Rangat

Rangat Island is located in the Middle and South Andaman Islands. The approximate distance from Port Blair by road is 180 Kms and it is 50 nautical miles (around 90kms) by sea. Rangat is having an area of about 1070 sq. km. Even though the population of this island comprises of people belonging to various linguistic groups, the residents of this island can be majorly noticed speaking Bengali or Tamil. The people in Rangat island are mainly engaged in Fishing and cultivation as their primary occupation.

Quick Links To Rangat

• How To Reach By Road
• How To Reach By Ferry
• What To Expect
• Top Places To Visit
• Accommodation
• Food Options
• Recommended Itinerary

Rangat houses many picturesque and flawless beaches, several turtle nesting grounds, evergreen waterfalls and a very unique presentation of the diverse Mangrove ecosystem along with a nature walk which is a true example of “Reduce, Reuse & Recycle”. Wondering how? Come along with us through the lines. In our coming sections, you’ll get more detailed information on what Rangat has in store for you on your visit. We will like not just to introduce you but rather to make you familiar with the places we admire.

Now we feel it’s the high time when we shall take the opportunity to guide you through this to take up a visit to Rangat Island. There are places that we add to our trip list just because our peers and relatives have covered them or because we have seen a lot of pictures on social media. But then there are some hidden or lesser-known destinations which are too pristine and beautiful to miss them from our travel list.
 

Rangat Island is one such underrated destination that deserves to be explored more than just a transit point while visiting Long Island, Diglipur or Mayabunder. So through this article, we want to make Rangat a familiar place for people coming down to Andamans.

How To Reach Rangat By Road

To visit any island, you have to enter through Port Blair (VSI Airport). So the origin to start through any of the modes of transfers that we are mentioning below is from Port Blair only.




The first and the most economical option to reach Rangat from Port Blair is by Buses.

Government Bus To Rangat From Port Blair

You can reach Rangat by Government operated Bus that departs from Port Blair at different timings. The preferred one is around 4:30 AM. It takes around 8 hours to reach Rangat from Port Blair on a bus. This bus will pass through Andaman Grand Trunk Road to reach the Public Bus stand at Rangat. From there you’ll have to hire public transport to reach your accommodation place and to do the sightseeing. These buses are not Air-conditioned. The tickets for these buses can be purchased from the government Bus depot, Port Blair. Due to the cheap cost, there is a huge demand for government bus tickets because most of the local public use this mode of transport as their lifeline to stay connected between Rangat & Port Blair. The boarding point of these buses is at the Aberdeen Bus Depot. It has multiple other picks up points on the ATR. However, you need to enquire at the ticket counter for your nearest pick-up point.


 

If you have reached Rangat by the government buses then the return ticket from Rangat has to be booked from Rangat Bus terminus only.

Buses run by Private Sector To Rangat From Port Blair

Just like the government Buses, there are buses run by the private sector as well. These Buses also depart from Port Blair at different timings. The preferred/ suggested slot of departure is around 4:30 AM or the earlier possible so that one gets most of his/her time there in Rangat once they reach. It takes 8 hours to reach by these buses as well. They are available in Air-conditioned and NON-Air Conditioned segments.

The AC ones are costlier but worthy of an 8-hour long road journey. Non AC ones are cheaper than the AC ones but expensive than the government buses due to obvious reasons like comfort and seating arrangements. The tickets for these buses are available from their respective reservation offices across the Port Blair town. Online bookings are not made available by them. The boarding point of these buses is mostly near the Aberdeen Bust Depot. It has multiple other picks up points on the ATR. However, you need to enquire at the ticket counter for your nearest pick-up point.
 

If you have reached Rangat by the private buses then the return ticket from Rangat can also be booked from Port Blair when you start or else you can book the same at Rangat Bus terminus as well.
 

By Private Cab To Rangat Via Baratang
 

The second way to reach Rangat from Port Blair is in a Privately hired vehicle from Port Blair and since the driver is accompanying you from Port Blair, neither you need to look for a return option, nor you would have to hire any other public transport for going in and out of your accommodation and seeing the places of attraction which are accessible by the road. By choosing this mode of reaching Rangat and exploring it, you get a local person from Port Blair in the face of your driver who is experienced and has been there before. So he can suggest for good places to eat, make sure you visit the places you have planned to visit and return on time to Port Blair for your other due schedules.

