Andaman Islands Beach Tour

You reserve your spot for free and pay nothing to join, and reservations close 7 days before departure. Once enough travellers have signed on, usually around 10, we confirm the departure and email you a confirmation with an invoice for the full trip price. You pay it by bank transfer within 7 days, in US dollars, pounds, euros, Australian dollars, Canadian dollars, New Zealand dollars or Indian rupees, and the price shown for each date is what you pay.

Yes, that's who this trip is for. You're paired with a same-gender roommate, or you can pay a supplement for a private room where the property has one.

Solo travellers aged 18 to 40. Most people come on their own, and some come with a friend. The maximum for each departure is shown with its dates, and it's never more than 16.

The Trip Host travels with the group for all 8 days, books the ferries, handles check-ins and is the person you go to if anything goes wrong. Dive centres provide their own instructors for anyone who books a try dive.

It starts at our hostel in Port Blair on the afternoon of Day 1, and we send the address when you reserve. It ends in Port Blair after breakfast on Day 8. Fly out of Port Blair (IXZ) from around midday on Day 8, and expect to connect through the mainland, most often Chennai or Kolkata.

Most nationalities don't need a Restricted Area Permit for Havelock and Neil. The current exemption runs to 31 December 2027, but the rules have changed before, so check the latest notice before you book flights. Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan still need a permit approved by India's Ministry of Home Affairs. If that's you, tell us when you reserve and we'll say what we can arrange. Our Andaman Islands guide has the current position.

Our departures run between November and March, when the seas are calmer and ferries run more reliably. The main season is November to April. From late May to September the monsoon brings rough seas and more cancelled crossings, so we don't run then.

Yes. Most nationalities need a visa for India, and most can apply for an e-Visa online on the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in. Before you fly you also file two free online forms: the e-Arrival card (within 72 hours of landing) and the Air Suvidha health declaration. Rules change, so read our India visa guide for your passport before you book flights.

Andaman ferries are sometimes cancelled in rough weather. There's no spare day in this itinerary, so book your flight home for midday on Day 8 or later, and don't tie it to a tight international connection. If a sailing is cancelled, the Trip Host rebooks the group on the next available crossing.

Pack a soft bag or backpack, reef-safe sunscreen, a rash vest or swim shirt for snorkelling, a dry bag for the ferries, a hat and light, quick-dry clothing. Cash matters here: card and UPI payments often fail once you leave Port Blair, so take out what you'll need before the first ferry. You can bring your own mask and snorkel, or rent gear on the islands.

Mostly, in the areas set aside for swimming. Saltwater crocodiles live in the creeks and mangroves, and a snorkeller was killed near Radhanagar Beach in 2010. We swim only in lifeguarded or clearly safe zones, stay out of the water at dusk and keep away from creek mouths and mangroves. We follow the warning signs and the boat crews' advice.

Insurance is a condition of joining, and it must cover snorkelling. If you plan to try diving or take a course, check that your policy covers scuba to the depth you'll dive, since standard travel policies often exclude it. For vaccinations, check with a travel health clinic or your doctor at least six weeks before you go, because advice for India changes.