Extraordinary Destinations
Amazing
ANDAMANS
India’ s most remote state, the Andaman Islands, situated more than 1000 km off the east coast in the middle of the Bay of Bengal have everything that one could imagine for a perfect vacation. It doesn’ t matter if you are visiting here with your parents, friends, spouse or kids because there’ s something in store for everyone.
For administrative purposes, the Andamans are grouped with the Nicobar Islands, 200 km further south, but these remain strictly off-limits to foreigners, as well as Indians with no direct business there. Approximately some 200 islands make up the Andaman group and 19 of them sum up the Nicobar. They are of various different sizes stretching over a range of 755 km. All but the most remotest of these islands are populated in parts
Anurag Rao
by indigenous tribes whose numbers have been slashed by a huge number due to the nineteenth-century European settlement followed by rampant deforestation in more recent history.
Getting to the Andamans from the mainland is no longer a daunting task; with well-connected flights from Kolkata, Chennai, Vishakapatnam, Delhi and Mumbai you could be at these dreamy islands in matter of a few hours.
Covered by dense deep green tropical forests, the archipelago supports a profusion of wildlife, including some extremely rare species of birds. But for the most, it’ s the beaches and the pristine reefs around the islands that attract them.
The colourful fish, the kaleidoscopic corals and the crystal-clear waters of the Andaman Sea are perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving. Then of course comes the rich heritage history of the British Raj. At every point throughout the Andamans the stories of the British Raj and the ruins from the Second World War
14 destination exotica | february 2017