Islands & Places in Port Blair Area

Corbyn’s Cove
Corbyn’s Cove is the closest beach to Port Blair (8km). It is a white-sand beach surrounded by palm trees. The water is warm and the surf mild. A taxi costs about Rs 50. Taxis wait at the beach for return trips to Port Blair. It is a nice walk from Port Blair to Corbyn’s Cove. Andaman Beach Resort is a high-end hotel located near the beach.
Snake Island, nearby, has nice coral reefs. Visitors can hire a fishing boat to go to the island. To swim there can be dangerous because of the strong current.

Mt Harriet
Mt Harriet (365m) is across the bay from Port Blair. To get here you take a boat from Chatham Wharf to Bamboo Flat (7km) or from Phoenix Bay to Hope Town (4km) and then walk to Mt Harriet. You can also take a vehicle to Bamboo Flat or Hope Town. There are buses to these places leaving at 6 am and 8 am. You can also take a taxi to Mt Harriet from Bamboo Flat. There are nice walks in the area. To get permission to walk around the area, contact the Chief Wildlife Warden at the Forest Department in Haddo. He may also give permission to stay at the Forest Guest House at Mt Harriet.

North of Mt Harriet at Madhuban, elephants are trained for logging. To get there, take a boat from the Phoenix Bay Jetty (30 min) to Bamboo Flats, then a bus the rest of the way. You can also take a car from Chatham Wharf Jetty to Bamboo Flats.

Ross Island
Ross Island was once the site of the British headquarters, but it is now deserted and the buildings are in ruins. There is an interesting church on top of the hill and a museum near the boat jetty, which are worth seeing. Swimming is not allowed around the island. You may want to pack a lunch, as the island has no eating facilities other than a cold drink stand.

Boats (Rs 16 return, 20 min) depart from Phoenix Bay jetty daily except Wed 8.30 am, 10.30 am, 12.30 pm and 2 pm. From Ross Island boats depart at 9 am, 11 am, and 12.45 pm, 2.30 pm, and 5 pm. Rs 5 for entry. You are required to sign in upon arrival.

Chiriya Tapu
Chiriya Tapu is a small village, 33km south of Port Blair, with a good beach. There is another good beach a few km south of the village, with some of the best snorkeling on the island. It is a nice place for bird watching. There are good places to camp, and a few small beaches further south.

You can get a boat from this place to take you to Cinque Island. There are buses to Chiriya Tapu from Port Blair (1½ hr) every few hours. The last bus returns at around 7 pm. You can also come here by scooter.

Mahatma Gandhi National Marine Park
MG National Park encompasses fifteen islands and extends about 300 sq km. It is home to fifty types of corals, exotic fish, beautiful jungles, good beaches, mangroves, and birdlife. It is a good place to snorkel. Only three of the islands can be visited—Red Skin, Jolly Buoy, and Cinque. No one is permitted to stay overnight on the islands. Collection of coral and shells is not permitted.
To get to the park, you first go to the village of Wandoor, 30km southwest of Port Blair. There is a bus from Port Blair to Wandoor (1½ hr). From the boat jetty in Wandoor, boats visit some of the islands in the park. Tours also go to the park.

Red Skin & Jolly Buoy Islands
These two islands are located in MG National Park. A boat departs Tues to Sun from Wandoor village to Red Skin and Jolly Buoy islands at 10 am (1½ hr) and returns around 5 pm. The boat should be booked in advance. It can be arranged through a travel agency or your hotel.

The islands are beautiful and there are some nice coral and fish. It is a good place for beginning snorkelers because the water is shallow in places. You can take a ride on a glass bottom boat to see the coral.

The disappointing thing about this trip is that only a few hours are actually spent at the island. On Jolly Buoy Island, the best coral is to the left of the landing place. The current can be strong here, so it is a good ideal to be careful. The trip costs Rs 125; less during the off-season because then the boat goes only to Red Skin. You have to pay an extra Rs 15 as park entry.

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides