Experience Andaman Travel Blog

Andaman Islands Reopens For Tourists – How To Plan Andaman Trip During COVID in 2021

Update – We request travelers to check the latest guidelines on Andaman Tourism Official Website for the latest circular. The below article is not getting updated since February 2022.

Because of rising cases in India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration has revised its earlier circular. 
All incoming passengers above 02 Years of age including partially and fully vaccinated arriving at Veer Savarkar Airport (VSI), Port Blair from 05th January 2022 onwards shall have to mandatorily carry RT-PCR negative test report issued from a ICMR recognized laboratory, subject to condition that the RT-PCR test should have been taken within 48 Hours prior to commencement of journey from the origin airport connecting Port Blair.

Please find the circular below and follow the latest guidelines as defined

 

Port Blair, dated 23rd September, 2021

ORDER

In pursuance of Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Letter No. AV. 13011/5/2017- DT(RCS) — MOCA dated 16/07/2021 read with Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India dated 25.08.2021 for domestic travel by flight/train/ship etc., and with the approval of Competent Authority, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, in supersession of its earlier order dated 23.12.2020, shall implement the following SOP with effect from 25/09/2021

  1. All asymptomatic passengers who have been vaccinated with both doses of the COVID 19 vaccine and 15 days have lapsed since the administration of second dose of the vaccine and are in possession of the final vaccination certificate issued through the COWIN portal are exempted from mandatory requirement of carrying a negative RTPCR report to travel to Port Blair from Mainland and also such passengers will be exempted from undergoing additional RTPCR test on arrival at Port Blair Such passengers shall also have to produce the ID card /document mentioned in the Vaccination Certificate, for verification.
  2. Passengers who are found symptomatic on arrival at Port Blair, irrespective of their vaccination status shall be subjected to RTPCR / Rapid Antigen Test at the airport terminal to aid
  3. All other passengers unvaccinated, partially vaccinated (those who have taken only 1st dose of COVID vaccine) and those who have taken both doses, but have not completed 15 days since the administration of 2nd dose, shall have to produce negative RT-PCR report to travel to Port Blair from mainland, as is the practice now. They will also undergo additional RT-PCR test on arrival at Port Blair.

As of 03 August 2021

With this update the second lockdown on tourism-related activities has come to a closure. The SOP’s for Beach, Museum, Testing and General advisory has been received and we have update this article about how travelers can plan a visit to Andaman Islands after the lockdown opens. Below are the guidelines as defined by the Andaman administration :

Letter from the Directorate of Andaman Island Tourism

As of 03 August 2021 – Below is the latest guidelines :

Summary of the latest guidelines for traveling to Andaman Islands :

The Andaman Tourism order all places in South Andaman, North and Middle Andaman shall be opened effective 03rd August 2021

1) All visitors / Tourist has to carry a Mandatory RTPCR negative test report taken within 48hours of taking the flight from origin

2)upon arrival all visitors/tourist has to go through mandatory RTPCR Test (free of cost) until the reports come guest has to be at the hotel.

3) In case of guest reported positive, the guest will be moved to paid institutional quarantine or designated hotels on a payment basis.

 

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 mask and wash/sanitize hands regularly mandatorily while performing their duties.


8. Aarogya 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 mandatorily 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 hotels rooms until the result of RTPCR tests are received. In case of RTPCR positive test results, the tourists/visitors shall be 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. Other guidelines prescribed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation for airport (available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in and SOP) issued by Airport Manager, VSI also need to followed.

General Advisory To Tourists arriving to the islands

What is the guidelines for testing for tourists coming to the 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 beern taken not before 0600 hrs. on 30th August, 2021).

2. The tourists/visitors on arrival at Port Blair airport have to undergo mandatorily 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 hotels rooms until the result of RTPCR tests are received. In case of RTPCR positive test results, the tourists/visitors shall be remain in
institutional quarantine in hotels notilied 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. Other guidelines prescribed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation for airport
(available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in and SOP) issued by Airport Manager, VSI also need to followed.

