A Day of Ruins and Wonders: Ross Island from Port Blair (2024)

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have an amazing history. Ross Island is yet another beautiful and interesting place to visit. It has a lot of history and is currently home to many ruins. There are also many deer, peacocks, and peahens on the island.

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Plan Your Visit to Chidiya Tapu
One-Day Trip to Baratang Island
One-Day Trip to Ross Island from Port Blair
Never Forgotten Tales of Cellular Jail
One-Day Trip to Jolly Buoy Island from Port Blair
Reasons To Skip North Bay Island

About Ross Island

Officially known as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island, the Ross Island is an abandoned island from the British settlement. The island was originally known as Chong-Ekee-Bood and is the smallest island in the Andaman Islands.

Located at the mouth of Port Blair harbour in the South Andaman district, this stunning island was named after the British marine surveyor Sir Daniel Ross. In December 2018, it was renamed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island.

Around 100 inhabitants are living on the island.

Ross Island is very picturesque and one of the best islands I have visited in the Andamans. It is a place where history meets striking nature. The island also has lots of coconut and palm trees.

Established in 1858, Ross Island was an administrative headquarters until 1945/46 and was abandoned after that. There are still ruins of the bakery, church, tennis court, Chief commissioner’s residence, and other notable buildings. Netaji Subash Chandra Bose stayed on the island in 1943 during his visit to the Andaman Islands. Currently, the island is administered by the Indian government.

To learn about the stories of our freedom fighters, read never forgotten stories at Cellular Jail.

You need at least 2 to 3 hours to cover all the places on the island. The best time to visit Ross Island is in the morning, as the day can get hot, especially during the summer season.

I highly suggest vacationing in the Andaman and Nicobar islands during the winter season (between October and February). The first time I visited, I visited in April, and it was a huge mistake, as it was extremely hot. But the second time around, I visited in January, and it was the best, as the days were pleasant and cool.

How to Get to Ross Island?

• Ross Island is very close to Port Blair (around 2 kilometres), and the ferry ride takes 25 to 30 minutes.
• Ferries depart from Aberdeen Jetty in Port Blair, and tickets for ferry trips can be purchased at the jetty.
• Visiting Ross Island is a day trip from Port Blair, and the cost for a ferry return trip is INR 350 per person. The trip can also be extended (INR 850) to visit North Bay Island. Even though North Bay Island is pretty, I suggest skipping the visit unless you have a lot of time.
• Note: The last ferry is at 5 PM, so be on time at the jetty.

Things to See on Ross Island

A few things to note while visiting Ross Island are:

• Golf courts are available on the island, and one can use them to travel between the places.
• The island has toilet facilities.
• There is only one restaurant with limited food options. Only cash is accepted.
• There are no accommodation options on the island, and the visitors will need to be back in Port Blair by evening. The last ferry leaves Ross Island at 5 PM.
• The island does not have any shops for buying souvenirs.
• Do not feed the deer and peacocks.
• Take your rubbish with you, and do not throw the garbage everywhere; only throw it in dedicated bins.

You can also visit Jolly Buoy island on a one-day trip from Port Blair.

Stop by Presbyterian Church

The Presbyterian Church is a ruin of an old Protestant church. It is built of stone and frames of teak. The quality of the materials used in the building was so good that it has survived for many years. Definitely stop by the church to learn and understand how churches were built during that time.

Watch the deer at Deer Park

The island has a deer park with spotted deer—and there are lots of them. It is great to see these deer enjoying themselves and living without any threat. Some of them come real close, too, but remember not to feed them.

Walk around the island to see ruins

Ross Island tells a story from the past. There are still ruins of the old settlement and buildings, such as a bakery, water treatment plant, hospital, cemetery, and many more. A walk around the island is a great way to see these buildings that tell about our history.

You can also take a golf cart to travel between the places.

Safety for solo female travellers

Yes, Ross Island is definitely very safe for solo female travellers. The island is monitored and administered by the Indian government, so there are always people on the island. Make sure to catch the last ferry to Port Blair, as there are no accommodation options on the island, and staying at Ross Island is not allowed.

Are you new to solo travelling? Do you have questions about solo travelling? Read frequently asked questions on solo traveling.

Closing Notes

Is it worth visiting this charming island? Absolutely yes! It is definitely one of the spectacular islands in the Andamans, and I highly recommend visiting it and making it a one-day trip from Port Blair.

Have you been to Ross Island? Did you like it? Let me know in the comments below.

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