The road to Rangat is the same for Baratang Island. Basically, Rangat lies ahead of Baratang. So after visiting Baratang, you can move to Rangat for an overnight stay. If time permits you can explore some of the places at Rangat on Day 1 of your arrival.

The private Cab option is the best for travelers who are traveling on a fixed date schedule and have a fixed number of days to explore the Andamans before they go back to their hometown. This type of travelers need a pre-booking in everything and the major relief in choosing private cabs is that you can book this service online before your travel and forget all your stress. The cab will be there on time right at your stay point to pick you and drop you back to your respective accommodation after completion of the trip.

 

How To Reach Rangat By Ferry

By Government Ferry To Rangat From Port Blair

The third way is to take Government Ferry to move directly from Port Blair to Rangat. This voyage will be a 5-6 hour long journey. The ferry follows the following route: Port Blair - Neil Island - Havelock Island - Rangat. So the voyage time tends to change depending upon the number of passengers boarding and getting down at each stops.
 

The con here in this option is that the sailing of this ferry is not there every day and the ticket bookings open only 1-2 days before the departure. The tickets are issued from the STAR ticket counters in Port Blair and the return ticket has to be booked from Rangat itself. The Harbor for Rangat is the Yerrata Jetty. Those who come on an extended vacation to Andaman can consider the government ferry as an option to reach Rangat.
 

However, this mode could be unpredictable and may not work for travelers who are planning to visit Andaman for around 4 - 10 days. Considering, there are so many things to do in Andamans and the other schedules will get affected if in case this option of reaching Rangat doesn’t work.

How to reach Rangat from Havelock Island and Neil Island?
 

From Havelock Island, you will have to take a Government Ferry to Rangat. This ferry is operational on alternate days. This is the same ferry that sails from Port Blair to Rangat as discussed in our previous section. It takes pit stops at Neil Island, Havelock Island before reaching Rangat. After stopping at Rangat, The voyage ends at Long Island.

The same applies to visit Rangat from Neil Island. The same ferry which we have discussed above also takes a pit stop at Neil, so from Neil Island also you need to take the same boat to Rangat.

What to Expect while Visiting Rangat?

“Rangat has got a lot more to offer than often expected!” – We can say this having visited the place ourselves and seen the type of experience with our naked eyes. Rangat is a true example of an eco-tourism initiative in Andamans.

Popularly it acts as the transit point while one travels to North Andamans from Port Blair. Also, many major islands are connected through sea and road from Rangat hence it attracts many travelers while crossing the path. Since Rangat falls on the way which you will cross when you travel to Mayabunder, Long Island or Diglipur from Port Blair by road, so you can decide to halt back for a night here to explore the major places nearby such as Ambkunj Beach, Morrice Dera, Dhaninallah Mangrove Walkway, an Eco-friendly Mangrove walkway & lot more.
 

For your stays, Rangat Island has 2-3 standard stay options. Don’t expect any star-category service or luxury from these properties as it’s a rural part of Andamans and as mentioned, it is still developing as a tourist attraction. So, not a lot of arrangements have been made in terms of the tourist infrastructure. But still, it has enough amenities to serve for a short stay while being in a hygienic and decent place. You will get a detailing about the stay options in our “Accommodation options” section. Many of the attractions in and around Rangat that we are going to discuss here are reachable by private transport. Some of them can be reached using public transportation as well. We’ll discuss more on how to reach Rangat, its serene beaches and other attraction around it in our “How to reach” sections ahead.

Top Places To Visit in Rangat

Rangat has some unique places that you will not experience in other parts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Here is our top list of places to visit in Rangat an we bet you will love it. All the places are easily accessible by road.

1) Visit Morice Dera Beach - Must Do The twin rock here presents itself as a unique yet beautiful rock formation. An entry has to be made while entering the place and the viewpoint here is magnificent. You can climb on the rocks or just sit back and enjoy the view. Pretty famous among locals this place is much happening during the weekends.

2) Visit Ambkunj Beach to take Photographs of the lovely open Sea - The Amkunj beach is located at the Nimbutala village at a distance of 8 kms from Rangat. The beach is rock so not much of a swim is possible, however, the long stretch is good enough for a walk and to take some photographs.