3. Tourists may also have to urndergo random Rapid Antigen Test conducted from time to time on payment basis as prescribed by A8N
Administration.

What if the tourists test postive after arriving at the Andaman Islands?


If the tourists tests positive during 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 arrangement to designate a part of their rooms for institutional isolation for this purpose.

SOP Regarding Testing for Tourists arriving to Andaman – Page 1

 

SOP Regarding Testing for Tourists arriving to Andaman – Page 2

 

What is the advisory to travel to North & Middle Andaman District?


The tourists are allowed to visit Baratang/North & Middle Andaman subject to compulsory RAT testing for Andaman Trunk Road commuters which will be carried out at Forest check post on the spot / same day on payment of applicable charges

Contact Experience Andamans at 7026370370 for any updates in regard to your travel to Andaman Islands.

SOP for National Memorial Cellular Jail

As of 20 July 2021 – As per the recent circular by the Andaman administration, tourism in the islands has not yet started. We request travelers to plan a vacation for August month or later. We hope by then tourism-related activities may be eased.  If any updates about tourism reopening are known we will update them on this page and on social media. 

Currently, all travelers arriving at the islands have to go through 7 days mandatory quarantine.

As of 29 June, 2021 – As per the recent circular by the Andaman administration, tourism in the islands has not yet started.  If any updates about tourism reopening are known we will update them on this page and on social media. 

As of 2 May, 2021 – Lockdown has been imposed in Andaman Islands from 2nd May, 2021 until further notice.

As of 6 April, 2021As per the new circular, Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) will be conducted for all incoming passengers at the Veer Savarkar Airport with effect from 07-April-2021. Al Inbound passengers are hereby requested to cooperate with the officials performing the test at the airport and support the Administration in the fight against COVID-19.



As of 24 February, 2021 – All islands (under South, Middle and North Andaman), water sports activities (Scuba Diving, Sea Walking, Kayaking etc) and Ferry (Makruzz, Green Ocean) are open and operational for tourists.


What is the Standard Operating procedures (SOP) in place for tourists coming to the Andaman Islands? Here we are bringing you a very detailed article about how to plan your trip to the Andaman Islands during COVID in 2020.

All pointers explained and we will keep this article updated for all travelers who are planning a visit.

SOP regarding COVID-19 testing
for tourists coming to Andaman Islands


On arrival at Port Blair

 

1. The tourists arriving at Port Blair will be tested for COVID-19 at Veer Savarkar airport using Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). The results will be given at the airport itself. The tourists will be charged as per rate fixed by Administration. (Presently Rs. 500/- per person).

If the tourist tests negative, he/she can proceed for the trip. If found positive, he/she will have to undergo Institutional isolation till recovery from COVID-19.


2. Alternatively, the tourists can opt to carry COVID-19 negative report from mainland based ICMR approved lab using Reverse Transcriptase- Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR) or True Nat test.

However, the sample for RTPCR/True Nat test should have been taken within 48 hours of starting the journey from the origin station. (For e.g. if the tourist takes a flight from Delhi at 0600hrs on 1 st November, 2020, the sample for RTPCR/True Nat test should have been taken not
before 0600 hrs. on 30 th October, 2020).


The result of this RTPCR/True Nat test will be confirmed online using the SRF-ID, following which the tourist will be exempted from RAT testing at the airport, and can proceed for the trip.

3. If the sample for RTPCR/True Nat test has been taken more than 48 hours from starting of journey, re-test will be done at Veer Savarkar Airport using RAT test, even if RTPCR/True Nat test result is negative. The tourists will be charged as per rate fixed by Administration.
(Presently Rs. 500/- per person).

4. No institutional or home quarantine is required to be observed if the tourist has tested negative either through RAT test at Airport or RTPCR/True Nat test at ICMR approved lab.

