Havelock Island Travel Guide

About the island –

Havelock Island, renamed to Swaraj Island in 2018, is one of the largest islands in Andaman and also the most visited one. It is known for its pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters. Spread over an area of around 113 square kilometers, Havelock caters to adventure lovers with activities like Sear Walk, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling, Kayaking, and others.

Location –

Located about 70 km north of the capital city, Port Blair.

How to reach –

There are government-run ferries as well as private cruises running daily from the Phoenix Bay Jetty. The tickets for private cruises can be done online but are comparatively costlier than the government ferries. Privates cruises charge 1200 or higher for a one-way ride as against 150 for government ferries. Tickets for government ferries to Havelock need to be done either through the various online kiosks functioning in the capital city or at the jetty.

There are also helicopter rides available to Havelock from Port Blair, which is going to be quite expensive.

Time Taken to reach the island –

90 – 120 mins via cruise, and around 180 mins via Government ferry.

Journey inside the island –

Distant view of the island –

As you approach the jetty in Havelock, you can see clear blue waters with plenty of speed boats around, which are there to facilitate water sports in the island.

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Accommodation in the island –

There are plenty of beachside resorts available on Havelock Island, prices of which depends on the kind of accommodation you opt for. The booking for accommodation can be done online through Booking.com, Make My Trip, or others. Normally, people visiting the island tend to stay 2 days on average owing to the number of activities available and is also an ideal place for people coming on honeymoon.

This is one such resort where I was, named ‘Green Imperial Resort’ located ~2-3 km from the harbor, where each accommodation is in the form of a hut and is very cozy.

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Traveling within the island –

There are facilities to opt for vehicles while on the island. There are plenty of shops providing cycles/bikes on rent. All you need to have is a driving license. And per day rent is pretty cheap, costs ~300-600 depending on the shop.

Scuba Dive in Havelock Island –

This is one of the major reasons why people visit Havelock Islands. There are plenty of places that have scuba dive facilities, you can find their billboards while traveling through the island. And if you’re staying in a beachside resort, there is a good chance the resort itself has this facility. If not, you can just check with the people there for recommendations.

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The one I visited was ‘Andaman Scuba Divers’, located 2 km from the harbor and is one of the most popular ones. They have a good number of scuba trainers and is very well organized as well. The beach along this resort is just pristine.

Beaches in Havelock Island –

There are plenty, but two very famous ones being Radhanagar Beach, Kala Pathar Beach and Elephanta Beach. Radhanagar beach, being one of the cleanest beaches in Asia, has an amazing view, especially if visited during early mornings. Along with that, Radhanagar beach also has other attractions like arrangements for beachside dinner or dates, small confined accommodation for a short stay, mini Submarine, and others.

Other activities in Havelock Island –

Apart from Scuba, Havelock is home to various other water adventures like Snorkeling, Sea Walk, Deep Sea dive, and plenty of others.