Port Blair
Gateway to the Andamans — history, harbours and your first island evening.
Almost every Andaman trip begins and ends in Port Blair. It's the administrative capital, the only city with a commercial airport, and home to the Cellular Jail — the single most important historical site in the islands. Most travellers spend their first and last nights here, using it as a base for a city tour before heading out to Havelock or Neil.
Why Visit Port Blair
- The only way in or out of the Andamans by air
- Cellular Jail and its evening Light & Sound Show
- A relaxed first evening after arrival — no rush to another island
- Easy day trips to Ross Island and North Bay for snorkelling
Places to See
Cellular Jail National Memorial
The colonial-era prison where freedom fighters were held, now a memorial with a museum and an evening Light & Sound Show that walks through its history.
Corbyn's Cove Beach
A palm-lined beach a short drive from the city centre — good for a sunset walk or a swim before dinner.
Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep)
Former British administrative headquarters, now a ruin reclaimed by the forest, with resident deer and peacocks. Reached by a short boat ride.
North Bay Island
The most accessible reef near Port Blair — a popular stop for snorkelling, sea walk and glass-bottom boat rides, often combined with Ross Island in one trip.
Chatham Saw Mill & Samudrika Naval Marine Museum
For travellers with an extra half-day: one of Asia's oldest sawmills, and a museum covering the islands' marine life and tribal history.
Things to Do
Beaches
How to Reach
Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ) connects Port Blair with daily flights from Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Once you land, everything else in the Andamans is reached by ferry from Port Blair's Phoenix Bay or Haddo jetties.
Travel Tips
- Book your onward ferry to Havelock or Neil as soon as your flight is confirmed — seats fill up fast in peak season (Dec–Jan).
- The Light & Sound Show at Cellular Jail runs in English and Hindi on alternating evenings — check the schedule when you book.
- Keep your last day in Port Blair light — flights are usually mid-morning, so plan a short city stop rather than a full excursion.
Gallery
Port Blair FAQs
One full day is enough for Cellular Jail and the Light & Sound Show, plus a half-day for Ross Island and North Bay. Most itineraries use Port Blair as a 1-night stop on arrival and departure rather than a standalone base.
Planning a trip to Port Blair?
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Packages Featuring Port Blair
Honeymoon Escape
Port Blair, Havelock and Neil, paced around sunsets and sea-view stays.
Havelock Honeymoon
A compact honeymoon route for couples with limited time — Port Blair and Havelock only.
Family Explorer
The full South Andaman circuit at a genuinely family-friendly pace.
Family Getaway
A shorter family trip covering the essentials — Port Blair and Havelock.
Scuba Diving Special
Two full diving days in Havelock, for beginners and certified divers alike.
Adventure & Sea Walk
Sea walk, snorkelling and reef time — no diving certification required.
Budget Getaway
The essential Andaman experience — Port Blair and Havelock — in the shortest practical trip.
Budget Island Hop
Fit all three main islands into four nights without overspending.
Luxury Retreat
Premium sea-view resorts, private transfers and a deliberately unhurried schedule.
Offbeat North Andaman
Limestone caves, mangrove creeks and Ross & Smith Islands — the Andamans beyond the usual circuit.
Classic Leisure Tour
The complete Andaman introduction — every major South Andaman stop, plus Baratang, at a comfortable pace.
Exclusive Private Journey
A fully private, extended route built for groups and extended families who want the complete islands, at their own pace.
Nearby Destinations
Havelock Island
Radhanagar Beach, reef diving and the island most people picture when they think 'Andaman'.
Havelock — officially Swaraj Dweep — is the reason most people come to the Andamans. Radhanagar Beach is routinely ranked among Asia's best, the reefs off Elephant Beach are the easiest in the islands to snorkel, and the dive schools here are the most established in the archipelago. It's a 90-minute to 2.5-hour ferry from Port Blair, and most itineraries give it the longest stay of any single island.
Explore Havelock Island →
Ross Island
Colonial ruins reclaimed by the forest, a short boat ride from Port Blair.
Once the administrative headquarters of British India's penal colony, Ross Island is now a quiet ruin — old ballrooms and bungalows wrapped in the roots of banyan trees, with deer and peacocks wandering freely. It's typically combined with North Bay in a single half-day boat trip from Port Blair.
Explore Ross Island →
North Bay Island
The most accessible reef near Port Blair — snorkelling, sea walk and glass-bottom boats.
North Bay is the easiest reef to reach from Port Blair, which makes it the default choice for travellers who want a water activity without heading all the way to Havelock. Snorkelling, sea walk and glass-bottom boat rides are all set up here, usually as a half-day trip combined with Ross Island.
Explore North Bay Island →