<p>When we boarded our flight to Port Blair, or should I say Sri Vijaya Puram, as it has been called since September 2024, I didn’t quite know what to expect. The Andaman Islands had always sounded like a dreamy escape, but would the reality live up to it? I decided to take each day as it came, without expectations, and let the islands speak for themselves.</p>.<p><strong>Among ancient tribes</strong></p>.<p>The Andamans are home to some of the world’s most fascinating tribes — the Jarawas, Onges, and Sentinelese. The Jarawas, numbering only about 400, live close to nature in a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Our driver warned us not to photograph or engage with them if we spotted them along the roadside, as they are fiercely protective of their environment. The Sentinelese remain completely untouched by the outside world, their island strictly off-limits. The government enforces a policy of non-interference, ensuring its civilisation remains undisturbed. The Onges, among the oldest surviving tribes, are deeply spiritual and live in harmony with their forests and seas. Adding to this cultural mix are descendants of Bengalis, Bangladeshis, and Odias who settled here after Partition. Their presence is evident in the markets and eateries that dot the islands.</p>.<p><strong>A date with history</strong></p>.<p>Nothing prepared me for the emotions of stepping into the Cellular Jail, or Kala Pani. Its stark walls still echo with the cries of India’s freedom fighters, who endured unimaginable torture here under the British. The evening light and sound show was unforgettable — the narration, music, and visuals brought history alive in a way that left me both shaken and grateful. The Chatham Saw Mill, one of Asia’s oldest, and the Chatham Memorial, marking the arrival of freedom fighters, added more layers to the story of these islands. Another highlight was our visit to Mount Harriet (now Mount Manipur), the third-highest peak in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, after Saddle Peak and Mount Thuillier. Standing at the archipelago’s third-highest peak, I could see the breathtaking panorama once captured on the back of the Rs 20 note. No wonder locals call it the “20 Rupees Viewpoint.”</p>.<p><strong>Into the blue</strong></p>.<p>From Port Blair, a short ferry ride took us to Havelock Island, now officially Swaraj Dweep. Its beaches, certified with the prestigious Blue Flag tag, were everything I had imagined — pristine, powdery sands meeting turquoise waters. The sunset was a picture of calm, painting the horizon in soft gold.</p>.<p><strong>Echoes on Ross Island</strong></p>.<p>On our last day, we visited Ross Island, now renamed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep. Once the British administrative hub, its ruins — barracks, a church, even a bakery — told stories of a different era.</p>
<p>When we boarded our flight to Port Blair, or should I say Sri Vijaya Puram, as it has been called since September 2024, I didn’t quite know what to expect. The Andaman Islands had always sounded like a dreamy escape, but would the reality live up to it? I decided to take each day as it came, without expectations, and let the islands speak for themselves.</p>.<p><strong>Among ancient tribes</strong></p>.<p>The Andamans are home to some of the world’s most fascinating tribes — the Jarawas, Onges, and Sentinelese. The Jarawas, numbering only about 400, live close to nature in a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Our driver warned us not to photograph or engage with them if we spotted them along the roadside, as they are fiercely protective of their environment. The Sentinelese remain completely untouched by the outside world, their island strictly off-limits. The government enforces a policy of non-interference, ensuring its civilisation remains undisturbed. The Onges, among the oldest surviving tribes, are deeply spiritual and live in harmony with their forests and seas. Adding to this cultural mix are descendants of Bengalis, Bangladeshis, and Odias who settled here after Partition. Their presence is evident in the markets and eateries that dot the islands.</p>.<p><strong>A date with history</strong></p>.<p>Nothing prepared me for the emotions of stepping into the Cellular Jail, or Kala Pani. Its stark walls still echo with the cries of India’s freedom fighters, who endured unimaginable torture here under the British. The evening light and sound show was unforgettable — the narration, music, and visuals brought history alive in a way that left me both shaken and grateful. The Chatham Saw Mill, one of Asia’s oldest, and the Chatham Memorial, marking the arrival of freedom fighters, added more layers to the story of these islands. Another highlight was our visit to Mount Harriet (now Mount Manipur), the third-highest peak in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, after Saddle Peak and Mount Thuillier. Standing at the archipelago’s third-highest peak, I could see the breathtaking panorama once captured on the back of the Rs 20 note. No wonder locals call it the “20 Rupees Viewpoint.”</p>.<p><strong>Into the blue</strong></p>.<p>From Port Blair, a short ferry ride took us to Havelock Island, now officially Swaraj Dweep. Its beaches, certified with the prestigious Blue Flag tag, were everything I had imagined — pristine, powdery sands meeting turquoise waters. The sunset was a picture of calm, painting the horizon in soft gold.</p>.<p><strong>Echoes on Ross Island</strong></p>.<p>On our last day, we visited Ross Island, now renamed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep. Once the British administrative hub, its ruins — barracks, a church, even a bakery — told stories of a different era.</p>