Havelock was our second stop in the Andaman Islands, and we spent four days here. My initial reaction upon arriving at Havelock was a bit disappointing – rocky beaches again! As we approached the jetty port in Havelock, rocky shores greeted us. I had been eagerly anticipating the chance to see some truly paradise-like beaches, a vision I held since childhood when I first learned about the Andaman Islands. Despite the rocky start, deep down, I still held onto the hope of discovering my own paradise here on Havelock. Rumor had it that one of Asia’s most beautiful beaches could be found on Havelock. Unsure whether to believe it or not, I tried not to lose hope entirely.
We opted for a rickshaw to reach our hotel from the jetty port, and during the ride, we passed by numerous hotels, restaurants, and a small city center. The city center had various amenities like a supermarket, a pharmacy, a liquor store, a vegetable market, and clothing stores, mainly offering traditional Indian wear. Havelock appeared noticeably more developed compared to Neil Island and had a more touristy vibe, even though non-Indian tourists were still relatively few.
Hotels
Havelock island has an endless amount of hotels, however, most of the hotels amay not meet the highest quality standards and may be more suitable for backpackers. Certainly, there are some exceptions, like the Barefoot Hotel, the Taj or the Sandyy Wavess. While the prices in these hotels are higher, they are definitely worth the cost.
Sandy Wavess
We chose Sandyy Wavess, a newly built hotel in 2019. Although some parts, like the pathway to the beach and the swim-up bar, weren’t fully finished, it just gives us a reason to return. The moment we stepped in, we fell in love with the hotel! The interior was beautifully modern with a wooden style, and charming details adorned every corner—like the cabinet handles made of shells. The effort put into designing and building the hotel was evident. We were lucky to get an upgrade to a better room category (again!). The room was fantastic, featuring a spacious bathroom with both a big bathtub and shower.
Most importantly, our room was likely the closest to the pool, allowing us to take just a few steps and dive right in! The pool was perfect, offering views of a palm tree-lined pathway to the beach on one side and lush green hills on the other.
Havelock has more hills compared to Neil Island, which was completely flat. Before arriving, I’d read in reviews that no hotels in Havelock are directly on the beach. I had a mental image of the beach being far away or having to cross a road to get there. To my surprise, that wasn’t the case. Certainly, the hotel wasn’t directly on the sand like the bungalows in the Maldives. Still, you could compare it to places like Mexico or the Dominican Republic, where a short walk from your hotel room to the beach is typical. It’s just a three-minute walk through a path lined with beautiful palm trees—an area I assume is part of the hotel. Along the way, you’ll find numerous inviting loungers with colorful pillows, offering a perfect spot to sit back and relax.
We reached the hotel quite late, so on the first day, we didn’t get to see the beach at its best. Similar to Neil Island, there was a low tide in the afternoon and early evening, making the beach less picturesque. However, we chose not to pass judgment until the next day during high tide. Witnessing the beach transformation on Neil Island gave us hope for a similar experience here. What we truly appreciated was the presence of sun loungers on the beach! Finally, we could sunbathe and unwind by the shore. In my next post, I’ll focus on the beaches of Havelock and provide more details about the beach at our hotel, sharing why these beaches deserve significant attention!
It’s important to note that the hotel’s check-out time is at 9:30, likely due to ferry schedules. Please be aware of this, as it was also the case at the hotel on Neil Island. This timing is likely coordinated with ferry schedules. However, we were allowed to extend the checkout time until 12:00 pm since our ferry wasn’t scheduled until 2:45, giving us more time to enjoy the beach. Additionally, it’s crucial to note that having enough cash at all times is essential. The credit card terminal at the hotel has a daily limit, and once it reaches this limit, card payments are no longer possible. This posed an issue for us during checkout as we didn’t have enough cash to cover the entire stay. Fortunately, one of the receptionists kindly took us to an ATM by scooter to withdraw some money. Although the first ATM was out of service, we eventually found a working one. Thankfully, we had ample time before our ferry departure.
Silver Sands
We didn’t explore many other hotels, but fellow guests recommended checking out the beach bar at the hotel next door as they serve alcohol unlike Sandyy Wavess, which was still in the process of obtaining an alcohol license due to the lengthy procedure in the Andaman Islands. We visited the Silver Sands hotel, which happened to host a Full Moon party on that exact day! While this hotel may not have matched the luxury of ours, it had a pleasant atmosphere. The bungalows, set in a garden of tall trees, were charming, and there was a large pool. The highlight was the beach bar, where we had an amazing time and met some really nice people, including the owner. Most tourists here were from India, with a significant number from Israel, along with a few from Spain and the Netherlands. Surprisingly, no one utilized the expansive stage with a dance floor and a DJ stand right on the beach. The entire party centered around the bar. We were told that usually, the Full Moon parties at Silver Sands attract a large crowd, but that currently, “there are no people on the entire island,” which was indeed accurate.
Dining
The food on the Andaman Islands was truly fantastic. Every dish we tried was exceptionally delicious, and we had a great experience at every restaurant we visited. Havelock had numerous restaurants, and a significant number of them offered excellent quality food. While there might not be many high-end restaurants, that’s the charm of the Andaman Islands. We discovered that Havelock Island has a laid-back atmosphere, attracting young people, surfers, and hipsters, which is evident in many of the restaurants and hotels.
