Lovely to see you planning your next vacation to the Andaman Islands. Andaman Islands is one the best places to visit in India and here in this how-to-plan guide we will guide you with all the details and step-by-step guide that can help you plan your perfect trip to Andaman Islands.
During a self plan tour to Andaman Islands below are the major things that needs to be considered and noted down for you to come to a budget
- Season - The best time to visit Andaman Islands
- How many days are required to visit Andaman
- Things to visit
- Flight cost
- Accommodation costs at all islands
- Ferry cost for moving from one island to the other
- Cost of Water Activities
- Transportation costs like Cab/Auto/Two Wheeler etc
- Food Cost
- Conclusion
We will also be giving an example of the day-wise costing so that it is easier for you to decide on your budget while planning
Post the conclusion, we will also provide an easy way to plan and calculate your tour cost to the islands. This may help you save time when planning a trip to Andaman Islands.
Step by step to plan to your perfect Andaman Island trip
Step 1 - Identify when are you planning a visit to Andaman Islands
The best time to visit Andaman Islands is from September to May. The peak season goes from October - March. During the month of December, the prices are hiked up because lots of travelers plan their vacations during that part of the year.
You can visit the Andaman Islands anytime between September to May.
Travelers who want to enjoy the monsoon can visit Andaman during June and July. During June and July because of rain, the islands are seen in a different way.
All water activities are operational throughout the year and on days when heavy rains take place the water activities get delayed or shifted to the next day.
How is the weather in Andaman Island during the time of the visit?
The weather in the Andaman Islands varies from 25 Degrees to 33 Degrees and it's a tropical climate throughout the year. Temperature wise even during peak summers the island temperate is around 30 - 35 Degrees.
Step 2 - How many days are required to visit Andaman?
To give a perspective of how many days are required will share the map of the Andaman Islands. The Andaman Islands are divided into North, Middle and South Andaman Islands. The majority of people who travel to Andaman Islands visit the south Andaman Islands that cover Port Blair, Havelock and Neil Island.
To cover the major tourist places in South Andaman Islands you will require a minimum of 6 days Andaman trip is required and the usual itinerary that is followed is as follow to refer
Day 1 - Arrival at Port Blair
Day 2 - Travel from Port Blair to Havelock Island and Stay at Havelock Island
Day 3 - Visit Havelock Island
Day 4 - Travel from Havelock to Neil Island
Day 5 - Return from Neil Island to Port Blair
Day 6 - Departure from Port Blair
If you plan to cover the middle and north Andaman Islands then you will need 9 - 10 days. Check the tour summary below to refer
Day 1 - Arrival at Port Blair
Day 2 - Travel from Port Blair to Havelock Island and Stay at Havelock Island
Day 3 - Visit Havelock Island
Day 4 - Travel from Havelock to Neil Island
Day 5 - Return from Neil Island to Port Blair
Day 6 - Port to Diglipur (North Andaman) and visit Baratang Island
Day 7 - Visit Diglipur
Day 8 - Return from Diglipur to Port Blair via Covering Middle Andaman
Day 9 - Departure from Port Blair
You can extend a couple of days more to do things at leisure.
So basically, the number of days you want to visit the Andaman Islands varies upon how many places you plan to visit during your stay at the islands. Post the above itineraries you still have some offbeat places such as Long Island to cover which in itself requires 3 days.
For travelers who are short of time can consider a 4 days trip to Andaman Islands and cover Port Blair and Havelock Island as per the itinerary below. The first and the last days of your visit to Andaman should be in Port Blair as the only commercial airport of Andaman is in Port Blair. Other islands has to be visited in a ferry from Port Blair
Day 1 - Arrival - Stay at Port Blair
Day 2 - Travel to Havelock Island
Day 3 - Return from Havelock to Port Blair
Day 4 - Departure
Step 3 - Things to visit in Andaman
Now while you are planning your visit to Andaman you will need to know what the best things to do in Andaman are and the major places that need to be visited. The top places in the Andaman Islands are
At Port Blair - The capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, this is where you land on the day of arrival in Andaman
Top places at Port Blair
Cellular Jail - History
Corbyns Cove Beach - Beach and water activities
Chidiatapu - Sunset point
Ross Island - History and nature
North Bay Island - Beach and Water sports
At Baratang Island Middle Andaman - Comes under middle Andaman
Limestone Caves is a unique experience here at Baratang
At Havelock Island - Known for its beach resort, water activities and amazing island vibes
The major tourist places at Havelock are
Radhangar Beach
Kalapathar Beach
Elephant Beach
At Neil Island - The vegetable bowl of Andaman Islands is another good island that can be visited for a day or two as per your itinerary planning. Neil Island is recommended to visit only after visiting Havelock Island because of ferry timings. This has been discussed down below
The major locations at Neil Island are
Bharatpur Beach
Laxmanpur Beach
Natural Rock Formation
Sitapur beach
Travelers who prefer visiting the islands for water activities should spend more time at Havelock Island as the major activities are done at Havelock. Refer our detailed article about things to do in Andaman Islands to get all details about various things that one can do in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Knowing what you want to do in Andaman is crucial while planning your island trip. Check our some of our best articles about places, beaches, offbeat things in the islands that can help you select what you want to do in Andaman
Beaches in Andaman
Tourist places in Andaman Islands
Offbeat places in Andaman
Step 4 - Get your flight tickets
Flight tickets to the Andaman Islands can get really expensive based on your date of travel. The airport where you land at Port Blair is called Veer Savarkar International Airport and the code is IXZ
Direct flights are available from Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.
