Andaman Tour Packages From Delhi — What It Costs, How Long You Need, and What Nobody Tells You About the Ferries
Why Andaman, and who it suits
Andaman is the closest India gets to a Southeast Asian island holiday without a passport. Radhanagar Beach on Havelock is genuinely world-class — a wide, clean, gently shelving crescent backed by forest, with almost no construction visible from the sand. The diving is real diving, not a photo-op, because the reefs around Havelock and Neil sit in warm, clear water with good visibility for much of the season.
It suits honeymooners above everything else. Andaman and Kerala are the two destinations we quote most often for Delhi NCR honeymoons, and Andaman wins whenever the couple wants to do nothing for four days straight. It suits families with teenagers, who will take to snorkelling and sea walks quickly. It suits certified or aspiring divers exceptionally well.
It suits large mixed-age groups less well, because everything runs on ferry timings, and ferries do not wait. If two people in a group of twelve are slow in the morning, the whole group loses a day.
Permits and entry rules — the honest version
Indian citizens do not require a Restricted Area Permit to visit the standard tourist areas of the Andaman Islands. Carry a government photo ID; you will be asked for it at hotels, at ferry counters and at some checkpoints.
What is genuinely restricted, and where the rules bite:
- Tribal reserves are closed to tourists. Entry into tribal reserve areas is prohibited. Permission is granted rarely and effectively only for research or official purposes.
- The Nicobar group is not a tourist destination. Travel there is highly restricted and permits are rarely issued.
- The Andaman Trunk Road through the Jarawa reserve — used on the Baratang limestone-cave trip — runs under convoy with strict rules. Photographing, filming or interacting with members of the Jarawa community is an offence. Do not do it, do not ask your driver to slow down, and do not book with anyone who advertises "tribal sightings".
- Foreign nationals face a different regime from Indians. If anyone in your group holds a foreign passport or OCI card, tell us at enquiry stage.
Best time to visit Andaman
| Month | Sea and weather | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| January | Calm sea, dry, best visibility. | Peak |
| February | Same as January. Ideal diving. | Peak |
| March | Warm, calm, still excellent. | Excellent |
| April | Hotter, still good water conditions. | Very good |
| May | Pre-monsoon; humidity high, sea getting choppy. | Fair |
| June | Southwest monsoon. Rough crossings, cancellations. | Weak |
| July | Wettest, roughest. Some water sports suspended. | Avoid |
| August | Similar to July. | Avoid |
| September | Rain easing but sea still unsettled. | Weak |
| October | Season reopening. Good value, some rain. | Good value |
| November | Reliable weather returns. | Excellent |
| December | Peak. Christmas–New Year rates highest of the year. | Peak |
The Andaman administration's own tourism guidance notes that the best diving season runs roughly December to April. October and early November are the value window — you accept some rain in exchange for materially lower rates and empty beaches.
How many days do you need?
- 3 nights: Port Blair and one night on Havelock. You will spend more time on ferries than in the water. Not recommended.
- 5 nights / 6 days: the standard and the one most people should book. Port Blair, Havelock and Neil, with two nights on Havelock.
- 7 nights / 8 days: the version that actually feels like a holiday. Three nights on Havelock, two on Neil, and a full day for Baratang or a diving course.
- 9+ nights: for divers doing an open-water certification, or anyone adding Long Island or Diglipur.
From Delhi, the flight is roughly 3 hours 40 minutes nonstop, but nonstop capacity is limited and many routings connect through Chennai or Kolkata, which turns the travel day into six or seven hours. Build a buffer.
Three sample Andaman itineraries
Itinerary A — 5 nights / 6 days: the standard
Day 1 — Delhi to Port Blair. Land at IXZ. Transfer to hotel, 20–30 min. Afternoon at Corbyn's Cove. Evening: the Cellular Jail light and sound show. Overnight Port Blair.
Day 2 — Port Blair to Havelock by ferry. Private ferries depart Haddo Jetty; government ferries from Phoenix Bay. Crossing is around 90 minutes on the fast services. Afternoon at Radhanagar Beach for sunset — arrive by 4.30 pm. Overnight Havelock.
Day 3 — Havelock: Elephant Beach. Boat transfer or forest walk to Elephant Beach in the morning for snorkelling and water sports. Afternoon free. Optional introductory scuba dive. Overnight Havelock.
Day 4 — Havelock to Neil (Shaheed Dweep). Morning ferry, roughly an hour. Afternoon covering Bharatpur Beach, Laxmanpur Beach and the Natural Bridge — go to the Natural Bridge at low tide or you will not see it. Overnight Neil.
Day 5 — Neil to Port Blair. Afternoon ferry back. Evening at Aberdeen Bazaar and the Samudrika Naval Marine Museum. Overnight Port Blair.
