Ross Island, South Andaman district

Ross Island (officially Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island) sits in the harbor near Port Blair in the South Andaman district and served as the British administrative headquarters for the Andaman Islands until the early 20th century. It is known for the atmospheric ruins left after the island was abandoned in the 1940s.

The island’s chief attractions are the scattered colonial ruins - a church, bakery, administrative buildings and the chief commissioner’s house - set within dense vegetation and visible across short walking paths. A small museum on the island presents photographs and artifacts from the colonial period and the later Japanese occupation. Boat approaches and the shoreline provide close views of the pier and harbor structures.

Ross Island was developed by the British in the 19th century as an administrative and military base; it was heavily damaged and largely abandoned after seismic events and wartime disruptions in the early 1940s. The Japanese occupied the Andamans during World War II, and the British-era settlement was never fully reoccupied afterwards.

Geographically the island lies in Port Blair harbor, about 3 km from the town of Port Blair on South Andaman Island, set against a sheltered bay and coral-fringed waters. Most visitors reach it on short boat trips from Port Blair’s waterfront.

• Boat access: Access is by public or private boat from Port Blair; the trip typically takes about 15-25 minutes depending on sea conditions.
• Best time to visit: Best visited in the morning to avoid midday heat and to see wildlife around the shoreline when boat traffic is lighter.

What to See #

• British-era ruins: Houses the main visible British-era ruins on the island including the remains of the Chief Commissioner's residence, the old bakery and the colonial church; most structures date to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Ross Island Museum: A small on-site museum displays artifacts and photographs from the island's colonial period and the Japanese occupation; exhibits focus on daily life and the island's abandonment after 1941.
• Pier and shoreline: Harbor area and shoreline used for short boat landings, with paths leading through the ruined administrative quarter and along the old pier.