Latest Information on Travelling to Andaman Islands?
  • 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.

  • 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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Austin X Island at Mayabunder Island

Austin X Island at Mayabunder Island
Date : 29 Aug 2024

At a distance of a 25-minute boat ride from the Mayabunder jetty, Austin X Island has a palm-fringed little beach and a shallow sea with a mangrove belt. The place is an ideal spot for picnics and trekking. You can also see spotted deer here that come to water holes. The shoreline of the island is extremely beautiful. The island has a couple of untouched tourist spots along with the surrounding colorful coral reefs. Treat your eyes with a massive forest cover that has lush green mangroves and secluded beaches. The island is a tiny slice of paradise for photographers. There are wild deer also at Austin X Island that just roam around across lush green forests engulfing the beach. You can go closer to them as these spotted deer are quite familiar with the travellers. The island is a preferred place for adventure seekers as well. Austin X Island is the perfect place for you if you are willing to go for snorkeling, scuba diving, or sea walking at a less disturbed and pristine spot.

Through this detailed travel guide of Austin X Island, we will help you in exploring every corner possible of this unexplored destination so that you can get to know what you should expect from this untouched gem of the Andaman Islands. 

Our Package

Highlights

We know that the best beaches are in Havelock Island, but Mayabunder is known for its natural marvels. Most of the people think that they should skip it and head directly towards more popular islands. We would recommend you to make up your mind to stay in this hidden gem of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for one day at least. Here, you will see a fair share of natural beauty. You should definitely add it to your itinerary. You should not miss it at any cost. It definitely deserves a place in your travel bucket list. 

Every year, travellers get attracted to the pristine beauty and untouched sandy beaches of Austin X Island. It has some of the most scenic spots for travel and nature lovers. This hidden gem is visited by people from all over the world to uncover and explore its jewels. The entire island is amazingly gorgeous and it is one place that nature lovers and beach bums should never miss. It is known for some of the most unique sights. If Mayabunder is a crown, then this island is its extraordinary gem!

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Overview

Mayabunder is a less travelled destination with lesser tourist attractions compared to other neighboring islands. The place is well-known for its cultural diversity owing to the presence of Bangladesh and east Pakistani settlers, ex-convicts, and a Burmese hill tribe, Karen, who were relocated here during the British colonial period. Famous for mangrove creeks and village hamlets, the Mayabunder county is adorned with lush greenery and thick forests. Every nook and corner of this place will surprise you and Austin X Island is one of the treasures of this destination.

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Traveller tips

  • Keep these things in mind when travelling to Austin X Island:
  • Dress accordingly to the season and carry comfortable clothes. 
  • Carry your first-aid kit with you at all times, especially if your kids are also travelling with you. Keep all handy medicines with you.
  • Ensure that you have valid ID proofs with you as there are some tourist attractions that demand identity proofs. 

Things to do

  • If you see any deer coming out to drink water, then you can feed and pamper them. One can easily spot them as it is quite a usual happening in the Austin X group of islands. It would be a memorable experience to spend time with these peace-loving animals. 
  • When in Austin X Island, you can try your hand at enthralling water activities such as deep sea-walking, scuba diving, snorkelling. 
  • You can also go pearl hunting in the serene open seas of the island.
  • Enjoying a picnic with your loved ones in lush mangroves of the island is an incredible thing to do.

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Nearby hotels

Some of the best hotels near Austin X Island are mentioned below:

  • Blue Bird Resort
  • Hotel Aashna
  • RG Hotel
  • Hotel Landfall
  • Sea and Sand 
  • APWD Guest House 

Nearby restaurants 

The best food joints near Austin X Island are as follows:

  • Hotel Sea and Sand
  • Carlo Restaurant & Bar
  • Hotel Payal Garden & Bar
  • JM Baxi Resort & Restaurant

How to reach

Taking a ferry from Phoenix Bay Jetty in Port Blair to Diglipur (via Mayabunder) is a comfortable option to reach Austin X Island. Depending on the weather conditions, the journey takes about eight to nine hours. There are two weekly ferries that leave on Monday and on Friday, but you should check the timetables online or at the ticket counter as they do often change. Before getting into the queue, don’t forget the photocopies of your permit, visa, and passport. Mayabunder has the facility of harboring passenger ships from the mainland.

From the local dock of Mayabunder, Austin X Island is just 30 minutes away. Hire a private boat or access a ferry to reach the island. The journey in itself is an adventure. You can capture the natural beauty in your camera and take these beautiful memories with you.

A well-known and trusted tour agency, Andaman Island Travels is located in Port Blair and is committed to help you in planning the holiday of your dreams as per your budget and requirements. Whether it is your accommodation, any adventure activity that you want to do or hire a car, it will take care of all your needs in the best way possible.

So, what do you think? Do you want to include this untouched gem in your Mayabunder travel itinerary? If yes, then we would suggest you to make all your reservations through Andaman Island Travels as its experts will sketch the perfect vacation based on your interests. 

Start planning and get, set, go. Austin X Island will be a great addition to your travel list in the Andamans.

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