Latest Information on Travelling to Andaman Islands?

Runway Status for Port Blair Airport From October,22 to February, 23

Updated: 19 Sep 2022

From	To	Status
18-Oct	21-Oct	Closed
22-Oct	31-Oct	Operational
01-Nov	04-Nov	Closed
05-Nov	14-Nov	Operational
15-Nov	18-Nov	Closed
19-Nov	28-Nov	Operational
29-Nov	02-Dec	Closed
03-Dec	12-Dec	Operational
13-Dec	16-Dec	Closed
17-Dec	26-Dec	Operational
27-Dec	30-Dec	Closed
31-Dec	09-Jan	Operational
10-Jan	13-Jan	Closed
14-Jan	23-Jan	Operational
24-Jan	27-Jan	Closed
28-Jan	06-Feb	Operational
07-Feb	10-Feb	Closed
11-Feb	20-Feb	Operational

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 :

The Tourism Activities are permitted only in South Andaman & North & Middle Andaman District except Nicobar District.
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.
Tourists/Visitors who are at higher risk due to some medical history are advised to take extra precautions.
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.
All tourists/visitors shall be briefed by the hotel concerned about do’s & don’ts to be mandatorily followed during their stay and movements.
While travelling tourists/visitors should wear a face mask and carry their own sanitizer and wet wipes for personal use.
At all tourist destinations, staff must wear face masks and wash/sanitize hands regularly while performing their duties.
Arogya Setu App shall be mandatory for all incoming tourists/visitors.
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.
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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General Information For Travellers Travelling Andaman Islands

Date : 25 Nov 2020

Categories: Travel Guide

Weather & best time to visit

Andaman and Nicobar Island is open for tourists throughout the year. However, the best time to visit the island is from October to April when the weather is pleasurable. Most of the people preferring to come here plan their Andaman trip during this time. The summer season is likely to be avoided. Visitors can travel to the island at any time as it witnesses comforting weather throughout the year. But when comes to choosing the best season to visit there, winter stands tall as one of the best times of the year to visit the secluded isle. With the dry weather facilitating easy commutation, the summer season is also beneficial for tourists.

Summer (March to May):

The weather in the summer season maintains higher temperatures, constantly fluctuating between 25°C and 32°C. Early mornings and evenings are amazingly pleasant. If you are visiting the Andaman Islands during this time of the year, then you should also pay a visit to the popular Beach Festival that is held every year. It is a perfect time to soak in the sun on some of these shimmering beaches.

Monsoon (June to September):

Owing to its tropical proximity, the monsoons in the Andaman Islands witnesses a substantial amount of rainfall. With temperatures alternating between 25°C and 30°C, conditions turn extremely humid. Some brave adventurers visit the island during this time as well in order to experience exciting festivities such as the Monsoon Festival and the Food Festival.

Winter (October to February):

During the winter season in the Andaman Islands, temperatures sometimes hit a minimum of 20°C and occasionally touch 30°C too. This season is the most favorable time of the year to explore the island as it offers a very pleasant feel. As the sea waters remain calm and composed, underwater activities such as sea walking, swimming, scuba diving, and snorkeling are at their best during winter. You can also catch up on the Island Tourism Festival and the Film Festival on your visit during this time of the year.

Getting acquainted

Mobile connectivity- It is a major concern for tourists visiting the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Almost all networks fail to function properly there and the ones that work, offer very basic services, Call drop, bad network, not being able to download applications, etc. are some of the issues that you may face at the island. However, it is found that BSNL provides better service than other networks here. So, make sure that you carry a BSNL sim card on your trip to the Andaman Islands. It is recommended to take the help of a tour operator in order to avoid any kind of risk. In case of an emergency, you can also carry some extra sim cards that you can use.

Medical facilities- The islands have very limited access to medical facilities but their close proximity to Port Blair makes things easier for the tourists. The capital town has a good healthcare service with several medical stores and hospitals. The health infrastructure here is limited but you can easily see improvement and modernization in medical services. There are enough medical facilities to support the outsiders that include ambulances, X-ray machines, captive power generators, and a lot more. One can also find few homeopathy dispensaries here. G.B Panth hospital is the most reputed hospital in the city. It is known for providing affordable and genuine treatments to patients.

ATM- It is advisable to carry a decent amount of cash with you as you will find only a few ATMs around the island. The ATMs here are replenished with cash in four to five days. Thus, while visiting the Andamans, you should carry enough cash with you. In case you visit Port Blair on this trip, then you don’t have to worry about cash as it has various ATMs and you will not face any trouble there.

Minimum duration for visiting the Andaman Islands- If you are planning to cover the south, north, and middle Andaman, then it is advisable to plan a week’s trip. In these seven days, you can travel in and around Port Blair and explore tourist attractions like Ross Island, Havelock Island, Neil Island, Baratang Island, Mayabunder, etc.

Crucial things to keep in mind while visiting the Andaman Islands

Andaman Island is a gorgeous place offering a plethora of activities and attractions. However, travelling across this lovely destination is not that easy as you have to cross tribal zones that are protected by the Government of India (GOI). Therefore, there are a few important things that you must consider on your journey to this island.
You should not offer any food items to the tribal people as it might prove to be injurious to their health. Also, taking pictures with tribal people is also strictly prohibited in this area.
You should always carry cotton and loose fit clothes as most of the time, the weather on the island is quite humid sometimes. This will make you feel comfortable and easy throughout the journey.
Don’t forget to carry good walking shoes with yourself if you are an adventure lover who is willing to engage in hiking and trekking activities.
Don’t forget to carry an umbrella with you if you are planning your journey in the rainy season.
You need to carry enough cash with yourself while you are visiting the Andaman Islands as there are not many ATMs there.
As the island remains crowded with tourists throughout the year and last-minute booking might result in inconvenience, you should book a decent accommodation well in advance.

Reaching the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

There are no direct flights to the Andaman Islands from everywhere. For instance, if you are flying from Delhi or Mumbai, then you will have a layover in Hyderabad or somewhere else. From there, you will be flying to Port Blair, the capital of the island. Its airport is Vir Savarkar Airport. However, there are direct flights also from a few cities such as Chennai, Bangalore, and Kolkata.

To reach any major island from Port Blair, you will be required to take a government ferry or faster private catamaran. However, the timetables are not predictable and services are slow. Sometimes, it can take up to three to four hours to reach Havelock Island or Neil Island.