Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory of India, with Port Blair as its capital. It is located in The Indian Ocean, and has over 570 islands, out of which only 38 are permanently inhabited. Earlier British used them as an isolated prison for the fighters of Indian Independence, but now these 'Emerald Islands' are a famous tourist destination. It has various hotels to cater to the demands of tourists. Some of the islands in Andaman and Nicobar are hilly in places, covered with tropical jungle and with flat stretches of beaches. Adventure tourism like trekking, Island camping, snorkeling, SCUBA diving are the real attractions. The places of interest include Cellular Jail, Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Water Sports Complex, Fisheries Museum, Chidiya Tapu, Mount Harriet and Samudrika Museum. It is also famous for its only active volcano, Barren Island. It also has many state of the art hotels to cater to its ever-booming tourism industry. Spectacular mix of nature's most prized delights; the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are a once in a lifetime holiday experience.Floating in splendid isolation, cast of the Indian mainland is the archipelago of 572 emerald islands, islets and rocks known as Andaman & Nicobar Islands. This Union Territory is stretched over an area of more than 700 Km. from north to south with 36 inhabited islands. Once a hill range extending from Burma (Myanmar) to Indonesia, these undulating islands are covered with dense forests and endless variety of exotic flowers and birds.

Places to Visit :-

Port Blair:-
Large stretches of white sand, coral reefs teeming with Marine life; this is what Port Blair looks like. The Andaman and Nicobar islands are a heaven for tourists and holidaymakers. The place in south India consists of 300 islands; only 39 of them are inhabited. The main islands in the Andamans are Land Fall Island, Middle Andaman, South Andaman, Port Blair, and Little Andaman.

Cellular Jail:-
Cellular Jail, located at Port Blair, is a mute witness to the tortures meted out to the freedom fighters, who were incarcerated in this Jail. The Jail, completed in the year 1906 acquired the name, 'cellular' because it is entirely made up of individual cells for the solitary confinement of the prisoners.

Gandhi Park :
This beautiful park at port Blair has facilities like Children's Park, Amusement Park, Entertainment Park, Deer and Bird Park, water sports, nature trail, lake, garden, restaurant and Japanese temple, as well as a bunker.

Corbyns Cove Tourism Complex :-
Corbyn's Cove, 7 Kms., from the town, is the coconut palm fringed beach, ideal for swimming, surfing and sun basking. Facilities like water sports, restaurant and bar, change room, etc., are also available.

Chatham :-
The Chatham Saw Mill, one the oldest and largest mills in Asia, built on a tiny island, is connected to Port Blair by a bridge. It is a store house of timber like Padauk, Gurjan, Marble, Satin Wood, etc. The island has the second largest wharf of these islands, where island-mainland ships can berth.

Neil Island :-
36 Kms. from Port Blair This beautiful island with lush green forest and sandy beaches is the vegetable bowl of Andamans. Connected by boat from Port Blair four days a week, it provides an ideal holiday for eco-friendly tourists. One can feel the sincerity and serenity of village life here.

Access:

By Air

Port Blair is connected with Chennai and Calcutta by air.Presently flight are operated by Alliance Air on Chennai-port Blair sector on Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday and on Calcutta-port Blair sector on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday. Jet Airways flight are operating daily on Chennai-port Blair route.

By Sea

Regular passenger ship service are available to port Blair from Chennai. Calcutta and Vishakhapatnam and back. There are three to four sailings every month from Calcutta and Chennai to port Blair and vice-versa. There is a siling from Vishakhapatnam once in a month. The voyage takes about three days and the ship normally berth at port Blair for about two days.