For travel to Shaheed Dweep (Neil Island) and Swaraj Dweep (Havelock)

5. Those tourists who are carrying RTPCR/True Nat based COVID negative report as described in para 2 or have been tested negative at Airport using RAT test as described in para 1, need not take the test again, for subsequent travel to or return from Shaheed Dweep and/or Swaraj
Dweep.

6. However, in case any symptoms are developed, the tourist should immediately report to the nearest PHC/CHC and thereafter necessary testing will be done, as advised by Doctors.

7. It is reiterated that travel to North and Middle Andaman Islands, Nicobar group of islands and Little Andaman Island is not permitted for tourism purposes, till further orders.

In case tourist tests Positive for COVID-19 on arrival or during stay

8. If the tourist on arrival at airport tests positive, 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 tourist as fixed by the administration from time to time. (Presently Rs. 1000/- for isolation at ITI Dollygunj COVID Ward).

9. 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 the patient in writing.
c) If allowed by doctors.

10. Hotels will make the necessary arrangement to designate a part of their rooms for institutional isolation for this purpose.


As of 1st December 2020

Private cruises have been given the permission to sail. From 10th December 2020 private ferry from Port Blair To Havelock and other islands are expected to sail. Check the latest schedule and pricing here

Scuba Diving SOP has been defined and the diving companies are getting ready. We hope by 10 December 2020 Scuba Diving will be operational both at Port Blair and Havelock Island.

As of 18th November 2020

Good news on water activity is here. The administration has defined new SOP for all water activities. As per the guidelines

Scuba Diving
Sea Walking
Sea Kart activity
Parasailing activity
JetSki activity

Will now be operational as per the latest SOP defined under the supervision of Tourist Safety and Supervisory Team and Dive Safety and Supervisory team. The SOPs defined should be strictly followed by both operators and tourists.

As of 13th November 2020

Guidelines for Scuba Diving and Sea Walking is still awaited. Cruises are canceled until November 30, 2020.

The government ferry is sailing to different islands such as Port Blair, Havelock and Neil Island.

Kayaking is now operational in the Andaman Islands.

We are happy to announce that our first guest has arrived to Andaman Islands and we were successfully able to take them to Havelock Island on a tour. Here is a picture of our customer at Radhanagar beach.

Will keep you all posted as further updates about tourism are with us.


As of 4th November 2020,


Guidelines for COVID-19 test for guest arriving in Andaman Islands


1. The Tourist arriving at Port Blair will be tested for COVID-19 at Veer Savarkar Airport using Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) the results will be given at the airport itself. The Tourist will be charged as per rate fixed by Administration ( Presently INR 500/- per person ) .
If the Tourist test negative , he/she can proceed for the trip , if found positive , he/she will be have to undergo institutional isolation till the recovery from COVID-19.

2. Alternatively, the tourist can opt to carry COVID-19 negative report from mainland India based ICMR approved lab using “Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction” (RTPCR) or True Nat Test (TNT) , However the sample for RTPCR/TNT should have been taken without 48hours of starting the journey from origin station,(For e.g. if the tourist take a flight from Delhi/ Mumbai at 0600hrs on 1st November 2020, the sample for RTPCR / TNT test should have been taken not before 0600hrs on 30th October 2020.
The result of this RTPCR/ TNT will be confirmed online using the SRF-ID, following with the tourist will be exempted from RAT testing at Port Blair Airport and can proceed for the trip.

3.If the Tourist on arrival at Port Blair Airport tests positive , he/she will need to undergo institutional isolation as per existing health protocols, the cost for such isolation for govt facility will be paid by the tourist as fixed by the administration.


As of 29 October 2020,

Scuba Diving and Cruises are not operational in the islands. From 1st November 2020, the Government ferry is expected to sail. Also, guidelines for all water sports activities is been setup. We are hopeful that by November 15, 2020, all SOP should be set up and Andaman should be back to the new normal. We recommend people to plan after November 15, 2020.


