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Disclaimer: This guide is based on our experiences and trip research only. This is NOT Lonely Planet and if you need a comprehensive guide on every inch of the place go for them. This is for those who want to know about the place. This is Ultimate to my knowledge. Also I will have the PDF after I publish the Part-2.


Where is Diu?

Diu usually is referred to as a part of Daman & Diu a a union territory on India which is true politically but it is VERY far from Daman. Most of the people we told about our vist asked us if we were going to Daman too. Daman happens to be nestled between Maharashtra and Gujrat while Diu is  a small island just of the coast of Gujarat. It is far closer to most parts of Gujarat than to Daman.

Why do I want to visit Diu
Diu is a unique place not a regular colonial town. It does not have the abandon of Goa or Pondicherry but it does have the relaxed vibe of a small beach territory.

Reaching There


By Air
Diu has a airport which receives one flight a day coming in from Mumbai which goes back to Mumbai via Probandar. The airport in itself is a small building with check in and security area in Departures and a small arrivals. Do not expect to have your lunch at the Airport.

By Road
Diu is well connected to all major cities of Gujarat and to Mumbai by bus. A day long bus journey to Mumbai can be booked for around 900 Rs from various travel agents who are scattered all around the city.

By train
Diu in itself does not have a railway station, instead it is served by Veraval which is 85 Km and a two hour bus ride from the city. Veraval can be reached by an overnight train from Ahmadabad the capital city of Gujarat. Image below shows all the trains which connect Veraval to Ahmedavad.

How much does it cost to get there?
Flights can be really expensive if you are paying with cash. Jet flight when booking a month in advance can go upto 12 K in no sale scenario. However if like us you have a few miles you can get a return flight for 1500 Rs and 10000 JP miles. If you can plan ahead look out for offers like 50% off which let us return flight for 4000 miles.
Buses are available from few hundred to around a thousand one way depending on whether you choose a seat or sleeper birth in non AC bus or AC bus. Train cost varies from 300 to 1600 depending on class when coming from ahmedabad.

Living there


What is available
Diu caters to all kinds of accomodation needs right from the plush on the beach resort to backpacker heaven with cheap costs and clean beds. Most of the accomodation options are lined near the Nagoa beach and Diu city center the long stretch between these is quite lonely with a few resorts sprinkled in between. It definitely makes sense to be close to one of these as well.

Where should I live

We prefer living in the city center because it jut makes everything easier right from going out to buy breakfast to visiting the old city and monuments. Diu is no exception. Most of ht e sites are centered in and around the DIU Fort. I would recommend you to take up a place near the Museum or along the promenade.
If you are looking to relax on the beach and are OK with driving to visit the other attractions you can stay near Nagoa too. We did drive to Ghoghla and found a few resorts there too but we would not recommend them as they are far from the main beaches of Diu as well as city center.

How much do these cost?


We stayed here and paid 600 per night for two beds. From what I understood they also give out single beds instead of rooms but would suggest you check with them. It is one of the better accommodation options I have seen for this price. Most of the places around the promenade start up from 1500 a night. If you move towards Nagoa you can expect fares starting over 2000 a night.
I do maintain that AC will not be required unless you go there in peak summer and you cannot tolerate even a bit of heat. Our afternoons were spent inside enjoying sea breeze.

Some accomodation options

Please remember we stayed at only one place, other accommodation options you see detailed here are because we ate in them or searched around for them. Options listed under others are those which we heard about and researched but do not have any first hand experience with them.
1. Herança Goesa
2.Sao Tome Retario
You might read that the place is behind Diu museum, do not go walking around to locate it  it is right behind the museum building. We were excited to sleep in the church but simply could not find it until 2 days into our trip after promising 3 night stay in Herança.
3. Hoka Resort
It is named as an Island villa which is what it is  a nicely done open lobby welcomes you as you enter the gates. The lobby/restaurant opens up into a garden with a hammock. Rooms start around 2300 as per the pamphlet on the reception.
4. Kostamar Resort
This happens to be one of the good resorts near the beach. Tastefully done lobby and common areas (which is what we saw) welcome you with much needed air conditioning in the noon.
Some other accommodation options.
5. Radhika Resort, Nagoa Beach
6. Kohinoor Resort, Nearer to Bus station than the beach
7. Azzaro Resort, opposite Kohinoor Resort
8. Hotel Apar, in the Diu city market

What can I eat?