Connecting flights are available from all cities with intermittent direct flights from Mumbai and Delhi as well.
When you plan your budget for Andaman the flight costs are a great deal. If you get cheaper quotes for flights then your overall package cost goes down.
Approx cost of flight per person from major cities
Chennai (MAA) to Port Blair (IXZ) - Direct Flights - One Way - 6000 - 9000 Rupees per person
Kolkata (CCU) to Port Blair (IXZ) - Direct Flights - One Way - 6000 - 9000 Rupees per person
Bangalore (BLR) to Port Blair (IXZ) - Direct Flights / 1 Stop - One Way - 8000 - 12000 Rupees per person
Hyderabad (HYD) to Port Blair (IXZ) - Direct Flights / 1 Stop - One Way - 8000 - 12000 Rupees per person
Delhi (DEL) to Port Blair (IXZ) - Direct Flights / 1 Stop - One Way - 10000 - 16000 Rupees per person
Mumbai (BOM) to Port Blair (IXZ) - Direct Flights / 1 Stop - One Way - 10000 - 16000 Rupees per person
If you see the price flight varies a lot based on the season and your date of travel. The price can sometimes go very high to reach the Andaman Islands specifically from the North part of India.
You can connect with the Experience Andamans team to get group flight prices from the below-mentioned cities and as per availability we will share with you the series airfare.
The cities that we have best price to Port Blair are
Chennai
Kolkata
Bangalore
Step 4 - Cost of Accommodation
Now once you know the cost of a Flight from your city, the next is to add the price of accommodation at all the islands that you are planning to stay in the islands as per your itinerary.
The accommodation has to be booked at Port Blair, Havelock and Neil Island
At Port Blair, the cost of the stay is comparatively cheaper than that of Havelock and Neil Island
Budget accommodation - Less than 1500 Rupees per night on double-sharing basis
2 Star Properties - 2500 Rupees per night on double sharing basis
3 Star Properties - 3500 - 4500 Rupee per night on double sharing basis
4 Star Properties - 5000 - 9000 Rupees per night on double sharing basis
5 Star Properties - 8000 - 15000 Rupees per night on double sharing basis
At Havelock Island
Budget accommodation - Less than 1500 Rupees per night on double-sharing basis
2 Star Properties - 3000 Rupees per night on double sharing basis
3 Star Properties - 4500 - 5500 Rupee per night on double sharing basis
4 Star Properties - 5000 - 18000 Rupees per night on double sharing basis
5 Star Properties - 20000 - 40000 Rupees per night on double sharing basis
Likewise at Neil Island.
The major cost of your trip to Andaman Islands will be
Flight Cost + Accommodation Cost - These two costs will cover around 70% of your total package cost in Andaman Islands
Let's take an example to get an approximate cost so far for your trip to Andaman Islands
Consider 2 Adults are traveling from Chennai and are visiting Andaman Islands for 5 days with 2 Nights in Port Blair and 2 Nights at Havelock Island
Flight ticket cost = 8000 x 2 x 2 (return airfare) = 32000
Accommodation Cost in 3 Star hotels
Port Blair = 3500 x 2 = 7000
Havelock = 4500 x 2 = 9000
The total cost of accommodation with Breakfast = 16000
Total cost for your trip so far = 32000 For Flights + 16000 For Accomodation = 48000
Now we need to consider the cost of Ferry, Transport, Activities and Food which we will cover below
Step 5 - Cost of Ferry to move from one Island to the other
Ferry in Andaman Islands is very important again. Basically you will be landing at Port Blair airport and to go to other islands such as Havelock and Neil Island you will need a ferry that takes you from one island to the other and brings to you back.
