Places to visit in Port Blair

High-end shopping/luxury shopping/shopping malls in Port Blair

• Lulu Shopping Mall
• Morris Dera
• Ajt Shopping Mall

Street shopping in Port Blair

While Port Blair is not necessarily a shopping hub, the town has a bazaar and a few government emporiums. Our first choice would be Aberdeen Bazaar for colourful fabrics, wood artefacts, jewellery, Port Blair T-shirts and more. Don’t forget to bargain. The Sagarika Government Emporium is also an excellent option for pearl jewellery, home decor accessories made from shells, coconut lampshades and bangles and papier-mache tribal masks.

Nightlife/party places in Port Blair

• Sound and Light Show:This show details out the dark history of the Andaman Islands, sufferings and pain of freedom fighters in Jail through light and sound.
• Sea Sip:The place offers a perfect setting to enjoy your evening on the beach under the moonlit sky. Taste their exotic cocktails and feel pampered by the superb service of their staffs.
• Nico Bar:Overlooking the scenic Bay of Bengal, this exotic place serves decadent cocktails in coconut shells. Enjoy your evening under a starry sky while sipping interesting drinks made by the performing bartenders at the bar.
• Pink Fly Lounge Bar:It is one of the famous bars in Port Blair due to its panoramic views of the ocean. The place features incredible music with superb remixes depending on the party theme in a quirky ambience with real motorbikes hanging from the ceiling. Do try their delicious tandoori dishes and various cocktails.

Chidiya Tapu

For one of the best sunset spots in Port Blair, head to Chidiya Tapu, though the best time to go is early morning to witness the different birds found here and to avoid the crowd.

Viper Island

A bright, beautiful tourist destination situated near Port Blair's harbour, was the primary jail for British prisoners before the Cellular Jail, was built.

North Bay Island and Jolly Buoy Island

If water activities are what you came for, head to North Bay Island and partake in an underwater sea walk to spot various fish, coral, and other sea life. For more forays into the fantastic world of aquatic sea life, head to Jolly Buoy Island and ride a glass-bottom boat, a perfect family and group activity.

Havelock Beach

A more pristine version of Goa, Havelock Beach is the perfect place to go diving and explore marine life or spend time taking in the stunning natural beauty lying on the soft white sands. Don’t miss out on the experience of going on a sea walk at the famous Elephant Beach. Havelock has many beachfront properties, along with great food and a chilled-out vibe. You can choose from the very basic and affordable Sea View Beach Resort to the beautiful and luxurious Barefoot at Havelock Resort and everything in between. Many resorts have on-site diving companies and offer excellent package deals worth exploring. Neil is a quieter but less luxurious alternative to Havelock. More laid-back and untouched, it’s also perfect for snorkelling and diving. Other islands worth exploring, if you have the time and patience, are the remote beaches, coves, mangroves and tropical forests of Little Andaman and Long Island. Watch out for the crocodiles, though! And for the truly adventurous, a trip to Barren Island, India’s only active volcano, is a must. You can charter a boat with permission from the Forest Department and visit the island. Be warned; the volcano last erupted in 2015.

Places to visit near Port Blair

Wandoor

One of the gems of Port Blair is Wandoor, a tiny village 30km southwest of town, from where you can access the famous Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. The park comprises 15 mangrove creeks, tropical rainforests and reefs, with two snorkelling sites that are alternated between, depending on the time of the year. It is also an excellent place for avian enthusiasts, who can spot the white-bellied sea eagle amongst other region birds. Also, at Wandoor, tucked away on a slight, forested incline fringed by fields and mangrove swamp, is the little known but beautiful ANET (Andaman and Nicobar Islands Environmental Team), a research organisation set up in the late 1980s to study and conserve the unique biodiversity of the islands. The ANET campus, with ten wooden cottages, simple meals and an extensive library, is the perfect place to understand and live amongst the diverse ecology and environment of the archipelago. As a bonus, they also offer diving and snorkelling expeditions.

Rangat, Mayabunder and Diglipur

If you want to take the road less travelled, head to Rangat and Mayabunder (Middle Andaman) and Diglipur (North Andaman), towns from where you can access the deep tropical forests and other under-explored parts of the island or trek up Saddle Peak, the highest peak in the region. Ferries to these places tend to be erratic, so check the government website for timings, as they change seasonally. You can also go up by road via the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR), but do note that the road goes through protected tribal zones and can be crossed only at certain times of the day, accompanied by an official convoy. From Diglipur head straight to the tranquil beach of Kalipur and prepare to be amazed at the sight of varieties turtles nesting, including Olive Ridley, Green Sea, Hawksbill and Leatherback Turtles. Stay at the remote and beautiful Pristine Beach Resort and even assist with collecting and marking of turtle eggs. It is a fantastic nature show, best viewed between mid-December to early April.

Island Festival

The Island Festival is organised by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to promote tourism. As several tourists visit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the winter season, this festival takes place here during December and January every year. Exhibition of local handicraft items and display of collections of flora and fauna are the major attractions of this festival.