Mayabunder Island perches 242 kilometres by road and 136 kilometres by ferry from the capital city, Port Blair. Mayabunder links to Andaman Trunk Road via Baratang and Rangat. The bumpy journey from Port Blair to Mayabunder takes roughly 10 hours. Travellers can choose between government/private buses, cabs or even ferries depending upon the availability and time on their hand.
What's Noteworthy -
Getting around Mayabunder is relatively easy as most of the highlights of the town are at a walking distance. The island life allows travellers to commute at their pace depending upon their budget and plan. Tourists can avail intra-island travel in following ways.
What's Noteworthy -
Unrivalled beauty, stunning white-sand beaches and an incredible underwater world should make Mayabunder an obvious choice for a memorable beach holiday. A low-key travel stop, Mayabunder entertains a small fraction of travellers compared to its neighbouring islands and is still growing as a tourist destination. Home to a few idyllic beaches, seasonal nesting ground, and the second-largest harbour after Port Blair, Mayabunder sprawls over an area of 1348 square kilometres. How to Reach Mayabunder Island from Port Blair? Perched in the northern segment of Middle Andamans, Mayabunder island is at an estimate distance of 242 kilometres by road and 136 kilometres by ferry from the capital city, Port Blair.
Adorning gorgeous mangrove creeks, idyllic beaches and isles, Mayabunder is blessed with superlative landscapes. Believe it or not, not a day will come while holidaying in Andamans when you decide that you have had enough with the beach lounging. And for that, places to visit in Mayabunder Island offers the best cure for the blues. The beaches fit the cliché of a sun-soaked paradise, and travellers here can spend days on the beach under the blazing tropical sun, swinging in hammocks, splashing in the sea and sipping a cocktail. Chosen mostly by the tourists looking for truly offbeat experiences, less information about Mayabunder and lesser-known ways of its accessibility has left this land unexplored. Enveloped by mangrove swamps, Mayabunder Island offers an experience close to nature and away from the urban jungle. The lingering scent of coconuts, mangroves impart the experience of a tropical getaway.
Settled in the British colonial period by former Burmese Karen Tribes, immigrants from Myanmar and ex-convicts from Mainland India, Mayabunder has an intriguing cultural eccentricity and linguistic diversity. Mayabunder consists of several villages scarcely populated, and Bengali, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu are the languages commonly spoken here. When visiting sightseeing spots in Mayabunder Island, tourists can expect to traverse the nature on their trip to the outskirts of Andamans, far from the bustling life and near to organic life. With least or no connectivity to the telecom services and the internet, it is natural to feel detached to the contemporary world. Still, as soon as the ambience sinks in – all you would want to do is unwind at the beaches, capture the moments and be grateful for having stopped here before moving further.
Gateway to some of the nearby virgin islands like Avis Island, Coco Island and Interview Island, tourist attractions in Mayabunder Island itself entices travellers with quirky boat rides, trekking opportunities and experience of turtle nesting. Amongst the must-visit places in Mayabunder, Karmatang Beach tops the list. Reckoned as an eco-friendly destination and famed as the turtle paradise of Andamans, Karmatang beach is a serene beach offering complete privacy to its visitors. Ideal for picnics, Ray Hills, is an eco-village that offers trekking opportunities, elephant rides, water sports while maintaining its concept of a fun-filled family getaway. Small yet significantly stunning, Avis island beach is another uninhabited place best known for its coconut plantation. While Rampur beach boasts of mangrove plantations and the famous remains of German jetty, Interview island is home to numerous freshwater sources.
It is 242 kilometres by road and 136 kilometres by ferry from the capital city, Port Blair. The journey would take about 10 hours. You can catch a government bus from Port Blair, which is the most reliable and economical option. On the other hand, private cabs could save you the hassle. Weekly ferry run by the Government is a direct but uncertain means.
It would help if you chose a feasible time from October to March to find the weather rather pleasant. The monsoons are far from ideal, owing to heavy rainfall and turbulent waves.
Ray Hills, a prestigious eco-village; the Karmatang Beach, a nesting ground for turtles; the Avis Island, an uninhabited place known for its coconut plantation; the Interview Island, known for its numerous freshwater sources and the Austin X Island, a small fishing village known for its mangrove creeks and orange plantations are the focal points of the island.
Overall, a day or two should suffice. Best still you could go island-hopping and basking in the sun thanks to the captivating beaches. It could also serve as a pit stop on your way to Diglipur or Ross and Smith Islands. Moreover, the option to backpack and experience the quiet at your own pace is always on the table.
A Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is no more a requirement for outsiders, in light of the Indian Government's recent decision to better the tourism.
However, you will have to ensure that you do not click pictures, offer food or try to communicate on spotting the Jarawa tribe en route. Such conduct is lawfully punishable.
You have options such as the District Hospital, the Government Hospital and the Primary Healthcare Center. They are government-run medical care units, so all services here can be availed free of charge. If you need better and advanced healthcare, your next stop would be Port Blair. G.B. Pant Hospital, Port Blair is the reputed hospital associated with being affordable and working for consistent improvements in medical services.
There is low to zero connectivity to both the telecom services and internet. There might arise a sense of being detached from the outside world, but it surely would pass once you start exploring the sites and relaxing on the beaches. For emergencies, you could use a BSNL SIM card which is still better than the rest. Not much mobile data usage would happen, but you wouldn't miss it while you're busy thanking yourself for stopping by and appreciating the place.
Yes, you will find ATMs run by State Bank of India and ICICI Bank on the island. It's not common for the hotels and vendors to accept card payment. You would mostly be paying in cash. In any case, we recommend you to keep enough cash with you.
