Neil Island

Neil, officially renamed Shaheed Dweep, is a small flat island north-east of Port Blair, about thirteen square kilometres, farmed for rice and vegetables and edged with beaches named by number as well as by name. Its landmark is a natural coral bridge at Laxmanpur, an arch of eroded rock exposed only when the tide drops far enough to walk out over the reef flat to it. Bharatpur beach has shallow snorkelling and glass-bottom boats, and Sitapur at the eastern end faces the sunrise. It is quieter and much smaller than Havelock next door, which is why people come.

History

The island was named after the British brigadier general James Neill, and it was renamed Shaheed Dweep in December 2018. It was uninhabited until settlers arrived in the late 1960s (Wikipedia, Neil Island).

The landscape

• The natural bridge - a coral rock arch reached only at low tide.
• The numbered beaches - Laxmanpur, Bharatpur and Sitapur around the island.
• The paddy interior - farmland and villages across the flat middle.
• The reef flats - shallow snorkelling off Bharatpur.

When to go

November to April; the monsoon brings rough seas and ferry cancellations. The natural bridge requires a low tide, so the tide table determines the timing.

Practical notes

Ferries are cancelled in rough weather and can strand visitors. The reef flat to the bridge is sharp and slippery. Foreign nationals need permits, issued on arrival in the Andamans.

Nearby

Havelock lies north; Port Blair is west.

Key facts