Beach Combing

Joyful Travel

The Andaman and Nicobar islands are almost always mentioned in the same breath, but given that the Nicobar cluster offers no hotels or other creature comforts, city slickers would be better off sticking with the former - Port Blair, in particular. Picture-postcard pretty, the capital is all about true-blue seaside splendour- breathtaking beaches crowned by steep cliffs and forests, thatched huts dotting the shoreline offering everything from grilled catfish and crab masala to some awesome underwater spectacles. While chilling out under a beach umbrella with a bottle of Foster's is one way to go, visiting the sights in and around the area should definitely feature on your to-do list as well. First stop should be the infamous Cellular Jail. Built by the sahebs to incarcerate Indian freedom fighters and other convicts, stepping into its portals might prove a tad unsettling especially if your guide regales you with hair-raising details of the horrors witnessed here. Now a national museum, the Cellular Jail resounds every evening with the strains of a patriotic son et lumiere show, part of the efforts to draw in the crowds. A five-star hotel here could set you back by about Rs.5,000 a night but cheaper lodgings, such as the hotels run by the Tourism Department offer rooms for as little as Rs.400.

I was just finalising just last minute arrangements for a week long trip to the Andaman Islands when a friend who had been there recently, enquired curiously if I was planning on visiting Havelock. I could sense the importance he attached to that place. Havelock was a valuable addition to the long list of Andaman attractions compiled by travel agencies. When we landed in Port Blair the weather was splendid. The tropical climes and taste of salt in the air all added to the charms of the islands. The next four days sped by before we even realised it. The sun,sand,sea and surf all provided in genreous plenitude mesmerised us. Embellishing this experience was a bit of history here (the Cellular Jail that housed the British Raj's political prisoner) and a bit of adventure there ( speed boating and scuba diving). But the curiosity that my friend had evoked about Havelock Island, still remained to be satisfied. Understanding my anxiety, Mr. Velusamy, the ever-smiling manager of our hotel, announced during dinner, " All arrangements made sir, you will be heading for Havelock tomorrow."