You get almost all kinds of food in the city from pure vegetarian fare to sea food and from local Kathiawari food to Italian. Expecting original taste might be a bit too much unless you have a local Portuguese descent family preparing food for you. Diu food is a fusion so enjoy it.

What I should be eating?

As I mentioned in this pst you will save money and eat well as long as you eat Kathiawari. Gujratis are majorly vegetarians and you will find a vast variety of vegetarian food but the island character of the city will not go unnoticed with sea food offerings though they are far less than what you normally see in coastal places like Goa and Pondicherry.

Places we ate at
1. Bamaniya Restaurant
This was our liberation while walking from airport to the city. The prices are decent and taste is OK. We rate it high because of the chilled chach that saved us from heat on the road. Food is nice and place is clean. they have pebbled floor and you sit out in open. Liquor is not served and they specifically disallow drunks. There is a wine shop by the same name just behind the restaurant.
2. O'Couerio Restaurant
Locate in one of the narrow lanes of the city behind the Museum this is touted as the best western/Italian food place in Diu. The place is actually someone's garden hence the garden restaurant in its name. Like most of Diu you eat outside under lights which can be a problem due to insects. Food is nice but I wouldn't quote it as out of this world, though I just had some pasta. Prices are average but you will find them a bit higher if you have been eating local in one of the places along th epromenade.
3. Apna Foodland
Located on the promenade this is famous as the family dining place and its attraction seems to originate from south Indian food options. Food is good like most of the other food places.We had a breakfast and dinner at the place, which made me notice that the coffee cups and kettle were not one of the best ones I have seen. It is  a bit pricier compared to other places nearby. do try the gujrati thali which is what we found to be the best deal of all but stay away from noodles they were too oily and salty for my taste.
4. Apaar Restaurant
This is another one of the places which serves good food along the promenade at decent prices. Food is good, the place is clean and service is quick. It is across the road from the government wine shop but does not serve liquor.
5. Cat's Eye- Hoka Resort
This is the place where we spent two of our afternoons and its proximity to airport made it the perfect place to have our last meal in Diu. Its food also made the decision easy. Do try spicy potatoes, though a bit oily we found them to be a perfect companion to our drinks. Along with stuffed tomato and cucumber mustard raita this was our best lunch in Diu. Though the prices are a bit high compare to last few options the place has an upmarket setting and you pay for that too.
6. Kostamaar Resort
the resort boasts of  a roof top restaurant and bar but it was closed maybe because it was not really the peak season for the resort. Being a posh resort the restaurant was clean and prices reflected its resorty nature with everything almost 1.5 times other places. But you get to sit in air conditioned restaurant which is something you will love in the afternoon. We had our brunch and food did not disappoint, you will be seated with a view of the pool area or the entrance. There are no sea views though as the restaurant is on the ground floor.

Do add your own tips and suggestions in the comments below I would love to incorporate it in the guide and Part 2 will be out soon.

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Diu is often compared with Goa but it has a very different feel and people who make it a very different experience. I have been to both the beaches in off season and the difference is amazing. While some activities might be closed in Goa during off season Diu becomes even more lazy and quiet. It is the weekends which infuse life in the otherwise solitary streets and beaches. Diu gets a lot of alcohol/liquor tourists from dry state of Gujarat. Though many hotels and guest houses close kitchens, the smaller bars are always open and never without patrons. 

A small island territory, Diu has beaches and forests to offer a visitor, along with many churches, temples and some Zoroastrian structures.
While researching for our trip I was quite surprised by lack of information on the city. Maybe I did not look at the right place, maybe there is actually a lag. I decided to do a series on Diu and finally compile it as a eBook available for download (maybe). Before I go to the specifics here are some of the tips I wanted to give out.

Take that auto

We weren't smiling by the end and do not have a single photo to prove our bad state
If you are flying and plan on staying in the city and not near the Nagoa beach I would suggest you take an auto and not try to wing it walking like we did. We have walked 6-7 km at many places but for the first time we were beat walking the 7 km stretch. Not only was it very hot no auto or phatphat stopped to take us when we decided to give up until we were 2 km short of our destination. From the st. Paul church to our guest house felt like a mountainous climb instead of the few 100 m of gently climbing road. Take the auto at the airport.
Same hold good for getting down at the bus stand and living near Nagoa.