3) Dhaninallah Mangrove Walkway (Nature Walkway) - The Dhaninallah natural walkway is a 1 Kilometer long stretch of pathway made in between the mangrove forest. Walk amidst tall mangrove trees and learn about various species of mangroves.

4) Visit Yerrata Creek to explore its rich mangrove plantation -  Yerrata Creek is located 8 Kilometers away from Rangat. Here you can see the plantation of various mangroves. A jetty is located close to the plantation from where you can take boats to Long Island.

5) Visit Raman Bageecha - A personal favorite close to a mango plantation from where it got its name. The beach here is the cleanest in Rangat and best for swimming and enjoying time by the beach. If you reach here during mango season then you can get some delicious mango shakes.

6) Trek to Panchavati Hills to explore its waterfalls -  The Panchavati waterfalls on the outskirts of Rangat and can be visited to explore its waterfall. This waterfall lies en route our way to North Andaman. Depending upon the season the waterfall is active. During monsoon, this place is best to visit. 

Rangat stands as one of the best places to visit in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and we recommend you spend at least a night here and explore all nearby places. Rangat is different than other parts of the islands. Below itinerary will give you some understanding on how the packages are built.

Accommodation at Rangat Island

There are a couple of decent private accommodations namely Hotel Ross and Smith and Eden Garden. Hotel Ross n Smith was introduced in the year 2018. It is mostly chosen by travelers and has decent service feedback from their in-house guests. The latest accommodation that has come to Rangat Island is called Eden Garden which is much more premium than other properties at Rangat. All are good options but do not expect the luxury or star category amenities while you plan to stay. Priya International is also a budget stay at Rangat.

Hotel Ross and Smith

Hotel Eden Garden

There is a resort of the Andaman & Nicobar Department of Tourism- The Hawks Bill Nest. Pre-booking is mandatory in all of these properties during the high seasons to ensure you have a reservation and don’t get stuck with your plans. Try to secure your bookings in any offbeat destination through a local tour operator because online bookings mostly won’t work due to the poor internet connectivity in the islands.

There are some departmental guest houses/ lodges also which have to be checked to be availed on the spot only.

Food Options in Rangat Island

There are small eateries and local restaurants more Dhaba and canteen concepts serving good food at reasonable pricing. One can also get vegetarian food here in these eateries. But pure vegetarian restaurant sort of arrangements are not yet discovered.

There are many south India-run hotels local type where you get decent food. Some small joints are present that serves nice food as well.
 

The accommodation options mentioned in this article also serve food in their respective restaurants but for all that, they have a limited menu option. Hotel Ross and Smith does not have an in-house restaurant, however, you will find many options just outside the stay.

Suggested Itinerary to Rangat

While there are many itinerary options to visit Rangat, however, the best suggest plan is as below. We will be giving a summary of the plan and the detailed package can be referred on our website at Rangat tour packages. Here all the inclusions, exclusions, prices, hotel details and day wise itinerary will be explained

Day 1 - Start from Port Blair to Baratang + Visit Limestone Caves and Mud Volcano + Travel to Rangat and Visit Raman Bageecha - Overnight stay at Rangat

Day 2 - Vist Ambkunj Beach + Morrice Dera + Visit Dhanninalah Mangrove Walkway and Return to Port Blair via Baratang or move to Diglipur

After reaching Rangat you can either visit all places in Rangat and return back to Port Blair or Move to North Andaman Islands. Depending upon one's requirements you can plan the itinerary.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs) when traveling to Rangat Island

1. How many days are required to visit Rangat?
   
   Rangat Island is situated in the Middle Andaman, it requires 2 days to completely visit all attractions at Rangat.
    
2. What are the major places to see at Rangat?
   
   At Rangat you can visit Dhanni Nalah Mangrove walkway, Morrice Dera Beach, Yerrata Jetty, Amkunj Beach, Raman Bagicha and Curtbert Bay.
    
3. Can Rangat be visited as a Day trip?
   
   Yes, on your way to North Andaman Islands you can visit Rangat as a day trip.
    
4. How to reach Rangat?
   
   Rangat should be visited from Port Blair. Bus or Private Cabs are the most preferred option to reach Rangat. Government ferries are also available but not regularly.