Havelock Island - A Romantic Gateway!!!

I always go to Andman Islands once in a year as my parents stay in Port Blair. This time my parents suggested me to visit Havelock Islands which is 54Km from PortBlair. I reached Havelock by a helicopter at 8:30 am after 20 minutes of flight from PortBlair. It was an awesome view from helicopter which was quite different from normal airplane. The guide told me that Havelock Island, is known for its pristine beaches, lush green rain forest and exotic marine life. The island has become a major tourist destination these days with many Indian & foreign nationals thronging in.  




Havelock View from Helicopter

 

With not much expectation we check in to our Dolphin resort. Wow!! What a view of sea from that resort!! Total crystal clear water with different shades of blue. The color of the seawater ranging from azure blue to turquoise green spoke volumes about its unpolluted nature. The waiter told me that this beach is known as Vijay Nagar beach and there are 7 beaches in Havelock Island. The most beautiful one is RadhaNagar beach.




Govind Nagar Beach

 



Different Shades of color in sea water

I was thrilled by the view and eagerly getting ready to much famous Radha Nagar beach which  was 7 Km from our resort.  As soon as I reached there, I was mesmerized by the view. It’s silky white sand surrounded by a forest that provides welcome shade looking out over turquoise waters, some stretches with a sandy bottom good for swimming and some with excellent coral reefs that are great for snorkelling – a great combination indeed. It was a treat for eyes. We spent our whole day in Radha Nagar beach until the sun had set behind the clouds, we felt dog-tired and deserved some sleep after a long day.



RadhaNagar Beach

White Sand Beach of Radha Nagar Beach





Full Moon View from Radha Nagar Beach



Next morning we went to our own Vijay Nagar beach (DolphinResort’s Beach), there the sun rise view was so pristine. The beach was strewn with large pieces of driftwood, dead corals and shells. We saw many hermit crabs homing into colourful shells befitting their sizes. The waves were gentle almost lulling into one’s feet.



Sunrise view from Govind Nagar Beach





Govind Nagar Beach

At 9 :00 am, we checked out from the hotel after the breakfast, dumped our bags at Nala Restaurant near the jetty and carried the towels & costumes with us…we were all set for the famed Elephant beach, the snorkeling haven of Havelock. Elephant beach, located at north-western part of the island, is best approached by a boat from the jetty sailing along the eastern & northern coastline as otherwise one has to traverse through a thick rain forest without a good motorable road. I and my husband  boarded quite a rickety wooden boat fitted with an outboard engine...two lanky juvenile boatmen looked very confident of giving us a taste of adventure!



On the Way to Elephant Island



The boat sputtered on its way to Elephant beach and bounced & tossed a little for us to sit stiff!  It took good 30 minutes to reach the destination where groups of families had already gathered for the novel experience of snorkeling. Beach was awesome with some uprotted trees lying and adding beauty to it.



Ferry tied at Elephant Beach





Elephant Beach





Elephant Beach



The initial process of using snorkeling gear, getting used to breathing through the mouth and floating on the life-belt with our heads below the water took us some time.Our boatmen, who also doubled as our snorkeling guides, took turns to push us into the deeper & calmer zones of the sea. But the view down below was simply breathtaking, really worth all the troubles...colourful live corals, sea anemones & sea urchins with more colourful fishes wafting by…we were in nature’s garden with bounties of beauty!



Snorkling at Elephant Beach

As we returned from Elephant beach, our guide told us that near by there is a beach called Kala Pattar beach which is worth seeing it. As drove in our Jeep,  I realized that the drive towards the beach looked very much like a marine drive, but with a tropical fragrance to it. There were hardly any people around. The emerald seas, the tropical forests on one side of the road, the kalapathars (black rocks) that decorate the coastline, the silken smooth silver sands and the sheer solitude make this beach a great place to relax. I was very happy that no tourist infrastructure was available here and nature was left as is. But, if you happen to go here, do exercise caution while entering the waters as the locals warn of the sharp rocks and the strong currents beyond.



KalaPattar Beach In Havelock Island





Kala Pathar Beach

Finally, all good things must come to an end...we returned to harsher reality to Havelock, savoured the South-Indian buffet lunch at Nala restaurant and waited for the return ferry to Port Blair. The voyage by MV Strait Island leaving Havelock at 4.30 in the afternoon.  Gradually the dusk approached with all its hues of paint brushing the clouds and the sea. We spotted the North Bay lighthouse near Port Blair from a good distance and soon after the town appeared prominent in the horizon bedecked with its string of lights beckoning us to its folds!



Sunset in Havelock




Another view of sunset from cruise







Mackruzz- Havelock to PortBlair Cruise

Way to PortBlair



The quaint beaches of Havelock  island almost deserted are perfect cocoons of comfort and solace ideal for one’s romantic holiday.

 How to Reach Havlock Island:

1. Ferries are the major way on or off the island. 2-3 arrive daily from Port Blair (2-4 hours) and one from Rangat, one of which comes via Neil Island. Schedules vary according to day and season, so enquiry locally.
2. There is also an air-conditioned catamaran ferry from Port Blair to Havelock. Tickets are 700, 800 or 1100 (which gets you a leather seat and your own tv). As the ferry is more expensive it is less likely to be full, and its schedule meets incoming flights. Tickets can be booked from a dedicated ticket booking window at Port Blair, thus avoiding the queue barging.
3. The other option is to fly in. Pawan Hans (+91-3192-233601), which until 2011 operated sporadic helicopter flights to Havelock, now flies an amphibious 8-seater Cessna seaplane from Port Blair to Havelock and back every day except Sunday, covering the distance in about an hour. The standard price is a steep 4100 rupees one-way, but discounts may be available.