Anyah Mroz

Back to New Delhi

After a long day of exploring Agra and visiting the iconic Taj Mahal, we had a satisfying dinner at the Salt Cafe before returning to our hotel to pick up our luggage for the journey back to New Delhi. Little did we know that this return trip would be an adventure in itself. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly our entire trip had gone so far – from the seamless flights to and from the Andaman Islands, the pleasant ferry rides between the islands, and the comfortable train journey from Jaipur to Agra. Everything fell perfectly into place with no disruptions or delays – a travel experience that surpassed all our expectations.

This time, though, we were genuinely worried. The train station we needed to depart from to reach New Delhi was not the Agra Fort station (where we arrived from Jaipur), but the other train station in Agra, which happened to be much further away from the touristy sites.

Upon arriving at our hotel, I decided to book an Uber to take us to the train station. However, we were surprised when the Uber never showed up. One after another, two or three Uber drivers canceled on us, disappearing from the map. The last one didn’t even make any movement on the map. I’m not sure if this is a common issue with Uber in India, but thankfully, the hotel receptionist came to our rescue and booked an Ola for us, which is similar to Uber. It took about 10 minutes before the Ola driver arrived, but at least it proved reliable!

As the Ola driver finally arrived, we were already running late, and our hope of reaching New Delhi on time was fading fast. If my memory serves me right, it was the last train departing for New Delhi that day, and with our flight scheduled for 9 am the next morning, panic started to set in. This trip had been so smooth and trouble-free until now, and we couldn’t believe we were facing this unexpected challenge. We even contemplated alternative options like taking a bus or renting a car with a driver, but we were concerned that finding suitable transport at this late hour might be a challenge.

Finally, after some hustle, we managed to reach the train station, and there were only 5 minutes left until departure. However, what caught us off guard was the security control, similar to what you experience at airports. Once we cleared it, we immediately began running, desperately trying to locate our platform. The screens displaying train numbers and platforms seemed to change at a snail’s pace, leaving us with no time to spare. We asked around, but no one seemed to have any information. In a last-ditch effort, we rushed to the other side of the train track, hoping against hope that the train was there, but it wasn’t. We felt defeated, thinking we had missed the train, as it was already past the departure time.

We felt discouraged, thinking we had missed the train, as it was already past the departure time. Slowly, we made our way back to the other side of the track when suddenly, to our immense relief, we saw our train approaching. To our surprise, it had a 10-minute delay! This was the first delay we encountered throughout the entire journey, and we couldn’t have been luckier. I must confess, I’ve never felt such a sense of relief and joy about catching a train!

The train ride from Agra to New Delhi was even shorter than the one from Jaipur, lasting about 2 hours. As expected, food and drinks were included in the price, similar to our experience on the ferries. Being a food enthusiast, I couldn’t resist trying it out. Admittedly, it may not have looked too appetizing, but I was pleasantly surprised by its taste. Despite being “train food,” it turned out to be quite enjoyable, and to address any concerns, I can happily confirm that I didn’t experience any sickness.

Upon arriving at a train station in New Delhi, we realized it was quite far away from the airport. Apparently, there are multiple train stations in the city, and we seemed to have chosen the one farthest from the airport. Opting for a cab, we embarked on a one-hour ride to our hotel. Along the way, we couldn’t help but notice how much the city had changed since our initial impression. In my earlier post about New Delhi, I openly shared my negative surprise, as it looked nothing like my previous experiences in India and seemed rather unattractive. However, on this journey, I had a completely different perception. Perhaps the smog had cleared, or the route we took was more picturesque, or maybe we had become accustomed to the less visually appealing sights of India. Whatever the reason, we were pleasantly surprised to find New Delhi looking much better than we remembered on our first day of arrival.

When planning our stay in New Delhi, we were determined not to book the same hotel or choose a hotel in the same neighborhood as our first night. Instead, we settled on the jusTa Atrio, which was a 15-minute drive from the airport, just 5 minutes more than our previous hotel. With modest expectations due to the affordable price, we still hoped for a better experience than our previous accommodations in New Delhi and Port Blair.

As we arrived at the hotel in a taxi, we were taken aback by what we saw. The hotel, which cost us around 50 USD per night, exceeded our expectations. It boasted a spacious garden and a swimming pool, and its ambience could easily rival that of a 5-star hotel in many other countries, including Norway. The joy we felt at discovering this serene and elegant retreat made us forget about the chaotic and unappealing area of Mahipalpur.

We were sad to leave the jusTa Atrio hotel, as we would have loved to stay an extra day to relax after the busy days in Agra and Jaipur. The peaceful surroundings had provided us with a much-needed break from our journey, and we cherished the time spent there. However, our travel plans called for us to move on, and we cherished the memories of the peaceful oasis it provided.

Sadly, our India trip came to an end. The following day, we departed for the airport in the early hours and flew back to Norway via Finland. Looking back, it was an incredible and unforgettable journey through India and the Andaman Islands. We already long to return and explore more of this fascinating country in the future!

Agra

After two nights in Jaipur, it was time for the last destination of our trip before heading back to New Delhi. You may already know what Agra is famous for: the Taj Mahal! I have been wanting to go to the Taj Mahal for a long time, therefore, getting the chance to finally come here was like a dream coming true. However, as beautiful as I found Jaipur to be, Agra was rather ugly.

Train from Jaipur to Agra

From Jaipur, we decided to take the train to Agra. We could have actually taken the plane, which would have not really costed us much more, but we wanted take the train for the sake of the experience, and I thought I would see a lot of India through the window. Well, I was wrong, there was not really much to be seen through the window, but it was only like a 3-4 hour train ride, so it went by very fast. The only real downside with this train ride was the air conditioning! It was freezing cold inside of the wagon. Other than that, there was nothing wrong with the train, the wagon we sat in was better than many of the ones that I have taken in Europe. However, the air conditioned wagon is of much better quality than the other wagons are, and I am fully aware of the huge differences here. I was also advised to stay away from the lavatories.

Arriving in Agra

Once we arrived in Agra at the Agra Fort station, we were surprised about how chaotic this city was. It was definitely not the most beautiful city I have seen in India so far, as already mentioned, it was a rather ugly city. I wish I could explain how extremely chaotic it was, but I am afraid that my descriptions will not do justice.

We found a rickshaw that took us to our hotel. Again, we were almost getting scammed and I am not even going to write about it anymore. Most importantly, we arrived at our hotel, but it was a very long process. Apparently, our hotel changed its name after we booked it, and our confirmation from booking.com did not have the full address on it! After stopping and asking hundreds of people about where the hotel was, we finally found it. The hotel we booked, Kamla Palace, was not a luxurious hotel or anything, because the whole point with booking this hotel was to have a place to keep our luggage. I might have not already mentioned it, but we only came to Agra for one day, and we planned to leave in the evening back to New Delhi. We therefore chose a very cheap hotel, but compared to the hotels we stayed at in New Delhi and Port Blair, this hotel was actually very OK. There absolutely was nothing wrong with it, and it even had a little view of the Taj Mahal.

Before heading to the Taj Mahal, we decided to go for lunch at a restaurant called Pinch of Salt, a restaurant not to far from the hotel. It is a good restaurant that I recommend going to when visiting Agra.

Taj Mahal

Now to the most important part of Agra: the Taj Mahal. I always had this dream about having my photo taken in front of the Taj Mahal wearing a red sari. That dream, however, did not come true, but I had my pink sari on from Mauritius, which was not too bad either. I only had one concern when I planned it all: how will I put it on? Believe me, it is not an easy thing. My initial plan was to ask some girl working in the hotel to help me wrap my sari. That was a very bad plan. In fact, I did not see any women working in any of the hotels we stayed at during our India trip! Maybe if I’d stay in the Oberoi or another big 5 star resort, that could have been possible, but don’t count on anything like that if you plan on staying in a small local hotel. Luckily, my sari was now ready-made so I no longer needed the help I was anticipating.

We bought the entry tickets to Taj Mahal at the counter, and as non-Indian tourists, we could get inside through an express line (just like at all the other landmarks that we visited in New Delhi). Well in the end we did pay much more than Indian nationals. You will receive a token, which you will need to keep with you at all times, because you WILL need it when you leave, otherwise you won’t get out.

The first thing I noticed once we entered, was how extremely big the Taj Mahal is. Remember what I wrote about Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi? I wrote that it looked a lot like Taj Mahal. Well, after seeing Taj Mahal with my own eyes, this was definitely not the case! Taj Mahal was much bigger, and much more beautiful. For instance, I had no idea that the Taj Mahal was all made of marble! After seeing it, I definitely agree that this must be one of the most beautiful buildings ever created. We were quite lucky with both the weather and the amount of people visiting. The smog was completely gone, so we could see everything clearly and the photos became great. Surprisingly, there were also not as many people as I imagined there to be, possibly due to the fact that it was not high season yet. When we got the the main building, we had to remove our shoes or put shoe covers on our shoes, which we were given for free. Because of this practice, it was very clean everywhere. Did I already say how beautiful the scenery was here? The building stands next to a river so from there you can see both the river, a beautiful garden and other beautiful buildings surrounding the main building. Again, a lot of people wanted selfies with me. This time, however, it almost became a bit exhausting. Don’t get me wrong, I still find it cute, but it became really difficult to walk from one point to the other, because the lines to take a photo with me became very long. It must have been because of the sari? A giant foreigner wearing a sari is probably not a common sight.

After visiting the beautiful Taj Mahal, it was time for a very quick dinner at the Salt Cafe. It was our last dinner in India, so we wanted to go somewhere special. According to our receptionist, the Salt Cafe is the best restaurant in Agra, so we thought it would be perfect. Indeed, it is another great restaurant that I highly recommend! Not only was the food great, but it really is a beautifully designed luxurious restaurant with professional staff.

After the dinner, we had to hurry to the train station from where we would head back to New Delhi by train. Despite the fact that we almost missed our train, it was a very busy but successful day.

Jaipur

During our two-week-long trip to India, we spent two nights in Jaipur. Since we arrived in the evening, we only had one full day to explore the city. It became evident quite swiftly that a single day is insufficient to uncover all that this beautiful city has to offer. Jaipur, to me, embodies the India I always envisioned—a fairy-tale-like destination and one of the country’s architectural wonders.

Umaid Bhawan: A heritage style hotel

We chose to stay at a Heritage hotel called Umaid Bhawan. Despite not being the grand luxury hotel in Jodhpur with the same name, it held its own charm. This “small” palace, designed in Rajasthani style, was a feast for the eyes. Merely wandering through the hotel felt like an experience in itself, with hidden gems waiting to be discovered on every floor. Staying in such places is a must when visiting Jaipur or other destinations in Rajasthan, given the region’s renown for its palaces and castles. It’s similar to the recommendation for Marrakesh, where opting for a Riad over a large resort enhances the overall experience.

We opted to dine at our hotel for dinner on two occasions. The restaurant, situated on the rooftop, offered a breathtaking setting. Picture a beautiful evening with live Rajasthani music and a dancer, adding an extra special touch to the ambiance. The delicious food added to the overall experience. In summary, we had an incredible time at this historic hotel, and I highly recommend it!

Sari stitching

On the first evening, my main goal was to find a place to get my sari blouse stitched. This sari held sentimental value as I had it since my trip to Mauritius many years ago, and I wanted to wear it to the Taj Mahal. However, in every clothing store we visited, we were told they couldn’t handle the stitching due to the unique handmaid embroideries on the sari.

While searching for a solution, we were approached by a rickshaw driver who claimed he knew a place that could fix it. Initially skeptical, we decided to follow him, and indeed, he took us to a spot where they could stich the blouse. They even offered to make the sari “ready-made,” making it much easier to put on. Everything seemed fine, except they were quite persistent in trying to sell us many other items. Somehow, we managed to leave without making additional purchases.

Our rickshaw driver, whom we grew fond of, waited for us outside and drove us back to the hotel. Impressed by his helpfulness, we decided to book him for the entire next day to show us around Jaipur!

Sightseeing

On the second day, we embarked on a day-trip with the rickshaw driver we had from the previous day. This young and friendly guy turned out to be quite knowledgeable about Jaipur and its history. If you’re in need of a reliable rickshaw driver in the Jaipur area, feel free to contact me, and I’ll provide you with his phone number. He guided us through all the main neighborhoods, showcasing the most beautiful landmarks and interesting sights for sightseeing.

Given the limited time, we couldn’t cover everything, but I’m pleased with what we managed to explore in such a short span. We began with the essential sights in the Pink City, an area enclosed by walls on all sides. While Jaipur is often referred to as the Pink City, it’s specifically this historic part with buildings colored in shades of pink, or more accurately, beige. The Pink City has a captivating charm, and upon entering through its walls, it feels like stepping into a tale from 1001 Arabian Nights. It is also home to the famous Hawa Mahal, where we took a quick pause for some photos. As we explored, we drove past numerous other beautiful landmarks; the Pink City is truly adorned with them.

Leaving the Pink City, our next stop was the Albert Hall Museum—a truly beautiful place. I’m not typically a museum person, but this one is worth a visit, if only for its remarkable architecture.

Following the museum visit, we headed to a place known as the Monkey Temple, and true to its name, it was a temple filled with a lot of monkeys! The ascent up the hill was quite a walk, and along the way, many monkeys approached us, attempting to grab items like water and food. Despite the temple being relatively small, it provided a unique and cool experience, and the view over Jaipur from the top was truly beautiful!

After the Monkey Temple, our driver guided us to an elephant sanctuary, promising an opportunity to pet and feed the elephants. However, we soon realized they were attempting to scam us, prompting us to cut our visit short. They engaged us in a lengthy conversation about the supposed good work they did for the elephants, claiming they had many elephants freely roaming somewhere. Oddly, only two were visible and available for interaction. What struck us as peculiar was that these elephants remained motionless the entire time.

After about 30 minutes, the person talking to us pulled out a pen and paper and started noting down some figures. It became clear that he was calculating the extremely high fees he expected us to pay. The proposed fees for petting and feeding the elephants were ridiculously high. We promptly decided to leave, and even our rickshaw driver seemed embarrassed when he heard the prices—prices that were three to four times higher than what he charged for the entire day of driving us around.

Our final destination was the Amer Fort. It’s unquestionably a must-visit in Jaipur—a truly stunning fort and palace! While it demands a climb up a considerable number of steps, the experience is undeniably worthwhile. Once again, ascending to the fort creates a magical and indescribable atmosphere, reminiscent of being in an Aladdin movie. Naturally, there were plenty of people, both children and adults, asking for selfies with me! How cute is that?!

Upon returning to the hotel, we were incredibly tired. Today’s sightseeing proved to be exceptionally exhausting, and I couldn’t help but wish for more days to fully appreciate all that we did. With additional time, the experience might have been even more enjoyable. On our way back to the hotel, I collected my ready-made sari, which I wore for dinner. I might need to make a few adjustments to the blouse myself as it doesn’t look as nice as I hoped, but I’m thrilled that my sari is now ready-made, making it easy to put on.

After dinner, we were so tired and exhausted that we fell asleep instantly. This experience reinforced my belief that one day in Jaipur is undoubtedly too short. I hope to return to this beautiful city someday, but next time, I’ll make sure to allocate at least three days to explore it more thoroughly.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Traveling from the Andaman Islands to Jaipur

After some unforgettable days on the Andaman Islands, it was time to journey further. Our next destinations were the two remaining cities of the Golden Triangle: Jaipur and Agra. (We had visited New Delhi before heading to the Andaman Islands); see earlier posts). We flew from Port Blair to Jaipur with a brief stopover in Kolkata.

Port Blair airport

There are a few important things to know when flying from the domestic airport in Port Blair. While I’m aware that there is a new airport in development, some aspects are worth mentioning. First and foremost, it’s crucial to arrive at the airport quite early. We were unprepared for this and likely would have missed our flight if the staff hadn’t been accommodating, and the plane hadn’t waited for the remaining passengers. Despite the airport’s small size, the lines were substantial, and the entire check-in process took an unusually long time—probably 1.5 hours or more! We initially arrived two hours before the scheduled departure time, thinking it might be too much time for a domestic flight from a tiny airport. In the end, we made it, but it could have been more challenging.

When we finally reached the counter to check in our luggage, that counter closed, so we had to move to another one. This meant going in front of somebody else who had been waiting just as long (and just as annoyed) in the other line—a less-than-fun experience. As we were about to check in our luggage, the lady at the counter looked at us with surprise and informed us that we hadn’t sealed our suitcases! Fortunately, she allowed us to leave the line, quickly seal our suitcases, and return to the counter, securing our place at the front of the line once again (apologies to the person we had to pass, who was equally annoyed). Sealing the luggage was a completely new process for me; it involved going to a security checkpoint where they checked my ticket and screened my suitcase, then sealed it using a plastic security seal as evidence that it had been screened. An intriguing process, so be aware of this before heading to the check-in counter.

With our luggage finally checked in, we hurried through security and made a dash to the waiting plane. During our rush, it didn’t seem like there was much to do at the airport—there was, in fact, nothing. However, don’t let that discourage you from arriving early. Once on the plane, we could finally relax. This time, we flew with another Indian airline, IndiGo, and it was just as fine

Stopover in Kolkata

On the way to Jaipur, we had a brief stopover in Kolkata. The flight time to Kolkata was around two hours, followed by another two hours or so to Jaipur. Kolkata looked quite nice from the air, and it has now made its way onto my bucket list. The airport was also pleasant, although we had very little time and barely had a moment to grab a bite to eat.

When we arrived in Jaipur, our first stop was the prepaid taxi stand. This time, we made sure to talk to the right person at the counter to avoid the same trap we encountered in New Delhi! The ride from the airport was quite lengthy, but at least we had the opportunity to glimpse the surroundings through the windows. We were pleasantly surprised by how nice and clean the city appeared, especially when compared to New Delhi. It reminded me of the Mumbai I had in mind, and I’m pleased that my perception of India took a positive turn again. There was undoubtedly something mystical about this city, and I’ll delve more into it in my next two posts.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Port Blair

Port Blair serves as the capital and the largest city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Opting to stay in Port Blair for one night proved practical, especially considering our early morning flight the next day. Additionally, taking a ferry from Havelock or Neil Island on the same day as your flight can be quite risky due to potential uncertainties like storms or unforeseen cancellations.

City Center

Eager to extend our stay on beautiful Havelock, we did not book the latest ferry because of possible cancellation.we intentionally avoided booking the last ferry due to potential cancellations. After arriving in Port Blair after dark, we quikly took a rickshaw to our hotel, changed, and explored the city. While Port Blair is known for attractions such as the renowned colonial prison, our main aim was to experience the city itself.Unfortunately, the weather was unfavorable with heavy rainfall.

The unfavorable weather somewhat spoiled our Port Blair experience, we still managed to take a walk an explore the main streets on foot where numerous shops and restaurants were located. Port Blair was indeed larger than the city center of Havelock, with a variety of shops. The shops we explored had a wide range of items for sale, including clothing, paintings, kitchenware, and more. Toward the end of the street, there was a substantial market offering a diverse selection of vegetables and clothing.

After walking through the crowded street for a while, we decided to take a rickshaw and find a place to eat. Our choice led us to New Light House Restaurant, an open-air seafood spot on the second floor. The restaurant turned out to be quite satisfying, and it seemed to be a popular choice among foreigners, possibly due to its offering of a view, though somewhat limited. The amusing part of the situation was encountering a Spanish couple we had previously met at the bar at Silver Sands on Havelock – and they were at the same restaurant! The coincidence of sharing the exact time and place with someone from Europe whom we had already met on a different island made the situation quite funny, given the limited presence of non-Indian tourists in the area.

Hotel

The hotel stay in Port Blair was quite disappointing. Our room, inconveniently situated in the basement, was right next to the entrance to the dining hall where breakfast was served. Despite having read numerous positive reviews about this place, my personal experience was completely different. Initially, there was no comforter provided, only a fleece blanket. Upon calling the reception and requesting an alternative, I was informed that they didn’t have any other options available.
In response, I went upstairs and personally requested something to at least wrap the fleece blanket in. Fortunately, they were able to provide me with what I needed. Secondly, as mentioned earlier, the room’s location in the basement with just one tiny window was another drawback. Thirdly, as it was situated right next to the dining hall, we were unable to sleep starting from 5 am, given the staff’s extremely loud conversations while preparing for breakfast. I had never before encountered such a situation. Despite all these challenges, we managed to get some sleep and were prepared for the journey to the mainland of India the next day.

Overall, Port Blair differed significantly from the beautiful and quiet island of Havelock, just a short ferry ride away. The atmosphere was more chaotic, but my less favorable impression of the place might have been influenced by the consistently bad weather.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Havelock’s Beaches

Heading to the Andaman Islands, I encountered diverse opinions about the beaches on Havelock and the entire Andaman archipelago. My previous disappointment with Neil Island’s beaches left me uncertain about what awaited me on Havelock. In this description, I’ll share my experiences at two beaches on Havelock Island: Rada Nagar Beach and Vijay Nagar Beach, the latter being the location of our hotel.

Rada Nagar Beach

Rada Nagar is renowned as one of the most stunning beaches in Asia. I was determined to explore it early in the morning to witness its best features: during high tide and in good weather. I believed that clear skies would enhance the beach’s beauty, bringing out the vibrant colors of the sea. With experience from various Asian beaches, we were excited to see what awaited us at Rada Nagar.

We visited the lobby and requested the receptionists to arrange a rickshaw for us. However, they promptly discouraged us from opting for a rickshaw to reach Rada Nagar beach due to its steep and uphill terrain, along with the unavailability of rickshaws for the return journey. Instead, they suggested using the hotel’s private taxi service, assuring us that the driver would take us to the beach and later pick us up. While the taxi prices in this area were higher than in other parts of India, it was entirely understandable. Despite the relatively increased cost, it was still reasonable for such an extended roundtrip.

Rada Nagar Beach is situated on the opposite side of the island, and it’s worth noting that Havelock Island is considerably larger than Neil Island. The scenery on the route to Rada Nagar was remarkably beautiful. The road cut through a rainforest in the hills of the Andaman Islands, surrounded only by nature. I appreciated the natural growth of palm trees, distinct from Spain, Egypt, or Turkey, where the sporadically planted palms can sometimes appear somewhat dry. It also differed from the Dominican Republic, where hotels strategically place palm trees on the beach to achieve a more tropical and postcard-like ambiance. This was a distinct experience. It truly felt like a tropical paradise, and I enjoyed it immensely! The taxi driver left us at the pathway to the beach, as he couldn’t drive any farther. Walking along this path, we encountered a few restaurants, small grocery stores, and street food stalls offering items such as samosas and coconuts. Passing by them, we finally arrived at the beach.

When we reached the beach, we were amazed. The beauty of this beach is beyond words. We were overjoyed—this was the paradise I had been searching for! Initially, there were quite a few people at the beginning of the beach, but they seemed to prefer staying in groups in a particular area. Therefore, we walked all the way to the right where there was absolutely no one! The entire beach was ours! As mentioned, we arrived early to experience it during high tide, but it turned out that wasn’t necessary. The beach was equally stunning during low tide, if not more so, as it widened. There was no seaweed, dirt, or trash—just a pristine, white beach!

Comparing this beach to others I’ve visited, it stands out as one of the most beautiful I’ve experienced. The large waves, which we thoroughly enjoyed, didn’t hinder the surprisingly transparent water that made our feet visible even in deeper areas. The warm water temperature, coupled with a pleasant breeze, added to the unique charm of this beach. Not only was it long and uncrowded, but it also lacked any visible buildings, except for the occasional ferry to Port Blair and Neil Island. From the water, all you could see was the beach and the rainforest, creating a serene atmosphere with only the sounds of nature—crashing waves, birds, and wind, free from the noise of cars and crowds. It made me wonder how many more pristine beaches like this still exist. There were no sun loungers or umbrellas, but we found shade under a tree, appreciating the beach’s extreme cleanliness, enforced by strict rules against bringing food, coconuts, or anything that could litter the beach. We initially wanted to buy a coconut but were promptly informed that it wasn’t allowed. The only snack available for the beach was a crushed samosa wrapped in newspaper.

On the beach, “invisible” lifeguards kept a watchful eye on everyone. Though I’m not sure where they were hiding—maybe in the forest behind the beach—one of them suddenly approached us. He kindly requested that we not venture too deep into the water. When we mentioned our swimming abilities, he explained that while we might be good swimmers, many locals are not, and if they see us going too far, they might attempt the same. We understood and happily stayed closer to the shore, just grateful for the chance to enjoy such a stunning beach.

We remained on the beach until the afternoon, as per our agreement with the driver. I’m glad we set a specific time since there was still no cellphone reception, and transportation options like taxis or rickshaws were nowhere to be found. While we could have spent the entire day on this beautiful beach, it turned out to be a wise decision not to, as we ended up getting quite sunburned.

Vijay Nagar Beach

We decided to dedicate two of our days to the beach at our hotel, known as Vijay Nagar Beach. Aware of the low tide setting in during the afternoon, we made it a point to rise early and head to the beach. Until the second day of our stay, we had only seen this beach during low tide and cloudy weather upon arrival, so we hadn’t fully appreciated its beauty. A smile couldn’t help but form on my face as I witnessed the true allure of this beach. With calm waters and no waves, the crystal-clear sea displayed a beautiful turquoise color. The sand was incredibly white, almost blinding to the eyes. As we waded into the sea, groups of fish leapt away in front of our feet, creating a magical sight.

What made this beach even more special was the lush nature of jungles and rainforests that surrounded it. Similar to Rada Nagar beach, no buildings were visible from the water; hotels were discreetly nestled behind gardens of palm trees and other tropical flora. While this beach reminded me of some in Thailand or the Koh Rong Samloem island in Cambodia, the water’s color seemed even more beautiful here.The beach’s unique charm was heightened by its natural surroundings, surrounded solely by untouched nature. Moreover, we had the entire beach to ourselves, with no other people in sight. Perhaps it was because the majority of visitors were Indian tourists who didn’t spend much time on the beach, or maybe it was due to the island having few people in general. Whatever the reason, it suited us perfectly.

Other beaches

Havelock is renowned for its many stunning beaches, but we only explored the two mentioned earlier. Our initial plan included a visit to Elephanta Beach, famous for its elephants swimming alongside visitors. Although the elephants are no longer present, we heard it’s an excellent spot for snorkeling. Unfortunately, swimming and snorkeling were prohibited during our stay, and the beach had shifted its focus to motorized water activities, not aligning with our preferences after our experiences on Neil Island.
In addition, access to the beach requires an approximately 30-minute walk through the jungle, which became even more problematic as the beach had also been temporarily closed due to the recent cyclone. We were informed that this path becomes particularly hazardous and slippery after a cyclone, maintaining its slippery condition for an extended period following the rain. This is a crucial consideration for potential visitors, and it’s important to note that there is no alternative land route; the only options are traversing through the jungle or arriving by boat.

We were also informed about another beautiful beach featuring some “special” rocks nearby, situated on the same side of the island as our hotel. However, after witnessing the beauty of the beach at our hotel, we opted to stay there.

It’s worth mentioning that before our trip to the Andaman Islands, I read several blogs where people expressed disappointment in Havelock and the Andaman Islands overall. Some argued there were no beautiful beaches and that the pictures online were actually from Thailand. This left me confused. Did they explore different beaches than we did? It seems probable.

Havelock, in general, exceeded my expectations with its stunning beaches. The initial disappointment I felt after visiting Neil Island vanished completely, and the beaches in Havelock truly resembled paradise. Even now, back in my home country, the beauty of the two beaches I explored lingers in my memory, and I genuinely hope to return someday. The Andaman Islands offer breathtaking scenery, wonderful people, delicious food, and pristine beaches. It stands out as one of the most exotic places I’ve visited, and I highly recommend it to anyone who shares my taste in vacations. You’ll fall in love with it!

Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Exploring Havelock’s Hotels, Culinary Adventures, and More

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.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Traveling to Havelock from Neil Island

I already wrote about traveling to Neil island in my first post about the Andaman and Nicobar islands. The procedure to get to Havelock from Neil Island was pretty much the same. It is the same ferry company (Makruzz) opreating between the islands, and the ferry we took was actually the same exact ferry that took us from Port Blair to Neil Island. We were even assigned the same exact seats!

On the day of the departure, we decided to sleep a little longer, because we were not going to the beach. What we did not know, however, was that the check out time was as early as 10:30! That was not something I had never encountered before, but we talked to the receptionists and they agreed to give us a later check out. I do,however, understand why the check-out time is that early: there are only a few ferries arriving a day, so they want to make sure that the rooms are ready for the people arriving with the next ferry. We had breakfast and waited at the Dugong restaurant before taking the rickshaw to the jetty. We figured it was better to wait in the hotel with a beer than by the jetty with our suitcases, because there is nowhere even to sit down over there.

When we finally got to the jetty port, we had to first go to the Makruzz office to verify our tickets. It is important to mention that you should call the Makruzz office the day before to make sure the ferry runs as scheduled. At first, I thought the purpose of the phone call was to verify your ticket, but that was not the case, it was only to check whether there are no changes in the schedule. Of course, we went to the wrong office at first. There are two ferries going from Neil Island; the Makruzz, and the governmental ferry, which I believe is only for the locals. It is not very clear where to go, but we finally found the ticket office and had our tickets verified. There was no need to show our passports like we had to in Port Blair, and there was also no security control this time. I guess that if we already went through the security control in Port Blair, it was enough. It is not like there are many other ways to get to the islands anyway.

We entered the ferry and the ferry departed around 15-20 minutes earlier. On the ticket, it is written that we should be at the jetty port 1 hour before the scheduled deprature time. The fact that the ferry left that much earlier made me understand the importance of actually being there 1 hour earlier. As mentioned earlier, I would recommend buying the ticket online (the sale opens 1 month in advance), unless you are a backpacker and haven’t booked your accommodation yet. The reason why I recommend buying the ticket in advance is because the ferry was almost completely full, although the islands were quite empty! I can imagine that once the high season is fully started, getting tickets for the ferry on the same day can become an issue

There were absolutely no waves on the way to Havelock. Again, we were served a sandwich with ketchup and free water while watching Bollywood music videos on the TV screens. I think the whole trip took around 50 minutes. I was really curious about the beaches in Havelock, and my expectations had lowered after Neil Island. However, when we were onboard the ferry and saw the island from far away, it looked like there were many beautiful white beaches on Havelock. But the Bharatpur beach did also look beautiful from far away, we thought.

Onboard the ferry, we met some really nice Indian ladies who kept feeding us Indian snacks. Apparently they were on a girls only trip and came from all over India. These women had traveled a lot around the world, including the Maldives and Mauritius, and were just as disappointed as I was with the beaches of Neil Island (although the Bharatpur beach was really not to bad in the end!).

When we arrived at the jetty port in Havelock, we instantly saw a different kind of the Andaman Islands that we had gotten to know so far. You could really tell that this island had been open for tourists much longer than Neil Island, and that much more was invested here. The jetty port was bigger, the roads were wider (and with less wholes!), and there were also pavements for the pedestrians! We took the rickshaw to our hotel from the jetty port.. Surprisingly, the rickshaws here were much smaller than on Neil Island, and we barely fit with our two suitcases. However, in the end we arrived safely at the hotel regardless of the very uncomfortable ride.

See my next posts for more information about Havelock island.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Neil Island – Part 2 (The beaches of Neil Island)

In the previous post, I wrote about the rocky beach of our hotel, which was completely unswimmable. This beach kind of ruined our imagination of the paradise like beaches of the Andaman Islands. However, we were told to check out other beaches of the island and luckily we did.

Laxmanpur beach (Sunset beach)

We went for a walk to the famous sunset beach. There were not many people walking on the beach; I think we only passed like 2 people who probably were some hotel staff members. The Sunset beach was indeed much more beautiful than the beach at our hotel because it was wider, and because it was “sandier”. Other that that, it was not good for swimming, because there were still too many rocks in the water. Because of the waves, it would have been rather dangerous. We did not go to this beach during sunset, but I am sure it must be beautiful! There were also a few food stalls on the beach for those who are into street food. We personally preferred to eat at the Dugong restaurant in our hotel, which was amazing (see my previous post)! The walk to Sunset Beach was quite far from the hotel, and we decided to walk back using the road. The road goes through the jungle, so the scenery is really beautiful. It was kind of annoying, however, how all the cars passing were honking at us, but I guess this really is a part of the Indian culture. They were even honking at us after they had already passed us, like “hey, I forgot to honk so I have to make up for it”. One thing I missed a bit was seeing some exotic animals (other than cows, goats and dogs!). We were warned about crocodiles near the beach, but I am starting to think that is all a myth.

Bharatpur beach

We were told that the Bharatpur beach was the best beach of Neil Island, and we visited this beach on the second and third day of our stay. On our second day, we planned to wake up early and go to the beach as early as possible, however, we did not succeed. We were so jet-lagged that we ended up sleeping in.

We took a rickshaw from the hotel to the beach. The beach was by the jetty and the ride costed us 100 INR. From the jetty, we walked to the nicest part of the beach. There were lots of souvenir stalls here selling jewellery made of shells and pearl, and other stalls selling snacks, coconuts (40 INR) and fruit. There were a few water activities organised, such as Jet ski and Banana boats. The Indian tourists seemed to really enjoy the Jet ski, but what I found quite interesting was that you could not rent your own Jet Ski, but you had to ride it with a driver, and the ride only took like 2 minutes maximum! Well, the most important thing is that it seemed like they really enjoyed it.

We were a bit disappointed by the beach, because there was a low tide and the beach did not look too inviting. However, there were indeed no rocks in this area.There were no sun loungers or chairs to rent, so we walked quite far, away from all the fishing boats, to find the best spot to lie down on our towels. As already mentioned, this is the beach by the jetty, so you can see all the ferries coming in and out. Because of the low tide, the walk to the water was pretty long, and we were too afraid to leave our things behind on the beach to go swimming. Going one by one would not have been fun either, as the walk to get to the water would take like 30 minutes! It would have especially not been fun for me who was wearing a bikini. Bikinis are not completely uncommon on the Andaman Islands, but most people would still stare. So basically, we did not go swimming that day. We shortly understood that this island is not yet well prepared for western tourists who want to tan and go swimming. Regardless, I must admit that the water itself was very crystal clear and the color of the water was beautiful.

We decided to have some lunch on the beach. There were lots of restaurants on the beach, so we opted for the restaurant all the way at the end, because it played music. And guess what! They had internet! Or basically it seemed like one of the guys just sold us his own cell phone internet that we connected to. We had to pay 100 INR (1.50 USD) for 30 minutes, but it was quite nice to connect to the world again. And there was nothing wrong with the internet, it was good enough to post some snapchats and make a Whatsapp call to my mom to inform her that we were alive. The restaurant was directly on the beach, and we had a great time eating chilli prawns and chilli paneer, while playing with the cutest small puppies and kittens that kept approaching us.

The next day, we decided to fulfil yesterday’s plan and wake up early to give the Bharatpur beach another chance. We took the rickshaw to the beach again, and the time was somewhere around 8 in the morning when we left. Upon arrival, we were happy to see a beautiful beach with high tide! The beach looked completely different: the water was so beautiful and transparent. We finally found the type of beach that we had associated the Andaman Islands with, at least to some degree. The later it got, the more turquoise did the water turn and it really felt like paradise. The ferries coming in and out did no longer bother us. We walked very far from shore because it was very shallow for a long time. We were a bit worried about leaving our things behind on the beach, but everyone we talked to assured us that nothing would happen because the people of Andaman Islands are extremely good and honest and very little crime exists on the islands. In fact, we met two police officers in the water who told us the exact same thing. The further we walked the more beautiful and more transparent the water became and the sand was as soft as flour. Absolutely amazing. After staying in the water for hours, it was already low tide again. We then decided to go on a snorkeling trip. We were the only ones signing up for the trip so we had a private trip on a glass-bottom boat. The snorkeling was quite good although I am a little spoiled after my last trip to Cambodia. Regardless, there was definitely a lot to see; plenty of fish of all sizes and beautiful corals.

Although most beaches on Neil Island were not as beautiful as expected, in the end we were extremely satisfied with the Bharatpur beach, and we were really regretting not going swimming the day before, and not waking up in time for the high tide. We were now curious about the beaches of Havelock island where we were going next!

Is it worth going to Neil Island?

Whether it is worth going to Neil Island or not can be discussed. I personally loved to have the opportunity to visit two completely different islands: Neil Island and Havelock. Neil island may not have the best beaches, I personally only enjoyed the Bharatpur beach, but only in the morning hours! However, the Island is very tiny and has a very beautiful nature, which makes up for it. I do not recommend staying here for longer than 3 days, because there is not much to do. I can imagine it is perfect for Indian tourists who want to escape all the crowds and enjoy the calmness of this island, but for western tourists, I can imagine that 2-3 days is enough. In a later post, I will make a comparison between the two islands and explain the cons and pros of both islands.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Neil Island – Part 1

After doing some research, we decided to visit 2 islands: Neil Island and Havelock. We started with 3 days on Neil island. Neil Island is as exotic as it can get. It is a very peaceful island with a tropical forest, different than any other islands I have visited. It is still very under developed, not to mention the electricity turning on and off all the time, but at the same time it is the home to many beautiful hotels for an unforgettable stay. I can imagine that to some people, the island might have very little to offer, but for people like me who really enjoy the beach life, the greenery and the calmness of this island, it truly is a worthy and an unforgettable experience. During our stay, the whole island was quite empty, which we found quite surprising because the high season was just about to start (it was November!). We were later told that this was due to the recent cyclone. Another thing that really caught my attention was the extremely friendly and helpful local people!

Hotels on Neil Island

We were very happy with our hotel choice on Neil Island. The name of the hotel was Neil Seashell (see my youtube video of the hotel). Staying in a decent hotel was important to us, because we knew we would spend quite some time in the hotel. The hotel consisted of many modern, wooden cottages located in a tropical forest. The cottages were literally located inside a garden of palm trees and other exotic plants. We were assigned a beautiful room, which we were extremely satisfied with. The room category of our assigned room was an “Andaman Cottage”, and although this was not the highest category, I still think this was one of the better rooms in the entire complex, if not the best. This room specifically stood out because it was a corner room, and also the closest room to the beach, so the view from bed of the sea shining through the forest of palm trees was amazing. Waking up early to this beautiful view while listening to the sounds of the jungle was an indescribable feeling.

The only downside with this hotel was the lack of swimming pool, because the rocks make the beach unswimmable. And I really mean unswimmable, even if wearing water shoes (yes, we tried!). There are a few hammocks on the beach, but unfortunately no sun loungers, so it might not be the perfect place for someone who wants to lie on the beach and tan all day. I guess this is because Neil Island is not yet prepared for non-Indian tourists, and Indian tourists are not exactly much into tanning or sitting in the sun. However, to me this makes the place even more unique and exotic to me. During the low tide, you can see all the rocks and it does not look too nice. The high tide was only in the morning, but even then it was impossible to swim. We were a little bit disappointed about this part at first, because it was not the kind of Andaman Islands that we had imagined. Of course, we already knew about this after checking the hotel reviews online, but we were hoping it would be a bit better than expected. However, we were told there were other beaches better for swimming nearby, so we were looking very much forward to check them out (see my next post!).