Forget the AC

This is afternoon in our room

If you can survive slight hot weather I would recommend you skip AC and revel in the winds of Diu. Even though the sun is bright and beating down hard winds are cool and almost always flowing. All of our afternoons were spent indoors as we waited for the hottest part of the day to go past. Nights get cool and you will need a light cover to keep you comfortable.

Carry a mosquito repellent

If you love open widow and sea breeze mosquitoes will be your biggest woes come evening. We did not take any repellents and paid for it one night. It would be best to carry a plug-in repellent or the coil though I would recommend plugins as they are not smoky and smell less.

Get a transport

Our ride along with the owner's these are everywhere in Diu

There is no public transport except for auto rickshaws but they are too few and may be absent when you want to come back from the secluded beach. Cycles are definitely the best option and will cost you about 100 a day for a new one and around 50 for a old pair of wheels. We opted for a scooter, not the greenest way but we had taxed our legs and cycling scared us. It cost us 300 a day but usual costs are 350 we were told. with petrol for 150 filled in we roamed around all corners of Diu clocking around 100 Km.

Eat local/Kathiyawari

If you are eating at any of the local places and not a resort your best bet is Kathiawari food. It is about half the price of other fares and is delicious. A plate of Kathiyawari subzi or curry will cost you 60Rs while a thali should be around 100-140 Rs. Even if the complex mix of Indian spices scare you this one should be fine. It has a good balance of spices and is not hot like most local food choices around India. With a small amount of sweetness added it is both satisfying and delicious. Among all the food we had we are a big fan of Gujrati thali and undhiyu.

Visit the INS Kukri memorial

View from the Kukri Memorial

There are many beaches in Diu being an island it is blessed with sand and sea. Most famous is the Nagoa beach which is 2 km from the airport. Another beach and perhaps my favorite is the Chandrikamata beach on the Kukri memorial side. Like most other beaches there is a temple at this beach too and you can witness evening prayers with floating lamps. But when you move towards the memorial you are met with a hillock and a backwater beach. This one is also one of the cleanest beaches. The backwater pool has rocks on the sea side which make for beautiful breaking waves and result in huge amounts if broken shells which litter the beach. If you like shells take a small walk on the rocks behind the beach opposite to the memorial. Here small crevices are home to numerous small developing shells and some full grown ones.

Diu is a lazy city with its charming beaches and historical structures. It might not be the place where the party is but it is the best place to take a break from hectic travelling and life.
Tweet these tips or keep a PDF for your self.

Members check the Goodies folder for the pdf.


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205/3 Behind Diu Museum, off the Hospital road 02875-253851 (number from Lonely Planet)

I rarely write reviews more because of my laziness to click pictures when I am staying at any place than for any other reason. This time I managed to pull out the camera while in the room and click some photographs.


Basic Info

Our place of choice in Diu was Herança Goesa. After a draining walk from the Airport the guest house was a blessing for its quick room allocation and friendly owners. The guest house is owned by an Indo-Portugese family living on the ground floor. There are 5 rooms on the first floor and two on the ground. All the First floor rooms have twin beds and double bed is available on the ground floor.

Location


It is perhaps the best location if you intend to see the city and churches. It is around 8 Km form the Nagoa beach but Jalandhar beach and INS Kukri memorial beach are nearby. You are just behind the two famous churches of Diu, the St. Thomas church and St. Paul's Church. It is around 10 minutes walk to the shops and waterfront, pharmacy is nearby and so are a few food options without going to the waterfront.

