Havelock Island Island

Address: Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Havelock Island is an island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, known for long sandy beaches and coral reefs; it was officially renamed Swaraj Dweep in 2018. It is one of the larger inhabited islands in the Ritchie’s Archipelago group and is a major tourism hub in the Andamans.

Beach-focused tourism dominates the island - the west coast has a white-sand bay about 2 km long that draws most visitors for swimming and sunsets. Snorkelling and scuba diving are common, with boat trips to nearby reefs and sheltered bays such as a popular reef-fringed snorkel site on the northwest. Local villages provide basic services, dive shops, and boat operators.

The island developed as a visitor destination in the late 20th and early 21st centuries with improved ferry links and dive infrastructure; the official renaming to Swaraj Dweep occurred in 2018. Traditional fisheries and small-scale agriculture continue alongside tourism.

Havelock/Swaraj Dweep sits in Ritchie’s Archipelago about 57 km northeast of Port Blair, the Andaman capital; regular government and private ferries serve the island and there is a small network of roads linking beaches and settlements.

• Name and access: The island was officially renamed Swaraj Dweep in 2018 but is still commonly called Havelock; ferry services link it to Port Blair with journeys of roughly 2 to 3 hours depending on vessel.
• Best time: Best snorkelling and diving conditions are usually in the dry season from November to April when visibility is highest.

What to See#

• Radhanagar Beach: A wide sandy bay of white sand about 2 km long on the island’s west coast, regularly ranked among Asia’s best beaches and popular for sunset views.
• Elephant Beach: A small coral-fringed beach on the island’s northwest reachable by boat, known for snorkelling and reef access to see corals and reef fish.

Ferries (government and private) connect Havelock to Port Blair; journeys take 1.5-3 hours depending on service. Flights to Veer Savarkar International Airport (Port Blair) from the Indian mainland are the usual way to begin; from Port Blair, catch the ferry to Havelock. On arrival, local taxis and motorbike rentals are common for getting around the island.

• Travel to Havelock Island via a ferry from Port Blair; book ferry tickets in advance during peak season (Dec-Mar).
• The island's beaches such as Radhanagar (Beach No. 7) are best early morning or late afternoon when light is best and crowds are smaller.
• If planning to dive or snorkel, choose a certified operator on the island for access to nearby coral sites; seasons vary for diving conditions.