FACTS & FIGURES

 Geologically speaking the islands were once part of a mountain range stretching roughly from what is now Burma to Sumatra . Tectonic movements caused the larger part of these mountains to sink below sea level, what remained above the water are now the

The aboriginal peoples on the Andaman and Nicobar islands are of Negroid
and Mongoloid stocks. The main tribes are the Onge, Andamanese, Shompen,
Nicobarese and Jarawa Sentinelese.

Exploring the islands

One of the best ways of exploring The Andamans is by kayak. Islands can be circumnavigated; estuaries can be transverse from East to West. There are many tidal creeks and mangrove fringed rivers to be investigated. There is a multitude of uninhabited tropical islands to explore.

Above water the islands are a veritable Garden of Eden and a naturalists haven. The rainforests are a habitat to a vast number of plant, bird, and animal species, many of them unique in the world. The canopied forests themselves have an amazing variety of timbers, foliage and blooms.

The Andaman Paduk, the Yellow Hibiscus, the White Lily, the Pandanus as well as many varieties of Orchids are but a few of the over 700 species of plants to be found. Flocks of parrots, Bahminy kites, hornbills, Sea Eagles, and Herons will delight the birdwatcher. Around sunrise one can often sight spotted deer along the shores.

During sailing the Andamans  there have been sightings of such rare endemic species as the Andaman Teal, which is nigh but extinct, the wader bird know as the Asian Thick Knee, and the possibility of sightings of the rarest of seas mammals, the Dugong.

Other unusual sights are the swimming elephants. After a day's work the mahouts (elephant trainers) take their pachyderms for a refreshing swim.
The elephants can actually swim under water using their trunks as a snorkel!

Visits ashore will include Ross Island 's fascinating ruins of the British
Raj and the Cellular Jail in Port Blair, built to imprison many of India 's

There are many historical sites to visit around Port Blair dating back to
the times of British rule.

We also visit Havelock Island's beach number 7 (beaches are numbered rather than named) is a long, curved sweep of white sand, lapped by turquoise water and crowned by a forest of huge tropical hardwood trees.
Inland, Havelock Island is like a piece of rural India cast adrift in the
sea. Local children play naked outside thatched huts; holy cows amble by along the peaceful country roads, woman dressed in sari's squat together for gossip and tea.

Scuba Diving 

One of the most striking feature and the big attraction of diving in the Andamans is the sheer number and variety of fish one can encounter. The diving is for this reason world class.
Because of the almost total absence of commercial fishing and industrial pollution the sea life is extraordinary healthy.

One can almost lose orientation whilst swimming in vast schools of snappers or jacks. Other species one routinely encounters are mantas, tunas, grey reef and silvertip sharks as well as turtles, dolphins and occasionally Whale Sharks. Reef fish and smaller life are also abundant. Excellent corals are to be found throughout the area offering opportunity for divers and snorkelers alike.

Visibility you can expect to be in the 20-m+ range. You will always have the dive sites to yourself, as there are virtually no dive boats in the entire area.

Some of the offshore sites such as Narcondam are generally not to be
recommended for the beginning diver, this due to strong currents and large swells.

Permits are required for national parks and reserves.

New dive sites and splendid anchorages are continuously being discovered and explored, lending a unique expeditionary feel to these trips.

The Andamans in their pristine and isolated location provide the opportunity for a trip that is a unique experience, fast becoming rare on our overcrowded planet.

Getting There

The only prerequisite is that guests obtain an Indian visa in their home country endorsed for The Andamans.