The Perfect 5-Day Andaman Itinerary (Day-by-Day, With Real Costs)
- India
- Andaman
- 5-Day Itinerary
Five days is the sweet spot for Andaman: long enough to do the three islands that matter (Port Blair, Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil (Shaheed Dweep)) without rushing, and short enough to fit a normal week off work.
5D / 4N
Days / nights
Port Blair → Havelock → Neil, booked yourself
25 km / 1–1.5 hr
Households
~20 total
Ideal stay
1 – 2 nights
In shortFive days across Port Blair, Havelock and Neil, planned day by day with real costs and ferry timings.
Go2AndamanAndaman & Nicobar TourismSmita BhattacharyaMakruzz blogWe planned and booked our own trip with no package and no agent, so this is the exact route we would run again, with real INR costs.
Yes, for the classic circuit. In 5 days you comfortably see Port Blair’s history, get one full beach-and-diving day on Havelock, and one slow day on Neil, which is honestly the shape most people want. If your flights land early and leave late, you even squeeze in Ross Island or North Bay at the end.
What 5 days does not give you: the offbeat north, Baratang’s caves, Diglipur, Little Andaman, or a second diving day. If diving is the whole point, or you want the quieter islands, add a day or two: the trade-offs are laid out further down. One honesty note up front: the Nicobar islands are closed to tourists, so nobody is selling you a real Nicobar itinerary.
| Days | 5 days, 4 nights |
| Islands covered | Port Blair, Havelock (Swaraj Dweep), Neil (Shaheed Dweep) |
| Ideal for | First-timers, couples, honeymooners, friends who want beaches plus one adventure |
| Rough total cost pp | ₹18,000–30,000 excl. flights (mid-range); ₹12,000–15,000 budget |
| Best time | Late October to April; December–January is peak |
| Book in order | Flights → ferries → stays → activities |
01 · Is 5 days enough for Andaman?
Book in this order and you avoid the two things that wreck Andaman trips (sold-out ferries and a missed Radhanagar sunset: flights first (everything hangs off your Port Blair times), inter-island ferries next (they sell out in peak season) book 1–3 weeks ahead), stays third, activities last.
Day 1 · Port Blair: history and easing in
Land late morning, drop bags, and treat the afternoon as a gentle history day. The Cellular Jail (entry ~₹40) is the emotional heart of the islands: stay for the evening Light and Sound Show (~₹300). If you arrive earlier, add Corbyn’s Cove or the Samudrika museum. Eat around Aberdeen Bazaar and sleep early: tomorrow’s ferry is a morning one. Day cost pp: ₹800–1,500.
Day 2 · Ferry to Havelock, Radhanagar sunset
Take the 8–9am private ferry from Haddo Wharf (Makruzz, Nautika or Green Ocean: 1.5–2 hrs, ₹1,000–2,900). Arrive 60–90 minutes early. On Havelock: rent a scooter (₹400–600/day), spend the afternoon at Radhanagar Beach and stay for the trip’s best sunset. Mind the lifeguard flags: the currents are real. Day cost pp: ₹2,000–4,000.
Day 3 · Havelock: reef day and a sunrise beach
Wake early for Kalapathar at sunrise, then your one big adventure: a beginner Discover Scuba boat dive (₹3,500–4,500, no certification: see our scuba guide) or the speedboat to Elephant Beach for snorkelling (₹1,000–2,500). Beaches effectively run 10am–5pm, so front-load the day. Second Havelock night. Day cost pp: ₹3,500–5,000.
Day 4 · Hop to Neil: slow down
Late-morning ferry to Neil (1–1.25 hrs; private ₹1,000–1,500, government ~₹560). Rent a scooter and do the three-beach loop: Bharatpur for shallow swimming and a glass-bottom boat (₹500–700), Laxmanpur for sunset, and the Natural Bridge at low tide: check tide timings, at high tide it is underwater and pointless. Darkest skies of the trip after dinner. Day cost pp: ₹2,000–3,500.
