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• 11 Reasons to Explore the Gorgeous, Under-the-Radar Andaman Islands

11 Reasons to Explore the Gorgeous, Under-the-Radar Andaman Islands

It’s more far-flung than Costa Rica but way less Instagrammed than the Maldives.

Most people might have a tough time identifying the Andaman Islands on a map: The archipelago is scattered along the western reaches of the Andaman Sea, gently curving its way northward from Indonesia toward Myanmar, with Thailand to the east. Yet this string of islands (along with its sister archipelago, the Nicobar Islands) belongs to none of these neighbors; instead, the region is actually a remote Indian outpost. The easiest way to get there is via Mumbai—where it’s a 3.5-hour flight to the main city of Port Blair—though routes to the island chain have been expanding fast and furious across the Indian mainland.

Despite its location amid so many iconic destinations, the archipelago feels like another world altogether. The 572 islands are home to some of the last remaining tribes on Earth who shun contact with outside civilizations; most of the isles are uninhabited, with feral elephants outnumbering humans in some areas. Its pristine beaches give way to marine wildlife so abundant they won the heart of legendary explorer Jacques Cousteau—and that was well before the islands laid claim to their first ultraluxury resort, a Taj Exotica with 72 villas on stilts, which opened in April.

Havelock Island Can Be Your Home Base at the Edge of the World

Just last August, the Indian government removed 29 Andaman islands from a “restricted area” list that required special permits for visitation. That means easy island-hopping is a viable option here for the first time. Even still, you’ll want to base yourself in Havelock, the archipelago’s most visited island. Relatively developed as it may be, with a variety of resorts and restaurants, it’s still more rugged than other posh island getaways. It’s lush with palm and betel nut groves, plus seemingly endless fields of sugar cane swaying in the breeze.

You Can Visit One of Asia’s Best Beaches

The main public path that leads to Beach No. 7, or Radhanagar Beach, on the western shore of Havelock Island, is so overgrown with coconut and mahua trees it seems impossible it even exists. But when you find it, you’ll immediately understand why Time magazine once anointed this stunning strand Asia’s best beach. The lush green canopy forms a rugged backdrop to a gleaming slice of white sand, and despite it being a public beach, you’ll rarely have to share it with much of a crowd.

World-Class Resorts Nestle Right Up to the Beach

The new Taj Exotica Resort & Spa presides over one particularly quiet end of Radhanagar that’s shrouded by groves of trees; the village-like hotel, with its curved thatched roofs, takes architectural inspiration from one of the region’s tribes. The location puts you in striking distance of Havelock’s various adventures, from sailing to Elephant Beach to jungle hikes. Just make sure you return in time to watch the sun set over Radhanagar from the hotel’s infinity pool, set on a raised terrace that peeks out over the tree line.

There’s World-Class Diving

Octopuses, Gorgonian soft corals, batfish, moray eels, stingrays, whitetip sharks, Bengal snappers: There’s a kaleidoscope of life churning amid the electric blue waters, and you’ll want to plan a diving excursion to uninhabited islands to experience some of the world’s most untrammeled scuba sites. Local companies such as Andaman Bubbles and Lacadives will plan an itinerary that takes you anywhere from a century-old East India Company shipwreck to India’s only active volcano to Minerva’s Ledge, first discovered by Cousteau himself.

Explore at Your Own Pace

Getting around Havelock (or Port Blair, shown here) is no easy task. Taxis and buses aren’t exactly a thing, and auto rickshaws are exorbitantly priced. The solution: Rent a scooter for around 500 rupees ($7) a day, and crisscross the island at your own pace. Your hotel can help arrange a rental.

The Jungle Is Waiting for Your Visit

The Taj isn’t the only posh place to stay in the Andamans. Jalakara, owned by British couple Mark Hill and Atalanta Weller, swaps white tablecloth restaurants for a more intimate vibe—it has just seven suites on an erstwhile banana plantation. Rooms are individually decorated with items the couple sourced from all over the country (a Burmese pagoda that washed ashore in Havelock’s mangroves; old parchments sourced from Rajasthan), and the swimming pool, with its panoramic jungle views, is one of the most idyllic spots on Havelock.

The Many Flavors of India Are on Offer

Thanks to an unusual history, this remote territory is something of a microcosm of India. In the decades after the nation won its independence from the British, the government populated the archipelago with refugees and migrants from all over the country. Now various islands are home to communities transplanted from seemingly every corner of India: among them, Bengalis in North Andaman, Malayalis from Kerala in South Andaman, and Tamils in Port Blair. In Havelock, most of the restaurants cater to locals and backpackers, though some standouts exist—don’t miss the stuffed squid and the tiger prawns with garlic butter and chili oil at Red Snapper, for instance. Then get the refined take on Andaman cuisine at the fine-dining Settlers restaurant at the Taj, where executive chef Kaushik Misra pays tribute to each of these disparate communities with dishes such as Tamil-style lobster pepper fry (shown above).

There’s a Dramatic History to Explore

Since you’re likely transiting through Port Blair to Havelock, carve out some time on the main island for a dose of British-era history at the 20th century Cellular Jail. There, you'll learn about the grim penal colony known as Kala Pani, or black water—where many of India’s revolutionaries were exiled and tortured, never to return to their families again. It’s a stark way to wrap your mind around just how remote the archipelago is, and how far it’s come.

Dinner Is Just a Fishing Trip Away

Whether you’re an avid fisherman or just looking for an excuse to hit the seas, booking a chartered fishing expedition with an operator such as Captain Hook’s is an action-packed way to spend a day. Sail through Neil, Cinque, Peel, and Wilson islands on the hunt for behemoth yellowfin tuna, barracuda, black marlin, giant trevally, and more, and if you (or your guides) do particularly well, you might have dinner sorted out that night.

A Walk in the Woods Can Lead to Unexpected Delights

While many of Havelock’s best beaches—Radhanagar, Kala Patthar, and Vijaynagar—are accessible by (somewhat bumpy) roads, some of the island’s most remote stretches are only reachable by foot. The staff at Jalakara can hire a local coconut vendor from Kala Patthar Beach to serve as your personal guide through the thick tropical jungle, leading to a sweeping beach you’ll be convinced no human before you has ever stepped on.

Kayaking, Two Ways

Plan for a kayaking excursion by day, paddling through Havelock’s thick forests of mangroves without anyone else in sight. Be sure to stop at secluded Lighthouse Beach for a quick snorkel. And, for a totally different experience, retrace your route after sundown—you’ll see bioluminescent phytoplankton sparking through the water’s surface like fireworks. So far from city light pollution, you’ll see more stars than you may have ever seen before, mirroring the water with their own theatrics far above.