For someone who is on a stricter budget, there are plenty of other hotels on the island. For example, we visited the CS Premier hotel, a completely new hotel which had only been open for 1 week. We where given a tour of the hotel by a very friendly receptionist who showed us the rooms and the dining hall, and I was very positively surprised by this hotel. The interior was quite modern, with chandeliers and stylish furniture. The restaurant at the hotel had many options on the menu, and the meals were quite cheap. The only downside is that the hotel is not located on the beach, but on the other hand, we did not exactly use the beach in our hotel either.

The last hotel we visited was the Seashell Samsara, the newest hotel of the Seashell group on Neil Island. The only reason we visited this hotel was because we wanted to try a restaurant of another hotel for a change. However, it turned out it was the same exact restaurant as in our hotel, it even had the same name and the same menu! It really is a beautiful and a true luxury hotel though. The style of the hotel and the wooden architecture reminded a bit of the typical beach hotels in Thailand. In comparison to our hotel, it has a swimming pool. Other than that, I actually prefer our hotel, because of the wooden cottage (but still modern) style and the unique feeling it gives of staying in the middle of the jungle. If the Neil Seashell hotel would have had a swimming pool, it would have probably been the best hotel on the island.

Dining

Neil Island has many dining options. For example, there are many beachfront restaurants on the Bharatpur beach selling great food (see my next post). The best restaurant we tried however, was the Dugong restaurant at our hotel, and at the Seashell Samsara hotel (the exact same restaurant). As already mentioned, the Dugong restaurant is amazing and a must try when visiting Neil Island. I actually heard it is one of the better ones on the island, if not the best. Our breakfast was served here, and we also had most of our lunches and dinners here. We tried all kinds of dishes (e.g., fish curry, Asian style noodles, palak paneer, shrimp biryani and lobster). In addition to the delicious food, the restaurant is an experience in itself. It has panoramic windows so being there felt like sitting outside in the jungle but at the same time being inside an air conditioned room. Regarding the prices, I read that people find this restaurant to be rather expensive. It probably is more expensive than most other restaurants on the island, but the quality is perfect and the portions are quite big. Besides, for western tourists it is still very cheap. In fact, most dishes costed less than 10 USD! To give more specific examples: A big bottled beer costed 300 INR (4USD); prawn biryani was 600 INR (8.50 USD), palak paneer 450 INR (6.50 USD), a bowl of rice 170 INR (2.50 USD), roti 50 INR (1 USD) and lobsters were 700 INR for 350 grams (10 USD). I could not complain! I really recommend trying the lobsters; both the dry Tandori lobster and the masala lobster were amazing!!! It may also be worth mentioning that this restaurant is one of the few restaurants selling alcohol on the island, if not the only one. However, it is also worth mentioning that the Andaman Islands celebrate many holidays and no alcohol can be bought on those days. This happened twice to us during our stay on the Andaman Islands.

The food at breakfast was mainly Indian, which I really enjoyed. The only non-Indian foods were bread, pasta and eggs. The only bread available was toasted bread, and there were no toppings. However, there were all kinds of amazing Indian dishes such as parathas, sambar, masala omelette, upma and Idli. I loved it all!

Internet and phone reception

We read that there would be slow, but working internet in our hotel. This was not true, there was no internet anywhere. We were told it was because of the recent cyclone, but it seemed like there was an internet problem all over the Andaman Islands. On Neil Island, there was also no cell phone reception. Like literally none. So, forget about being connected to the rest of the world. The locals do however have cell phone reception, because they use some other phone company that is not available to us. A local told me that this is about to change soon, because two new phone companies will be available in the Andaman Islands in the upcoming year. However, I actually found it quite nice to live without internet and cell phone, and I realised how much time the Internet takes away from me. The life in the Andaman Island is just so different, and I am happy I got the chance to visit the islands now that it is still so exotic, and before it completely changes.

The time zone is the same all over India, but the Andaman islands are closer to Thailand than to the mainland India, so it gets dark much earlier than in the rest of India. But then again, the sun comes up much earlier too. Therefore, on the Andaman Islands, and especially on Neil Island, you should wake up early and just enjoy the beautiful nature, the scenery, the quietness and go to sleep early to be able to wake up early again the next day and do it all over again.

The Market

On one of the days of our stay, we decided to go for a walk to the market. Walking on Neil Island, especially in the dark can be a bit scary, because there are no pavements and the road is very narrow. It seemed specifically dangerous for pedestrians when 2 cars came at the same time, because it left zero room for the pedestrians, and the cars really were driving like crazy. As tiny as the island is, it is quite strange how many cars there actually are driving on the road, especially after dark. The constant honking was almost giving me a heart attack. We reached to the market place, or the “city center”, where there were a few small shops and plenty of people around. There were also many street dogs and cats running around. It was interesting how all the street dogs and cats lived in peace over here and it also seemed like the locals took good care of them. On the market you could find lots of exotic fruits and vegetables for purchase, but also some other things, such as saris and other Indian clothing. There were also some gift shops around selling all kinds of things made of shells and mini kiosks selling daily goods and snacks, such as Chips and Maggi instant noodles of Indian flavors. Those Maggi noodles seem to be a big thing over here. To enter the shops, we had to take of our shoes and leave them outside. We did not find anything for ourselves at the market, but it was nice to see where the locals hang out in the evenings.

In the next post, I will write more about the beaches of Neil Island. Meanwhile, check out my video of the Neil Seashell hotel.