The golden rule
Day 5 · Ferry back and fly out. Morning ferry to Port Blair (1.5–2 hrs). If your flight leaves after mid-afternoon, add Ross Island’s ruins or North Bay snorkelling (₹400–600). If it leaves before about 1pm, skip both and get to the airport: a delayed ferry plus a missed flight is a bad way to end a trip. Day cost pp: ₹1,500–3,500.
Never gamble a flight on a same-day ferry
Seas are calm October to April, but the odd sailing still gets cancelled. Keep at least a two-hour buffer between your Day 5 ferry landing and your flight: more in shoulder season.
Private catamarans
Makruzz · Nautika · Green Ocean
Air-conditioned, faster, more reliable: ₹1,000–2,900 per leg by class. Book online a week or more ahead in peak season, direct on the operators’ sites: the full breakdown is in our Makruzz ferry guide.
Government ferries
Cheap, slow, counter-booked
Often ₹500–600 a leg, but basic, slower to board and quick to sell out. Worth it if you are counting rupees and have flexible time.
Three ground rules
That saved our trip
Arrive 60–90 minutes early (boarding is genuinely slow). Carry a printed ticket and the same government photo ID you booked with. Keep a two-hour-plus buffer between your last ferry and your flight.
The 5-day plan at a glance
| Day | Base | Move | Highlights | Cost pp (₹) |
| 1 | Port Blair | Fly in | Cellular Jail + Light & Sound Show | 800–1,500 |
| 2 | Havelock | Ferry ~8am, 1.5–2h | Radhanagar Beach + sunset, scooter | 2,000–4,000 |
| 3 | Havelock | Scooter | Kalapathar sunrise, scuba or Elephant Beach | 3,500–5,000 |
| 4 | Neil | Ferry ~1h | Bharatpur, Laxmanpur sunset, Natural Bridge | 2,000–3,500 |
| 5 | Home | Ferry + flight | Ross Island / North Bay if time | 1,500–3,500 |
Port Blair (1 night)
Stay near Aberdeen Bazaar or Marine Hill for easy jetty and airport access. Budget guesthouses ₹1,200–2,000; mid-range hotels ₹3,000–6,000. Zostel is the one real hostel for solo travellers.
Havelock (2 nights)
The widest choice on the islands. Beachside cottages and mid-range resorts around Vijaynagar and Govind Nagar run ₹3,000–8,000; simple guesthouses from ₹1,500. See the full Havelock guide for zones.
Book direct
We book stays direct with the property wherever possible: no commission, often a better rate, and an honest answer about ferry timings when plans wobble.
Neil (1 night)
Smaller and simpler: guesthouses and homestays ₹1,500–3,000, a handful of nicer resorts to ₹7,000+. Every option compared in our Neil Island hotels guide.
Eat where the boats land
Aberdeen Bazaar street food in Port Blair, Govind Nagar cafes on Havelock, and whatever Neil’s morning catch brings. Our where to eat guide has the exact tables we would book again.
What you miss versus 6 or 7 days
A 6th day adds a second Havelock diving day or a full Baratang trip to the limestone caves and mud volcano (respect the Jarawa reserve convoy rules: no stops, no photos, no interaction). A 7th day reaches the quieter north: Long Island or Diglipur’s twin islands and turtle beaches. What 5 days cannot do: multiple dive days plus the offbeat islands. If you just want the greatest hits done well, five is plenty.
Package or plan it yourself?
You can absolutely do this yourself, and we did: flights, then ferries, then stays, then activities, all booked direct. A package is only worth it if you want zero logistics and do not mind paying a margin for it.
Add stays to the day costs and a comfortable mid-range trip lands at roughly ₹18,000–30,000 per person excluding flights, or ₹12,000–15,000 going budget with government ferries. Mainland flights add ₹8,000–18,000 return depending on city and season.
Timing the trip
One less thing to plan
The ₹500 decision that makes the trip
This plan works for both
If a day goes sideways
Late October to April is the window; December–January is peak and priciest. February gives the calmest seas for the ferry-heavy Days 2, 4 and 5. Avoid June–August entirely: monsoon cancellations can knock out a whole day of this plan.
Indian citizens just show ID. Foreign nationals get the Restricted Area Permit on arrival at Port Blair airport, covering this whole circuit. Only specific islands and the Jarawa-reserve transit carry extra rules.
