Port Blair is the capital town of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory located in the Bay of Bengal, India. The islands have gained popularity among the folks of India and International nationality. Tourism and its related activities are there only in Andamans. Nicobar is part of these islands but it is a tribal restricted area and hence is not allowed for Tourist visits.
Port Blair has several attractions for tourists such as museum visits, historical tours, adventurous water sports, extraordinary boat rides, strolls at parks and shopping.
The city is accessible via both sea and air. The most preferred mode is via air. The only commercial airport is located at Port Blair.
The city offers great amenities for the tourists. Tourist friendly accommodations are located near the Phoenix Bay and restaurants, local food joints and hotels near the Aberdeen Bazaar and Junglighat. People from all cultures and traditions from around mainland India live in Port Blair making it a ‘Mini India’. Cuisines of all kinds are available here, Port Blair has a wide variety of choices for restaurants and all of which are situated in and around the major locations of the city.
“Port Blair” got its name from the Bombay Marine lieutenant Archibald Blair who discovered this place. The city does not have all the facilities that are available in mainland India, but still, Port Blair is the lifeline of the entire group of islands. People from all the corners in this island are dependent on the capital town for the urban facilities - at least for the reason that the services or commodities brought in as imports from mainland India, is easily available here.
Port Blair is the lifeline of the Andaman Islands because it is the most prominent city which is connected to all the other islands in the territory. The major drawback the city has is the lack of super-fast internet, as of now, 3G is the only fastest connection that is available that too only in certain hotspot areas.
How to reach other islands from Port Blair?
Port Blair is the only point from where all the other islands in Andamans can be accessed and there are various ferries, boats, and available cruises. Transfers from Port Blair to Havelock Island and the other islands are possible through the following ways:
Government ferries:
Regular government ferry services are available from Port Blair to almost all the major islands. The sailing schedule for these ferries is published in the Administration's News Paper i.e. The Daily Telegrams and Dweep Samachar or on the official website. But the ticket booking has to be done offline at the STARS counters in the Phoenix Bay harbor or from the government authorized Common Service Centers nearby. The tickets have to be booked three days before departure or on the day of sailing due to the high demand.
Private ferry:
There are private luxurious cruises that carry out from Port Blair’s Phoenix Bay Harbor & Haddo Wharf for Swaraj Dweep (Havelock) & Shaheed Dweep (Neil) daily. These cruises mention their sailing schedules and offer pre-booking facilities of tickets on their respective websites which makes the transfers definite well in advance. The cruise operators to these islands are Makruzz, Sea Link Cruise, Green Ocean Cruise, and ITT Majestic.
By Road:
The islands in the North Andamans are half-way connected via road and private car rentals are available for hire in Port Blair.
Restaurants in Port Blair
Pure Vegetarian, Multi-Cuisine, Seafood, Chinese, Fast Food, Bengali and South Indian Cuisine are all available in Port Blair.