Top places to visit in Port Blair

• Cellular Jail National Memorial

  Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · entry ₹100

  The sombre colonial "Kala Pani" prison where India's freedom fighters were exiled; its surviving wings, gallows and museum are a moving national memorial.

• Corbyn's Cove Beach

  Beach · 4.2 rating · about 1.5 h · free entry

  Port Blair's nearest coconut-fringed beach, a curve of sand good for a swim, water sports and a sunset drive along the seafront.

• Ross Island (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep)

  Heritage · 4.4 rating · about 2 h · free entry

  The former British administrative capital, now atmospheric ruins of a church, bakery and ballroom reclaimed by banyan roots and roaming deer, reached by a short ferry.

• North Bay Island

  Beach · 4.3 rating · about 3 h · check the fee at the gate

  A coral-rich island off Port Blair famed for snorkelling, glass-bottom boats, sea-walking and scuba — the reef pictured on the ₹20 note.

• Samudrika Naval Marine Museum

  Museum · 4.2 rating · about 1 h · entry ₹50

  A Navy-run museum on the archipelago's marine life, corals, shells and tribal ecology — a good orientation before island-hopping.

• Chidiya Tapu (Sunset Point)

  Viewpoint · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  A forested cape 25 km south known for spectacular sunsets, a biological park and birdwatching among mangroves and mudflats.

• Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex

  Nature · 4.1 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  A breezy seafront park and water-sports complex on Marina Park, offering jet-ski, speedboat and paddle rides with views across to Ross Island.

• Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Wandoor

  Nature · 4.4 rating · about 4 h · entry ₹1,000

  A protected marine park off Wandoor with islands like Jolly Buoy and Red Skin, prized for pristine coral gardens and glass-bottom-boat snorkelling.

• Anthropological Museum

  Museum · 4.1 rating · about 0.8 h · entry ₹50

  A compact museum documenting the Andaman and Nicobar aboriginal tribes — the Jarawa, Sentinelese, Onge and Great Andamanese — through artefacts and photographs.

• Mount Harriet National Park

  Nature · 4.3 rating · about 2.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  The archipelago's highest accessible hill (the view on the ₹20 note), with rainforest nature trails, endemic birds and panoramas over the island-dotted sea.

Things to do

• Cellular Jail Light & Sound Show Cultural · 1 h · from INR 300 per person
• North Bay Coral Snorkelling & Sea Walk Activity · 4 h · from INR 3,500 per person
• Ross Island Heritage Ferry Tour Cultural · 2.5 h · from INR 600 per person
• Chidiya Tapu Sunset & Birding Tour Nature · 3 h · from INR 1,200 per person

Day trips and tours

• Ross & North Bay Islands Boat Tour 8 h · from INR 2,500
• Port Blair City & Cellular Jail Tour 6 h · from INR 1,500
• Wandoor Marine Park & Chidiya Tapu Day 9 h · from INR 2,800

Where to stay in Port Blair

• Port Blair Town about INR 3,500 per night

  Main town center with hotels, restaurants, and services

Hotels

• Natures Nook Andaman 2-star · INR 1,200 to INR 1,600 per night
• Le Luminous, Home Stay 2-star · INR 1,530 to INR 2,000 per night
• Urbban Castle Homestay 2-star · INR 1,426 to INR 1,900 per night
• Sea Shore Residency 2-star · INR 1,599 to INR 2,100 per night
• Ananya Residency 3-star · INR 1,349 to INR 1,900 per night
• Continental Homestay 2-star · INR 1,200 to INR 1,600 per night

Where to eat

• Annapurna Cafeteria South Indian, North Indian · about INR 250 per person
• Excel Restaurant Seafood, North Indian, Chinese · about INR 550 per person
• Amaya (SeaShell) Seafood, North Indian, Chinese · about INR 900 per person
• Icy Spicy South Indian, Chaat, Fast Food · about INR 200 per person
• Mandalay (Fortune Resort Bay Island) Seafood, North Indian, Continental · about INR 1,600 per person
• Anju-Coco Resto Seafood, Continental, Israeli · about INR 700 per person
• New Lighthouse Residency Seafood, North Indian · about INR 700 per person
• Gagan Restaurant North Indian, Chinese, Biryani · about INR 300 per person

Getting to Port Blair

Airport: Port Blair (IXZ)

How visitors arrive in Port Blair

• Flight to Veer Savarkar Airport By air from Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi · common

  The district page calls the airport the main air entry point, with flights from Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi and others. Source: southandaman.nic.in

• Passenger ship from the mainland By ferry from Chennai, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam · possible

  Government passenger ships sail from Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. Source: southandaman.nic.in

From the airport to the centre

• Taxi or auto from Veer Savarkar Airport

  Taxis and autorickshaws wait outside the terminal at flight times; the airport is close to the centre. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Public bus from road outside airport

  Public buses can be flagged down on the main road just outside the airport. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the port to the centre

• Passenger ship from Chennai

  Passenger ships from Chennai call at Port Blair; schedules come from the Shipping Corporation of India and the A&N shipping department. Source: southandaman.nic.in

Getting around

• Auto Rickshaw
• Ferry
• Taxi
• Walking

Safety and scams to avoid

• Pre-paid taxi "broken meter"

  Airports, train stations, popular squares

  Driver insists meter is broken, quotes ~3x the fair price; or detours via "shopping" stops earning commission.

  How to avoid it: Use pre-paid taxi counter at airport, or Uber/Ola/Rapido apps. Insist on meter or agree price upfront.

Best time to visit Port Blair

• Jan 30°C
• Feb 31°C
• Mar 32°C
• Apr 33°C
• May 32°C
• Jun 30°C
• Jul 30°C
• Aug 30°C
• Sep 30°C
• Oct 30°C
• Nov 31°C
• Dec 30°C

More in India

• New Delhi
• Agra
• Jaipur
• Panaji
• Mumbai
• Varanasi

Frequently asked questions about Port Blair

What are the top-rated places to visit in Port Blair?

The highest-rated places in our Port Blair guide are Cellular Jail National Memorial, Ross Island (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep), Chidiya Tapu (Sunset Point), Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Wandoor, North Bay Island.

Where should I stay in Port Blair?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Port Blair: Port Blair Town.

How do I get around Port Blair?

Ways to get around Port Blair covered in our guide: Auto-rickshaw, Ferry, Taxi, Walking.

What scams should I watch out for in Port Blair?

Scams reported to us for Port Blair include Pre-paid taxi "broken meter". Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

What is the weather like in Port Blair?

Average daytime highs in Port Blair run from 30°C in Aug to 33°C in Apr.

Which airport is nearest to Port Blair?

The nearest airport to Port Blair has the code IXZ.