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Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Category: Itineraries

Day-by-day Andaman itineraries and route planning

Andaman in 7 Days: Complete 6N/7D Itinerary for Couples & Families
If you have a week for the islands, this is the trip to plan for. A good Andaman 7 day itinerary gives you two nights in Port Blair, two or three on Havelock (Swaraj Dweep), and a night on Neil (Shaheed Dweep) — enough time to see the headline beaches without spending your whole holiday chasing ferries. We live and work here in Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), so the plan below is built the way we’d route our own family: real ferry timings, honest budgets, and small choices that make the difference between a rushed trip and a relaxed one.

Here’s the short answer before we go day by day. Six nights and seven days (6N/7D) is the sweet spot for the Andamans. Fewer days and you’re skipping an island; more and you’ll want to add Baratang or North Andaman. This guide covers the standard 2N Port Blair + 2-3N Havelock + 1N Neil loop, with variations for couples and for families, plus the ferry logic that ties it all together.

The 6N/7D itinerary at a glance

Before the day-by-day, here’s the skeleton. Your flight lands and departs from Port Blair (Veer Savarkar International Airport) — that’s the only airport, so both ends of the trip are here.
- Days 1-2: Port Blair — Cellular Jail, Corbyn’s Cove, and a half-day to Ross Island and North Bay (2 nights)
- Days 3-4: Havelock Island / Swaraj Dweep — Radhanagar Beach, Elephant Beach, and water sports (2 to 3 nights)
- Day 5: Neil Island / Shaheed Dweep — Bharatpur, Laxmanpur, and the natural rock bridge (1 night)
- Days 6-7: Ferry back to Port Blair, last-minute shopping in Aberdeen Bazaar, and your flight home
The whole thing runs on three ferry legs: Port Blair to Havelock, Havelock to Neil, and Neil back to Port Blair. Get those three bookings right and the rest of the trip falls into place. More on that below.

Day 1 — Arrive Port Blair, Cellular Jail & the light-and-sound show

Most flights from the mainland land before noon. After check-in and a bite, head to Corbyn’s Cove — the closest beach to town — to shake off the travel. In the afternoon, the Cellular Jail National Memorial is a must. Give it a proper hour or two; the cell blocks and the gallows are sobering, and the audio guide is worth it. Stay for the evening light-and-sound show, which tells the story of the freedom fighters held here. It’s the one thing in Port Blair almost everyone remembers.

Local tip: the show has an English slot and a Hindi slot on most evenings. Ask which is running the night you go, and get there 20 minutes early — seating near the central tree gives the best view.

Day 2 — Ross Island & North Bay half-day

Start early at the Aberdeen Jetty for the harbour cruise to Ross Island (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island) and North Bay. Ross was the British administrative headquarters — today it’s colonial ruins slowly being reclaimed by the forest, with deer and peacocks wandering the paths. North Bay is where the water sports live: glass-bottom boat rides, snorkeling, and sea walking, where you walk the ocean floor in a weighted helmet with no swimming required. That last one is the family favourite because grandparents and kids can both do it.

You’ll be back in town by afternoon. Use the free evening for Aberdeen Bazaar, the Samudrika Naval Marine Museum, or simply resting up — tomorrow is a ferry morning.

Day 3 — Ferry to Havelock, sunset at Radhanagar Beach

Take a morning ferry from Port Blair to Havelock. The private cruises — Makruzz, Nautika, Green Ocean — cover the crossing in roughly 90 minutes to two hours; the government ferry is cheaper but slower and books out fast in peak season. Once you’re settled on Havelock, head to Radhanagar Beach (Beach No. 7) for sunset. It’s regularly ranked among Asia’s best beaches, and for once the hype holds up — a long curve of white sand backed by forest, with the sky going gold over the water. This is the postcard everyone comes for.

Day 4 — Elephant Beach, snorkeling & water sports

Elephant Beach is the activity hub of Havelock. You reach it by a short speedboat ride (or a jungle trek if you’d rather walk). The reef here is close to shore, so the snorkeling and the sea walking are excellent, and this is one of the best places in the islands for a first scuba dive if you’ve never tried it. Certified divers should ask us about Barracuda City, The Wall, and Nemo Reef instead — Havelock is the diving capital of the Andamans for good reason.

If you’ve booked the extra night on Havelock (the 3N option), keep Day 4 relaxed and do the water sports on the morning of Day 5 before the ferry. Couples often use that spare morning for a slow breakfast and a walk on Vijaynagar Beach (Beach No. 5); families use it to let the kids swim.

Day 5 — Ferry to Neil Island, Bharatpur & Laxmanpur sunset

Neil Island is only about 45 minutes by ferry from Havelock, so this is the easiest leg of the trip. Neil is smaller, greener, and slower — the antidote to Havelock’s buzz. Spend the afternoon at Bharatpur Beach, where the water is shallow and calm (the best beach on the trip for young children and nervous swimmers), then move to Laxmanpur Beach for one of the finest sunsets in the islands. If the tide is right, walk out to the natural rock bridge near Laxmanpur before the light goes.

Not sure whether Neil deserves a night of your week? We wrote an honest side-by-side on Havelock Island vs Neil Island to help you decide — the short version is that they do very different jobs, and on a 7-day trip you have room for both.

Day 6 — Ferry back to Port Blair, free afternoon

A morning ferry takes you from Neil back to Port Blair in about 90 minutes to two hours. This buffer day matters: if your flight home is on Day 6 or 7, being back in Port Blair the night before means one ferry delay can’t make you miss it. Use the free afternoon for Chidiya Tapu (the “sunset point” with birdlife on the way to the beach), a spot of shopping for shell and pearl souvenirs in Aberdeen Bazaar, or the Anthropological Museum if the history of Day 1 stayed with you.

Day 7 — Departure (or an optional Baratang day)

If your flight is in the afternoon, you have a relaxed final morning. If you’d rather trade a beach for something wilder and you’ve kept Day 7 open, Baratang is the option: a pre-dawn start, a convoy through the Jarawa tribal reserve, a mangrove creek boat ride, and limestone caves with proper stalactites. It’s a long day (you leave around 4 am and return by evening) so it only works if your flight is the following morning — which is why some families stretch this itinerary to 7N/8D. For most travellers, we’d keep Day 7 gentle and save Baratang for a return trip.

Couples vs families — how to adjust the same week

For couples and honeymooners

Give Havelock the extra night (make it 3N) and trim Port Blair to the essentials. Base yourselves at a beachfront property near Radhanagar, add a private candlelight dinner on the sand, and keep the pace slow — this is a honeymoon, not a checklist. Neil’s Laxmanpur sunset and the quiet of Bharatpur suit couples beautifully. If you want this shaped end to end, our Andaman honeymoon packages are built around exactly this rhythm.

For families with kids

Keep Port Blair at 2N — the Ross Island wildlife walk, the glass-bottom boat at North Bay, and sea walking (no swimming needed) are all winners with children. On Havelock, favour Elephant Beach’s shallow snorkeling over deep-water activities, and on Neil, Bharatpur’s calm water is genuinely the safest swim of the trip. Pack the ferry mornings with a little buffer so nobody’s rushed. Our Andaman family tour packages pace this out with kid-friendly stays and easy transfers.

The ferry chain — the logic that makes this work

Everything in this itinerary hangs on three inter-island ferry legs, and this is where most self-planned trips come unstuck. Here’s how to think about it:
- Book the ferries first, then the hotels. Ferry seats — especially the private cruises — sell out before hotels do in peak season (December to January). The ferry schedule dictates your check-in and check-out days, not the other way around.
- Always take morning ferries. Afternoon crossings can be cancelled at short notice if the sea turns rough. A morning slot gives you the rest of the day on the new island and a fallback if there’s a delay.
- Keep a buffer night in Port Blair at the end. Never schedule an island-to-airport ferry on the same morning as your flight. One cancelled ferry shouldn’t cost you a flight.
- Private vs government ferries. Private cruises (Makruzz, Nautika, Green Ocean) are faster, air-conditioned, and more reliable; the government ferry is cheaper but slower and harder to book online from the mainland.
This is the single biggest reason travellers book with a local operator: we hold the ferry slots, sequence them correctly, and rebook you ourselves if the weather forces a change. You never have to stand at a jetty working out a plan B.

