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The Financial Equations

Now to all important financial aspects..... As mentioned in the beginning, we did a wise thing by going for a local travel operator. In addition to experience and local knowledge of the dealing staff, Experience Andamans turned out to be very competitive in its pricing too. Yes, it is not a cheap destination and for people flying down all the way from the lap of Himalayas, cost is an issue to some extent. Point to note is that max expenditure would be incurred on conveyance, both on land and sea. Premium will have to be paid for private, rather than solo, taxis and smaller boats too!         We paid about 77K for all three of us for the land part. AI tickets costed us about 85K though private airlines were cheaper but not available on those dates. This 77K included pick up and drop from airport, all stays and breakfasts, all ferries and taxi and all entrance tickets and passes. They had also offered complimentary snorkeling at Elephanta but that had to be cancelled at the last minut
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Ross & North Bay Island

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6.      The concluding part of the trip.... a day out to Ross and North Bay Islands. Generally, the trip to Ross and North Bay Island is one single excursion with about three hours break at North Bay and a two hours halt at Ross given to the travellers. That much of time is just about adequate and the trip is over in roughly five hours. Otherwise one can take a boat as a private conveyance and visit Ross at leisure and then watch the light and sound programme in the evening. We were told that the light n sound show here is superior to the one at the jail. Of course, unlike the depressing stories of jail, here they show the glamorous past. North Bay Island-  This beautiful island appears on the back of Rs 20 currency note. The lighthouse of the island can be seen from Port Blair and that part of the island is what has been printed on the currency bill. The island is a close neighbour of Port Blair and from our room at the resort, the lighthouse could be seen. The reason for such
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Baratang and around

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5.      Andaman (if we were to call it mainland in local context and if we leave out Nicobar and many islands, including forbidden ones, for the time being) is divided into North, Middle and South Andaman, separated by straits. With the expansion of tourism related information, facilities and infrastructure, visitors can now virtually travel all over this mainland Andaman. Our next plan was a foray till a point called Bartang Island that lies across the strait, sandwiched between South and Middle Andaman.          Such a trip is possible in a day (return trip, ie) and since Bartang has no major facilities for stay and basic ones for eats, it is preferred that way. Yes, if one is going ahead to Maya Bunder or so, hotels can be found there but then one can't get back in one day. More than travelling time, it is the system of traffic regulation that kills over-ambitious plans and rightfully so.        If you, like us, are taking the day trip to Baratang, please be sure to be
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Neil Island

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4.      Neil Island is a small, beautiful and quaint island that offers two extremes of nature on one of its rocky beaches. Yes, Laxman Beach has a spread of dead reef (courtesy Tsunami of 2004) and thriving ecosystem that is open to visitors during low tides. Check timings but forenoon is a safe option when most of the live corals are visible and can be seen closely. It is a tiny, quaint place Naturally shaded approach path to Laxman Beach Dead, killed by Tsunami A variant of live star fish A guide is a must ..... a crab in our guide's hand An almost dead one The island has many Bengali settlers and they call this formation as Howrah Bridge Work of natural forces Nature's artwork The under water world A ship goes away Mr Lazy....a sea cucumber A colony of its own kind A platform in the sea Family pic on the platform As mentioned before, take a guide when you go to this beach. He wil
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