One of seven Indian union territories, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of islands located at the junction of the Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea.

It is located 150 km (93 miles) north of Aceh, Indonesia. It is separated by the Andaman sea from Thailand and Myanmar (Burma). It is made up of two island groups, the Andaman Islands (north) and the Nicobar Islands (south). 

The 10degN parallel separates the two groups. The Andamans are to the north and the Nicobars, to the south. Toward the east is the Andaman Sea, and toward the west is the Bay of Bengal. Here are the Pin codes of Andaman.

Port Blair, an Andamanese city, is the capital of the territory. These islands cover approximately 7,950km2 (3,070 sq miles). Car Nicobar is the capital of the Nicobar Islands. These islands are home to the Andaman Command and Nicobar Command, which is the only tri-service geographical command in the Indian Armed Forces.

The Sentinelese people are the only Paleolithic group known to have lived in the Andaman Islands. They are not in contact with other people.

There are two kinds of beach trips. Then there’s the Andaman trip. This brings to mind the slogan “Agar Tumne Bharat mein Andaman Ka Beach Nahin Dekha Hai Hai Kai Kai Kahan Dekha Hai Hai.” and the 70s Tamil song “Andamanai Paarungal Azhagu” (Famous Sivaji movie). My wife was singing this throughout our trip. This is a great description of a holiday at Andamans, exploring North and South Andamans.

The beginning of the trip was planned months ago. Cyclone Vardah made headlines just days before we were to fly from Bangalore on the Go Air flight directly into Port Blair.

Things had slowed down considerably by D-Day, and the weather forecast for the next few days was generally sunny with occasional rain. It sounds like something from the old Doordarshan days, Salma making such snarky comments in her weather report.

The Andamans are over 300 islands. The main islands are North, Middle and South Andaman. They are collectively known as Great Andaman. Other islands include Landfall Island and Interview Island, 

Ritchie’s Archipelago and Rutland Island. Little Andaman is located in the south and is separated from the Nicobar Islands via the Ten Degree Channel. This channel is approximately 90 miles (145km) wide.

Climate

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have a tropical climate, but it is moderated by the sea breezes. The temperature ranges from the low 70s F (about 23 degrees Celsius) to the mid-80s F (30 degC) throughout the year. 

The area receives approximately 120 inches (3000 mm) of rain per year. This is primarily due to the southwest monsoon which blows from May through September and the tropical cyclones which follow in October and November. Great Nicobar gets more rain than any other island in the Nicobars. Since the Andamans provide meteorological data to shipping in the Bay of Bengal, a Port Blair reporting station has been in operation since 1868.

Both animal and plant life

The vast majority of the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands are covered in the dense tropical forest that supports a wide range of fauna and flora. Narra, also known as padauk or Andaman redwood.

Pterocarpus dalbergioides and large trees in the Dipterocarpaceae family are the dominant tree species. Many of the tidal creeks and harbours are often surrounded by mangrove swamps. The Nicobars are home to many species of Cyatheaceae tree ferns, but not the Andamans.

Tourism

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are home to many hotels. Tourism is an important industry. The majority of tourists come from India’s mainland. Many historical sites are still visible from the British colonial administration. 

These include the Andaman Cellular Jail, which was built in 1906, in Port Blair. This is where the Indian revolutionary Vinayak Damodar, (Vir) Savarkar, was held in the first half of the 20th century. Ecotourists, trekkers, and others love the natural environment in the territory with its many parks and gardens.

Transport

The majority of the paved roads can be found in South Andaman. Port Blair and Diglipur, which are both important harbors in South Andaman or North Andaman respectively, are called Diglipur. Port Blair is connected to the North, Middle, South and Little Andaman islands by an inter island boat. Port Blair offers air service to both the northern and southern Indian continents.

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