The forbidden is always the most desired. And if you can get to the Egyptian territories or Turkey without making any special efforts, and resting there is the same as leaving the city, then the Andaman Islands, due to their inaccessibility and primitiveness, are gaining popularity points among tourists.
First about geography
The islands are in places a flooded archipelago with an area of about six and a half thousand squares. They remain practically untouched, because getting here is not an easy task. An attentive traveler will find the Andaman Islands on the world map in the Indian Ocean, more precisely in the Bay of Bengal, somewhere between Myanmar and India.
These territories were first inhabited, according to historians, more than seventy thousand years ago. Our oldest ancestors still live here. How they got to the islands is still unknown to science, but the beginning of their route was, most likely, Africa. Now the islands have a population of about three hundred thousand inhabitants. Of these, five hundred are hiding from civilization in tropic althickets. Negritos, as they are called, are alien to communication with the inhabitants of the mainland, have retained their dialects, and the native islanders have several of them, and continue to survive, getting food and using only the services of mother nature.
They are small in stature, some do not grow even up to one and a half meters. The rest of the population of the islands are Indians. Rumor has it that some of them are the children of fighters for freedom and equality, revolutionaries who at one time were taken by the Andaman Islands as prisoners.
Britain in the middle of the last century used local territories, expelling politically unreliable members of society. In terrible conditions, few of them survived until the end of their term. And untouched nature was raging around, and clear waters were spilling…
Nature
For those who dreamed of visiting a desert island, God himself writes out a ticket to the Andaman archipelago. There are places where, in fact, a human foot has never set foot. Due to this, all the delights of the tropics have been preserved in their original form. Fertile lands give a rich harvest of coconut, tea, mango. The climate on the islands is humid. Who has been, he says that there are three hundred days of summer. The average temperature is +30 degrees regardless of the season. It will not overwhelm tourists with snow, but it will irrigate with rain, and torrential ones. Storm rampage is seen from late summer to mid-autumn.
One of the most attractive sides forvisitors are the beaches that the islands in the Andaman Sea can boast. White clean sand, clear water, visibility in places up to thirty meters. Flocks of exotic fish, triggerfish, stingrays, sea bream curl underfoot. Every year, the largest leatherback turtles weighing up to 600 kg and two and a half meters tall nest on the islands. Coral reefs, like many aquatic inhabitants, are strictly protected by law. And how many sharks are here!
Gray, leopard, reef. They are extremely peaceful, probably due to the fact that they are not "spoiled" by the presence and participation of a noisy crowd of tourists.
How to get to the Andaman Islands?
Even if you have an Indian visa, only special permission will bring you closer to your arrival on the islands. It can be obtained without much difficulty upon arrival at the airport of the local capital Port Blair. By the way, it is by air that the fastest way to get to this fabulous corner. True, direct flights have not yet been launched from Russia, so dear compatriots are waiting for transplants. It is also possible to come from the mainland to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by water. It will take more time than all flights, but it will add romance to the trip. Approximately once a week, ships sail from Calcutta and several cities in India on a long journey to the islands.
Rest
Before you go to the Andaman Islands, the reviews of tourists who have already been here are worth reading. If you expect a luxurious holidayservice, then seasoned travelers will disappoint you. There are hotels here, of course. And the number of stars is available, however, in the maximum number - three pieces. Noisy parties, round-the-clock dancing - these are also not the most popular entertainments on the islands. Divers will have a paradise vacation.
Rich underwater world, unexplored depths attract thousands of divers from all over the world. The average water temperature during the year reaches 28 degrees. Storm restrictions for divers may be in August. And the most comfortable time for underwater travel is the period from November to March. Considering the needs of tourists, numerous diving equipment rentals are open here, special schools and professional centers operate. Diving is inexpensive, especially if you're good at bargaining.
Entertainment
By the way, in India it is customary to enter into financial disputes with sellers, this is rather a tradition that the local population actively welcomes. The diving tourism center is located in the capital of the island territories, the city of Port Blair. Vacationers are offered diving in the most remote corners of the archipelago, where no one has been except for exotic marine inhabitants.
Ayurveda will help to distract from the whole world, to correct the body exhausted by civilization. On the islands you will be able to comprehend this famous system of knowledge, which has been developing in India for more than five thousand years. In the SPA centers, local traditional healers will cleanse your body, perform procedures, and treat you with healing infusions.
To everyone who is goingto the Andaman Islands, experienced reviews will help you find out some features of your stay.
To always feel “with the money”, it is recommended to stock up on cash. Outside the capital, the system of card payments is practically not developed, and it will take a long time to find an ATM.
Local food
Indian cuisine is peculiar and for the unprepared stomach is fraught with many unpleasant "surprises". Small eateries are not a tourist option. Better to eat in the hotel restaurant. It is not recommended to drink water from direct sources. You can buy bottled for mere pennies, thereby protecting the stomach from a negative reaction and not spoiling your whole vacation.
Rules
There are hotel rules that must be observed on the islands without fail. It is strictly forbidden to tear or break corals - both living and dead, this is punishable by law. The same goes for shells. They are not allowed to be brought to the surface. A taboo has been imposed on spearfishing and catching any fish near the islands. You can cast a fishing rod in specially designated places by renting a boat.
