The Andaman Islands, thea archipelago of hundreds of islands, is extremely rich in natural attractions, wildlife, and biodiversity. For wildlife activists, photographers, and conservationists, the national parks in the island are counted among top tourist attractions owing to rich marine life, fascinating coral reefs, and a spellbinding underwater world.
These parks scattered over the Indian Ocean leave no stone unturned in casting a magical spell on travellers. These are the perfect place for you to spend your holidays if you crave adventure and thrill. The invigorating wildlife of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are sure to take your breath away with its richness and uniqueness.
Best National Parks in the Andaman Islands
While vacationing in the beautiful Andaman Islands, you should definitely include these six national parks in your travel itinerary. To know more details about them, keep scrolling down.
- Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
- Mount Harriet National Park
- Campbell Bay National Park
- North Button Island National Park
- Saddle Peak National Park
- Galathea National Park
Mahatma Gandhi National Park
This famous national park is located near the Wandoor Beach of Port Blair. It is one of the most popular national parks in the island known for its colorful marine life, lively coral reefs, and snorkeling sites. A man-made park, you can witness a diverse variety of flora and fauna here along with some of the endangered species like the water lizard, wild boar, and sea snakes. Featuring splendid mangrove creeks and tropical rainforests, Mahatma Gandhi National Park is spread across a total of fifteen islands.
- Location: SH8, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Timings: Tuesday to Sunday – Open 24 Hours. Closed on Mondays
- Entry Fee: INR 50 for Indian citizens and INR 500 for foreigners
Mount Harriet National Park
A well-known national park in the Andaman Islands, it is counted among the most exotic and most visited national parks on the island. Mount Harriet National Park is spread across an area of 46 square kilometers, set at a height of 383 meters. It is home to a few species like that of Andaman wild pigs, turtles, and robber crabs. You should choose to avail the facilities of the Forest Guest House also if you are willing to spend quality time amidst the wilderness.
- Location: Hope Town, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands 744107
- Timings: Monday to Sunday – 7 AM to 5 PM
- Entry Fee: INR 10 per child (Indian), INR 25 per adult, and INR 250 per person for foreigners
Campbell Bay National Park
This national park extends across an area of 426 square kilometers. It is located at a distance of about 190 kilometers from the Sumatra region of the Indian Ocean. Campbell Bay National Park is rich in aquatic life and is home to species like Megapode, crab-eating Macaque, Nicobar Pigeon, and Giant Robber Crab. The park authorities also offer camps and cabin facilities for an adventurous day out if you are looking forward to getting close with nature. The national park is counted among the best spots to visit whether you are visiting with your family, spouse, friends, or alone.
Established in the year of 1992, Campbell Bay National Park is known for its beautiful variety of orchids and various flowering plants. It is located in an area that is strictly reserved for the betterment of wildlife and biodiversity. Activities like developmental, forestry, poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are illegal here. Their boundaries are well marked and circumscribed. The national park is one of the 96 sanctuaries in the islands. There are a total of 572 islands that form the Andaman and Nicobar stretch.
The national park has sprawling vegetation of tropical and mangrove forests. It is located in the Great Nicobar Island of the archipelago. Travellers from all over the country visit Campbell Bay National Park owing to the stunning variety of orchids and flowering plants. During the spring season, it looks extremely gorgeous as all the flowering plants in this area are in full blossom. Thick tropical evergreen forests and tree ferns dominate the landscape with beautiful orchids for a wonderful photography experience.
The rich ecosystem of the national park is further enhanced with mangrove forests that have their unique ecosystems. The vegetation of this park comprises tropical evergreen forests, orchids, and tree ferns. There is the provision of the watchtowers in the forest from where travellers can watch various species of birds.
- Location: Island of Great Nicobar, Nicobar Islands
- Timings: 12 AM to 12 Noon
- Entry Fee: NA
North Button Island National Park
This national park is a must-visit for all nature enthusiasts. North Button Island National Park is quite famous in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is spread across an area of 114 square kilometers and attracts tourists from all over the world owing to its rich presence of diverse animal species. The duration from December to March is the best time to visit this national park. And if you are lucky, then you can spot endangered species like the dugong, water monitors, dolphins, and a lot more.
The nearest town to North Button Island National Park is Long Island, which is at a distance of 60 kilometers. You have to hire a boat service to reach the national park from Long Island. It was established in the year of 1987. The island is surrounded by deep and blue waters of the Bay of Bengal. The region is known for its spotted deer population.
Reptiles like water lizard and monitor lizard also flourish here in plenty. The park is home to blue whales, sea turtles, dugong, dolphins, and so many other beautiful fishes.
South Button Island National Park and Middle Button Island National Park are also located near North Button Island Park. The district headquarter of the island is located at a distance of 60 kilometers from the park. The other places of interest around the park include Barren Island 60 kilometers from the Park, Marine National Park that lies to the west of Port Blair and Long Island.
