard, reticulated python, Nicobar tree shrews, wild pig, robber crab, Megapode, Nicobar pigeon Malayan, palm civet, fruit bat, etc. The other species of fauna are the Nicobar scrub-fowl, the edible nest swiftlet, the Nicobar long-tailed macaque, saltwater crocodile, etc. There is the provision of the watchtowers in the forest for animal lovers. One of the best national parks in the Andaman Islands, you can also do different adventure activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, boating, sea walks, etc. here.

The total area of Galathea National Park is 110 square kilometers. Flora of the region mostly comprises tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. The tribal people living around the region are conservative and have adopted various survival techniques that have evolved as a part of eco-tourism. Activities like developmental, forestry, poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are not permitted here. The boundaries of the national park are well-marked and circumscribed.

  • Location: Island of Great Nicobar, Nicobar Islands
  • Timings: 12 AM to 12 PM
  • Entry Fee: NA

The national parks of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands showcase the natural magic and beauty at their best. You can make your island vacation even more memorable by including these spots in your travel itinerary. And if you want to just chill and relax while having a stress-free vacation, then contact Andaman Island Travels to get the best of everything.

Frequently asked questions about national parks in the Andaman Islands

Question: How many national parks are there in the Andaman Islands?

Answer: There are as many as six national parks in the Andaman Islands. There are a total of three national parks that are a part of these national parks.

Question: Which is the smallest national park in India?

Answer: With an area of 0.03 square kilometers, the smallest national park in India is South Button Island National Park located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The second smallest national park in the country is Mandla Plant Fossil National Park of Madhya Pradesh that has an area of 0.27 square kilometers. It is also the smallest national park in mainland India.

Question: Which one is the state bird of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

Answer: The Andaman Wood Pigeon is the state bird of the Andaman Islands. It is found only on these islands. The pigeon is endemic to these islands lives in the dense evergreen forests. It is a mixture of darkish slate grey in the upper side and light blue grey underneath.

Question: Which reptiles can be spotted in the national parks of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

Answer: Reptiles like lizards and snakes can be spotted in the national parks of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

If you are in the planning stage of your vacation in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, then contact Andaman Island Travels to make all your bookings. A well-known and trusted tour agency, it is located in Port Blair and is committed to help you in planning the holiday of your dreams as per your budget and requirements.

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