Room and costs




If there is anything you will hear about the place it will be its cleanliness and people are not lying. The room was far better cleaned compared to some hotels I have stayed at for double the price.
As I previously mentioned the room had twin beds. The beds were comfortable though we did miss covers or a light duvet as the night got a bit cold for us with windows open. A table with two chairs id the only other furniture in the room. Minimal and sufficient furniture does not clutter the room and there was good circulation space in the room. There is no closet which could be locked but the space is good for unpacking your luggage.
Toilet and bath were like the other areas clean and well provided for. There is a small gas heater which get hot water running. If there is any thing I did not like it was the state of plumbing fixtures. Some minor repairs or replacements would greatly help.
Both the room and toilet are well ventilated, some may even say that it was too ventilated. The windows had clear glass and flimsy curtains made it difficult to change inside the room without fearing for your modesty.
Room has a fan which served us well and we were did not desire air conditioning at any point against our experience in Goa. Plug points are there near the bed and the table, definitely where we want them.
There were no towels or toilet paper provided there was a big bar of soap in the toilet.
Check in-out time is 10 am though we requested another 30 minutes and they had no issues with it, maybe because it was off season. Gate closing time is 11:30 pm.
The room cost us 600 per night.

Food

They do breakfast and dinners but kitchen was to be opened from next month so we walked around for food. Due to its proximity to the waterfront food options are always nearby.



Common Areas

There is a terrace (next to our room) with common table and an ashtray. You can also go up to the roof which along with a nice view has pleasant breeze in the night.

Final Call

We loved the place it was quiet, comfortable and never far away from anything but the airport and Nagoa beach. We met a french guy who comes to Diu every year for twenty odd years and has lived here for past seven. Ask for the rooms with the balcony they were occupied when we went. Definitely the place to live in when all you want is good accommodation for reasonable price.
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Did I tell you about the Andaman trip in September end. This year has been AWESOME with all the trips we have been able to do and enjoy. We set up a budget target for our travels when the year started and we have exceeded it maybe spent almost double already. Anyways we are going to another beach and this time unlike Diu I am hoping to get some swimming and snorkeling done. SCUBA is right now looking very out of our pockets and so is the surfing trip I had wanted to go on later in the year.

Right now I am breaking my head about what to take along and what to omit. One of my bigger concerns is my weight and getting a swim suit. I am looking at few and I am honestly unable to decide which ones to buy.

Apart from the clothes it is my desire to carry a small barbecue to the island, not just to have great food but also to save ourselves some money. The trip looks like it is going to be another expensive one and I am not really sure where I am going to dish out the money from. so I am working hard on my freelancing.

The reason why the trip is threatening to empty our pockets is because of the obnoxiously expensive accommodation (affiliate). The only reasonable accommodation I am able to find comes with scuba diving and that will decimate my resources. I feel like I should go and start my own home stay in Havelock and have a huge hall where people can bring in their sleeping gear and rest for the night. Let me know what you think about that. Anyways a sleeping bag is definitely not one of my desired items to pack. It is just too bulky and with the standing seats on the ferries which we will probably take it doesn't sound practical either.

Our itinerary for the ten day trip includes Havelock, Diglipur and Little Andaman. As of now I don't think we will be in Port Blair for long though cellular Jail is definitely one of the things I am interested in.

If you have been to Andamans and have a few tips to share or if you can direct us to a place you think will suit us. Our criteria clean and CHEAP like the guest house in Diu.

Photo on the top is from awesome people at Death to the Stock Photo.
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We have all been duly warned about the dangers and pitfalls of credit cards. Why is it then that most of the travel hackers and experts swear by their favorite cards and some even recommend getting multiple cards. There are a few reasons for this

Everything in moderation and control can yield good to great results. Anyone who buys within their spending limits but routes it through heir credit card is going to do good no matter how bad the credit card fine print is.
No body tells you to buy run of the mill credit cards. The cards recommended are specific and suit one purpose or another.




Why should I get a credit Card?

Credit cards as their name suggest are a way of taking money from the bank for a small predetermined time, specified in the credit card agreements as billing cycle. These cards allow you to earn interest from your money and while receiving kickbacks for using the card. My first card was way back in 2010 when I needed it to book our honeymoon tickets. Completely oblivious to how it should work I would put money back in the card as soon as I spent anything. I never got in debt but I never used the card and its facilities to their fullest potential.
If you direct 10000 worth of expenses through your card and have to pay it back 40 days later you can earn around 30 bucks or so in interest. Someone good at accounting can probably give you an exact figure. Most of the cards provide much more incentives than just saving some interest.They might offer a 5% cash back, movie tickets or air miles which happen to be something most of us travelers are lusting after all throughout the year. If you still do not believe what I am saying let me tell you we flew from India to Sri Lanka and back for just 4000 combined because of the miles our regular expenses had saved us just like return flights for two people to Andaman cost us around 12000 while our friends had to pay over 13000 each for the same flights. We have taken multiple free flights in last year all because we found and use the right credit card and this is not including all the ones we paid half price for, like the one from Mumbai to Hyderabad in August while coming abck form Diu.
Did I mention it also gives the holder free access to many airport lounges around the country?

How can I select a credit card?

There are a few criteria to select a credit card which can best suit your requirement which stay true for any par of the world and any purpose. To decide on a credit card to buy look at these major points.

Annual Fees

This is perhaps the smallest of the criteria but it can be considered to be the biggest deal breaker for many. A free for life credit card is going to do nothing for you, you will not see flights or or that matter even get you a discount on a eCommerce site. As with most of the things in material life you get what you pay for. We pay 3000 a year for our card and it has more than made up for over five years of fees in past fifteen months. If you are still hell bent on the free card, go through the pointers below and then choose your card.
Another factor to remember is the waived off fee, which means when you accrue certain amount of expenditure on your card in a year they will waive off you annual fee. Just like fees is a deal breaker or many this clause is usually a deal breaker for me. What if for whatever reason I did not meet the amount and had to pay up the fees, more often than not these cards do carry a bigger fees one such I know of comes for 5000 a year double of what we currently hold but you can get it waived off if you spend 400000 or more in a year. If you are committing to these cards always consider the annual fee in you expenditures if it is waived off take it as a bonus.

Purpose of the card


Why do you want a credit card? Is it just because you want to have a means to pay at places where there is no other paying option, or you are looking to gain something from owning the card. If you are looking for the former it is best to go for lifetime free cards which offer minor discounts and offers along the way without burdening you with the  fees. If you are looking to get more out of the card ownership it is time to define exactly what you want and how yo wish to utilize the card.

There are card for everything from airlines to major shopping chains and some with their own points store where you can buy stuff for free once you have accumulated enough points to qualify through your spending. If your biggest expense if gas you might want to go ahead and look for a card which gives you free petrol. There is nothing better than leveraging your mandatory expenses to help reduce them and make your money stretch. No matter what way you save up it is finally going to go in the same kitty. One of my friend has a card which gives them loyalty points for a famous shopping chain, for him it means easy and cheaper shopping. There is no right purpose and you can want anything from free movie tickets to free flights it's all on you.

Kickback totals


This has to be the most important of all factors which should direct you towards a suitable card. Why? Because this is the reason why you are getting a card in the first place.
The card we own gives every new enrollment bonus 10000 miles which translate to 5000 Rs for a fees of 3000 Rs a year this doesn't seem like a bad deal. Additionally you will still be earning miles and getting those free flights. If you  do not want to take matters to next year feel free to cancel the card before your renewal date and use up your miles too.

Similarly there are cards which give you free nights at a hotel or a straight away domestic flight calculate what the total kickback as are worth and then you shall have the winner. Most of the benefits of the card in question are related to your original purpose that you defined in previous point. Remember there is nothing wrong in holding more than one card as long as the benefits are in your favor and they serve a purpose.






If you are in US or hold a US address options are many and have been discussed in great lengths by many renowned travel hackers from The Points Guy to Nomadic Matt. But if you are in India not only are the available options too few and miserly they are usually not discussed in detail.

As we started travelling more in 2013 we were on a lookout for a good credit card which could get us the benefits I would hear everyone talking about but still fit our pockets. This meant we needed travel related cards but not those which had over 5000 as a yearly fees. There were a few cards that we considered mostly from the banks we had used over the years but we decided on Citibank Premier Miles to be the card of choice. If you are interested in other options or if for some reason you can't or won't get a Citibank card go ahead and have a look at the comparison here, a handy tool would be this calculator by the same person.

Lets go ahead and see how this card did on our criteria scale.

1. Annual Fees 


The card has an annual fees set at 3000 which though a bit expensive wasn't something that we couldn't afford, or would burn a big size hole in our pockets.

2. Purpose of the Card


We were looking at travel card specifically those which would help us get enough miles for a few free flights in a year. We also wanted the liberty to not be chained to one airlines and have the option to book from whichever one was cheaper or had better deal going on. Additionally if we could use or convert those miles for hotels and other transport options that would be a plus. This cut out most of the other travel cards because they would bind us to one airline or another. This card allows us to book our tickets through various sites and rewards us with miles as well as allows us to redeem them on various sites including a dedicated portal.

Additionally we can use the miles to pay for hotel rooms and buses too. All in all a good deal for us with flexibility and freedom of use across various sites.
Another one of our criteria was to easily earn miles which is what this card gets you, this card makes it very easy to earn miles from your daily expenses and you get accelerated miles with most of the travel expenses.

3.Kickback Totals


Even though I call them kickbacks these benefits are the reason why we are interested in buying the card. Credit card is now not just a means to pay for your online expenses or delay paying for stuff you bought today it is a means to get the luxury you have been looking forward to.

Joining bonus and annual fee

This card gave us 10000 joining miles which translates to 5000 Rs for a joining fees of 3000 so it was a no brainer 2000 Rs earned by spending first 1000 on the card within 60 days. Every subsequent year you get 3000 miles whenever you pay your annual fees basically reducing the annual fees to 1500.

Earning miles

We earn 10 miles for every 100 spent on flights and some partner sites which include even online clothing and other shopping sites. For all other regular expenses we get 4 miles for every 100 sent. As a thumb rule we spend around 20,000 a month in groceries and around 10,000 quarterly in flights and other partner sites which gets us 3400 miles every quarter. In addition to this we also route our insurance through the card and most often we are the people who pay the bill and later split it with friends giving us around 1,00,000 in other expenses over the year. This comes to around 4000 miles earned a year or around 3900 miles every quarter. In one year we make 7,800 in actual money which we can then use to buy our free flights. Combined with 3000 miles earned for annual fees this the total comes to Rs.9300 which is more than three times of the annual fees we pay.

We usually try to book flight tickets for friends and family which helps us to get even more miles without spending any money.

Other benefits

The card allows the primary card holder to access multiple Airport lounges around the country for free. Our regular debit card also lets us access many of the same lounges but the card includes many more lounges and we have many a times saved over 500 per person by stuffing ourselves full in these lounges. With all the flying involved I would put this benefit at around 3000 a year at-least.

The kickback or benefit total for the card comes around 12000 a year which being a 300% profit over the 3000 Rs annual fees is a good deal.

Other factors we haven't used yet

Citibank allows you to convert your premier miles to other airline miles at quite a good rate more often than not these are converted at 1:1.

Cons of the card


Even though I love the card there is definitely one point which I find can be a disadvantage compared to regular airline miles. As the miles earned are directly related to money with a ratio of 1 mile=0.5 .45Rs it can be a problem when flight prices are too high. In most airline the miles required to fly a sector remain constant as long as the seats are available, but in premier miles you can end up paying considerably more if you do not book on time.

You can apply and get more details for the card here.

What credit card do you use? Are you now convinced to use a travel related credit card?
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We went to Andaman& Nicobar for ten days, you would remember it from my last post. Now it is time for me to help you plan your trip to Andaman the way I helped you plan your trip to Diu.


This post is more for those who have researched about Andamans but are looking for some first hand experience and reposts. In case you are looking for the First Hand guide it will be out soon. Now that you have decided to visit Andamans the far Away Indian territory with beautiful beaches, forests and wildlife it is time to take note of all the things below. You will thank me for it later.


Transport

All of us on the ferry deck to Havelock

Transport in Andaman can be the biggest spoil sport for your plans and you will not know what is going to happen unless you land in Andaman or get your tickets booked through an agent. If like us you are DIY ticket bookers go straight to phoenix bay jetty in Port Blair from your airport, and book your ferry tickets. Bus terminus is close by and in case you are looking to catch a bus to go up north get your tickets there. Ferry advance booking counters are closed on Sunday and even when they are open you will have to endure a long line filled with agents who always seem to multiply before you. If you know when you are going to leave the other Island get that ticket booked here too. Earlier you book the tickets more chances you have to get the ticket and not have your plans pushed back due to ticket unavailability.
After all the exercise remember a ticket is no guarantee that your vessel will leave on the designated date in case of bad weather the ferry will be canceled along with all issued tickets. You will have to buy fresh tickets.
Another thing which you need to consider is the timings, there are no transport options in the night an almost every thing moves around 6 in the morning. Do not attempt to get from one place to another far away in a day or night. Plan in some stop days and options.

