Andaman Islands

| Havelock Escape

Short Break | 4 nights | Solos & Couples | August - May | Fly to Port Blair

Places: Havelock Island; Port Blair | Activities: Snorkelling at Elephant Beach; doing the PADI Discover Scuba Diving Course, snorkelling safari to South Button; sea kayaking in Havelock's mangroves

Escape to one of India’s best kept secrets – the Andaman Islands. The perfect getaway from it all – leave urban madness for “time-slows-down” tropical rustic luxury. Fly to Port Blair and whisk yourself away to Havelock Island, an island that seems to have been snatched off the Pacific Ocean, but hey, its in your own backyard! Enjoy the privacy of the resort from your cottage or villa and wake-up in your four-poster bed to the chirping of colourful birds. Take the exciting rainforest trail to Elephant Beach, a white-sand beach fringed with a gorgeous coral reef where you can learn to snorkel among the endless colourful fish that play hide and seek with you. Go kayaking in the languid mangrove creeks of Havelock or explore island culture in its markets and cafes. Or find other ways to get your lips wet – like sipping your favourite sundowners in the lounge bar of your resort!

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Suggested Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive into Port Blair. Transfer to Havelock Island

Fly into Port Blair from Chennai or Kolkata. Transfer to a hotel for breakfast, and then to the pier for your morning ferry to Havelock. Or else, explore Port Blair and its surroundings, maybe making a quick dash to Ross Island, the old British capital of the islands, followed by lunch and then the afternoon ferry to Havelock Island. On arrival, transfer to your boutique retreat on Beach No. 7.

Day 2: In Havelock Island

Go snorkelling at Elephant Beach, just 40 min by boat from your resort or a 45minute trek through the forest. This beach offers snorkelers calm blue shallow waters and is the perfect spot for snorkellers of all skills. The boat goes right up to the beach and it’s so easy to slip on your gear and just start snorkelling. It’s also a great place to just spend the day lying on the beach and relaxing. The beach is very scenic with fallen trees and white sand giving the photographer some interesting shots. The reef here starts very close to shore at a depth of about 1m. The large reef is mostly made up of hard coral and has plenty of marine life.

Day 3: In Havelock Island

Today, you can choose between going on a snorkelling safari, taking a PADI Discover Scuba Diving Course, or paddling in a kayak on a journey through the mangroves of Havelock.

Your snorkelling safari takes you to South Button Island, a tiny islet that rises 10m out of the ocean and ringed with a stunning coral garden that slopes away from the island into the deep blue. The waters are gin-clear and the currents almost non-existent. The coral diversity is among the best in the islands and fish life is prolific. Alternatively, get closer to the fish, by doing a PADI Discover Scuba Diving certification, an exciting half-day course that introduces you to the fundamentals of diving and includes one thrilling 45-minute dive with an instructor. If you don’t want to get your ears wet (hopefully!), then take a guided kayaking trip down Havelock’s primary inland waterway from Village No. 6 to the island pier. Your trip is devoid of any traffic, except you and your kayak, birds and some small reptiles.

Day 4: Transfer to Port Blair

Spend the morning chilling-out at the resort. Explore the island’s villages and have lunch at a chic brasserie. In the afternoon, take the ferry back to Port Blair.