Day 6 — Fly to Delhi. Most Port Blair departures are morning flights, so plan an early transfer.
Itinerary B — 7 nights / 8 days: honeymoon pace
Day 1 Port Blair as above. Days 2–4 Havelock with three nights — one day for Elephant Beach, one day entirely unplanned, one day for a two-tank dive or a kayak session through the mangroves at Havelock. Days 5–6 Neil with two nights, including a sunrise at Natural Bridge and a slow afternoon at Bharatpur. Day 7 back to Port Blair; Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep) and North Bay by boat. Day 8 fly out.
Itinerary C — 6 nights / 7 days with Baratang
For travellers who want something other than beaches on one of the days. Day 1 Port Blair. Day 2 Baratang limestone caves and mud volcano — this is a long day starting around 3.30 am, travelling in convoy along the Andaman Trunk Road, and it is not for everyone. Days 3–5 Havelock. Day 6 Neil, returning to Port Blair. Day 7 fly out. Be clear-eyed: many travellers find Baratang exhausting relative to what they see.
What an Andaman trip costs
*₹34,000–₹62,000\ per person (indicative · 5N/6D · ex-Delhi · twin sharing · excludes GST & TCS)**
*\Indicative market range as of Aug 2026. Contact us on +91 97299 91755 for a current quote.
What moves the price
- The flight, more than anything. Delhi–Port Blair is a long domestic sector with limited nonstop capacity, and fares move sharply with season and booking lead time.
- Ferry class. Published 2026 fares run from roughly ₹1,100 in the cheapest economy class to around ₹3,400 for premium business class on the fastest operators, per person per crossing. Multiply by three crossings.
- Hotel location on Havelock. Beach-facing resorts near Radhanagar or Vijaynagar cost several times what a village-side property costs.
- Water sports and diving. These are almost never in the package. An introductory scuba dive, a sea walk, jet ski and parasailing are all separate.
- Season. Late December is the single most expensive window.
Typically included
Airport and jetty transfers, ferry tickets between islands, hotels on twin sharing, daily breakfast, island sightseeing by shared or private vehicle, and permit assistance where relevant.
Typically excluded
Airfare unless quoted, GST and TCS, all water sports and diving, entry tickets at Cellular Jail and museums, meals other than breakfast, and anything personal.
Getting to Andaman from Delhi NCR
There is no alternative to flying. The Delhi–Port Blair nonstop runs around 3 hours 40 minutes; connecting itineraries via Chennai or Kolkata typically run five to seven hours door to door. Kolkata and Chennai both have more frequent Port Blair services than Delhi, which is why a Delhi–Kolkata–Port Blair routing is often cheaper than the nonstop.
Two practical points. First, Port Blair departures skew early morning, so your last night is effectively a short one. Second, if your outbound connects, book both legs on one ticket — a missed connection on separate tickets in Chennai can cost you an entire island day.
The ferries — the part that breaks itineraries
Everything in Andaman runs on ferries, and this is where trips go wrong.
- Fast private ferries cover the Port Blair–Havelock route in about 90 minutes; government ferries take around 2.5 hours.
- Private ferries operate from Haddo Jetty in Port Blair; government ferries from Phoenix Bay Jetty. These are different places. Confirm which one your ticket says.
- Peak-season sailings sell out. Book two to three weeks ahead for December to February.
- Morning departures are usually calmer than afternoon ones. If anyone in your group is prone to seasickness, ask specifically for a morning crossing and take medication 30–45 minutes before boarding, not on board.
- Sailings are cancelled for weather, and cancellations cascade. Never schedule your return flight for the same day you leave Havelock. Always come back to Port Blair the night before you fly.
That last rule is the single most useful sentence on this page.
Andaman for honeymoons
Three nights on Havelock, not two. A beach-facing room is worth paying for here in a way it is not in most places, because the alternative is a twenty-minute scooter ride to see the sea. Book a sunset slot at Radhanagar and get there by 4.30 pm — the beach empties out surprisingly fast after dark and the light between 5 and 6 is the best of the day. If neither of you dives, do the sea walk at North Bay instead; it needs no certification and no swimming ability.
Andaman with family
Children love Elephant Beach and the glass-bottom boats at North Bay. Younger children will struggle with the ferry legs, so consider a Port Blair–Havelock–Port Blair pattern and skip Neil entirely. Cellular Jail's light and sound show is genuinely moving for children over ten and worth the evening. For parents, note that several beaches involve a walk across soft sand from the parking area.
