India’s best kept secret

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: India’s best kept secret” is how the “Incredible India” campaign defines the Andaman and Nicobar islands. You’d understand why, the moment you land there. Or maybe even before that, when the plane is about to land at Port Blair and you get the first glimpse of the island. The archipelago can well compete with the likes of Mauritius and Maldives. At the end of five well-spent days on the island, I am glad to have chosen the destination despite my reservations. It is possibly for people like me that the Andaman administration has spent over Rs 200 crore post tsunami to correct the popular perception that not all has been lost!

But I do feel I could have planned my trip better because I could manage to visit only five islands. So, a word of advice is imperative right at the outset — in case you are travelling as a bag packer (like me) plan your itinerary on the first day of the visit. Most islands require the tourists to obtain a permit from the Deputy Commissioner’s office. More importantly the timings for the steamers to leave the port are set and the tickets are limited. You will have few other options if you miss them. The best way therefore would be to visit the District Information office in Port Blair — you will get all the information you may need from here. Also, it is here that you will get the necessary permits and passes. The local newspaper is as

informative.

I knew neither of the two when I landed there at 11 in the morning. It was only towards the end of the day that a waiter at the guesthouse kindly passed the word of advice and I rushed to the Information Office. Fortunately, I made it before five, minutes before it closed down. I spent the rest of the day exploring the city, determined to make the most of the remaining few. “It would be very hectic,” I thought aloud.