- Location: North Button Island, North Andaman Island, India
- Entry Fee: NA
Saddle Peak National Park
This national park spans across an area of 85 square kilometers. Saddle Peak National Park lies in the northern part of the Andaman District. It is home to rare species of flora and fauna like the wild pig, Andaman hill myna, imperial pigeon, water monitor lizards, and saltwater crocodiles. Offering an eight kilometers long trek from its entry to the peak of the mountains, this park is a one-stop destination for hikers. This national park is a great place to be visited by tourists of all age groups.
Luxuriant and lush green and thick tropical rain forests cover the forest land of the islands. The vegetation is characterized by a humid, warm, and wet tropical climate. The park runs north to south along the eastern coast of North Andaman Island. Most of the eastern boundary of this national park borders the sea with a long and rocky beach.
Saddle Peak National Park was established in 1987. The nearby attractions to the national park are Ross and Smith Island, Ram Nagar Beach, Kalipur and Lamiya Bay Beaches, and mud volcanoes. In order to scale the Saddle Peak, trekking and hiking are undertaken by the tourists. The park also has a freshwater pool from which water is piped to Diglipur. There are as many as ten perennial streams and 132 seasonal streams inside the national park. Saddle Peak National Park is uninhabited by humans beings and wilderness stays protected here. The shoreline running along the park has patches of white sand and coastal rocks.
There are several huts and benches at close distances for trekkers to rest while they hike to the Saddle Peak. So that the trekkers can spend some time and bask in the natural beauty of the region, a vantage point has been artificially created atop the peak. One can also see ruins of lost temples and perennial streams flowing through different regions of the park. It is famous for housing some of the most endangered and rare species of flora and fauna. The vegetation found in this park is unique, which is rarely found in the national parks of mainland India.
- Location: Saddle Peak, North and Middle Andaman Islands, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
- Timings: Monday to Sunday – 4 AM to 5 PM
- Entry Fee: INR 25 for Indian citizens and INR 50 for foreigners
Galathea National Park
This national park was established in the year 1992. It is located on the island of Great Nicobar and is a part of the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve. Galathea National Park is separated from the Campbell Bay National Park by a twelve-kilometer wide forest buffer zone. It is home to a variety of different species of birds, and animals.
If you want to spot various species like the giant leatherback turtle, pythons, Malayan box turtles, water monitor lizard, reticulated python, Nicobar tree shrews, wild pig, robber crab, Megapode, Nicobar pigeon Malayan, palm civet, fruit bat, etc. The other species of fauna are the Nicobar scrub-fowl, the edible nest swiftlet, the Nicobar long-tailed macaque, saltwater crocodile, etc. There is the provision of the watchtowers in the forest for animal lovers. One of the best national parks in the Andaman Islands, you can also do different adventure activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, boating, sea walks, etc. here.
The total area of Galathea National Park is 110 square kilometers. Flora of the region mostly comprises tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. The tribal people living around the region are conservative and have adopted various survival techniques that have evolved as a part of eco-tourism. Activities like developmental, forestry, poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are not permitted here. The boundaries of the national park are well-marked and circumscribed.
- Location: Island of Great Nicobar, Nicobar Islands
- Timings: 12 AM to 12 PM
- Entry Fee: NA
The national parks of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands showcase the natural magic and beauty at their best. You can make your island vacation even more memorable by including these spots in your travel itinerary. And if you want to just chill and relax while having a stress-free vacation, then contact Andaman Island Travels to get the best of everything.
Frequently Asked Questions About National Parks in the Andaman Islands
Question: How many national parks are there in the Andaman Islands?
Answer: There are as many as six national parks in the Andaman Islands. There are a total of three national parks that are a part of these national parks.
Question: Which is the smallest national park in India?
Answer: With an area of 0.03 square kilometers, the smallest national park in India is South Button Island National Park located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The second smallest national park in the country is Mandla Plant Fossil National Park of Madhya Pradesh that has an area of 0.27 square kilometers. It is also the smallest national park in mainland India.
Question: Which one is the state bird of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands?
Answer: The Andaman Wood Pigeon is the state bird of the Andaman Islands. It is found only on these islands. The pigeon is endemic to these islands lives in the dense evergreen forests. It is a mixture of darkish slate grey in the upper side and light blue grey underneath.
Question: Which reptiles can be spotted in the national parks of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands?
Answer: Reptiles like lizards and snakes can be spotted in the national parks of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
If you are in the planning stage of your vacation in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, then contact Andaman Island Travels to make all your bookings. A well-known and trusted tour agency, it is located in Port Blair and is committed to help you in planning the holiday of your dreams as per your budget and requirements.
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