ABOUT PORT BLAIR

Port Blair is the capital city of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory located in the Bay of Bengal, India. The islands have gained popularity among the folks of India and of International nationality. Tourism and its related activities are there only in Andamans. Nicobar is part of these islands but it is a tribal restricted area and hence is not allowed for Tourist visits. Port Blair is the only entry point to the Andaman Islands. The only commercial airport in Andaman is located in Port Blair.

In this article we have brought to you an introduction and detailing on the capital town of A & N Islands – the Port Blair. Port Blair is the gateway to the entire island and Port Blair can be accessed by air and sea.

How to reach Port Blair?

The capital city of the Andaman Islands, Port Blair can be reached by air and sea. There are flights and ships available from different points in mainland India.

By Flights:

For travelers visiting for a fixed duration/on a planned holiday, flights are the only suggested option to reach these islands. An approximate distance of 1300 Kms from Mainland India to the island by air, in a non-stop flight, is covered in 2.5 Hrs maximum.
Airlines such as Air India, Spicejet, Vistara, Go Air, and Indigo fly to Andaman and Nicobar Islands and will land in Port Blair. Currently, Port Blair has the only commercial airport. Direct flights are operating from Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Kolkata. Flights from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad are operational during the season time by Go Air/Indigo. Please check the official website of the airlines to know more about the flights to Port Blair (IXZ).Currently, there are no evening flights available that are post-sunset, the first flight takes off at around 7 AM and the last flight of the day around 4 PM.

By Ship:

Andaman Islands can be reached by sea as well; some ships are available to the islands. The major ports have ships that sail to Andamans from Chennai, Kolkata, and Vizag. There are government-operated ship services that can be availed. The tickets for the ships can be booked through the Directorate of Shipping/ Shipping Corporation of the concerned ports. If the weather is clear the journey usually takes up to 2.5-3 days to reach the Andaman Islands. The frequency of sailing to and fro from Kolkata is usually once or twice in a month, in Chennai and Vizag it is just a single sailing per month. (And all the journeys depend on the weather conditions.). Schedule of the latest sailing can be referred at Ship schedule to Port Blair.

We always recommend the tourists to take flights to Andaman Islands as it is time-saving and convenient. Ships can also be taken to the islands if the tourists are coming on a long vacation it will be a different experience to sail, we usually do not suggest ship journeys due to the long journey and weather conditions that might become an issue during the journey.

Are there any entry formalities to enter Port Blair?

No entry formality has to be followed to enter the Andaman Islands for Indian Nationals.

Foreign Nationals

All the foreign nationals/ NRIs / OCI Card Holders have to mandatorily produce their original passport copies at the immigration counter on reaching the Port Blair airport or Sea Port for verification. All the foreign nationals require a permit (RAP – Restricted Area Permit) to visit the Andaman Islands, which is easily available on arrival at Port Blair by flight or ship from the Immigration Authorities for 30 days subject to availability of valid visa. Currently, the compulsion of RAP has been removed from 30 Islands. Details of the same can be referred to on the official website of Andaman Tourism entry for foreigners.

Indian Nationals

A visa is not required for Indian Nationals to visit Andamans. A valid ID proof issued by competent authorities is required. PAN Card is not accepted as an ID proof. No specific permit is required for the Indian Nationals to visit these islands, however, entering the tribal areas that are restricted are strictly prohibited. To enter the areas occupied by Defense/ Paramilitary forces and any other sensitive areas require proper permissions from the authorized agencies.

Andaman islands is a strategic location, entry formalities to the islands may change at very rare occasions. In such cases reach us to understand any recent changes to the entry formalities and fees while entering Port Blair.

Places to Visit in Port Blair

Port Blair has a lot of places to visit, if you compare all the islands with Port Blair then Port Blair actually has the most number of places to visit in Andaman. From historical places to beaches, Port has a lot to explore and experience. Below is the list of places to visit :