Realistic budget bands for a 6N/7D trip

These are honest, land-only ranges — per person, on twin-sharing, excluding your flights to Port Blair. They cover hotels, inter-island ferries, private cab transfers, sightseeing with entry tickets, and daily breakfast. Peak season (roughly October to February, and sharply so around Christmas and New Year) runs 25-35% higher, so book 60-90 days ahead for those dates.
- Budget (clean, basic hotels, breakfast only): around ₹18,000–₹22,000 per person
- Standard / mid-range (3-star hotels, more inclusions): around ₹24,000–₹30,000 per person
- Premium / luxury (4-5 star, beachfront resorts, extras): around ₹37,000–₹55,000 per person
A few things sit outside these bands: scuba diving (around ₹3,500–₹6,500 per dive), parasailing, restaurant dinners, room upgrades, and of course your flights. We’ll always itemise these so you can decide what’s worth it — no surprises at the end. If you’re watching the number, our budget Andaman tour packages hit this same route at the lower band, and the full Andaman tour packages hub lays out every duration side by side.

FAQ

Is 7 days enough for the Andaman Islands?

Yes — 6 nights and 7 days is the ideal length for a first trip. It gives you Port Blair, Havelock, and Neil at a comfortable pace with a safety buffer for the ferries. If you want to add Baratang or North Andaman (Diglipur), stretch to 7N/8D so you’re not skipping a beach to fit it in.

How much does a 7-day Andaman trip cost per person?

Land-only (excluding flights), budget a 6N/7D trip at roughly ₹18,000–₹22,000 per person for basic hotels, ₹24,000–₹30,000 for mid-range, and ₹37,000 upwards for premium resorts. Add your flights and any scuba diving on top. Peak-season dates (December–January) run 25-35% higher.

What is the best order — Havelock or Neil first?

Do Havelock first, then Neil, then back to Port Blair. Havelock has the headline beaches and most of the water sports, so you want fresh energy for it; Neil is the slow, quiet wind-down before you head home. The ferry timings also line up better this way — Havelock to Neil is a short 45-minute hop.

When is the best time to do this itinerary?

October to May has the calmest seas and the most reliable ferries, which matters for an island-hopping route like this. December and January are the busiest and priciest. The monsoon months (June to September) bring lower prices and green landscapes, but rougher crossings and the occasional cancelled ferry — plan a little more buffer if you travel then.

Ready to lock in your week?

We’re a local team based right here in Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), and we plan this exact route every week — ferries sequenced, stays chosen, transfers and permits handled, and a real person on call the whole way. Tell us your dates, how many of you are travelling, and your budget, and we’ll send a custom quote with everything itemised. Browse our full Andaman tour packages, or just message us on WhatsApp and we’ll shape this 7-day plan around your trip — no obligation, and we usually reply within minutes.
July 13, 2026
Andaman in 5 Days: The Perfect 4N/5D Itinerary
Five days is the sweet spot for a first trip to the islands, and this is the Andaman 5 day itinerary we actually run for families and couples every week. In short: Day 1 you land in Port Blair and do the Cellular Jail light-and-sound show; Day 2 you take the morning ferry to Havelock and watch the sunset at Radhanagar Beach; Day 3 is Elephant Beach for snorkelling and water sports; Day 4 is a day at Neil Island (or Ross & North Bay if you would rather stay near Port Blair); and Day 5 you ferry back and fly home. That is a comfortable 4 nights, 5 days that covers the best of the islands without rushing.

We plan and run trips from right here in the islands, so the version below is not a copy-paste itinerary — it is built around how the ferries and the light actually work. Below you will find the day-by-day plan, the ferry timing logic that keeps the whole thing from falling apart, realistic costs, and an honest note on what to skip.

Before we start: the ferry logic that shapes everything

Every good Andaman itinerary is really a ferry schedule with beaches attached. Here is the logic we plan around, and once you understand it the day-by-day makes sense:
- The crossing between Port Blair and Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) takes about 2 to 2.5 hours on the private catamarans (Makruzz, Nautika, Green Ocean). Neil Island sits between them, roughly 1 to 1.5 hours from either.
- Take the morning ferry out to Havelock so you land with most of the day intact. Never book the day’s last ferry as your only option to get somewhere you need to be.
- Never plan a ferry on the morning of your flight home. If the sea plays up, a cancelled ferry can make you miss your flight. Always sleep in Port Blair the night before you fly out — that is the single rule we never break.
- Ferry seats sell out in peak season (December to January). We book them well ahead as part of the package so you are not gambling at the jetty.
Day 1 — Arrive Port Blair & the Cellular Jail light show

Most flights land in Port Blair around midday, so Day 1 is a gentle start. We meet you at the airport, get you to your hotel to freshen up, and give you the afternoon to settle. If your energy is up, Corbyn’s Cove — the closest beach to town — is a quick drive for a first dip.

The evening is the real event: the light-and-sound show at the Cellular Jail National Memorial. This is the colonial-era prison where India’s freedom fighters were held, and the show tells its story after dark, projected across the actual jail walls. It is moving, it is well done, and it is the right way to begin an Andaman trip — you understand the islands before you go chase their beaches. Get there a little early; the good seats fill up, and you want to be centred to hear the narration cleanly.

What to skip on Day 1: do not try to cram Ross Island, North Bay and the jail into one arrival afternoon. You will land tired, and rushing the first day sets a bad tone. There is time for the islands off Port Blair later in this plan.

Day 2 — Morning ferry to Havelock & sunset at Radhanagar

Early breakfast, then the morning ferry across to Havelock. Two hours later you are on the island that most people picture when they imagine the Andamans. We get you checked in, fed, and rested through the hot middle of the day — then time the afternoon for the one thing you must not miss here.

Radhanagar Beach (Beach No. 7) is regularly ranked among the best beaches in Asia, and it earns it — a long curve of soft white sand backed by forest, with a sunset that turns the whole sky. Go in the late afternoon, swim while the light is good, then stay for the sun to drop into the sea. It is the highlight of the whole trip for a lot of our travellers, and it is completely free. Carry water and reef-safe sunscreen; there is shade at the tree line but not much on the sand.

Day 3 — Elephant Beach: snorkelling & water sports

Day 3 is your water day, and Havelock’s Elephant Beach is where it happens. You reach it by a short speedboat ride from Havelock jetty (there is also a jungle-trek route, but the boat is easier and saves your legs for the water). The house reef starts close to shore, so this is one of the easiest places in the islands to see live coral and fish without being a strong swimmer.

This is the day to pick your activities. The usual line-up:
- Snorkelling — the budget-friendly star, usually around ₹600–₹1,000 per person with equipment and a life jacket. Good for all ages.
- Sea walking — walk on the seabed in a weighted helmet with air piped down; no swimming needed, which makes it a favourite for kids and non-swimmers.
- An introductory scuba dive — no certification required; an instructor takes you down one-on-one. If diving is a priority for your trip, read our full guide to scuba diving in Andaman before you go so you know what to expect and what a fair price looks like.
Honest note: in peak season Elephant Beach gets busy by late morning. Go early — the first boats out get the calmest water and the clearest visibility before the day-trippers churn up the sand. If you want a quieter alternative and you are strong in the water, we can point you to a calmer reef instead; just ask.

Day 4 — Neil Island (or Ross & North Bay)

You have a choice on Day 4, and it depends on the trip you want.

Option A — Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)

Take a short ferry from Havelock to Neil Island (about 45 minutes to an hour) for a slower, quieter, less-developed slice of the islands. Neil is small enough to see in a day: Bharatpur Beach for calm, shallow, snorkel-friendly water, Laxmanpur Beach for a superb sunset, and the natural rock bridge at low tide. This is the better choice for couples and for anyone who fell for the slow island pace on Havelock. From Neil you can ferry straight back to Port Blair for your last night.

Option B — Ross Island & North Bay from Port Blair

If you would rather ferry back to Port Blair on the morning of Day 4 and keep the day relaxed, do the classic half-day boat trip to Ross Island (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island) and North Bay Island. Ross has atmospheric colonial ruins with deer and peacocks wandering the old British settlement; North Bay is the coral-and-water-sports island where you can do sea walking, snorkelling and a glass-bottom boat ride. This is the easier, lower-travel option and it suits families with young kids or older parents who would rather not add another ferry to Neil.

Either way, you sleep in Port Blair on the night of Day 4 — which sets you up perfectly for a stress-free departure.

