THE ANDAMANS- A must visit

Our mind begins to weave a portrait of the unknown, whether it be a person, place or any other random event or thought. However, more often than not, when confronted with reality, this random caricature appears far from reality.

My impression of the Andamans as a lonely place with exotic people was pleasantly jolted when I had an opportunity to visit them about a month ago. Not only are the islands teeming with tourists, the locals speak and understand anything from Hindi, English to Bengali and Tamil.

The flight from Kolkata to Port Blair over the Bay of Bengal takes around two hours. The view around is unwinding, though the climate remains a little humid.

Cellular Jail, known as KAALA PANI in common parlance is the most sought after destination in Port Blair. Veer Savarkar, Batukeshwar Dutt and many other freedom fighters spent many years of their lives here. It is now a National Memorial Monument and the light and sound show in the evening relives the gory treatment meted out to the prisoners here.

The Anthropological Survey of India Museum is also worth a stop. It is enriching to know about the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar islands and their living patterns.

Havelock island is famous for water sports and pristine beaches. A Government ferry takes about two and a half hours while the Makruzz takes one and a half hours, from Port Blair to the Havelock island. If you are lucky, you might spot a dolphin from the deck of the government ferry.

Havelock is dotted with resorts, the most famous being BAREFOOT, the upcoming TAJ resort and the government owned Dolphin resort.

The Radhanagar beach is voted as the best beach in Asia by some. And it is not without reason. The white sand, gushing waves and dense mangroves make for a sight to behold.

The KALAPATTHAR beach derives its name from the black rocks present. The sunrise at Kalapatthar is very famous with tourists arriving early to catch a glimpse of the morning sun.

Elephanta beach is famous for water sports. These range from scuba diving, snorkeling, boating to canoeing. One can reach the beach through a streamer or by an hour of trekking through the forests.

One can easily get a bike on rent. Driving through the lush green cover and tall trees is an adventure in itself. Sea food is another experience to watch out for. Fresh fish, lobsters and crabs are popular among sea food lovers.

Neil island is another of those serene islands with pristine beaches, good accommodation and water sports. It is a one hour drive by ferry.

The people are friendly. Sea shells and tribal handicrafts are things to buy. Overall, I found Andamans a very good destination when compared to many mainland crowded sea shores.

Go to Andamans to experience the diverse geography of India, and how people across the country are so similar despite visible differences in language, attire and outlook.