Know Before You Go: 5-Day Trip Essentials
- Book ferries before hotels: they sell out first in peak season
- Arrive at every jetty 60–90 minutes early with a printed ticket + photo ID
- Check tide timings on Neil: the Natural Bridge only works at low tide
- Never plan a same-day ferry-then-flight out of Port Blair
Your biggest day, done right
Day 3 is the one people remember. Read the scuba guide before you book: prices, sites, and how to spot a safe centre.
Longer stays
Rent one on Havelock and again on Neil. Distances are short, parking is everywhere, and the alternative, waiting for autos between beaches, quietly eats your holiday.
One warning about “Nicobar packages”
Cheap insurance
Download everything first
More than you think
Golden hours are everything
Nothing here needs fitness beyond a short walk; glass-bottom boats and the sea walk cover non-swimmers. With very young kids, swap the Day 3 dive for Elephant Beach.
A cancelled ferry means a bonus island day, not a ruined trip. On Havelock, swap in cafes and Kalapathar; on Neil, the market and Bharatpur’s sheltered bay still work in drizzle.
Each day earns one of them
Four days means dropping Neil or the dive day, and you feel the ferries more than the beaches. If four is all you have: Port Blair (1N) + Havelock (2N), and save Neil for next time.
02 · The five days, distilled
With 7+ days, our pillar Andaman travel guide maps the Baratang, Diglipur and Little Andaman extensions and when each is worth the road hours.
One highlight per day, zero wasted ferries
The Nicobar group is a restricted tribal and defence zone, closed to tourists. Any itinerary claiming to include it is either fake or illegal. Everything in this plan stays within the open Andaman islands.
Cellular Jail + Light & Sound Show
Day 1’s anchor: the colonial prison’s cell blocks by day, the freedom-struggle narration by night. A touch theatrical, but on your first island evening it lands.
Day 1 · ₹340–500
The morning ferry to Havelock
The leg that turns the trip into a beach holiday. 8–9am sailing from Haddo Wharf, 1.5–2 hours, and the full Havelock afternoon is yours.
Day 2 · ₹1,000–2,900
Radhanagar sunset
The single best sundown of the trip. Be there by 4.30pm, walk to the far quieter end, and let the sky do the work.
Day 2 · free
Kalapathar at sunrise
The black-rock, turquoise-water counterpart to Radhanagar, at its best before the day heats up and anyone else arrives.
Day 3 · free
Your first scuba dive
Discover Scuba off Havelock: no certification, an instructor holding you, and reefs people cry happy tears over. Prices and centres in the scuba guide.
Day 3 · ₹3,500–4,500
Elephant Beach (the alternative)
If diving is not your thing: a 20-minute speedboat, live coral in shallow water, and the island’s best snorkelling.
Day 3 · ₹1,000–2,500
Bharatpur’s glass-bottom boat
Neil’s calm, shallow turquoise bay: coral without getting your hair wet, right beside the jetty.
Day 4 · ₹500–700
Natural Bridge at low tide
The coral arch is the island’s signature, but only at low tide. Check timings; at high tide it is underwater and pointless.
Day 4 · ₹500–700
Laxmanpur sunset + dark skies
Wide, shell-strewn, and the trip’s quietest golden hour. Neil has the darkest skies of the circuit: look up after dinner.
Day 4 · free
Ross Island finale
If your Day 5 flight is late: British ruins swallowed by roots, deer on the lawns, a short boat from Aberdeen Jetty.
Day 5 · ₹400–600 with boat
If you cut one thing
Cut the Day 5 Ross Island add-on before you cut anything else: it is lovely, but Radhanagar, the dive and the Natural Bridge are the trip.
Start with the full Andaman guide
Season, permits, island characters and budgets: the honest Andaman travel guide sets up everything this itinerary executes.
Two honest upgrades
Take a tablet 30–45 minutes before each crossing if you are prone, sit low and central, and skip the pre-ferry fry-up. The catamarans are stable, but the Bay of Bengal has moods.
Every rupee, mapped
Day 6: divers: a second Havelock dive morning at a better site, certified or not. Day 6: explorers: the Baratang convoy for limestone caves and the mud volcano. Day 7: Long Island or Diglipur: twin islands joined by a sandbar, turtle beaches, and the satisfaction of going where the 5-day crowd cannot.