You can reach Experience Andamans for any trip-related query. Drop us a query or email your requirements at info@experienceandamans.com

As of 26 September 2020,

MHA and A&N Administration has designed the key to unlock Andamans for all you travel lovers and nature lovers to come and explore the better than ever version of the serene blues and greens of Andaman.

As of 26 September 2020, the SOP has been circulated to all stake holders.

The lockdown has given the nature a quality time to revive and flourish to its full potential. The lush green forests, the unique mangroves, the beach sands and the crystal clear seas are at its best now due to no human touch for more than 6 months now. The scenic beauty of the Emerald and blue Andamans, have nourished itself and is welcoming you to come and have a fresh start to the new normal. While we say this, we don’t miss the fact that the virus has not gone and we don’t have a fixed cure to it (the vaccine) yet, so it is absolutely mandatory to follow the safety guidelines to keep ourselves and others safe.

When you visit Andaman for your vacation, we at Experience Andamans, strive to keep you safe and at the utmost hygiene and away from touch contact as much as possible. Meanwhile, you will also have your part of responsibilities to keep yourself and the Isles away from the hit of the new Novel Coronavirus. 

So here we start with the complete introduction with the new normal for visiting Andamans. Stay with us through the lines while we guide you further. 

Flights Operating To Port Blair

Note that currently, not many flights to Port Blair are on regular basis. Therefore check the airlines official website while planning your travel dates.

The below flights are operating from various cities (connecting/ direct) to Port Blair. Currently, it’s a developing period for the unlocking mission, expect various edits to the instructions and directives. 

Chennai    : Air India, Indigo and Go Air

Bangalore : Indigo and Go Air

Mumbai     : Indigo and Go Air

Hyderabad: Air India and Indigo (connecting via Chennai) 

Kolkata      : Air India, Indigo, Go Air

Do’s & Dont’s for Air traveling to the Andaman Islands (Veer Savarkar International Airport)

Do’s :

* Have Aarogya Setu app installed and updated on your mobile phone. 

* Follow the SMS rule- Sanitization, Mask and Social Distancing. 

* Keep yourself covered as much as possible. 

* Reach the airport minimum 2-3 hours prior to your departure time. 

* Make sure your temperature has been normal and you have not shown any cold-like symptoms

Dont’s :

* Don’t touch any surface, railings, etc unnecessarily

* Don’t dispose used masks, gloves or tissue papers in open. Dispose them in proper places alloted. 

* Don’t consume any eatables inside the aircraft. 

* Water bottle will be provided in the flights and no on board sale of products will be done.

Refer Ministry of Home Affairs website for more details on flight-related SOP. 

Free Rescheduling On All Trips & Hotels – Pay on Arrival Options

At Experience Andamans, we understand the need of the hour. All our suggested hotels and tours will by default come with free rescheduling options and you can pay just a partial amount to block your dates and full payment can be made after arrival in the Andaman Islands. This is one key feature that will be helpful for all travelers coming to the Andaman Islands. Contact Us for more details on your tour itinerary.

What should we expect while traveling to Andamans (during the Unlock process)

All of us have been through the tough time that 2020 has taken us through. Towards the end of this year, why not make some memories which can reduce (if not eradicate) the stress and monotony of the quarantine and lockdown period. 

To make this happen for you, we bring up here, the clear picture of what you can actually expect if Andaman happens to be on your bucket list of post-lockdown plans. 

As per the directives issued by the Directorate of Tourism, A&N Administration on 26th day of September 2020, we have the following services and attractions ready for your experiences.

The rejuvenated beaches of south Andaman are open now to welcome you

Below are the list of attractions opened

Places in Port Blair that are currently open

Corbyns Cove Beach

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island (Ross Island)

North Bay Island

Wandoor

Chidiatapu

Places in Havelock Island that are currently open

Radhanagar Beach

Kalapathar Beach

Elephant Beach

Vijay Nagar Beach

Places in Neil Island that are currently open

Bharatpur Beach

Sitapur Beach

Laxmanpur Beach

Do’s and Don’t when visiting beaches as per the SOP

– The opening of beaches is permitted only in South Andaman District (except Little Andaman).

– The beaches will remain open between 10.00 AM to 05.00 PM daily.

– Visitors should maintain a minimum distance of 02 meters between one another.

– Use of face cover/mask will be mandatory for all.

– Spiting shall be strictly prohibited on the beaches.

– Mandatory sanitizing and thermal screening will be done at the entrance of the beaches and only asymptomatic visitors will be let into the beaches.

– The visitors should self-monitor themselves and report about any illness immediately to the Beach Officers/Life Guards and TSET Members.

– Dispose of face cover/masks/gloves and other leftovers should be done only in the dustbins allotted and marked for the same.

– The directions of beach-staff/ Lifeguards regarding crowd management at beaches should be obeyed by the visitors for a safe trip.

– Group photography will not be allowed on the beaches.

– Tourists/visitors should avoid overcrowding in the washroom area.

– Tourists/visitors above 65 years will not be allowed on the beaches.

– Respiratory etiquettes are to be strictly followed. This involves covering mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing with a tissue/ handkerchief/ flexed elbow and disposing of used tissues properly after use.

Snorkeling to Be Operational In Andaman Islands

Do’s & Don’ts Before entering the water:

– Maintain social distancing and follow the instruction given by the operator for snorkeling activity.

– The Guests should have a complete personal snorkeling kit with full face mask and only they will be allowed to undergo the activity.

– Snorkeling equipment should not be hired, borrowed, lent or shared even among members of the same family to maintain high hygiene.

– All guests must compulsorily wear face masks and hand gloves until entering the water and upon leaving the water-body.

– At no point, any guest should touch the guide’s snorkel equipment neither the guide should come in contact with the guest’s equipment. All demonstrations will be made through the guide’s own equipment.

Guidelines to be followed while in water

– Demonstration of snorkeling skills will be done by the guide in thigh-level water while maintaining social distancing norms.

– All guests must wear a life jacket before entering the water. Sanitization should be followed before and after using the life jacket.

– Lifebuoy with rope will be used to tow the guests while snorkeling.

After leaving the water

– The safety gears such as Life Jacket and Life-buoy used by the guests will be rinsed, dried, and disinfected before the next use.

– The snorkeling equipment used for the activity must be kept at possession at all times to avoid accidental usage by others.  Rinse well, dry and disinfect your gears for hygiene reasons and to stay away from any infections.

Boat Rides will start to the open islands

Below are the Do’s and Don’ts for involving in the Boat ride activities based on the Standard Operating Procedure released by the Administration

– Maintain the social distancing norms uncompromisingly.

– Avoid sharing of items like eatables, water bottles, toys and safety gear etc. Always wear hand-gloves and face mask.

– Wash the hands frequently with soap for 20 – 30 seconds even if it is visibly not dirty.

– Hand sanitizers should be used before and after use of safety gears/ boats.

– Do self-monitoring of health and report any illness at the earliest.

– All guests must mandatorily have Aarogya Setu mobile application installed and used frequently.

– Maintain respiratory hygiene standards.

List of Museums to open in Port Blair

– Anthropological Museum

– Fisheries Museum

– Naval Samudrika Museum

Chatham Saw Mill

Do’s- Don’ts and the new Standard Operating Procedure for the Museums :

– Only those museums which fall in the non-containment zone will be opened for tourists/ visitors.

– Hand sanitizers and thermal screening facilities are made available at the entry point for the visitors.

– E-tickets may be issued for the entrance at the museums to eradicate/ minimize the touch-contact

– The visitors shall follow social distancing norms. The use of face cover/mask will be mandatory.

– There will be separate entry and exit point within the museum, as far as feasible based on the campus.

– Tourists/visitor shall stick to time limit inside the museums as allotted to them to avoid crowding of the place.

– No food and eatables will be allowed inside the museums.