If someone has the link for online booking of ferries or bus please leave it in the comments.

Health Care


Andaman is every one's Health care dream. Government provides free health care and hospitals are quite clean and well maintained. We had to use the services on multiple occasion and were pleasantly surprised to find reliable services available on even the remote Long Island. We were treated with injections and medicines with great recovery and all of that for free. On the other hand it is quite impossible to find pharmacies anywhere except for Port Blair.

Language and culture


Andaman is almost little India. You will people talking in Bangla, Tamil and most surprisingly Hindi. English is widely spoken and most Indians as well as foreigners will rarely have problem communicating. Like the language the culture is heavily influenced by the mainland and it is quite evident in clothes, interactions and celebrations. Durga Puja is a big festival and though it is difficult for any on to match the craze in Gujarat or Bengal Andaman did well with beautifully done Pandals and blaring songs. It might not be the best way to celebrate it but it is a big festival like many other mainland festivals from different regions.

Food and Liquor

Rate list for liquor outside Govenment Shop in English and Hindi

Just like the language and culture food is heavily influenced by Tamil Nadu and Bengal. You will find piping hot idli and parota in the morning for breakfast and thali for lunch and dinner. Taste and style of curries will vary depending on whether you are in a tamil establishment or a Bengali one. In the main Andaman Island we came across mostly Tamil and South Indian influences in food while it became majorly Bangla as we traveled to Havelock.
Liquor like all UTs in India is very cheap, you can get a chilled beer bottle for under 80 from a Government shop and for around 120-150 in one of the expensive bars. Other spirits are similarly priced with known Indian brands available in a few hundreds to Johnnie walker aged running for around 2500.

It is very cheap and very expensive

Our Duplex cottage for 3 great deal and right across the beach

Andaman is like most of India and yet different. Here you can get clean accommodation for two starting at 350-500 or you can spent 5000 a night easily for an average accommodation in one of the high end resorts.This was a welcome relief after all the fretting about Andaman trip.  Most cheap accommodation come without attached toilets especially in the islands though you will get good accommodation with attached toilets for 500-600 in Port Blair. The places we stayed in were not just clean and well maintained the toilet to user ratio was also very good. We rarely missed attached toilets except when nature called late at night. Rooms with attached toilets run from 100-1500 upwards and have no real top limit.
Air conditioned rooms seem to be in big demand especially by Indian tourists, maybe it was the time we had visited but we saw no need of AC rooms. If your room has ventilation rest assured the island has enough sea breeze. Actually I for one needed a sheet or two to keep away the cold which would settle in late in the night.
Food is likewise quite inexpensive as long as you stick to local fare especially vegetarian. In case you want some meat choose sea food over chicken and you will still have a cheaper deal. Rice is the accompaniment of choice though you might get parota or roti if you are lucky.

Very few people harass tourists

The People of Long Island- Nobody spared us a look and we loved it!

To be true very few will turn and look at you unless you approach them first. People here not only respect privacy but are quite content looking after themselves. You might have a few asking if you need an auto but a single nod will solve the problem even at the Airport.
That being said this is not true for the Havelock Jetty where you will find agents in droves approaching tourists. Even though most tourists come here as a part of some group tour you will find touts trying to help you get everything from taxi to hotel.

Forget the Internet and sometimes your phone and Relax


There is no Internet in Andamans. You might get fleeting connection on your phone in Port Blair but don't expect a regular 2G service let alone 3G running with any force. We did spot a few cyber cafe and one of our guest house in Port Blair offered WiFi in reception area for 60 and hour. In Havelock though you can book every thing online the only Internet we found was satellite Internet costing around 150 for 30 minutes of usage. Forget about your mail and enjoy the nature.
If you have a BSNL connection you rare the king in Andaman, and you will have network on all islands. Most other carriers are limited to Port Blair and Havelock with some connection around Rangat. Like most remote areas in India BSNL is the way to go.

If there is something you would like to share or ask put it in the comments below. I would be happy to help.
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Parul &Ajay +1

We are a couple travelling the world one country at a time with our full time jobs since 2013. Our daughter has joined us from 2018.


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