Day 5 — Last morning & departure

Because you are already in Port Blair, Day 5 is calm. Depending on your flight time you can fit in a bit of last-minute shopping at Aberdeen Bazaar for shell craft and souvenirs, or a quick stop you missed — the Anthropological Museum or Samudrika Naval Marine Museum are both easy fillers near town. Then we get you to the airport in good time and you fly home. No ferry, no drama, no missed flight. That is the whole point of ending in Port Blair.

What a 5-day Andaman trip actually costs

Let us be straight about money, because vague pricing is the thing we hate most about how the islands get sold. For this 4N/5D route, land-only (so everything except your flights to and from Port Blair), realistic per-person rates on twin-sharing look roughly like this in the calm season:
- Budget build (clean basic hotels, breakfast, shared or private transfers): around ₹12,000–₹16,000 per person.
- Mid-range build (comfortable 3-star stays, private AC cab, ferry tickets, sightseeing with entries): around ₹19,000–₹23,000 per person.
- Premium build (better resorts, especially on Havelock, and more inclusions): from around ₹30,000 per person upward.
Two honest caveats. First, the December-to-mid-January peak adds roughly 25–35% on top of these figures — same trip, higher season. Second, water sports like scuba and parasailing usually sit outside the base price (an intro scuba dive typically runs a few thousand rupees), so budget a little extra for your Elephant Beach day. If keeping the number down matters most, our budget and group Andaman packages are built for exactly this route; if this is a honeymoon and you want the beachfront resort and the candlelight dinner, our Andaman honeymoon packages layer those in.

Quick tips to make this itinerary work
- Travel in the calm season. This plan runs beautifully October to May and gets risky in the monsoon. See our guide to the best time to visit Andaman to pick your window.
- Carry enough cash. ATMs on Havelock and Neil can run dry; card acceptance is patchy on the smaller islands.
- Keep the last night in Port Blair. We say it twice because it is the mistake that ruins trips — never ferry on your flight day.
- Book ferries and hotels ahead in peak season. The good stuff sells out; we handle this for you inside the package.
FAQ

Is 5 days enough for Andaman?

Yes — 4 nights and 5 days is the most popular first-trip length and it comfortably covers Port Blair, Havelock and either Neil Island or the Ross & North Bay islands. You will see the headline beaches and get a full water-sports day without feeling rushed. If you want to add Baratang’s limestone caves or slow the pace right down, step up to a 6N/7D itinerary instead.

Should I choose Neil Island or Ross & North Bay for Day 4?

Pick Neil Island if you want quiet beaches and a slower pace and do not mind one more ferry — it is the better fit for couples. Pick Ross & North Bay if you would rather minimise travel and keep the day easy, which suits families with young children or older travellers. Both are lovely; it is really a question of pace.

How much does a 5-day Andaman trip cost?

Land-only and per person on twin-sharing, budget builds run roughly ₹12,000–₹16,000, mid-range around ₹19,000–₹23,000, and premium from about ₹30,000 upward in the calm season. Add 25–35% for the December–January peak, and budget separately for flights and optional water sports like scuba.

Do I need to book the ferries myself?

Not if you travel with us — we pre-book the inter-island ferries as part of the package, which matters most in peak season when seats sell out. If you are doing it independently, book the private catamarans (Makruzz, Nautika, Green Ocean) online in advance and always keep your last night in Port Blair so a delayed ferry never threatens your flight.

Let us build this trip around your dates

This is our tried-and-tested 5-day route, but the best version is the one tuned to your dates, your people and your budget. Tell us who is travelling and when, and we will shape this itinerary to fit — ferries, stays, transfers and sightseeing all handled. Take a look at our Andaman tour packages or message us on WhatsApp for a free, no-obligation quote. We are based right here in the islands, so you always have a real person on call from your first question to your flight home.
July 13, 2026
Ferry Guide for Andaman: Port Blair to Havelock & Neil Island
Getting from Port Blair to Havelock and Neil Island means one thing: ferries. There are no bridges between the islands and no scheduled flights on these hops, so the ferry is how every traveller island-hops in the Andamans. The good news is it is straightforward once you understand how it works. The bad news is that most first-timers make the same handful of avoidable mistakes — tight connections, wrong jetty, no monsoon backup plan — and lose a day of their holiday to it. We live here and book these ferries every week. This is the honest, practical guide: private versus government ferries, timings, prices, luggage, seasickness, jetties, and the mistakes to steer clear of.