– Tourists/visitors shall not touch walls, railings or any other items inside the museums.

– Spiting and smoking are strictly prohibited inside the museums (Actually this should be avoided everywhere)

– 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.

Cellular Jail and the Show will be Operational

There will be a specific number of tourists/visitors allowed in the National Memorial Cellular Jail as per the below slots (the data is based on the SOP released by the administration for the unlock phase which might be developed and updated from time to time)

Purpose Time slots Visitors allowed
The Jail Campus & Museum Visit 6 time slots
09:00 -10:00 am 10:00 -11:00 am 11:00 -12:00 noon 01:00 – 02:00 pm 02:00 – 03:00 pm 03:00 – 04:00 pm
Maximum of 50 visitors will be allowed in each slot

{Not more than 300 visitors per day)
Timing of Cellular Jail during COVID

* Entry tickets for the Jail visit as well as the Light and Sound Show shall be issued by e-mode / online only through the E-tourist website of Andaman Administration. No physical tickets will be issued. Only digital payments will be permitted.

* The visitors should strictly follow the designated routes for entry-exit and movement inside the monument. The time limit allotted should also be followed.

* Wearing mask is mandatory for all visitors. Thermal screening and hand sanitizing procedure will be followed at the entrance.

* The department has the authority to restrict access to any part of the monument. The visitors are requested to follow the directions given while entering or being in the monument premises.

* The security staffs to ensure that there is no crowding at any point of time inside the monument.

* Group photography will not be allowed within the premises.

* Vehicles will not be allowed to be parked in front of the memorial. Parking will be allowed only in designated areas.

* Registered Guides will only be allowed to work inside the museum. Each guide will cater to maximum of four guests who will maintain social distancing during the guided tour.

* No food and eatables will be allowed inside the monument/premises.

* Spitting and smoking are strictly prohibited inside the monument.

* Visitors should avoid overcrowding at the drinking water site and at the washroom area.

* 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.

Light & Sound Show at Cellular Jail Will be Operational

The guidelines to be followed for visitors of Light n Sound show remains similar as mentioned above for Cellular Jail visit. The time-slot allotment is as below:

Purpose Time slots Visitors allowed
Light n Sound Show at Cellular Jail 2 time slots
06:00 – 07:00 pm 08:00 – 09:00 pm
Maximum of 100 visitors will be allowed in each slot
{Not more than 200 visitors per day}
Timings and Slot of Cellular Jail Light and Sound Show

Light and Sound Show at Ross Island will be operational

Guidelines below before you plan to visit Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island (Ross Island) for Light n Sound show 

* There will be only one show slot daily between 06:00 PM to 07:00 PM. (Hindi shows on all days except Wednesday. On Wednesday there will be English show).

* In order to follow social distancing, visitors will be allowed only up to 50% of the seating capacity. Seating arrangements to be made accordingly.

* Use of face mask will be mandatory for all the people visiting the show.

* Visitors will have to undergo mandatory hand hygiene and thermal screening at the entry point. Only asymptomatic people will be allowed to board the boat.

* Tourists/visitors to strictly adhere to the time limits.

* Group photography will not be allowed during the show.

* Spiting and smoking are strictly prohibited at the location.

* Tourists / Visitors should avoid overcrowding in the washroom area.

* Respiratory etiquettes to be strictly followed. This involves covering mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing with a tissue/ handkerchief/ flexed elbow and disposing of used tissues properly after use.

Cruise & Hotels to Open under specific guidelines

Cruises and hotels to follow specific SOP in Andaman. We are yet to receive a clear guideline on hotels and cruises. As soon as we receive an update we will share it with our readers.

