My wife Madelene and I spent a week on the Andaman Islands in December 2010. Our Havelock accommodation was fantastic – not a luxurious resort, the focus is more on letting the beauty of the area and the location speak for themselves. Excellent food and a discreet little bar rounded out the accommodation very well.
We also had a couple nights in Port Blair – the town itself isn’t greatly different from any other Indian city of this size, but it does have a slightly more relaxed feel and something of an island mentality – peoples’ means are modest, things are reused and recycled and resources seem more valued. We also ‘discovered’ a lovely beach an hour south of Port Blair, where there is snorkeling nearby – perfect for a half day trip from Port Blair.
Andamans is a very special destination for travel in India, still relatively undeveloped. It will be interesting to see how the authorities manage the growth in popularity and visitor numbers which are sure to increase in the coming years. Hopefully some sustainable tourism values hold sway, and the ‘back to basics’ way that hotels and other tourism infrastructure have developed thus far continues.