Andaman & Nicobar 7-Day Itinerary: Day-by-Day Travel Plan

Andaman & Nicobar 7-Day Itinerary: Day-by-Day Travel Plan A well-structured Andaman & Nicobar 7-day itinerary covers four main stops: Port Blair (2 nights), Havelock Island or Swaraj Dweep (3 nights), Neil Island or Shaheed Dweep (1 night), and a return to Port Blair for departure. This sequence follows the ferry network logically and avoids backtracking. Indian nationals do not need a permit for any of these islands. What does a 7-day Andaman itinerary actually cover? A 7-day Andaman itinerary covers Port Blair for 2 nights, Havelock Island for 3 nights, Neil Island for 1 night, and a final departure day from Port Blair. This split balances heritage sightseeing, beach time, and water sports across the main accessible islands. Port Blair is the capital of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the entry point via Veer Savarkar International Airport. Most flights arrive from Chennai, Kolkata, or Delhi, with flight time around 1.5 to 2 hours from Chennai or Kolkata. Havelock Island is the largest inhabited island in the Andaman group, located approximately 54 km from Port Blair by sea. Neil Island sits about 40 km from Port Blair and works well as a one-night stop between Havelock and the return to Port Blair. The sequence — Port Blair first, then Havelock, then Neil, then back to Port Blair — is the most practical routing. Ferries run in this direction daily during tourist season, and it avoids a long backtrack on the final day. Day Base Location Key Activity Transport Mode Approx. Cost Per Person (₹) Day 1 Port Blair Cellular Jail + Sound & Light Show Flight to Port Blair 3,000–6,000 (local sightseeing) Day 2 Port Blair Ross Island + North Bay Island Boat from Aberdeen Jetty 1,500–2,500 Day 3 Havelock Island Ferry transfer + Radhanagar Beach Private speedboat (Makruzz/Nautika) 1,200–1,800 (ferry ticket) Day 4 Havelock Island Elephant Beach + scuba diving Local boat to Elephant Beach 3,500–6,000 (incl. dive) Day 5 Neil Island Ferry transfer + Natural Bridge Government ferry or speedboat 600–1,200 (ferry ticket) Day 6 Port Blair Neil sightseeing + return ferry Ferry Neil to Port Blair 600–1,200 (ferry ticket) Day 7 Port Blair (departure) Airport transfer, optional local shopping Taxi to airport 300–600 Related: View Andaman tour packages How do you get between the islands during a 7-day trip? Inter-island travel in Andaman relies on ferries. Private speedboats like Makruzz and Nautika cover Port Blair to Havelock in about 1.5 to 2 hours. Government ferries take 2.5 to 3 hours on the same route and cost significantly less but have limited schedules. All ferries depart from Phoenix Bay Jetty or Haddo Jetty in Port Blair. Tickets for private operators can be booked online. Government ferry tickets are available at the jetty counter or through the Andaman administration's online portal. Which ferry operators run between Port Blair and Havelock Island? Makruzz and Nautika are the two main private speedboat operators on the Port Blair–Havelock route. Both operate daily during tourist season (October to May). Ticket prices range from ₹1,200 to ₹1,800 per person one way depending on seat class. Government ferries on the same route cost ₹300 to ₹600 per person. The trade-off is fewer daily departures and longer travel time. For a 7-day trip, private ferries save roughly 2 to 3 hours of travel time across the itinerary. How far in advance should ferry tickets be booked? Book ferry tickets at least 4 to 6 weeks in advance for travel between November and January. This is peak season and boats fill up fast. For travel in February to April, 2 to 3 weeks ahead is usually sufficient. What should you do on each day of the Andaman trip? A day-by-day Andaman plan starts with Port Blair sightseeing on Days 1 and 2, moves to Havelock Island for Days 3 and 4, shifts to Neil Island on Day 5, returns to Port Blair on Day 6 evening, and ends with departure on Day 7. This sequence uses ferry timings efficiently. Day 1 — Port Blair arrival and Cellular Jail Cellular Jail is a colonial-era prison in Port Blair, built between 1896 and 1906, now a National Memorial. Arrive by afternoon, check in near Aberdeen Bazaar or Marine Hill, and visit the jail in the evening. The Sound and Light show at Cellular Jail runs on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 6:00 PM and 7:15 PM. Book show tickets in advance at the jail counter or through the Andaman tourism website. Entry to the jail museum costs ₹30 for Indian nationals. Day 2 — Ross Island and North Bay Island Ross Island, officially Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island, is the former British administrative headquarters, located 15 minutes by boat from Aberdeen Jetty. The island has ruins of colonial buildings, a small museum, and deer roaming freely. North Bay Island is a 30-minute boat ride from Port Blair and is the main site for glass-bottom boat rides and sea-walking. Sea-walking costs approximately ₹3,500 per person. Combine both islands in a single half-day trip; most operators run combined packages from Aberdeen Jetty. Day 3 — Ferry to Havelock and Radhanagar Beach Take the morning ferry from Phoenix Bay Jetty to Havelock Island. Most private speedboats depart between 6:00 AM and 8:30 AM. Arrive by mid-morning and check in to your resort near Beach No. 5 or Beach No. 7. Radhanagar Beach is on Havelock Island's western coast and was rated by TIME magazine in 2004 as one of Asia's best beaches. Reach the beach by afternoon for the best light. Swimming is safe here, and the beach has basic facilities including changing rooms. Day 4 — Elephant Beach and water sports Elephant Beach is on Havelock Island's north coast, accessible by a 30-minute boat ride or a 45-minute trek through forest. This beach is the primary snorkelling and scuba diving site on Havelock. Beginner scuba dives at Havelock cost ₹3,500 to ₹5,500 per person with PADI-certified operators. The minimum age for a dive is 10 years. Book your dive slot the previous evening to secure a morning session, which has calmer water conditions. Related: Andaman adventure packages with water sports Day 5 — Ferry to Neil Island Neil Island, officially Shaheed Dweep, is a smaller island about 40 km from Port Blair, known for its Natural Bridge rock formation and quieter beaches. Take the morning ferry from Havelock to Neil Island; the journey takes approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. Check in to a guesthouse near Neil Kendra, the main village. Rent a bicycle or auto-rickshaw for the afternoon. Visit Laxmanpur Beach for the sunset — it faces west and gives a clear view over the water. Day 6 — Neil Island sightseeing and return to Port Blair Spend the morning at Natural Bridge, a rock formation on Neil Island's eastern coast, accessible on foot at low tide. Also visit Bharatpur Beach, which has calm, shallow water suitable for snorkelling without a guide. Take the afternoon ferry back to Port Blair. Most Neil–Port Blair ferries depart between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM and arrive by evening. This gives you time to settle in before the next morning's departure. Day 7 — Port Blair departure Day 7 is a departure day. Most flights out of Port Blair leave in the morning or early afternoon. Keep the morning free for airport transfer. If your flight is in the afternoon, the local market at Aberdeen Bazaar is a short drive from the airport for last-minute shopping. Related: Andaman tour packages with ferry and hotel inclusions Do Indian tourists need any permit for Andaman? Indian nationals do not need a Restricted Area Permit to visit Port Blair, Havelock Island, or Neil Island. A permit is required only for restricted and tribal islands such as North Sentinel, Little Andaman's tribal zones, and certain Nicobar islands. Foreign nationals have separate rules. As per the Andaman & Nicobar Administration, Indian citizens can visit the main tourist islands — including Port Blair, Swaraj Dweep (Havelock), and Shaheed Dweep (Neil) — without any prior permit. A Restricted Area Permit is mandatory for foreigners visiting specified islands and is issued at the time of arrival at Port Blair airport. Foreign nationals must obtain a RAP on arrival at Port Blair. The permit is issued free of charge and covers most tourist islands. Nationals of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Myanmar, and a few other countries face additional restrictions and should check with the Ministry of Home Affairs before travel. When is the right time to plan a 7-day Andaman trip? October to May is the main tourist season for a 7-day Andaman trip. Ferry services between Port Blair, Havelock, and Neil Island operate reliably during this period. June to September is monsoon season, and most private ferry operators suspend services, making a multi-island itinerary impractical. Month Season Ferry Availability Avg. Hotel Rate (₹/night, mid-range) Suitability for 7-Day Itinerary October–November Early season / post-monsoon Full service resumes 3,500–6,000 Good — fewer crowds, lower rates December–January Peak season Full service, high demand 6,000–12,000 Best weather, book 6 weeks ahead February–March Peak to shoulder Full service 5,000–9,000 Excellent — calm seas, good visibility April–May Shoulder / pre-monsoon Full service 3,000–5,500 Good — hot but manageable June–August Monsoon Mostly suspended 1,500–3,000 Not suitable for 7-day multi-island plan September Late monsoon Partial, unreliable 2,000–3,500 Risky — ferry cancellations likely Related: Andaman summer packages for April and May travel How much does a 7-day Andaman trip cost per person? A 7-day Andaman trip costs approximately ₹25,000 to ₹35,000 per person on a budget, ₹45,000 to ₹65,000 on a mid-range plan, and ₹90,000 or more for a premium trip. These figures include flights from a metro city, ferries, accommodation, and basic activities. The three biggest cost drivers are accommodation on Havelock Island, ferry class (private speedboat vs government ferry), and water sports. Scuba diving and sea-walking alone can add ₹7,000 to ₹10,000 per person to the total. Couples travelling together save on accommodation since most hotels price by room, not per person. Honeymooners and families tend to spend more on Havelock due to resort pricing near Radhanagar Beach. Budget travellers can stay near Neil Kendra on Neil Island for under ₹2,000 per night. Related: Andaman honeymoon packages with resort stays What are the most common mistakes people make on a 7-day Andaman trip? The most common mistake on a 7-day Andaman trip is not booking ferry tickets in advance. During peak season, Makruzz and Nautika boats sell out weeks ahead. A missed ferry can collapse the entire itinerary since the next available boat may be a day later. Skipping Neil Island is another frequent error. Most travellers extend Havelock by a day and skip Neil entirely. Neil Island offers a noticeably different pace and the Natural Bridge is a distinct attraction not replicated elsewhere in the group. Underestimating travel time between islands is also common. A Port Blair to Havelock ferry plus check-in takes most of a morning. Plan no major activities on ferry transfer days beyond what is listed in this itinerary. Travelling during monsoon months without checking ferry status is the fourth major mistake — June to September services are unreliable and cancellations happen with little notice. Ready to Plan Your Trip? Tripstor's team can handle ferry bookings, resort reservations, and activity slots across all four stops in this itinerary. We work with PADI-certified dive operators on Havelock and can confirm availability before you pay anything. Call us to get a day-by-day quote based on your travel dates and group size. 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