Your Perfect Havelock Island Vacation: A Comprehensive Travel Guide (2024)

Have you ever pictured yourself where you are at a clean beach sipping a Pino Colada watching a spectacular sunset? Of course, you have! All of us have. And this is exactly what you can expect at Havelock Island in Andamans. The beaches are very picturesque and it is one of the beautiful islands I have ever seen.

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About Havelock Island

Havelock Island, now known as Swaraj Dweep, is one of the islands which is part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India. It is part of the South Andaman district. The island is around 40 kilometres from the capital city of Port Blair.

Havelock Island is named after a British General, Sir Henry Havelock. It was renamed to Swaraj Dweep in December 2018 as a tribute to Subhash Chandra Bose.

How to Get to Havelock Island?

By Air

• Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited have seaplanes between Port Blair and Havelock. The flight time is about 20 minutes.
• The flights are available only on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

By Ferry or Boat

• There are government-operated ferries and private cruises between Port Blair and Havelock. The travel time by private cruise is about 2 hours and costs around INR 3050.

The government-operated ferries are cheaper but take a longer time.

Ensure to book the ferry/cruise in advance as Andamans is a very popular tourist destination and is generally booked out.

Best Time to Visit Havelock Island

The best time to visit Havelock Island is during the winter season, which is between the months of December and February, as the climate is cool and pleasant during these months. During the summer season, it is extremely hot, and I would not recommend travelling during that time.

Phone Network and Internet on Havelock Island

• Phone network – Only Airtel and Vodafone networks work. I had Jio, and it did not work at all.
• Internet—Although theoretically, data (Airtel and Vodafone) is intermittent, I would say that it does not work on Havelock Island. Some resorts do provide Wi-Fi, but it is either extremely slow or does not work most of the time.

Click here to check for a universal SIM card on Drimsim

Transportation within Havelock Island

Motorbikes are the best way to travel around the island. One needs to have a valid licence to hire a bike. This needs to be shown at the bike hire centre before picking up the bike. The cost to rent a bike (excluding fuel/petrol) is INR 500 for 24 hours. I rode the bike after eight years, and it was surely amazing fun. The traffic is very low compared to mainland India.

• Ensure to note down all the scratches on the bike before picking it up.
• Wearing a helmet is a must, even for a pillion rider.
• Petrol prices are not included in the cost. They are more expensive at the bike hire centre than the petrol bunks.

The island also has taxis, which can travel between the ferry drop point and the resorts. The cost of a one-way taxi ride is INR 300.

Ensure to haggle with the taxi driver.

Important Information

Supermarkets and Shops

There are plenty of shops and supermarkets to buy groceries and water. The water is cheaper at the supermarket than at the resort.

The water bottles are available only in 2-litre bottles.

Wildlife

There are sea snakes and crocodiles on the island. So, be careful as to where you step and walk around. It is best to avoid Mangrove forests in the dark.

Place to stay on Havelock Island

There are plenty of resorts on the island. Some of these resorts are along the beach and have a part of the beach in their backyard. These are great because you can see the spectacular sunsets and sunrises from your resort.

Review of White Coral Beach Resort

I stayed at White Coral Beach Resort, which was also along the beach. The stay was good and comfortable.

• Staff – Even though the reception staff was not that friendly, the remaining room service staff were very good. They were more friendly and nice.
• Room – The room was spacious and clean. They were well maintained.
• Location – The resort was around 15 to 20 minutes from the ferry point. The resort had a beach in their backyard.
• Food – The food is good, even though it is very oily. The food is reasonably priced.
• Wifi – Even though they had Wifi, the Wifi did not work very well for me.

Things to do in Havelock Island

Scuba Diving

The number one thing that I would recommend doing at Havelock is to go scuba diving. The water is absolutely amazing. It is very clear and warm – a perfect condition to dive. Most of the beginners are taken to the Nemo Reef. As the name suggests, Nemo Reef is famous for its clown fishes, which are famously known as Nemos.

Another island to scuba dive in the Andaman Islands is at Neil Island. The water is amazing in Neil Island, and it has some of the best dive sites.

I loved this dive site even though it was very crowded with all kinds of divers, especially beginners. The marine life is spectacular, and there is so much activity happening underwater. The cost of one dive for a beginner is quite cheap, ranging from INR 2500 to INR 3500.

There are around 40 dive centres in Havelock. I went with Havelock Divers, also known as Nemo Divers. I completely enjoyed diving with them. The dive staff here are experienced and, most importantly, very patient with the new divers. The cost for beginners was a little more than INR 3500 but was totally worth it.

Sunset at Asia’s cleanest beach, Radhanagar beach

Havelock is not all about scuba diving. It is also a place to relax and unwind. It is a place to enjoy the beauty nature has to offer. Radhanagar Beach is also commonly known as Beach Number 7 by the locals. The beach is a white sand beach with clear waters, which is perfect for a postcard picture. It is definitely the highlight of Havelock Island and was my favourite place on Havelock.

The beach is also a place to witness the dramatic sunset.

Sunrise at Kala Pathar beach

Kala Pathar beach is a perfect place to witness the sunrise. The beach is a stretch with big black rocks, white sand, and pristine blue waters. Kala Pathar Beach is also known as Beach Number 5 among locals.

The Kala Pathar beach has a piece of wood where there are no black rocks, and this makes a perfect picture of the beach.

Watch corals at Elephant Beach

Elephant Beach is famous for its corals. Sea walking is an activity that is a must at Elephant Beach. There are two ways to reach Elephant Beach:

• By Boat – The boat ride takes about 20 minutes from the main Havelock jetty to Elephant Beach.
• By Road – There is a public bus, or one can ride a bike to this place. One has to trek between the parking point and the beach.

Interact with locals

The local islanders are very friendly. The kids are extremely cute and friendly. It is surprising to see the way they adapt to nature so well. The island has sea snakes and crocodiles, irrespective of those the islanders do not stop living their lives and enjoying them. So, definitely interact with them and listen to their stories.

Closing Notes

Havelock Island remains one of my favourite islands in the world. It is very pretty and an absolute delight. If the island had good wifi or internet, I would have made the island home for at least a few months.

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Also read

• Andaman Travel diaries