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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Observe Turtle Nesting (Seasonal)

Mayabunder Island: A general overview

If cruising through a blissfully serene natural forest terrain with the mellifluous bird songs chiming in the background is your kind of holiday, then Mayabunder in Andaman and Nicobar island is your go-to destination. This proverbial paradise is enveloped with emerald green tidal creeks and lavishly sanded beaches. Mighty coconut tree plantations and mangroves adorn the spectacular terrain, allowing for a plethora of aquatic activities and jaw-dropping sightseeing spots at Mayabunder.

Location

Located in the Northern part of the Middle Andaman Islands, Mayabunder is sprawled over a land expanse area of 1340 square kilometers. Not too far from the capital city, there are numerous ways to reach Mayabunder island from Port Blair. The distance on this scenic route is approximately 242 kilometres and can be made via road, water as well as by air.

Culture

Greatly influenced by the British colonial area, MayabunderIsland is home to the Burmese tribes – descendants of that era. It is made up of miniature eco-friendly villages with a comparatively small population of around 3000 people. Relatively uninhabited, there are only about 800 houses on the island working on natural sources of energy and virtually tech-free. One of the most popular remnants of its British lineage is the German Jetty.

Key Attractions

Tickling your offbeat travel bone, sightseeing tours of Mayabunder Island will impress with its offerings – unlike anywhere else in the world.

Some of the key attractions of Mayabunder island are engulfed in oceanic waves and cyanic open skies with everything in between at your perusal. Some must-visit spots in Mayabunder island include Interview island, Austin X island, Avis island and Ray hills. Here, you will be able to go on elephant rides, wildlife spotting tours, mangrove kayaking and other activities that will introduce you to the bright marine world underwater. Topping all of these, the most prominent sight to see is the turtle nesting ground on Karmatang beach at Mayabunder island.

What is Turtle Nesting?

Entirely weather dependant and best witnessed at night, turtle nesting is a phenomenon wherein female sea turtles crawl their way onto the sandy beaches and dig holes so that they can lay their eggs in them. These holes are termed as nests. On average, these turtles tend to deposit about 100 eggs in each nest and make anywhere between 3 -7 nests per nesting season.

These eggs take around 45 – 90 days to reach maturity and then these little hatchlings make a dent in the eggshell with their caruncle – a temporary tooth only to serve this purpose. Once they succeed in cracking open the outer surface from the inside, which can sometimes take up to 20 minutes, they swiftly come out and hobble their way into the safety of the nearby water. A highly coveted site to see, turtle nesting on Karmatang beach is one of the main reasons people flock over in hordes to observe.

Why Observe This Activity at Mayabunder Island?

One of the main reasons why one should observe this activity atMaybunder island is that it is the only destination in India in which it occurs. Some of the other reasons one must experience this unique phenomenon on the island are;

* There are various packages offered to allow you to witness turtle nesting especially

* There are private and group guided tours that give you a step by step low-down on how to observe this activity.

* You are given all the safety instructions so you can go well prepared.

* It is essentially an overnight activity, so you will be provided with a list of things to carry along.

Popular Places for Observing Turtle Nesting

MayabunderIsland is the only place in India where turtle nesting takes place. This is a highly coveted activity and happens on a few specific beaches mentioned below:

  • Amkunj Beach – This beach is a short distance from Rangat to which you can make your way to from Diglipur in Mayabunder island.
  • Dhaninullah beach – A 5 kilometres long stretch of a beautifully Mangrove dotted beach is also one of the places to witness turtle nesting. This can also be reached to easily from Rangat.
  • Karmatang beach – Also known as the ‘turtle island’, Karmatang beach is the most famous of them all to observe this activity. In addition to this, they also have a whole fleet of water sports that you can engage in.

Overall Experience

The overall experience of observing turtle nesting in Karmatang beach is one-of-a-kind.

It promises to take you in awe of mother nature in its glorious entirety. This minimum one-night excursion is bound to be unique and will give you a lot to boast about back home.

Rates

Extremely affordable, turtle nesting packages in Mayabunder island start at Rs. 1750 per person and can go higher up as per your requirements. Since it is an overnight activity, the type of accommodation, choice of meals and the transport options you pick will increase or decrease the rate accordingly.

Best Time to Visit

Since this is a seasonal activity and only the lucky few get to witness this great phenomenon, the best time to visit Mayabunder island to observe turtle nesting is between December to March. During this season, the chances of spotting this activity fully-fledged are high.

Safety Precautions

Taking care of the safety for the turtles is more imperative in this case rather than safeguarding us. These sea turtles are just doing what naturally comes to them, and in no way should humans interfere with it. Some of the points to keep in mind while observing turtle nesting in Mayabunder island includes;

* Silence – You should be silent and wait in patience while the turtles are digging their nests. The slightest noise can spook them and can result in the disruption of the same.

* No touching – You should not try and touch the eggs or the turtles at any point during the activity.

* No littering – It is a strict rule not to litter anywhere near this beach, especially plastic. Turtles tend to eat this mistaking it for jellyfish and often die due to strangulation.

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