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.
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
General Guidelines defined for traveling to Andaman Islands during COVID :
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.
One of the main reasons why people travel is to quench their thirst for adventure and fun. While you can go to any place in the world and hike every mountain, nothing takes away the charm of relaxing by a beach. And Andamans offers exactly that. Miles and miles of white sandy beaches and a brilliantly sustained marine ecosystem are what make the Andamans an unbeatable travel destination.
There is another great reason to visit the islands; if you take a Barren Island tour, you can be part of a rare experience of witnessing an active volcano. Barren Island in the Andamans, which is the only active volcano in South Asia, is one of the best-kept secrets of Andamans.
Why is Barren Island so famous?
The actual question is why isn’t Barren Island famous enough? After all, the uninhabited island is the only active volcano in the whole of South Asia. The volcano was reported to have first erupted in the 18 century and then almost 100 years later in the 2000s. Also, it is the only volcano along the series of volcanic islands from Myanmar to Sumatra.
Apart from the actual volcanic caldera, the island is famous for the marine ecosystem that thrives in its surrounding waters. There are some very famous diving sites close to Barren Island that are home to some of the most beautiful and unique structures covered in blankets of corals of the most unimaginable colours. You can take a Barren Island tour to explore the beautiful corals.
The colourful corals have piqued the curiosity of many divers as it is almost impossible to see such colours on an otherwise ashy and lava-spewing island. This also means that a variety of sea creatures thrive here. The water is also so clear that you’ll be surprised to see white-tip sharks swimming happily with a variety of colourful fishes.
Barren Island tour: how to reach the island
There are many tours to Barren Island that you can take to explore the volcanic island. Since Barren Island is located far away from the main islands of the Andamans, you will not find any regular passenger ferries going to the island. Taking a charter boat as a part of the Barren Island tour package is the best way to visit the island.
Port Blair and Havelock Island are the only two places from where you will get charter boats to Barren Island. You can either travel directly from Port Blair or first take a ferry to Havelock, explore the island and then take a charter boat to the volcanic island. It may take you 4-5 hours to reach Barren Island from Port Blair; from Havelock, you’ll reach Barren Island in 2-3 hours or slightly more.
Cost of taking a Barren Island tour
Since the journey to Barren Island is a bit long, most charter boats start early in the morning and include all meals on board the boat. Charter boats accommodate around 8 people at a time; you may have to pay anything between INR 130,000 to INR 150,000 to take a charter boat. If you are travelling in a group or manage to arrange one, you may have to pay around INR 20,000 per person for the entire trip to and from Barren Island. Apart from meals and beverages, the luxurious trip covers a fishing trip, a snorkelling trip, and even a scuba diving trip (if discussed in advance). It also includes guides who will help you with all the activities.
Not everybody can travel to Barren Island. You’d have to first get a tourist permit from the authorities before taking the charter boat. Indian nationals have to pay around INR 1000 for the permit while foreign nationals have to pay INR 3500. The agency organising your Barren Island tour should be able to help you with the permit.
Top things to do in Barren Island
If you are looking to go for a vacation, it doesn’t get better than Andaman and Nicobar Island. Add Barren Island to your itinerary, and you’ll have one of the best vacations of your lifetime. There are so many things that you can do on a Barren Island tour. Here is a short list:
Best time to take a Barren Island tour
The best time to take a Barren Island tour is between November to February. This is because the weather in the Andamans is pleasant and beautiful at this time. Also, there are fewer chances of a storm or heavy rain around this time. Andamans being a tropical region, the weather also gets very hot and humid in the summers. Some charter boats do take tourists around March; however, your trip may be cancelled anytime if there is any indication of bad weather.
Book Your Andaman Holidays With Our Travel Experts
Enquiry Now
.jpg)
