Where to stay in the Andaman Islands: Port Blair, Havelock or Neil

The Andaman Islands are a chain of islands, not a single resort, and ferry logistics shape every plan. Where you sleep decides how many hours go to piers and sea crossings, and whether sunrise and sunset happen at your door. The Andaman Islands travel guide covers seasons and what to see, and this page settles the base, as part of a wider India trip.

Three things drive the choice. The first is your arrival: flights land at Port Blair, and the islands to the north-east need a sea crossing from there. The Andaman administration's Directorate of Shipping Services runs passenger sailings and an online ticketing portal, and other operators may serve the same routes, so check the live timetable for your dates instead of trusting any fixed crossing time. The second is your activity. Divers and snorkelers want Havelock, where most dive shops sit, while people who want a slow beach week may prefer Neil or the Radhanagar side. The third is the season. The dry months make it easier to plan close to sailing times, while in the wet season weather can cancel sailings, so a flexible base matters more.

Price bands below are relative per night for a double room: $ is a basic guesthouse, $$ a mid-range hotel or small resort, $$$ an upscale beach resort. Rooms on the islands are often simpler than the price suggests, so check recent guest reports for power, water and air-conditioning before you book.

If it is your first trip and you have four or five nights, split them: one night in Port Blair at the start or end, two or three on Havelock, and one or two on Neil. If you have only a long weekend, skip Neil and keep Port Blair and Havelock, because every extra island adds a sailing and a chance of delay. If diving is the point, stay in Govind Nagar and put your Radhanagar night, if any, at the end. If you want a quiet honeymoon-style stay, base on the Radhanagar side and accept that dinners will mostly be at the property.

Families with small children usually do better in Govind Nagar or a resort with its own restaurant, since short rides to food and a doctor matter more than a perfect beach. Travelers who dislike scooters or unlit roads should avoid the far end of any island unless the hotel provides pickups. Solo travelers meet people more easily in Govind Nagar, where dive shops, cafes and guesthouses sit close together. The Havelock vs Neil Island guide compares the two islands themselves, and the Andaman itinerary, 5 days shows how the nights fit together.

Port Blair is the capital and the gateway. In September 2024 the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that the city would be renamed Sri Vijaya Puram, so you may see both names on signs, tickets and booking sites. The airport, the main ferry piers and the largest hospital are here, which makes it the practical place for the first and last nights. It is also where you see the Cellular Jail, Ross Island and the harbor, so one night adds history to a beach-focused trip.

The town itself is busy, with traffic, small shops and hotels for every budget. Beaches nearby, such as Corbyn's Cove, are fine for an hour but not the reason to come. Sleep here the night before a morning flight, so a delayed sailing does not make you miss a departure.

If you arrive in the afternoon, book a hotel close to the pier you will use the next morning. If you leave on a flight, sleep here the night before and leave a day of buffer after your last ferry.

Govind Nagar is the main village on Havelock Island, which the government now calls Swaraj Dweep. It has a small bazaar, cafes, dive shops and a ride to the beaches. Most travelers sleep here on a first visit, because it is practical: you can compare dive operators, rent a scooter and walk to dinner. It also puts you close to the ferry pier and the main road to the island's beaches.

The trade-off is noise and crowds in peak season. Streets fill with scooters in the evening, and rooms are close together. If you want a quiet beach, it is a ride away. Pick a place a few minutes outside the busiest lane and you get both convenience and sleep.

It is the best base if scuba diving or snorkeling is the point of your trip. The UK government's advice for diving in Thailand and Indonesia, which applies equally well as a checklist here, is to ask to see a dive operator's credentials, confirm that safety equipment and oxygen are on the boat, ask about transfer to a hyperbaric chamber and check what your insurance requires of the instructor. Ask what happens if weather cancels the sailing, and book through a licensed shop.

The Radhanagar side of Havelock is the quiet end of the island, with resorts and cottages strung along the road to the big beach. Staying here gives you the beach at dawn and dusk, when it is emptiest, and a stillness at night that the main village does not have. It suits couples and travelers who want to sleep to the sound of the sea.

Plan the trade-offs. There are fewer restaurants, so most guests eat at their property. Dive shops and the ferry pier are a ride away, so you need a scooter, auto or a pickup arranged in advance. Power cuts and weak signal are more likely, so carry cash and a charged power bank.

It is a good place for a pause after a few active days, or for the last night before an early ferry back. It is a poor choice if you want to hop between dive shops or walk to dinner.

Neil Island is smaller, flatter and quieter than Havelock, with calm beaches, rice paddies and a village feel. It is easy to cycle, and its beaches suit slow swims and sunset walks. The pace is slow, and the island is small enough that one or two nights usually do it.

There are fewer dive shops and restaurants than on Havelock, and the nightlife is limited. Rooms are mostly guesthouses and small resorts, and booking early is wise in peak season. ATMs are scarce, so bring cash. If you want a deeper comparison, read the guide on Havelock vs Neil Island before you split your nights.

It works well as a calm stop between Havelock and Port Blair, since the ferry route links them.

Book ferries and rooms together, because the sailing schedule decides which islands you can reach each day. A room on Havelock is no use if the ferry you need is full or cancelled. Book early for the cool, dry months and for any long weekend, and keep a refundable rate where you can. In the wet season, rates tend to fall and some resorts reduce services, but weather can cancel sailings, so keep your plans loose and leave a buffer before any international flight.

Ask your hotel before you pay about pickups from the pier, power backup, air-conditioning hours and meals, since options are limited after dark. Carry cash for small bills, since ATMs are scarce outside Port Blair and sometimes run empty. Download maps and tickets before you leave the mainland, because mobile data can be patchy, and get an eSIM for India for the mainland legs.

UK government travel advice, which is UK-specific, gives a clear picture of the seasons. It says the monsoon in India usually runs from June to October, and that tropical cyclones are a risk in the Bay of Bengal from April to June and from September to December. It tells travelers to plan around these seasons and to check the Indian Meteorological Department for weather updates. In practice that means the best planning window is outside those periods, and that any trip in them needs slack for cancelled sailings.

The same advice warns that there are strong currents off many Indian coasts, that people drown every year, and that most beaches have no warning signs, flags or lifesaving equipment. Take local advice before swimming, even at a beach that looks calm. It also says tourist boats and other small craft rarely carry life-saving equipment, so check for life jackets before you board and avoid overloaded boats. India has a high road death rate, and if you plan to drive you need both the 1949 international driving permit and your UK licence; treat a scooter on dark island roads with the same caution as on the mainland.

For entry, the advice says you must have a visa to visit India unless you hold an Overseas Citizen of India card, and that foreign nationals must complete an e-arrival card online before reaching immigration, up to 72 hours before arrival. It also says special permits are required for certain restricted or protected areas, that permit regulations can change at any time, and that visitors must keep to security and administrative guidelines during visits to tribal areas in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Check the current rules for every island you plan to visit before you book, using the Ministry of Home Affairs or your visa authority. The India e-Visa guide explains the visa step. Other nationalities should check their own government's rules.

Do not book a non-refundable room on Neil or Havelock for the night before an international flight. Do not stay at the far end of an island without a plan for dinner and for the ride back after dark. Do not assume a taxi, an ATM or a signal will be there when you need it. Do not book a dive trip for your first morning on an island without leaving room for a delayed sailing. And do not skip Port Blair altogether if your flights and ferries do not line up, because a night there is cheaper than a missed connection.

Compare cover in the travel insurance guides, and for the beach island itself, read the Havelock Island guide. For moving between the mainland and the islands, the getting around page explains how to compare flights, trains and ferries.