Cabs and Coaches to be sanitized on a regular interval by Experience Andamans

  • * One of the foremost advantages of booking your post-lockdown getaway with Experience Andamans is that all our vehicles are under Experience Andamans branding and you can rest assured of the quality and zero compromises on hygiene and safety. 
  • * By the time you land in the Isles, our dedicated drivers (wearing face mask and gloves) will be ready at the airport for onboarding you to a well-sanitized and deep cleaned cars/coaches with transparent partitioning between the drivers and passengers. 
  • * The best part is that we assign private vehicles for each family/ group. The vehicles are not shared and hence no one apart from your family/ group will accompany you in the car/coach.
  • * Your luggage handles will be sanitized if it is being handled by the driver during transfers.
  • * Body temperature of our drivers will be checked and recorded before each trip assignment. 
  • * The cars/ coaches will be well equipped with a non-contact thermometer to check the temperature in regular intervals, disinfectants, and sanitizers. 

Do’s & Dont’s while traveling to OR being in the Islands:

DO’s

  • * Make sure that you have a secure and advance booking of your day-wise itinerary, your stays and transfers (flights, vehicles and cruises) 
  • * Wear a face mask, keep sanitizing your hands in regular intervals and keep a distance of 6-feet from individuals. 
  • * Maintain social distancing In the queues for activities or during the process of checking in. 
  • * Call your immediate POC (number will be provided before starting of the trip) in case you need any help or develop any type of symptoms on-tour. 
  • * Give correct travel & health history and reachable contact details to map you if required in case of any path cross which will help contain the spread of the novel Coronavirus. 
  • * If you see yourself or any co-traveler develop corona like symptoms, then inform the concerned authorities and isolate yourself until the emergency help reaches you. 
  • * Do cashless transaction as much s possible to avoid share-touch 
  • * Booking with us is completely paperless yet properly recorded and documented in soft copy which promotes digitalization and contains the spread of the novel coronavirus. 

DONT’s

  • * Do not venture out of your hotel room without a proper face mask. 
  • * Do not touch your face, ears or nose without sanitizing your hands. 
  • * Do not touch open or public surfaces because it might be infectious. 
  • * Do not leave your luggage unattended. 
  • * Do not go for an undefined or a not pre-booked trip because all destinations and activities are having limited slots and limited accessibility. 
  • * Do not panic in case of emergency as we’ll have your back and we will make sure proper help is available in case you need the same. 
  • * Do not spread rumors or share wrong/ incomplete information this might lead to a threat even to a safe destination. 

Being into the business and having spoken to our customers from various walks of life, we can understand that it is difficult to decide of going out and visiting a destination knowing that the virus has not gone. All that we can suggest you in this situation is that we have started living the new normal life with all precautions and self-awareness. Travel will also become part of this new normal. We want you to jump into your travel shoes and start exploring everything that you have been longing for all throughout the lockdown days just maintain the SMS rule (Sanitize-Mask-SocialDistancing) 

Questions that still need to be answered?

We are yet to receive clarity on underwater activities, we will post an update as soon as we receive notification from the authorities. Islands in the North Andaman are yet to open. In addition, we are expecting more clarity on tourists who arrive in the islands. If a tourist who arrives at Andaman and is found COVID positive, what is the SOP for a tourist is yet to be received.

We will keep our readers posted about further progress about the Andaman Islands.

So this was it dear travelers. Since we have just stepped into the first stage of Unlocking Andaman for tourism, this is all that we wanted you to know. We will for sure stay connected and keep all of you posted with the updates on the directives or regulations released by the competent authorities. 

The opening of other sights/ districts, or the other activities will be updated as and when the same is decided and released by the Administration. 

The team of Experience Andamans is having enough experts to handle your trips during this pandemic with no compromise on professionalism and dedication. We want you to explore the Andamans and rejuvenate but at the same time, we value your safety and concerns. 

We love traveling and we can say that traveling is the best way out from the boredom or stress caused by different factors in life. Are you also looking for a change from the monotonous lockdown and stay at home phase? Do contact us showing your willingness to visit the Andamans Island, refer all our andaman island tour packages, and our team will connect with you with the best deals and offers available to make your wish come true. 

Until then, Stay safe and keep “Travel” on your mind. 

experienceandamans

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