Food and experiences worth naming
Fresh grilled fish is the obvious call, and it is better on Havelock than in Port Blair. Coconut-based Andamanese-Bengali cooking dominates the local menus, because much of the settler population is of Bengali origin — ask for fish curry with mustard rather than the tourist-menu version. On Havelock, the beach shacks near Govind Nagar do simple food well.
Beyond food: a two-tank dive off Havelock, a night at the Cellular Jail show, sea walking at North Bay, kayaking through mangroves at dusk when the bioluminescence is running, and simply sitting at Radhanagar for two hours doing nothing.
Common mistakes
- Flying out the same day you leave Havelock. Ferry cancellation equals missed flight. Never do this.
- Booking only two nights on Havelock. One is eaten by the crossing.
- Assuming water sports are included. They almost never are.
- Booking the last ferry of the day. If it is cancelled, you are stuck.
- Planning June to September. Rough seas, cancelled crossings, suspended water sports.
- Photographing anyone on the Andaman Trunk Road through the Jarawa reserve. It is an offence, and it is wrong.
- Assuming full mobile network everywhere. Coverage on Havelock and Neil is patchy. Tell people at home in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a permit to visit Andaman?
No. Indian citizens do not need a Restricted Area Permit for the main tourist areas of the Andaman Islands, including Port Blair, Havelock and Neil. Carry a government photo ID. Tribal reserve areas and the Nicobar group remain restricted for everyone, and permission there is granted only in exceptional, non-tourist cases.
How much does an Andaman trip cost from Delhi?
Indicatively ₹34,000–₹62,000 per person for 5 nights / 6 days ex-Delhi on twin sharing, excluding GST and TCS. Airfare is the largest single variable, followed by hotel category on Havelock. Water sports and diving are almost always extra. Call +91 97299 91755 for a quote against your dates.
How many days are enough for Andaman?
Five nights is the workable minimum: one in Port Blair, two on Havelock, one on Neil, one back in Port Blair. Seven nights is materially better because it gives you a full unplanned day on Havelock. Three-night trips are dominated by ferry transfers and are not worth the airfare from Delhi.
What is the best time to visit Andaman?
October to April, with December to March the most reliable for calm seas and diving visibility. October and early November offer the best value with some rain. June to September brings the southwest monsoon, rough crossings, frequent ferry cancellations and suspended water sports, so avoid those months for a first trip.
How long is the Delhi to Port Blair flight?
The nonstop is roughly 3 hours 40 minutes. Nonstop capacity from Delhi is limited, so many itineraries connect through Chennai or Kolkata and take five to seven hours in total. Book connecting legs on a single ticket so a delay does not strand you overnight and cost you an island day.
How do you travel between the Andaman islands?
By ferry only. Fast private ferries take about 90 minutes from Port Blair to Havelock and depart from Haddo Jetty; government ferries take around 2.5 hours from Phoenix Bay Jetty. Published 2026 fares range from roughly ₹1,100 to ₹3,400 per person per crossing depending on operator and class.
Should I book Andaman ferries in advance?
Yes. Peak-season sailings between December and February sell out, and booking two to three weeks ahead is normal. Choose morning departures for calmer water. Never book the last sailing of the day for a leg that connects to a flight, and always return to Port Blair the night before you fly home.
Is Andaman good for a honeymoon?
Yes, and it is the strongest competitor to Kerala for Delhi NCR couples. Radhanagar Beach on Havelock is the draw, along with genuinely private beach-facing resorts and easy access to snorkelling and diving. Book three nights on Havelock rather than two, and pick a sea-facing room, which matters more here than elsewhere.
What does scuba diving cost in Andaman?
It is charged separately from tour packages, and prices vary by operator, dive site and whether you are certified. An introductory dive with an instructor requires no certification and no swimming ability. Confirm the operator's certification body, equipment condition and instructor ratio before booking.
Is Andaman safe for solo and women travellers?
The islands are generally regarded as safe, with low crime and a strong tourism-police presence in Port Blair. The real risks are environmental — strong currents at some beaches, limited mobile coverage on Havelock and Neil, and few night transport options. Swim only in flagged areas, avoid isolated beaches after dark and share your itinerary with someone at home.
Can we visit Andaman with a baby or toddler?
It is possible but the ferry legs are the constraint, since crossings can be choppy and there is no way to shorten them. A simpler pattern is Port Blair plus Havelock only, dropping Neil, which removes one crossing in each direction. Choose a resort with a pool, carry medical supplies, and avoid the Baratang day trip entirely.
Is Andaman better than Maldives for Indian travellers?
For a first island holiday from Delhi, Andaman needs no passport, no visa and no forex, and the beaches on Havelock stand comparison with anywhere. Maldives offers over-water villas and a more polished resort product at a materially higher cost. Andaman also gives you history at Cellular Jail, which Maldives does not.