Tourism in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Tourism in Andaman and Nicobar Islands relates to tourism in union territory of India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Andamans are an archipelago of over 570 tropical islands, of which only 36 are inhabited.[1][2] In 2004 Radhanagar beach at Havelock Island was bestowed with the title of "Asia’s Best Beach" and as the world's seventh most spectacular beach by Time Magazine.[3]

Tourism industry

Tourism is a major industry in Andaman. The bulk of the revenue earned by the government of Andaman and Nicobar is through the tourism industry. In 2008 total 136,426 tourists visited Andaman and Nicobar. Growing sectors in tourism and potential area of investment are water sports and adventure tourism including trekking, island camping, snorkeling and scuba diving. Sea aquarium, water theme park, wave surfing, marina yacht, convention centre, health resorts, sanctuaries, national park, inter-island cruise liner.[4]

Natural resources in Andaman

Andaman and Nicobar has approximately 86 percent of forest area of its total land. The forests constitute an integral wing of the natural resource of Andaman and Nicobar and it houses 96 sanctuaries and nine national parks.[4]

The primary sanctuaries that form a part of the natural resources of Andaman and Nicobar islands are Narcondum Hornbill Sanctuary, which protects hornbills; Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, which features a large variety of aquatic creatures; Nicobar Pigeon Sanctuary; South Sentinel Island Sanctuary, offering giant robber crabs; and North Reef Sanctuary, which is principally dedicated to the nurturing of a variety of water birds.[4]

Major attractions
Cellular Jail
Historic gallows on Viper Island

Major tourist attractions in Andaman and Nicobar islands include:

Cellular Jail

The Cellular Jail, also known as Kālā Pānī (Black Water), was a colonial prison. The prison was used by the British especially to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago. Many notable dissidents such as Batukeshwar Dutt and Veer Savarkar, among others, were imprisoned here during the struggle for India's independence. Today, the complex serves as a national memorial monument.[5]

Havelock Island

Havelock Island, with an area of 113.93 km², is the largest of the islands that comprise Ritchie's Archipelago, a chain of islands to the east of Great Andaman in the Andaman Islands.[6]

Radhanagar Beach

Radhanagar Beach is a beautiful pristine clean beach located on the western coast of Havelock Island. Called an infinite beach,[7] Radhanagar was voted the best beach in Asia by Time Magazine in 2004 and is now considered one of the top 100 beaches in the world.[8]

Ross Island

Ross Island was the seat of British administration.

Viper Island

Viper Island is near Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, was the site of the jail where the British used to imprison convicts and political prisoners. It has the ruins of a gallows atop a hillock. The jail was abandoned when the Cellular Jail was constructed in 1906.

Baratang Island

The Baratang Island which lies 100 kilometres north of Port Blair, also has a mangrove creeks leading to limestone caves and mud volcanoes.[9]

  • Havelock Island.
  • Elephant at Havelock
  • Viper Island
  • One view of Ross Island

Outline of tourism in India

Further reading
  • India. Planning Commission (1 January 2008). Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Development Report. Academic Foundation. pp. 205–. ISBN 978-81-7188-652-4.

References
  1. "ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS - Incredible India | Travel on The Indian Panorama". Theindianpanorama.com. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  2. "Andaman-Nicobar Islands - An Unending Delight". Daijiworld. 2015-07-23. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  3. "Andaman's Havelock Island: The picturesque coral reefs are a haven for divers to explore the beauty of aquatic life". The Economic Times. 2015-07-19. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  4. http://www.thaiembassy.org/bic.kolkata/contents/files/information-20120630-171419-466696.pdf
  5. History of Andaman Cellular Jail: Recapture of Andaman Islands to keep Political Prisoners Archived 2011-08-29 at the Wayback Machine. AndamanCellularJail.org. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  6. "Andaman and Nicobar Island Tourism". Andamansguide. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  7. "9 Reasons Why Havelock Island Is The Pearl Of Andaman - News Stories, Latest News Headlines on Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  8. "World's 100 best beaches - CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  9. "Baratang is the most-stunning, untouched, uncrowded Andaman island you've been looking for". Hindustan Times. 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
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