The short answer: ferry from Port Blair to Havelock

For the ferry from Port Blair to Havelock, you have two choices: fast private catamarans (Makruzz, Nautika, Green Ocean) that take roughly 90 minutes to 2 hours in an air-conditioned cabin, or the cheaper government ferry that takes longer and is harder to book in advance. Most travellers take a private ferry — it is comfortable, reliable, and simple to reserve. The same operators run onward to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) and back to Port Blair. Book your private ferry seats as early as you can, especially in peak season, because they genuinely sell out.

Private ferries vs government ferries

Private ferries (Makruzz, Nautika, Green Ocean)

These are modern, enclosed, air-conditioned catamarans with assigned seating, much like a short-haul flight. They are fast, they run on a predictable schedule, and they are the sensible default for most holidaymakers.
- Makruzz — the long-established premium operator. Enclosed AC seating in tiers (Deluxe up to Royal), a small snack counter on board. Reliable and popular.
- Nautika — one of the newer, comfortable catamarans; similar class experience, seating tiers, AC cabin.
- Green Ocean — another well-used private operator on the same routes, often a touch more affordable.
All three cover Port Blair–Havelock, Havelock–Neil, and Neil–Port Blair, plus the Port Blair–Neil–Havelock combinations. Journey time Port Blair to Havelock is about 90 minutes to 2 hours; Havelock to Neil is roughly 60 to 75 minutes; Neil to Port Blair is around 90 minutes. Exact timings and which operator sails on a given day vary, so we confirm the live schedule when we book.

Government ferries

The government (Directorate of Shipping) ferries are significantly cheaper and are the lifeline for locals. They also sail the inter-island routes, and some have air-conditioned seating classes. The trade-offs are real: they take longer, the schedules are less convenient, and booking is far less traveller-friendly — tickets are sold through government counters, released closer to the date, and can involve queueing. For budget travellers with flexible time they are a genuine option; for a tight holiday itinerary, the certainty of a private ferry is usually worth the extra rupees.

Price bands

Ferry fares move with operator, class, and season, so treat these as ranges rather than fixed quotes:
- Private ferry (per person, one way): roughly ₹1,000 to ₹2,200 depending on operator and seating tier. Premium classes and peak dates sit at the top of that band.
- Government ferry (per person, one way): a fraction of the private fare — often in the low hundreds of rupees — but with the booking and timing trade-offs above.
When ferries are part of one of our Andaman tour packages, the inter-island tickets are already itemised in your quote — you know the cost up front and we handle the booking, so you are not chasing seats yourself.

Booking windows: book early, especially in peak season

This is where planning pays off. Private ferry seats between Port Blair, Havelock and Neil are limited, and during peak season — roughly October to February, and heavily so around the Christmas–New Year fortnight — the popular morning sailings sell out days or even weeks ahead.
- Peak season (Oct–Feb): reserve private ferry seats as far ahead as your dates allow — ideally when you confirm your trip, not after you land.
- Shoulder and off-season: more availability, but the best morning slots still go first.
- Government ferry tickets release closer to the sailing date and cannot be locked in as far ahead — another reason they suit flexible travellers, not fixed itineraries.
Carry a valid government photo ID for every passenger — you need it to book and to board, and the name on the ticket must match the ID.

Jetty logistics: Haddo vs Phoenix Bay

Port Blair has two jetties, and knowing which one your ferry leaves from is the difference between a calm morning and a panicked taxi ride:
- Phoenix Bay Jetty — the main hub for private catamarans (Makruzz, Nautika, Green Ocean) to Havelock and Neil. Most holidaymakers depart from here.
- Haddo Wharf / Jetty — used primarily for government ferries and some other services.
On the islands, Havelock’s ferries use the Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) jetty and Neil’s use the Neil (Shaheed Dweep) jetty — both single, easy-to-find harbours. A few practical rules:
- Reach the jetty at least 45–60 minutes before departure. Private operators close boarding and do security and baggage checks well before sailing; arrive late and you miss the boat with no refund.
- Confirm your exact jetty the night before. Do not assume — check the ticket. Getting to the wrong one is a classic first-timer mistake.
- Build in traffic time. Mornings around the jetties get busy when several ferries sail together.
Luggage

Private ferries generally allow a sensible amount of luggage per passenger — think airline-style hand plus checked baggage — with larger bags stowed separately and hand baggage kept with you in the cabin. Rules and any excess-baggage charges vary by operator, so it is worth checking when you book if you are travelling heavy. Two practical tips: keep a small day bag with your ID, phone, medication and valuables on your lap, and avoid over-packing for an island hop where you only need light clothes, swimwear and sandals anyway.