These ferries are of prime importance in your trip planning. If you select an island to book where the ferry is not on a regular basis then you will end up paying more or you can even end not reaching the islands because of no ferry operational.
The major ferries that operate in Andaman Islands are :
Government ferry - No online booking only counter booking allowed
Makruzz
Nautika
ITT Majestic
Green Ocean
Except for the Government ferry, all other ferries can be booked online.
Check the ferry booking details on our website that can be booked online
So the ferry charges approximately 1500 Per Person for each side. Therefore for 2 adults as per our previous itinerary, we will need a ferry from Port Blair to Havelock Island and return from Havelock to Port Blair
Ferry cost = 1500 x 2 x 2 side = 6000
Total trip cost = Flight + Hotel + Ferry = 32000 (Flight) + 16000 (Stay) + 6000 (Ferry) = 54000 Per Couple for 4 Night 5 Days trip with 2 Nights in Port Blair and 2 Nights at Havelock Island
Next we need to discuss about the other cost such as transportation, activities and sightseeing.
Step 6 - Cost of water activities
Once you are sorted with your flight, hotels and ferry then comes the next part of your trip planning is the cost of water activities in the Andaman islands. The major activities that is done in Havelock Island island are as below :
Scuba Diving costs Rupees 3500 Per Person
Sea Walking cost Rupees 3500 Per Person
Jet Ski ride cost Rupees 700 Per Person
Semi Submarine cost Rupees 2100 Per Person
Likewise many activities are available at different islands, please check the detailed list of all the water activities in Andaman on our website.
So as per our previous itinerary plan suppose we want to add Scuba Diving for 2 people then the package cost will add up 7000.
After adding the activity the package cost will be
Total trip cost = Flight + Hotel + Ferry + Scuba Diving for 2 Persons = 32000 (Flight) + 16000 (Stay) + 6000 (Ferry) + 7000 (Scuba Diving) = 61000 Per Couple for 4 Night 5 Days trip with 2 Nights in Port Blair and 2 Nights at Havelock Island
Many travelers add 2 - 3 different activities in Andaman and as per the price the budget of your trip increases.
Step 7 - Cost of transportation as per your itinerary
In this section, we will specifically discuss about the package cost for 4 Night and 5 days. So far we have came down to the below cost
Total trip cost = Flight + Hotel + Ferry + Scuba Diving for 2 Persons = 32000 (Flight) + 16000 (Stay) + 6000 (Ferry) + 7000 (Scuba Diving) = 61000 Per Couple for 4 Night 5 Days trip with 2 Nights in Port Blair and 2 Nights at Havelock Island
Let us consider the itinerary as below :
Day 1 - Airport Pickup. Then visit to Corbyns Cove Beach and Cellular Jail - Overnight at Port Blair
Day. 2 - Travel from Port Blair to Havelock in a ferry and visit Radhanagar Beach - Overnight at Havelock Island
Day 3 - Visit Elephant Beach
Day 4 - Scuba Diving at Havelock Island and Return to Port Blair
Day 5 - Departure
The cab cost for the above pickup and drop will come approximately to 7000 Rupees for all pickup and drops. If you are taking a 2 wheeler at Havelock Island then the cost only for Port Blair pickup and drop will come to Rupees 4000 and for 2 days two-wheeler will cost you 500 Per day rental with petrol extra. So lets consider 1500 including rental and the petrol.
So overall in transportation, you will be spending approx 6000 Rupees
In the above cost entry ticket to Cellular Jail, Light and Sound Show and ferry ticket to Elephant beach are not considered.
These tickets for couple will cost around 3000 Per Couple
So the revised budget now becomes
Total trip cost = Flight + Hotel + Ferry + Scuba Diving for 2 Persons + Transportation + Entry tickets = 32000 (Flight) + 16000 (Stay) + 6000 (Ferry) + 7000 (Scuba Diving) + 6000 (Transportation) + 3000 (Entry Tickets) = 70000 Per Couple for 4 Night 5 Days trip with 2 Nights in Port Blair and 2 Nights at Havelock Island
With this we have now come to an approximate cost for your trip to Andaman Islands including flight, hotels, ferry, activity and transport. The last leg is the food cost which will bring you to the overall cost
Step 8 - Food Cost
The final part of your cost comes from your food and personal expenses. Let's consider the average meal cost per person is 500.
Therefore for 4 days, you will be having 8 meals in total including lunch and dinner
Approx cost of food equals 500 per meal x 2 person x 4 days x 2 (lunch and dinner) = 8000. Let's keep an upper side for food to be around 10k considering evening snacks etc
Total Final trip cost = Flight + Hotel + Ferry + Scuba Diving for 2 Persons + Transportation + Entry tickets + Food = 32000 (Flight) + 16000 (Stay) + 6000 (Ferry) + 7000 (Scuba Diving) + 6000 (Transportation) + 3000 (Entry Tickets) + 10000 (Food) = 80000 Per Couple for 4 Night 5 Days trip with 2 Nights in Port Blair and 2 Nights at Havelock Island
Therefore we can say that an approximate cost of 80000 will be spent on your 5 days trip to Andaman Islands.
The key to planning your trip is to get the lowest deals on flight and hotels. If you get it cheaper then you save a lot more during your trip.
Step 9 - Conclusion
Now, while you got to know what is the break up of the tour and you should plan your trip to Andaman Islands. The above same steps has to be followed whether you are visiting Andaman Islands from any part of India.
As your number of days increases, the cost of the tour based on your hotel selection increases.
Each step of the calculation is important so that you can gauge an approximate budget for your trip to Andaman.
Now if this sounds long here is an easy way to come to a tour cost that is easy and made by the experts.
The exclusive feature of "Plan my trip" helps you calculate your Andaman trip cost for
Accommodation
Ferry
Water Activities
Transportation
The only thing that needs to be added to this is the cost of flight tickets and food cost which can be added on top of the calculated tour cost. This easy way to plan your trip can instantly help you with selecting the best itinerary along with its cost for your travel dates.
Let's help you in understanding how this exclusive feature of plan my trip can help you select the best itinerary
1) Click on Plan my Trip
To save time and to get the best cost for your trip plan use this exclusive feature of Plan my trip on our website. With this feature you can instantly refer best tour plans and cost for your trip to Andaman Islands.
2) Select the date of travel
Based on your preferred dates when you plan to visit Andaman select the date.
3) Next we select the number of days.
This time we consider a trip for 6 Night and 7 Days to the Andaman Islands and see various itinerary options before selecting one itinerary and moving forward.
4) Select the number of rooms required for the tour.
If you are a couple then select 1 Room and if you are 4 Adults then select 2 Rooms from the drop-down
5) Click on Search button
When you click on search based upon your requirements you will see various packages for 6 Nights and 7 Days and select the itinerary which is liked by you as per your travel requirements.
Once you are on this page of your plan my trip then you can select the Andaman package as per your preference. Various packages for your selected travel plan is listed here. If you are planning a honeymoon package to Andaman then select the itinerary that has Honeymoon mentioned in its name and creative. This way you will select a tour plan instantly that is preferred at your end.
In this case, we will select one of the plans from the listed options and check what is included and what is provided. As we discussed in the topic earlier the listed price will cover the following price aspect of your trip
Stay
Breakfast
Ferry
Transportation
Entry tickets
6) Go through the package itinerary and hotel details
Check the details of the trip and get the price of the tour plan you were looking into. You will see the itinerary details and which islands you are staying at Port Blair, Havelock and Neil Island and for how many nights.
You will also see what our day-to-day itinerary in your trip plan is. This will help you gauge how much time you will have and you can plan accordingly.
On the right side, you will see the number of travelers, date of travel, number of rooms, trip cost, and other hotel options for you to select.
By default budget, and hotel costs will be selected. You can select from other hotel options such as Deluxe, Luxury and more
7) Next you can select from various hotel options
Various hotel options such as Budget, Standard, Premium, Deluxe, Luxury, LuxuryPlus, Royal etc will be seen for the tour plan that you have selected. The cost of your trip will vary based on the hotel that has been selected. Step 5 we mentioned earlier comes into the picture when you are checking on changing hotels that are a little more expensive. I you are visiting Andaman Island on a honeymoon then we recommend travelers select luxury hotel stays to get a better stay experience.
As you see now the price of your trip has increased and this is mainly because the hotels have been changed to 4-star properties on all the islands.
With this, we come to an end of the topic of how to plan a trip to the Andaman Islands. Step-by-step information along with an easy way of planning your trip was explained. Whatever works best for you to check and follow the steps to plan your Andaman Island trip.
