Havelock Island

Havelock, officially Swaraj Dweep, is the most visited of the Andaman Islands, a low forested island in the Bay of Bengal with a handful of beaches on its western and eastern sides. Radhanagar on the west is the one people come for: a long curve of white sand backed by tall rainforest, with almost nothing built visible from the water and a good sunset. Elephant Beach, reached by boat or a muddy forest walk, has the accessible coral and most of the snorkelling traffic. The island is a diving centre, with reefs and wrecks offshore and several schools running courses. Roads are few and most movement is by scooter or shared jeep.

History

The island was named after the British general Sir Henry Havelock, who served in India, and was officially renamed Swaraj Dweep in December 2018. It escaped much of the devastation of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and a lighthouse was built at its northern point near Govinda Nagar in 2005 (Wikipedia, Havelock Island).

Highlights

• Radhanagar Beach - a long white curve backed by rainforest on the west coast.
• Elephant Beach - shallow coral and the main snorkelling area.
• Dive sites offshore - reef walls and coral gardens used by the island's dive schools.
• Interior forest tracks - the roads and trails crossing the island between coasts.

When to go

November to April is dry and calm, with the best underwater visibility from December to March. May to September brings the monsoon, heavy rain and rough crossings, and ferries are cancelled more often. Book the Port Blair ferry ahead in peak season, and allow a buffer day at each end because sailings shift with the weather.

Practical notes

Getting here is slow and expensive: a flight to Port Blair, a permit process and a ferry that sells out. Accommodation prices in season are high for what you get, and power and water supply are patchy. Radhanagar is busy at sunset and there is little shade on the sand. Sandflies on some beaches leave bites that itch for days, and swimming areas are marked and limited.

Nearby

Neil Island is a short ferry hop away and Port Blair handles all arrivals to the archipelago.

Key facts