Wild Orchid restaurant
While on Havelock Island, we dined frequently at our hotel, but we also tried out some other restaurants. The prices on Havelock were slightly higher than on Neil Island, especially for items like lobster (although, less than 10 USD is still remarkably cheap for lobster!). On our first day, we had a meal at the restaurant of the Wild Orchid hotel. We didn’t explore the hotel itself, so I can’t provide much insight, but the restaurant was superb! They offered a variety of fresh seafood, and the restaurant had a bamboo-style, open-air setup—no windows, no doors. To access the restaurant, we had to leave our shoes outside. The only drawback of the open-air setting was the mosquitoes, so it’s advisable to bring mosquito repellent if you’re prone to bites like we are. We opted for lobster once again, and although the prices were higher than on Neil Island, it was still under 20 USD, so we had no complaints at all! The taste was delicious. Surprisingly, the restaurant also provided very fast internet, which was a plus for us, allowing us to connect to the world and, most importantly, call my mom to assure her that we were still alive.
Sandyy Wavess restaurant
As previously noted, we dined frequently at our hotel’s lobby restaurant. Every dish we sampled was delicious, and we had the opportunity to taste various Indian dishes. The prices were quite reasonable, considering the quality of both the food and the charming ambiance. The restaurant offered an extensive menu with options ranging from Indian and Chinese to Thai and Western cuisines. It’s always impressive when a restaurant with such diverse choices delivers consistently delicious food. The breakfast selection was also excellent, featuring more Western options than on Neil Island, such as sausages. Personally, I particularly enjoyed the parathas.
Something Different
Upon seeking recommendations from our hotel’s receptionist, we expressed our fondness for live music. They suggested a place called Something Different, known for hosting live music daily and offering complimentary pick-up and drop-off services.
We reached the restaurant around 7 pm. While I’m uncertain if it was truly “Something Different,” there was certainly live music. It was the only restaurant we visited that was packed, though we remained the sole non-Indians. The menu featured diverse dishes—Indian, other Asian, and Western. The food was enjoyable – we decided on lobster again, though now it had become three times as expensive compared to Neil Island. This restaurant was, indeed, pricier. I appreciated, however, that they served wine at this restaurant. It was a pleasant change since I hadn’t had any wine since arriving in India (only cocktails and beers were available on Neil Island). The live music was decent, though I envisioned a live band with instruments. It turned out to be one guy singing to songs from his computer. He began with slow English songs like “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys (not exactly the best choices). Despite this, he was a good singer, and his skills seemed to improve when he switched to Indian songs, which the audience enjoyed more.
The manager and staff put in a lot of effort to make this place popular and satisfy customers. Providing free pickup and drop-off is a testament to that. They even took pictures of all the guests and gave the printed pictures as free gifts. For me, this place might be a bit too commercialized and touristy, but they are definitely making an effort. I tend to prefer places that are either more luxurious or a bit more laid back. However, everyone has their own preferences, and as already mentioned, the lobster was indeed very tasty.
Full Moon Cafe
The last restaurant we visited, and also the one we probably enjoyed the most, was the Full Moon Cafe. This restaurant is not luxurious, and like Wild Orchid, it’s an open-air setting. It is very animal-friendly, so if you are scared of dogs, you should stay away as they might approach you. There is no alcohol served here, no WiFi, but the food was amazing! We both had fish prepared in different ways, and both were delicious. While most restaurants on the Andaman Islands served similar types of food, this restaurant stood out with its unique and very tasty offerings. They must have a really talented chef! I highly recommend visiting this restaurant!
City center / market
We checked out the city center a few times. There are a couple of small grocery stores, a bigger supermarket, a tiny electronics shop, and a small pharmacy. You’ll also find many clothing stores, mostly selling traditional Indian wear and jewelry, with a few Western clothes mixed in. Like on Neil Island, there’s a fruit and vegetable market. What surprised me was the lack of souvenir shops; we only spotted one or two! We were on the hunt for kitchen magnets but had no luck. Instead, we stumbled upon a liquor store where we grabbed some beers for our hotel room since they didn’t serve alcohol there. This liquor spot was tiny (with long lines!) and more like a stall you couldn’t actually step into. Despite its size, they had a good selection, but, like in many places in Asia, wines were on the pricier side compared to other drinks.
Internet and cellphone reception
The hotel’s internet was a bit slow, but we were glad to have any connection. Unfortunately, it was only available in the lobby, and in the last two days, we couldn’t connect at all.
I discovered that many people value the island for its lack of cell phone reception (although we did have some connection on Havelock) and absence of internet. I talked to several hotel owners and individuals who had relocated to the Andaman Islands, and they shared a sense of sorrow about the islands transforming as they attract more tourists. They believed that the original charm of the Andaman Islands, which drew them in, is slowly fading away. I understand their viewpoint; there are few places left that resemble these islands. Both Havelock and Neil Islands are genuinely distinctive, and I’ve never come across anything quite like them before.
Anyah Mroz 