The Natural Bridge and Bharatpur snorkelling both peak at low tide. Check a tide table when you land on Neil and shuffle the Day 4 loop around it.
Ferries first, always
Every collapsed Andaman itinerary we have heard of died at the jetty, not the beach. Ferries before hotels, and a buffer before flights.
Where the money actually goes
Mobile data is patchy outside Port Blair. Download offline maps, tickets and entertainment before Day 2, and warn work you will be gloriously unreachable.
Night 1 · the launchpad
Cellular Jail, Aberdeen Bazaar dinners, and the morning jetty. Near the bazaar or Marine Hill is the practical base.
Nights 2–3 · the heart
Radhanagar, Kalapathar and the dive boats. Two nights is the minimum that does it justice: the Havelock guide has the beach-by-beach detail.
Night 4 · the exhale
Three beaches, one scooter loop, zero hurry. Where to sleep is compared in the Neil hotels guide.
Where Day 2 begins
Port Blair’s private-ferry jetty. Security is slow: the 60–90 minute early rule is not padding.
The optional finale
Only with a late Day 5 flight. Ruins, roots and deer, 20 minutes off Aberdeen Jetty.
The other finale
Last-minute snorkelling and the sea walk, same jetty, same time-budget caveat.
| Leg | Operator | Time | Fare pp (₹) |
| Port Blair → Havelock | Makruzz / Nautika / Green Ocean | 1.5–2h | 1,000–2,900 |
| Havelock → Neil | Private or govt | 1–1.25h | 560–1,500 |
| Neil → Port Blair | Private | 1.25–2h | 1,000–2,900 |
The route in one breath
Fly in, jail by night, ferry out, sunset at Radhanagar, dive at dawn, drift to Neil, walk the bridge at low tide, ferry back, fly home grinning.
Month check
This itinerary is ferry-dependent, so seas matter more than sunshine. The safest months for the Day 2/4/5 crossings are below.
| Window | Crossings | Crowds | Call |
| Nov–Jan | Calm | Peak, pricey | Book 3–4 weeks out |
| Feb–Mar | Calmest | Easing | Best overall |
| Apr–mid May | Mostly fine | Thin | Cheapest workable |
| Mid May–Sep | Risky | Minimal | Do not run this plan |
| Oct | Improving | Light | Good value |
The first half of February: calm seas for all four ferry legs, peak underwater visibility for Day 3, and New Year prices gone.
Know before you go
Know before you go
Print your ferry tickets, carry the booking ID card, keep ₹5,000 cash beyond your plan, and re-check tide tables and ferry times the night before each move day.
Buffer the flight
Two hours minimum between Day 5 ferry landing and airport check-in. Before 1pm flights: skip Ross/North Bay entirely.
Print everything
Soft copies are refused at some gates. Printed tickets plus the exact photo ID you booked with, every leg.
Book ferries direct
Operators’ own sites, no agents. Cleaner cancellations when weather reshuffles your dates: see the Makruzz guide for the flow.
Front-load beach time
Island activities effectively run 10am–5pm. Sunrise starts and early boats beat both the heat and the crowds.
Keep planning the trip
The rest of the Andaman library: every guide is first-hand, commission-free and current.
Andaman Travel Guide
The full-territory overview: seasons, permits, islands and budgets: start here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days are enough for Andaman?
Five days, four nights is the sweet spot for the Port Blair, Havelock and Neil circuit. Four days works if you skip Neil; six or seven let you add a diving day, Baratang, or the northern islands.
Is 5 days enough to cover Port Blair, Havelock and Neil?
Yes. The split we use is one night Port Blair, two nights Havelock, one night Neil, then back to Port Blair to fly out. It covers every headline sight without a single rushed day, as long as you book ferries ahead.
What is the rough cost of a 5-day Andaman trip per person?
Excluding flights to Port Blair, budget roughly ₹18,000–30,000 per person for a comfortable mid-range trip, or ₹12,000–15,000 going budget. Mainland flights typically add ₹8,000–18,000 return depending on city and season.
