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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Charter Boat to Barren Island

Charter Boat to Barren Island
Date : 29 Mar 2023
Categories: Andaman Islands

Don’t we all wish that one morning we’ll just wake up to a bright sunny day and look out of the window to see an incredibly vast and deep blue sea and white sandy beaches? Well, every morning in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is exactly like that. Not just the view, there’s an endless list of exciting things that you can do in the Andamans starting from scuba diving to exploring mangrove forests and even visiting remote islands. Speaking of visiting a remote island, you’d be surprised to hear that there is a volcano at Barren Island in the Andamans, which is the only active volcano in South Asia. Read this article to know more about this amazing volcanic island and how to get a charter boat to Barren Island:

Why should you visit Barren Island?

First, like, as we already know by now, Barren Island is the only active volcanic Island in South Asia. It sits along the Indo-Burmese tectonic plate and is the only active volcano in the series of volcanoes from Myanmar to Sumatra. People from across the world visit Barren Island to observe this brilliant phenomenon. While you cannot explore the island on foot, you can do quite a few activities close to it. Barren Island attracts a lot of people for activities like scuba diving and fishing.

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How to go to Barren Island:

The only and best way to go to Barren Island is in a charter boat. Barren Island is located in a remote location a little further away from the other islands in the Andamans. As such, no regular passenger ferries go to the island. You can hire a private charter boat to take a day’s trip.

Most charter boats to Barren Island start early in the morning and can accommodate up to 8 people. People usually travel in groups to avoid the high cost, but you can also book a boat alone if you want to make the journey alone. Of course, the boat staff and instructors will accompany you. Before you make the trip to Barren Island, you’d also need a tourist permit from the government. The permit usually comes at INR 1000 for Indian nationals and around INR 3500 for foreign nationals.

There are a few travel agencies in the Andamans where you can book a place in a charter boat to Barren Island. The cost of the ticket is around INR 20,000 per person. In most cases, you’d have to book the whole boat which would make your total cost for the trip around INR 130,000. The charter boat package to Barren Island usually includes breakfast, lunch, and other snacks as well as beverages. You’d also be provided with fishing, snorkelling and scuba gear. You’d be interested to know that some charter boats can take you for a Barren Island trip even late at night.

Time taken to reach Barren Island in a charter boat

There are two ways for you to go to Barren Island. One is from Port Blair and the other is from Havelock. If you are in Havelock, it would make sense for you to go to Barren Island directly from Havelock, as the distance to the island is less than that from Port Blair. Barren Island is around 100 km from Havelock Island and may take you 2-3 hours to take the journey. The island is 140 km away from Port Blair, which means that it will take you at least 4 hours to reach the island from the capital.

Visiting Barren Island is usually an 8 to 9-hour long trip, so you should keep one day aside just for visiting the Island.

Things to do in Barren Island

While you are not allowed to set foot on Barren Island, you can enjoy the activities around the island. There are many things that you can do near Barren Island. Here is a list of a few fund activities:

  • Fishing: One of the best things to do near Barren Island is game fishing. You can fish for a variety of fishes like marlins and tunas. Most charter boats come with guides who’ll help you with finding the best places to fish around Barren Island.
  • Snorkelling: The water around Barren Island is very clear, which makes it best for exploring the underwater world. You can explore the white-tip shark, Tunas, butterfly fish, Angelfish, and incredibly coloured reefs.
  • Scuba dive: Yes, you can even scuba dive at Barren Island. However, you’d have to be an experienced and advanced-level scuba diver to be able to dive at Barren Island. The island is surrounded by five to six diving sites including the famous purple haze, Barren Garden, and Manta Point.

Charter Boat to Barren Island: FAQs

1. How can you go to Barren Island?

Answer: Public ferries do not go to Barren Island. The only way to visit the island is by charter boat.

2. Where can you get charter boats to Barren Island?

Answer: To go to Barren Island, you can get charter boats from either Port Blair or Havelock Island.

3. How far is Barren Island?

Answer: Barren Island is 140 km away from Port Blair, so it would take you around 3-4 hours to reach the island from the capital. From Havelock, Barren Island is 100 km away and would take you 2-3 hours.

4. How much time does the Barren Island trip take?

Answer: It can take you anything between 8-9 hours to explore Barren Island. The journey to and from the island will take up half your time.

5. Will you get a guide to Barren Island?

Answer: Yes, guides are usually part of the Charter Boats packages to Barren Island. They’ll be able to provide you with any information you require as well as help with all kinds of activities.

6. What kind of water sports can you do at Barren Island?

Answer: You can scuba dive and snorkel at Barren Island. However, you’d have to be an advanced-level scuba diver to be able to dive at Barren Island.

7. Do you need a permit to go to Barren Island?

Answer: Yes, you need a tourist permit to visit Barren Island. You may have to pay between INR 1000-3500 depending on your nationality.

8. Can you stay at Barren Island?

Answer: Unfortunately, being a volcanic island, Barren Island is uninhabited. Tourists are also not allowed to stay on the island. you can also visit for a day trip. Also, you cannot explore the island either. Most people enjoy the water activities close to the island or just watch the active volcano from the charter boats.

9. What is the best time to visit Barren Island?

Answer: The best time to visit Barren Island is between November to February.

10. Can you go to Barren Island for game fishing?

Answer: Yes, Barren Island is famous for game fishing.

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