News Latest Information on Travelling to Andaman Islands?
  • Runway Status for Port Blair Airport From October,22 to February, 23

    Updated: 19 Sep 2022
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  • RT PCR report on arrival

    Updated: 14 Aug 2021
  • Andaman Tourism Opens

    Updated: 14 Aug 2021

    Andaman Tourism Opens: The Andaman & Nicobar administration has announced that all tourist spots in the South Andaman district will be opened for tourism activities with immediate effect 8 Feb 2022.

  • What is the advisory to travel to North & Middle Andaman District?

    Updated: 14 Aug 2021

    The tourists are allowed to visit Baratang/North & Middle Andaman on production of double dose covid certificate/ All other passengers viz. unvaccinated and partially vaccinated passengers (those who have taken only 1S1 dose of COVID vaccine) shall have to produce RT-PCR negative test report

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  • All asymptomatic fully vaccinated persons coming to these islands from mainland are exempted from the requirement of carrying RT-PCR negative test report,irrespective of the type of vaccine received and country of origin. Such fullyvaccinated individuals shall produce the final vaccination certificate at the origin airport, sea port in the mainland and at Port Blair Airport / sea port.
  • Alt asymptomatic children below 5 years of age are exempted from carrying RT-PCR negative test report and further RT-PCR testing at Port Blair Airport.
  • All other passengers viz. unvaccinated and partially vaccinated passengers (those who have taken only 1S1 dose of COVID vaccine) shall have to produce RT-PCR negative test report to travel to Port Blair from the mainland, as is the practice now. Such an RT-PCR test should have been taken within 48 hours prior to commencement of journey from the origin airport connecting Port Blair. Such passengers will also have to undergo additional RT-PCR test on arrival at Port Blair. Such passengers shall remain in self-quarantine till the arrival of the test report.
  • If a passenger on arrival is tested positive then, the prescribed quarantine protocol is to be followed.
  • All Airlines shall ensure strict compliance of this order and observance of COVID Appropriate Behaviour. Any non-compliance shall invite action under Disaster Management Act and other applicable laws. 
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General Guidelines defined for traveling to Andaman Islands during COVID :

  1. The Tourism Activities are permitted only in South Andaman & North & Middle Andaman District except Nicobar District.
  2. Persons above 65 years of age, persons with home co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years advised not to travel for tourism purposes.
  3. Tourists/Visitors who are at higher risk due to some medical history are advised to take extra precautions.
  4. Tourists/visitors shall minimize contact with other staff and visitors as far as possible and zero contact policy should be followed at all tourist destinations.
  5. All tourists/visitors shall be briefed by the hotel concerned about do’s & don’ts to be mandatorily followed during their stay and movements.
  6. While travelling tourists/visitors should wear a face mask and carry their own sanitizer and wet wipes for personal use.
  7. At all tourist destinations, staff must wear face masks and wash/sanitize hands regularly while performing their duties.
  8. Arogya Setu App shall be mandatory for all incoming tourists/visitors.
  9. Respiratory etiquettes to be strictly followed. This involves strict practice of covering one’s mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing with a tissue handkerchief/flexed elbow and disposing off used tissues properly after use.
  10. The tourists/visitors on arrival at Port Blair airport have to undergo mandatory Covid-19 screening with RTPCR test free of cost. Thereafter the tourists/ visitors are allowed to move to their respective hotels. However, they will have to be under quarantine at Port Blair in their hotel rooms until the result of RTPCR tests are received. In case of RTPCR positive test results, the tourists/visitors shall remain in institutional quarantine in hotels notified by the Hoteliers Association in consent with the A&%N Administration, on rate as specified or to the designated hospital/ Covid 19 care centre on case to case basis.
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What are the guidelines for testing for tourists coming to Andaman after August 03 2021?

On arrival at Port Blair :

1. The tourists need to carry COVID-19 negative test report from mainland based 1CMR approved lab using Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR). However, the sample for RTPCR test should have been taken within 48 hours prior to starting the journey from the origin station. (For e.g. if the tourist takes a flight from Delhi at 0600 hrs. on 1st September, 2021, the sample for RTPCR test should have been taken not before 0600 hrs. on 30th August, 2021).

2. The tourists/visitors on arrival at Port Blair airport have to undergo mandatory Covid-19 screening with RTPCR test free of cost. Thereafter the tourists/visitors are allowed to move to their respective hotels. However, they will have to be under quarantine at Port Blair in their hotel rooms until the result of RTPCR tests are received. In case of RTPCR positive test results, the tourists/visitors shall remain in
institutional quarantine in hotels notified by the Hoteliers Association in consent with the A&N Administration, on rates as specified or to the designated hospital/ Covid-19 care centre on case-to-case basis.

3. Tourists may also have to undergo random Rapid Antigen Test conducted from time to time on payment basis as prescribed by A8N Administration.

What if the tourists test positive after arriving at the Andaman Islands?


If the tourists tests positive during their stay in the Islands, he/she will need to undergo institutional isolation as per existing health protocols. The
cost of such isolation for govt. facility will be paid by the tourists as fixed by the administration from time to time.

If the patient wants to stay at hotels, he/she can stay in the hotels if all the conditions below are met:

a) Patients are not symptomatic and not more than 60 years old.
b) Request/ undertaking is made by patient in writing.
c)lf allowed by doctors.

Hotels will make necessary arrangements to designate a part of their rooms for institutional isolation for this purpose.

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  • Regular flights to Port Blair (the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) are operational now.
  • There are direct flights from Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Delhi.
  • Public transports like cabs, taxis, and bus services are also functional.
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Travellers should carefully follow social distancing norms and wear masks as well. Also, before making any booking, they should refer to the latest travel news on the government website of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

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Austin-X Mayabunder Island

A brief overview of the Mayabunder Island

Mayabunder Island Andaman Islands is a stopover for visiting tourists, coming in from mainland India. The tropical and sparsely populated beaches and eco-villages on the island attract several leisure travellers.

The green and beauteous Mayabunder Island is known for some of the most picture-perfect sandy beaches. It is quite evident why this group of islands features so predominantly in the bucket list of avid travellers.

Location

Mayabunder Island, Andaman, is a rustic little town and port located in the northern part of Middle Andamans. It is located close to some of the other popular tourist locations in the Andaman archipelago such as Rangat (72 km) and Diglipur (79 km). It is the only other harbour apart from Port Blair where passenger ships can be docked.

Culture

The spacious yet solitary island of Mayabunder was settled by immigrants from Mayanmar and the colonial prisoners from India and Bangladesh. Now, the locals, the descendants of these early settlers, are thus well-versed in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu.

A visit to Mayabunder can bring you closer to an eccentric union of South East Asian and Indian cultures. The place has become a fusion of all of the traditions and values brought along by the early immigrants.

Apart from the rich history of the place, it is advisable to mingle with the villagers to learn more about their historically illustrious heritage.

Major tourist highlights

The sandy shores of Mayabunder are also adjacent to some clear tidal pools, lush mangrove jungles, expansive forests with exotic wildlife, vibrant coral reefs, and so much more.

Being mostly underexplored and uncharted, Mayabunder allures travellers yearning for a solitary and serene atmosphere. Which is why many places atop it, such as Karmatang beach, the Avis (or Aves) Island, the German Jetty, Interview Island, etc. are the destination to have some truly offbeat experiences.

The Interview Island, Mayabunder, is one of the places where you can still see the wild Asiatic elephants roaming around freely. The beaches of Karmatang are frequented by sea turtles. In the nesting season, you can watch baby turtles pitter-pattering through the sand and towards the waves!

One of the most prestigious and ambitious projects of the Forest Development authorities, Ray Hills, Mayabunder, is another eco-village from this little town. The Kalighat creek, which you can visit while going to Diglipur from Mayabundar, is a famous hanging spot for saltwater crocodiles.

Avis Island, on the other hand, is straight out of the dreams of a keen wildlife photography nut. And when it comes to photography, the Forest Museum in this little dusty town is another good spot for clicking good pictures.

Mayabunder county has another hidden gem, which is the Austin X Island Mayabunder. This wondrous island is known for its dense mangrove filled creeks. It is also home to wild herds of some uncharacteristically friendly spotted deer.

Adventure Sport At Mayabunder

Austin X in Mayabunder Island

How to get there 

Since the port, Mayabunder is connected to the mainland and Port Blair, there are several ways to get to this small town.

Travelling through a car from Port Blair is going to wear you down, but there will be plenty of scenic sightseeing spots on your way to Mayabunder to stop at. Conversely, you can also take the less scenic yet faster route through the waters.

From Mayabunder, Austin X Island can be reached in just under 30 minutes. Private boats and ferries can also be hired to traverse further from here.

Experience

The Austin X Island shorelines is an example of sheer beauty that the Mayabunder Island has on offer. Coupled with some of the most untouched tourist spots, this island and the surrounding coral reefs are a quick winner in the eyes of many.

With a forest cover that is just brimming with vitality, massive mangrove thickets, and isolated beaches, Austin is a little slice of heaven.

Austin X is known for the tame wild deer population, just roaming around in the impenetrable lush green forests surrounding the beach. These spotted deer are so used to the tourists that it is pretty easy to pet and feed them if you so wish.

Austin X beach at Mayabunder Island is also suitable for adventurous travellers. If you’re looking for a less disturbed and pristine spot for activities such as snorkelling, scuba-diving, or sea-walking, Austin X is the place for you.

Apart from the water sports, backpackers can also go on one of the toughest trekking trails in this region of the Andamans.

Since it has a small fishing village on the shores with ample forest cover, it is also a recommended spot for photography enthusiasts. The zesty and aromatic orange plantations on the island are also worth visiting.

If you’re going with your family and wish to have a peaceful afternoon with your loved ones, then the dense yet park-like coastal mangrove forest in Austin is where you should head to.

Prominent attractions

Austin X is a rather serene and isolated location, where the locals like to keep to themselves. Which is why it is one of the places where you can go to escape the bustle of the other busy tourist spots.

But Austin beach is also adjacent to some of the other prominent attractions in the Mayabunder Island, which include:

  • Austin Creek
  • Forestry department Museum
  • A private driftwood museum
  • German Jetty
  • Avis Island
  • Interview Island
  • Rampur Beach
  • Karmatang Beach

If you’re looking for great food, you can rely on the accommodations or guest houses in Austin X. However, there are some mom and pop restaurants and lodges in Mayabunder that are known for their mouth-watering dishes around the Island.

That’s why, when in Mayabunder, you should definitely head to Anmol Guest house, APWD guest house, Nest restaurant, and Hawksbill Nest resort for a pleasant dining experience.

Best time to visit

The entirety of the Mayabunder county should be given at least 2 to 3 days, for a thorough explorative expedition! And the best time to visit the place would be during the months of May to August.

Essentially, the winters and summers, barring the rainy monsoons, must be when you should plan your trip to Austin X from Mayabunder. During these seasons, you will be able to stay away from the tumultuous ocean waves, while also getting to enjoy the thriving and lively green forests on the island.

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