Seasickness: how to have a smooth crossing

The open stretch between Port Blair and Havelock can get choppy, particularly in the afternoon and during the shoulder-to-monsoon months. Most people are completely fine, but if you know you are prone to motion sickness, a little preparation goes a long way:
- Take a motion-sickness tablet about 30–60 minutes before boarding if you are sensitive — check with your doctor or pharmacist first.
- Pick a morning sailing where you can — the sea is usually calmer earlier in the day.
- Sit low and central in the cabin, where the boat moves least, and look at the horizon rather than down at your phone.
- Do not travel on an empty stomach — a light meal beforehand helps; a heavy, greasy one does not.
- Keep water and ginger sweets handy. Simple, and they help.
Common mistakes to avoid

These are the errors we see cost travellers a day, or a booking, again and again:
1. Planning a tight same-day connection. Do not book a ferry that lands you in Port Blair a couple of hours before your flight home. Ferries can be delayed or cancelled by weather, and there is no quick backup. Give yourself a full buffer — ideally a night in Port Blair before an early flight.
2. Leaving ferry booking until you arrive. By the time you land, peak-season private seats on the sailing you want may be gone. Book with your itinerary, not after it.
3. Going to the wrong jetty. Phoenix Bay and Haddo are not the same place. Confirm which one your ticket says.
4. Cutting the arrival time fine. Boarding closes well before departure. A late auto-rickshaw should not cost you the ferry.
5. Assuming ferries run in bad weather. In rough seas, sailings are cancelled for safety — always. Build flexibility into monsoon-season plans.
6. Booking too many islands in too few days. Every hop is a half-morning of ferry logistics. Two islands done well beat three done in a rush.
Monsoon disruptions

During the southwest monsoon (roughly June to September), rougher seas and heavy weather can delay or cancel ferry sailings at short notice, private and government alike. This is a safety call, not an inconvenience, and it is non-negotiable when the sea is unsafe. If you are travelling in the monsoon or shoulder months, plan for it rather than around it:
- Keep a buffer day before your return flight so a cancelled ferry does not strand you.
- Avoid packing your itinerary so tightly that one lost sailing collapses the whole trip.
- Have a local contact who can rebook you fast if a sailing is scrapped — this is exactly where a local operator earns their keep. When we run your trip, a cancelled ferry becomes our problem to solve, not yours to panic over.
FAQ

How long is the ferry from Port Blair to Havelock?

On a private catamaran (Makruzz, Nautika or Green Ocean) it takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours. Government ferries take longer. Havelock to Neil is roughly an hour, and Neil back to Port Blair is about 90 minutes.

Should I take a private or government ferry?

For most holiday itineraries, a private ferry — it is fast, comfortable, air-conditioned, runs on a dependable schedule, and is easy to book ahead. Government ferries are much cheaper and fine if you are on a tight budget with flexible time, but the timings and last-minute booking make them awkward for a fixed trip.

How far in advance should I book ferry tickets?

As early as you can, especially in peak season (October to February and around New Year), when popular private sailings sell out days to weeks ahead. Booking when you confirm your trip is far safer than waiting until you arrive.

Which jetty do ferries leave from in Port Blair?

Private catamarans mostly depart from Phoenix Bay Jetty; government ferries typically use Haddo. Always check your ticket for the exact jetty and reach it at least 45–60 minutes before departure.

Let us handle the ferries

Ferries are the one part of an Andaman trip that quietly decides whether the rest runs smoothly — right jetty, right sailing, sensible buffers, and a plan if the weather turns. It is also the part we handle every single week. When your trip is one of our Andaman tour packages, the inter-island ferries between Port Blair, Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) are booked, itemised and coordinated for you — and if a sailing is cancelled, a real person here sorts out the next one. Tell us your dates on WhatsApp and we will send a free, no-obligation quote with the ferries already planned in.
July 13, 2026