Is Andaman cheaper than Bali or the Maldives?
On the ground, Andaman is usually cheaper than the Maldives and roughly comparable to Bali, with no visa, no forex and no international airfare for Indian travellers. Ferry costs add up, but the value for beaches and diving is excellent.
Which is the best month for this itinerary?
Late October to April, when seas are calm and diving visibility is best. December–January is peak and pricier. Avoid June to August, when the monsoon brings rough seas and ferry cancellations.
Do I need permits for this itinerary?
Indian citizens just show a government photo ID. Foreign nationals get a Restricted Area Permit on arrival at Port Blair airport that covers Havelock, Neil and the usual circuit.
Should I book a package or plan it myself?
You can absolutely do it yourself, and we did: flights, then ferries, then stays, then activities, all direct. A package only makes sense if you want zero logistics and accept the margin.
Which ferries should I book?
Private catamarans (Makruzz, Nautika or Green Ocean) for reliability and comfort at ₹1,000–2,900 per leg, booked direct on the operator sites. Government ferries are far cheaper but slower and counter-booked.
How early should I reach the jetty?
At least 60–90 minutes before departure. Security and bag-drop are slow, boarding closes 20–30 minutes before sailing, and the boats do not wait.
What if my flight leaves early on Day 5?
Skip Ross Island and North Bay and go straight to the airport. Do Ross Island on Day 1 afternoon instead of the museum if it matters to you.
Can non-swimmers do the Day 3 activities?
Yes. Discover Scuba needs no swimming ability (an instructor holds you throughout), glass-bottom boats cover the reef from above, and the sea walk at North Bay is built for non-swimmers.
Is the Cellular Jail show worth it?
On your first evening, yes, the setting does most of the work even when the narration gets theatrical. Buy the better tier (~₹300) and carry mosquito repellent.
Where should I stay on each island?
Port Blair: near Aberdeen Bazaar or Marine Hill. Havelock: Govind Nagar or Vijaynagar for the cafes and dive schools. Neil: near the jetty for convenience or Laxmanpur for sunsets.
How do I handle the Natural Bridge tides?
Check a tide table when you land on Neil and visit at low tide only, at high tide the arch is underwater. Locals and your guesthouse will know the day’s window.
Is this itinerary honeymoon-friendly?
Very. Upgrade the Havelock stay to a beachfront resort near Radhanagar, add the Royal class ferry cabin for one leg, and keep Neil exactly as it is: it is the romantic day.
What should I pack for the 5 days?
Reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard, motion-sickness tablets, a light layer for the icy ferry AC, printed tickets, and more cash than feels necessary.
Can I add Baratang to 5 days?
Not honestly: it is a full pre-dawn day from Port Blair and this plan has no slack for it. Add a sixth day if the caves and mud volcano matter to you.
What about the Nicobar Islands?
Closed to tourists: a restricted tribal and defence zone. Every real Andaman itinerary, including this one, stays within the open Andaman group.
What is the single most important booking rule?
Ferries before hotels, and never a same-day ferry-then-flight. Every wrecked Andaman trip we have heard of died at the jetty, not the beach.
Sources & references
- 1Andaman itineraryGo2Andaman · go2andaman.com
- 2Andaman & Nicobar TourismAndaman & Nicobar Tourism · tourism.andamannicobar.gov.in
- 3Four days itinerary for AndamanSmita Bhattacharya · smitabhattacharya.com
- 4Port Blair to Havelock ferry guide 2026Makruzz blog · blog.makruzz.com
Cross-checked against Go2Andaman, Andaman & Nicobar Tourism, Smita Bhattacharya and the Makruzz blog, plus our own bookings.
Carousel photographs: Jomesh (CC BY 3.0); Vyacheslav Argenberg (CC BY 4.0); Jayashree Subramanian (CC BY-SA 4.0); Harvinder Chandigarh (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
On this page
Paul
Founder · Offbeat Peak
Our Day 4 ferry was 40 minutes late, and it turned out to be the best delay of the trip: flying fish off the bow, a chai from the counter, and Neil appearing slowly out of the haze. Build the buffer. Sometimes the buffer is the holiday.