Andaman And Nicobar Islands – Tourist Guide

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The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a Union Territory of India and came to be established in the year of 1956.
Where is Andaman and Nicobar Islands?
The islands of Andaman and Nicobar are located in the Bay of Bengal towards the south east of the country. The islands are basically divided into two major territories or group, namely, the Andaman Islands that lie towards the north of the 10 degree N parallel, while the Nicobar Islands lie in the south. The main hub of all activities takes place in the city of Port Blair.
About Andaman and Nicobar islands
The Union Territory sprawls over an area of 6,496 km2(2,508 sq m) and is about 150 km away from the northern province of Aceh, Indonesia. It is also separated from Thailand and Burma by the Andaman Sea. The official languages spoken include Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, English and Nicobarese. There are 572 islands that comprise the Union Territory of which only 38 of them are permanently ...
... inhabited.Theisland group of Andaman has a whopping number of 325 islandswhereas the Nicobar group has only a meagre 24 islands to its cluster.
Local Culture
The Andaman and Nicobar islands have long been left undisturbed owing to its inaccessibility and it is only in the recent past that the administration has made contact with several groups of indigenous tribesthatinhabit the islands. The Administration has identified 5 primitive tribal groups, namely the
• Great Andamanese of Strait Island
• Onges of Little Andaman
• Jarawas of South and Middle Andaman
• Sentinelese of Sentinel Islands, and
• Shompens of Great Nicobar
Of late, the tribes too have come out of their shell and have started interacting with several commoners and the urban population and have learnt to coexist with the latter. With persistent efforts, more initiatives have been taken to preserve the culture and traditions of these indigenous tribes.
Owing to a wide presence of a wide variety of communities in the urban regions of the union territory, it enjoys a pan-Indian presence with a diverse range of traditions, customs and religions.
Major Tourist Attractions
Blessed with a tropical climate, the island group enjoys a healthy green cover and pristine sun-kissed beaches. The islands have a wide variety of flora and fauna that is bound to leave one speechless. Adventure junkies are in for a thrill of a ride as there are several adventure sports that once can indulge including scuba diving, snorkelling, trekking, mountaineering, etc.Some of the most famous beaches include Corbyn’s Cove Tourism Complex, Radhnagar beach, Harminder Bay Beach, Karmatang Beach and Ramnagar beach. The Union Territory also stands as a witness for India’s struggle for freedom in the form of the Cellular Jail. Other monuments and museums are also worth a visit where one can learn more about the culture and traditions of the union territory.
Getting to Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Since the Andaman and Nicobar area group of islands, it is blessed with tropical and pleasant climate all year round thereby giving you the option to plan a vacation anytime of the year.
The islands are accessible by either air or by water. The city of Port Blair is the main connecting point with the rest of the country. There are regular flights from Chennai and Kolkata to Port Blair operated by national and private carriers. There are also regular sailings by passenger vessels from Chennai, Kolkata and Vizag offering competitive rates.