News Latest Information on Travelling to Andaman Islands?

Runway Status for Port Blair Airport From October,22 to February, 23

Updated: 19 Sep 2022

From	To	Status
18-Oct	21-Oct	Closed
22-Oct	31-Oct	Operational
01-Nov	04-Nov	Closed
05-Nov	14-Nov	Operational
15-Nov	18-Nov	Closed
19-Nov	28-Nov	Operational
29-Nov	02-Dec	Closed
03-Dec	12-Dec	Operational
13-Dec	16-Dec	Closed
17-Dec	26-Dec	Operational
27-Dec	30-Dec	Closed
31-Dec	09-Jan	Operational
10-Jan	13-Jan	Closed
14-Jan	23-Jan	Operational
24-Jan	27-Jan	Closed
28-Jan	06-Feb	Operational
07-Feb	10-Feb	Closed
11-Feb	20-Feb	Operational

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 :

The Tourism Activities are permitted only in South Andaman & North & Middle Andaman District except Nicobar District.
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.
Tourists/Visitors who are at higher risk due to some medical history are advised to take extra precautions.
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.
All tourists/visitors shall be briefed by the hotel concerned about do’s & don’ts to be mandatorily followed during their stay and movements.
While travelling tourists/visitors should wear a face mask and carry their own sanitizer and wet wipes for personal use.
At all tourist destinations, staff must wear face masks and wash/sanitize hands regularly while performing their duties.
Arogya Setu App shall be mandatory for all incoming tourists/visitors.
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.
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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How to Reach Port Blair

Port Blair is the Capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which comes under the Republic of India and is known for its pristine beaches, high-spirited nightlife, different cultures, several sightseeing points and a laid back lifestyle. All this attracts millions of tourists from all across the world to this amazingly gorgeous group of islands (572 in total) in the Indian Ocean. It is also known as paradise on earth with a colonial past and a plethora of adventure activities on offer from snorkeling to glass bottom boat ride to sea walking, you name it and you will get it. The list of some other adventure activities that are widely popular around these islands are scuba diving, snorkeling, jet ski ride, Parasailing, kayaking, sofa ride, banana boat ride and many more. Moreover, there are no travel restrictions for citizens of India with a valid unique identification number card (Aadhar Card) or any other Indian identity proof.

Traveling to Andaman from any major city in India is a hassle free process. Read on to know more about the different modes of transport that can take you to piece of paradise on Earth.
For foreigners holding an active passport with a valid Indian visa there are no such restrictions, but for residents of Pakistan, Myanmar, Afghanistan and China there are few restrictions and they have to show the restricted area permit (RAP). And for getting RAP, the prospective vacationer needs to get the approval beforehand from the Ministry of Home Affairs that too in advance. When we talk about things to do in Port Blair, there are an extensive variety of choices on offer from handicrafts shopping to lip smacking local cuisine, the options are endless. Moreover, the city of Port Blair is very well connected with almost all the different countries and parts of the world through water and air travel. To get a much better idea on the numerous modes of transportations available to reach Port Blair, go through this piece of writing.
How to Reach Port Blair from India/Different Cities?

There are loads of options on offer when it comes to travelling to Port Blair from mainland India or any other part of the globe, but the best ways to do so are air travel and sea. Well, at this point of time, you might be thinking how can I reach Port Blair from India/Different cities, for example, Chennai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune, Mumbai, etc. There are more than enough options when it comes to direct flights to and from Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair. If you are coming from mainland India then a direct flight will not take more than 4 hours from any part of the nation. Furthermore, there are a variety of one stop flights as well with a small layover, if you are unable to find a direct flight from your city.
One more way is to take a ship from cities like Visakhapatnam, Chennai and Kolkata that usually take three to four days to reach Port Blair and are mainly operated by the Government of India. However, there are not many sailings from all the above mentioned cities and one needs to plan in advance, as it is one of the cheapest options to reach Andaman and Nicobar Islands from the mainland of India. In addition to that, all the bookings have to be made from the respective city ports because there is no option like online booking or phone booking.
Best Way to Reach Port Blair

Without a doubt taking a flight to Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair is the fastest and most comfortable mode of transportation to reach Port Blair. Considering the fact that, one can get a direct flight to this south Andaman Island city and land there without wasting any time. There is no international ship or cruise service presently active from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Is it Possible to Travel to Andaman and Nicobar Islands by Train or By Road?

One of the most commonly asked questions on the internet with regards to travelling to Andaman and Nicobar Islands is that, is there any way to reach this paradise on earth via road or by taking a train. Well, I am afraid none of these modes of transportation are possible, if you are coming from mainland India or any other part of the world because you can only cross the Bay of Bengal Sea by air travel or water route.

Last but not the least, once you have reached Port Blair there are a plethora of options when it comes to Port Blair hotels & beach resorts, you just need to go with the one that fits into your budget and doesn’t burn a hole into your pocket.