Islands of Andaman and Nicobar

Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the Union territory of India which lies on the Bay of Bengal, isolated from the Indian mainland. This union territory is actually divided into two groups of islands, namely the Andaman and the Nicobar Islands, which are separated by the 150 km wide Ten Degree Chanel. The total number of Islands is somewhere around 527, out of which only 38 are inhabited. In the recent years, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have become famous for tourism, mostly because of its natural beauty, wild and marine life, etc. So if you are planning to visit the Islands of Andaman and Nicobar, you have to know everything about the places and also about the important islands that you should explore.

As mentioned earlier, only 38 islands of Andaman and Nicobar are filled with human population. With this in mind, let us take a look at some of the important islands of this place.

Havelock Island

The Havelock Island belongs to the Andaman group of islands. It is named after a British General who worked in India called Henry Havelock. The Havelock Island is visited by a majority number of tourists, especially because of its beaches. The beaches and villages of this island are recognized by numbers and the most popular beach of this island is Beach No. 7 (Radha Nagar Beach). It was also given the title of "Best Beach in Asia" in 2004 by Time. Havelock Island is also the best place for snorkeling.

Viper Island

Another famous island belonging to the Andaman group of islands is the Viper Island. The importance of this island comes from the fact that it played an important part in the Indian War of Independence. It is in this island where prisoners of war as well as political prisoners were kept. It was here that the convicts were inflicted with immense torture and hardships by the British. It is believed that the name of this island has come from the fact that here one could find vipers and snakes.

Ross Island

Ross Island is the smallest island of the Andaman group of islands, so much so that you just need two hours to see the entire island. This island which was once the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the British rule is now under the control of the Indian Navy. However, the Island which was one of the most important islands for the Britishers is in ruins today and you can only find the remains of the old structures and buildings. If you want to visit this Island, you will have to pay a nominal fee decided by the Indian Navy.

Great Nicobar Island

The Great Nicobar Island, as the name suggests is the largest island in the Nicobar group of islands. The area of this Great Nicobar Island is somewhere around 1045 square kilometers. Though this island is large, it is only meagerly inhabited. This Island is greatly covered with diverse wildlife and rain forests. The population of this place is roughly around 9439. This island was greatly affected by the tsunami that took place in 2004 in the Indian Ocean.

Apart from these, some of the other Islands of Andaman and Nicobar which attract tourists are Northway Island, Pilomillow Island, Middle Andaman Island, Red Skin Island, etc. Other than the islands of this Union Territory, Port Blair which is the capital city of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also a place which is famous for its beaches, National Parks, museums, historical sites, etc.