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.

The intangible feeling called ?determination? proved quite helpful ? helpful enough to get out of bed at 3.30 am to board the steamer at five! It was my first sea voyage. ?Will I feel sea sick, will I throw up,? I questioned my gut needlessly as I settled down. I dozed off before I could realise. Three hours later I stepped out fresh on Havelock island. The island is home to Radhanagar beach, hailed as the best beach in Asia by Time magazine in 2004. The only way I can describe this virgin island is ?breathtakingly beautiful.? You can easily distinguish five to six shades in the blue-green sea! You wouldn?t have enough of it too soon. Spend a day here ? it?s ideal for sun bathing and you are sure to come back with an enviable tan.

The next day had no respite either. I left the guesthouse by four in a cab and headed for Baratang, 100 kms from Port Blair. It is famous for its nature trail, limestone caves and mud volcanoes. En route is a 50-km stretch of tropical forests which the Jarawa tribe dominates. The stretch is cordoned off at both ends and vehicles are allowed to move only in convoys. The convoy timings are as strictly followed. A couple of years back several incidents of attacks by the Jarawas were reported. However, trust-building exercises by the administration has helped them realise that they face no threat from the tourists. If you are lucky you may site a few Jarawas but stopping the vehicle or any interaction with them is strictly forbidden. ?It is a world out of this one,? that is all you feel when you spot the tribals. It was a long day ? hopping in and out of the cab, the steamer and the speedboat. It made me realise that life on an island is indeed tough.

Visit to the Red Skin island the next day was the most memorable. I was thoroughly checked before getting on the steamer and sent back to the ticket counter when I could not show them the permit for the bottles of water I was carrying. At the counter I was asked to deposit Rs 100, refundable only if I could produce the bottles of water on return. My plastic bag was promptly replaced with jute one ? all for one buck. Now if that?s not impressive, what is? Red Skin island, like Jolly Buoy, is famous for snorkelling.

However, most of the corals here are dead. Want to see the live corals? Sorry, you can?t. But if you happen to be a Very Important Person you can, at the Grub Island which is 10 minutes distance from the Red Skin island and one of the most beautiful on the map! Alas.

Well, the island hopping had left me physically drained but with spirits soaring high. So, I decided to stay in the city on the final day ? marvelling at the architectural intellect of the Cellular Jail and the Anthropological Museum. But the guide at the Cellular Jail did convince me to briefly visit the Ross island. Once the pleasure retreat for the British, it was bombed during World War II. If you want to see beauty in ruins, Ross is the place to be.

?People come to the Andamans only once in their lifetime and you have come pretty early,? my guide said as a parting note. I nodded in affirmation. That must be unintentional, I am convinced. I plan to get back to the islands soon ? this time to Car Nicobar and further south ? maybe Indira Point.

FACT FILE

Getting there: Port Blair is connected with Chennai and Kolkata by air. You can even take the sea route ? regular passenger ship services are available to Port Blair from Chennai, Kolkata and Vishakhapatnam.

Best season: October to May. The monsoons are May-end to September

Temperature: Warm yet pleasant. Between 24 and 28 degrees celcius

Must carry: Beachwear, glares, caps, rubber footwear and sunscreen

Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil