The Andaman Islands lay at the end of the Bay of Bengal, consisting of 572 islands, among which 38 are for living purposes. As per the last census, 4.34 lakh people live here, and the area of the islands is 8249 Km2 (area of Nicobar Islands included).
These islands are situated 150-kilo meters north of Indonesia and separated by Myanmar and Thailand by the Andaman Sea. These Island chains are considered a part of the Arakan Mountains. The capital of Andaman is Port Blair. Sentinelese people have their home in this group of islands; this uncontacted tribe is one of the charms for tourism in Andaman.
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Industry of Tourism in Andaman:
Being a land surrounded by water, the opportunity of growing core industries is significantly less in the islands of Andaman. Due to less population, the availability of skilled labour is also a constraint for growing core industries. But due to the natural beauty of this place, the tourism industry grows well in the Andaman Islands.
The primary section of revenue earned by the Government of Andaman is dependent on the tourism industry. Over 136,426 tourists visit the islands of Andaman every year. Jet ski ride, Seakart, Scuba Diving, Trekking, Game fishing are stunning rides to enjoy in these islands and makes tourism in Andaman attractive.
Investors are showing their interest in making luxury resorts in collaboration with government agencies. The Government also plans to develop various islands for inhabitation under NITI Aayog.
Point of Interest in Andaman:
This group of Islands has several attractive spots such as Cellular Jail, Havelock Island, Radhanagar Beach, Ross Island, Viper Island, Baratang Island and many others due to which over lakhs of tourists visit Andaman every year. Below are some of the best things to do in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Get the best out of these amazing things in Andaman Island.
· The Cellular Jail: was earlier used by the British Government to imprison political personnel and is also known as Kala Pani. Several notable persons such as Veer Savarkar, BatukeswarDutta and many independence strugglers were detained in this jail.
· Havelock Island: also known as SwarajDweep, is the largest island of Andaman and consist of Ritchie’s Archipelago. The Sea beach of Havelock Islands is regarded as one of the best beaches in Asia. This island is also famous for its unbeatable reefs and swimming elephants.
· Radhanagar beach: is situated on the western coast of Havelock Island and became a tourist attraction spot for its pristine beach. In 2004, the beach of this island was regarded as the best beach in Asia by Time magazine, and it introduces tourism in Andaman throughout the globe. Sea beach of this island is awarded blue flag certification in the year 2020. This award is given by considering the water quality for bathing, environment management, and safety and services of the place. British Government set up their colony to this entire territory from having an administration in Ross Island. This island is maintained by the Indian Navy nowadays and is open for visit by tourists. Tourists have to visit this island by availing boat ride from Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports complex.
· Viper Island: was the primary site of imprisonment for political prisoners. Later, this site was abandoned, and Cellular Jail was made. This island is attractive for its natural beauty.
· Baratang Island: is well known for its mud volcanoes and limestone caves. This island is situated 100-kilo meters from port Blair, and the unique attraction of this island is mangrove creeks.
· Scuba Diving: Diving in Andaman is one of the best water sports activity in Andaman. If you visit the islands then make sure you indulge in a water sports activity. Various kinds of activities are available in Andaman and make sure you try few of them at Port Blair, Havelock or Neil Island. These islands are the hub for water sports.
Natural Resources of Andaman :
These islands have a forest cover of 86 per cent of the total land available. The natural resources found from the forest act as fuel for these islands’ households and 96 sanctuaries present on the island.
Shelters present in the Islands of Andaman protect many animals and sea creatures such as Narcondum Hornbill Sanctuary, Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, South Sentinel Island Sanctuary, North Reef Sanctuary and many others.
Narcondum Hornbill Sanctuary is the safe home of hornbills; Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park consists of many sea creatures, and South Sentinel Island Sanctuary is famous for its coconut grabs. North Reef Sanctuary is considered safe for water birds such as Herons, Coots, Pelican and more.
Tourism in Andaman During COVID 19 / Quarantine Rules:
On 3rd August 2021, the tourism authority in Andaman published a standard operating procedure for opening beaches for tourists. As per the new guideline, opening beaches is from 10:00 AM to 05:00 PM daily.
Visitors have to maintain a 2-meter distance from each other on the beaches and public places. Wearing a face cover or mask is mandatory for all tourists. Members of Life Guards have to wear a face mask and hand gloves as a precautionary measure. In the new guideline, spiting is strictly prohibited.
Every entrance gate of sea beaches should have an arrangement of thermal scanning and hand sanitization. Tourists and staff having no symptoms of Covid are allowed to enter the beach. Tourists can report their health issues or illness directly to the beach officers or the lifeguards.
All the tourists are bound to follow the directions of beach staff regarding the crowd management policy. People visiting beaches have to dispose of their face masks in the stipulated dustbins only. If feasible, a separate entry and exit point should be arranged for people on the beaches.
The group photograph is prohibited in the new guideline. People aged more than 65 years are not permitted to visit Andaman. Tourists have to avoid crowding in washroom areas.
Conclusion:
The popularity of the Andaman Islands is gradually increasing due to the beautiful beaches and adventure sports such as sea-walking and snorkeling.
Government support to investors for tourism in Andaman is also a key ingredient for enhancing tourism in Andaman. The scenic beauty of the beaches and several historically valuable places attract tourists from all over the world.
The Andaman Islands’ sea beaches consist of white sand; in India, very few sea beaches consist of white sands. Due to the presence of uncontacted tribes, this group of islands is also valuable for researchers.