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.
The Andamans and Nicobar Island is a land of many beautiful secrets. From underwater wreckage to an entire reef full of nemo fish, the islands offer a unique opportunity to explore the amazing wonders of the world. Deep into its waters, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands hides another very interesting gem. The Barren Island: the only active volcanic island in South Asia. If you ever go to the Andamans – and which you must – you should make a Barren Island volcano visit.
Barren Island lies on an Indo-Burmese chain of volcanic Islands and is the only active volcano from Myanmar to Sumatra. The volcano is reported to have first erupted in the 1700s. It was dormant for more than 100 years before erupting again in the 2000s. Since then, the volcano has become very popular and attracts travellers from across the world.
Why you should take a trip to Barren Island
There are many active volcanoes in this world; however, you cannot explore many of them because they are either cordoned off to the public or are located in very remote and inaccessible locations. The Barren Island volcano is neither inaccessible to the public nor is it banned from visiting. So, taking a trip to Barren Island promises to be a rare experience that you can enjoy while you are in Andamans. It is not just getting a chance to see the volcano; your Barren Island volcano visit is packed with a lot of interesting activities like game fishing, scuba diving, and snorkelling.
The water around Barren Island is very clear and attracts a host of diverse underwater creatures like turtles, white-tip sharks, manta rays, tunas and even marlins. Being an underwater cleaning station, the dive site also has many smaller varieties of sea creatures like angelfish, butterflyfish, lionfish, sponges, etc. If you like game fishing, Barren Island is the best place to fish. You can catch some blue or black marlins as well as yellow tuna. Since there are many large varieties of these fish, you may also end up getting a trophy. Now, wouldn’t that be great?
If you like water activities, snorkelling is another amazing activity you can do on your Barren Island volcano visit. The water is very clear near the volcanic island, so you’d be able to spot many underwater animals as well beautifully hued corals. Since you’d have to book a charter boat, your snorkelling gear and a guide will come with the boat itself.
If you are an advanced-level scuba diver, you can take your snorkelling trip one step further and dive near Barren Island. There are many dive sites near Barren Island. Most divers dive at Purple Haze, Manta Point, and Barren Garden for the best experience.
How to reach Barren Island
You can go to Barren Island either from Port Blair or Havelock Island. Barren Island is about 140 km away from Port Blair, so it would take you around 4-5 hours to reach the island. From Havelock, the volcanic island is 100 km away or 3-4 hours away. Since the island is located at a remote location and is uninhabited, regular passenger ferries do not go to the island. You’d only take a charter boat to Barren Island.
Most charter boats start early in the morning so that you can reach Barren Island on time to enjoy a day’s worth of activities. Each boat accommodates up to 8 people, so you should travel with a group.
Cost of making a Barren Island Volcano visit
Since Barren Island is located at a remote location and you can’t take a local ferry to the island, you have to book a charter boat. Chartering a boat can be much more expensive compared to local ferries; however, you may be able to bring down the cost if you travel in a group and split the price. The total cost of booking a charter boat is around INR 130,000 to INR 150,000. The charge includes all the in-boat expenses like food, beverages, and other facilities. Most people take a charter boat to go fishing or enjoy a water activity like snorkelling or scuba diving. The cost of such activities and the required gear are also added to the cost of hiring the boat. You’ll also get guides who’ll accompany you on the trip.
Before going to Barren Island, however, you’d have to get a tourist permit from the government as no one is allowed to visit the island without permission. The cost of the permit is INR 1000 for Indian nationals and around INR 3500 for foreign nationals.
Best time to visit Barren Island
The best to visit Barren Island is between November to February. The Andamans are located in a tropical region, this time of the year is perfect for a vacation as the weather is sunny and pleasant. While you can travel to Barren Island during the other months as well, the weather could be very hot and humid.
Also, the rainy season between June to August is not very conducive for a beach vacation at the Andamans. Bad weather conditions may get many of your plans cancelled including a trip to Barren Island.
Barren Island Volcano visit: FAQs
1. Why is Barren Island famous?
Answer: Barren Island is a volcanic island that is famous for being the only active volcano in South Asia.
2. How can you go to Barren Island?
Answer: Barren Island is accessible by a charter boat from either Port Blair or Havelock Island.
3. Can you scuba dive at Barren Island?
Answer: Yes, you can scuba dive at Barren Island. You can also snorkel in the water around the island.
4. Are you allowed to step into Barren Island?
Answer: Tourists are not allowed to explore Barren Island on foot. You can view it from your boat or ship. The island is uninhabited and not safe for humans to live in. Only a few animal species live on Barren Island.
5. Do you need a permit to visit Barren Island?
Answer: Yes, both Indian and foreign nationals need a permit to visit Barren Island. Indians have to pay INR 1000 for the permit while foreigners have to pay INR 3500.
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