Sights in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
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Cellular Jail National Memorial
A former British prison that is now a shrine to the political dissidents it once jailed, Cellular Jail National Memorial is worth visiting to understand the important space the Andamans occupy in India’s national memory. Built over a period of 18 years in 1890, the original seven wings contained 698 cells radiating from a central tower. Like many political prisons, Cellular Jail became something of a university for freedom fighters, who exchanged books, ideas and debates despite walls and wardens.
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Ross Island
Visiting Ross Island feels like discovering a jungle-clad Lost City, à la Angkor Wat, where the ruins happen to be Victorian English rather than ancient Khmer. The former administrative headquarters for the British in the Andamans, Ross Island is an essential half-day trip from Port Blair. In its day, little Ross was fondly called the ‘Paris of the East’ (along with Pondicherry, Saigon etc…). But the cute title, vibrant social scene and tropical gardens were all wiped out by the double whammy of a 1941 earthquake and the invasion of the Japanese (who left behind some machine-gun nests that are great fun to poke around in).
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B
Anthropological Museum
The best museum in Port Blair provides a thorough and sympathetic portrait of the islands’ indigenous tribal communities. The glass display cases may be old school, but they don’t feel anywhere near as ancient as the simple geometric patterns etched into a Jarawa chest guard, a skull left in a Sentinelese lean-to or the totemic spirits represented by Nicobarese shamanic sculptures. Pick up a pamphlet (Rs20) on indigenous culture, written by local anthropologists, in the gift shop.
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C
Forest Museum & Chatham Saw Mill
Located on Chatham Island (reached by a road bridge), the saw mill was set up by the British in 1836 and was one of the largest wood processors in Asia. Inside is the forest museum, which displays locally grown woods, including padauk, and has displays on the history of timber milling on the island. It may not be to everyone’s taste – especially conservationists – but it gives a different perspective on the islands’ history and economy.
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Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
Wandoor, a tiny speck of a village 29km southwest of Port Blair, is the jumping-off point for Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, which covers 280 sq km and comprises 15 islands of mangrove creeks, tropical rainforest and reefs supporting 50 types of coral. The marine park’s snorkelling sites at Jolly Buoy and Red Skin islands are popular day trips from Wandoor Jetty (Rs300).
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D
Mini-Zoo
Some of the 200 animal species unique to the islands can be seen in rusting cages at the small and rather sad Mini-Zoo. These include the Nicobar pigeon, the Andaman pig (the staple diet of some tribal groups) and the crab-eating macaque. Feeding time is 08:30 to 09:00, and there's a short film shown at 10:00 and 15:00.
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E
Samudrika Marine Museum
Run by the Indian Navy, this is probably the best science museum in Port Blair (which isn’t saying much). The exhibits could be flashier, but they’re at least largely accurate and informative, especially as concerns the islands’ ecosystem, tribal communities, plants, animals and marine life.
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F
Aquarium
You found Nemo! Or his formaldehyde-preserved corpse, which screams in silent accusation at you from the rows of glass jars that constitute this ghoulish aquarium. There’s also tanks of living tropical fish lining the walls that are about as impressive as a decent pet shop.
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G
Corbyn's Cove
Corbyn's Cove, 4km east of the airport and 7km south of the town, is the nearest beach to Port Blair - a small curve of sand backed by palms. It's popular for swimming, sunset-viewing and lazing around, and is packed with picnicking locals on Sunday and holidays.
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Viper Island
The afternoon boat trip to Viper Island is worthwhile to see the sobering remains of the ochre-coloured brick jail and the gallows built by the British in 1867. The formidable name comes from a wrecked 19th-century British trading ship nearby.
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