Great Andaman

Great Andaman is the principal cluster of islands in the Andaman archipelago in the Bay of Bengal and forms the core of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory of India. It comprises several large islands including North, Middle and South Andaman and is the largest island group within the Andaman chain.

The islands offer extensive sandy beaches, tropical rainforest, coral reefs and inland wetlands. The administrative centre and main port is on South Andaman, which functions as the travel gateway for ferries and flights to the rest of the archipelago. Day trips, beach visits and marine activities are common reasons people come to the area.

Indigenous Great Andamanese groups traditionally inhabited the islands prior to sustained outside contact. The archipelago was used by the British as a penal settlement in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and several colonial-era facilities remain on South Andaman.

Geographically the group sits in the eastern Bay of Bengal and is administered as part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The cluster surrounds Port Blair, which is the main town and administrative centre for the territory.

• Port Blair: Serves as the administrative capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the primary transport hub for the group of islands.
• Indigenous peoples: Area long inhabited by indigenous Great Andamanese peoples, whose population and traditional ways were severely affected after colonial contact.

What to See#

• North Andaman: One of the main island clusters of the Andaman archipelago, made up of several large islands and many smaller islets; contains both coastal settlements and interior rainforest.
• Middle Andaman: Lies between North and South Andaman and includes populated settlements, agricultural areas and forested hills.
• South Andaman: Contains the administrative centre of the islands and the historic penal complex known as the Cellular Jail; serves as the main transport hub for the group.
• Baratang Island: A smaller island in the Great Andaman group known for mangrove creeks, limestone caves and tidal waterways popular with day trips from Port Blair.

Most visitors arrive by air to Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair (regular flights from Chennai, Kolkata, and mainland hubs), then transfer by passenger ferry or charter boat to specific islands. Ferry schedules vary seasonally; some remote spots require private charters.

• Port Blair is the main gateway-book onward ferries well in advance during high season (Nov-Mar).
• Respect protected areas and indigenous lands; much of the Andaman archipelago has restricted zones and permits.
• Avoid attempting overland travel to remote tribal areas; those regions are closed to protect peoples and ecosystems.