Havelock Island

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Havelock Island (often just Havelock for short) with an area of some 92 km² is the largest of the islands which comprise Ritchie's Archipelago, a chain of islands to the east of Great Andaman in the Andaman Islands. Havelock is situated 57 km North East of Capital City Port Blair.

[edit] Overview

The island is named after Henry Havelock, a British general active in India. The island's current population consists of Bengali settlers.

It is one of the few places that the administration of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory of India has permitted and encouraged development of tourism, with a focus on promoting eco-tourism.

Havelock Island avoided much of the devastation which was visited upon most of the shores affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and its resultant tsunami, and there were no documented casualties.

Beach No. 7 on the western coast, better known as "Radha Nagar" Beach, is one of the most popular beaches on Havelock and was named "Best Beach in Asia" by Time in 2004.^[1]. Other notable beaches include Elephant Beach on the northwest coast and Vijaynagar Beach (No. 5), Beach No. 3 and Beach No. 1 on the east coast.

Travellers staying at Havelock island can enjoy famous Elephant ride. Crystal clear water is the highlight of this area and best for scuba diving and snorkelling. This place is 30 minutes journey from Havelock harbour point by boat. The person who takes the tourists by boat will also take care of snorkelling. The area is surrounded by very thick and dense forest. Buffalo beach is one more important destination at Havelock for snorkelling and under water vision. Boat facility is available and the person riding the boat will take care of everything.

The Pristine water surrounding the island is the haven for very large fishes, turtles and dolphins. Tourists can spot the dolphins here in the serene waterfront of Havelock Island.

Havelock Island is an ideal location for the enthusiast’s tourists to engage in sunbathing, beachcombing, swimming, surfing, beach camping and snorkeling. The stunning beauty of the nature is the prime attraction of this Island. One can enjoy the miraculous sunset and sunrise from the Beach of Havelock Island.

Havelock Island in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also favorable for wildlife excursions in the deep jungles. The dense vegetation of the island has attracted many botanists and zoologists who get lots of material to research on. Another important fact about Havelock Island of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is that only one third of the northern island is populated.

But the most fascinating of all the sightseeings at Havelock Island are its beaches. The two charming beaches that are the visitor's delight are the Radhanagar Beach, also known as Beach No.7, and Vijaynagar Beach, also known as Beach No. 5.

Havelock Island is accessible only through water. An AC Speed Boat departs daily from Port Blair at 7 in the morning. It reaches the island by 9.30 am. At 10 am it leaves the shores of the island and returns to the capital town by 1 pm.

Havelock is known for its pristine white sandy beaches and luxurious green forests. A tour to the Havelock beach is exciting, relaxing and rejuvenating. The dives for these beaches are easy to perform for non divers. You can take pleasure in the lap of Mother Nature here. We will go to the inter-island ferry, which is 54 km by sea from Port Blair. There you can explore and savour the island's sandy beaches and virgin forests in the whole day. Scuba diving, snorkelling and mangrove trip will give you the opportunity to discover the life under water as well. Mangrove serves as potential recreation site for fishing, boating, bird watching, sightseeing and photography. You can have your private dinner on beach.

Havelock Island is a picturesque Island with beautiful sandy beaches and lush green forest. This Island is also rated as the "SEVENTH MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND" in the world. The Island provides great outing with a virgin beach and an unpolluted atmosphere.

Apart from savoring the beauty of the area from the serenity of your rooms, the place offers many exciting outdoor activities like snorkeling, diving, fishing, kayaking, trekking, elephant rides and more. Begin your day with a rejuvenating yoga class in an open air pavilion on the high hills. Take an escorted nature walk through the dense rainforests sighting various colorful birds and insects, including many other spectacular wild inhabitants of the area, or go discover the fascinating world of coral reefs.

Radha nagar beach - It is the most beautiful on the island and was rated as the best in Asia by Time in 2004. Naturally, the Tourism department is having a field day. Nice white sand backed by a forest that provides welcome shade looks out over turquoise water, some stretches with a sandy bottom good for swimming and some with excellent coral reefs that are great for snorkeling. A man with an elephant walks through the forest occasionally, offering rides for a fee. Buses run here throughout the day until sunset, as do auto-rickshaws and shared 4 wheel-drive trucks. Radhanagar beach in Havelock Islands is a real exposure to the un-polluted atmosphere.

Havelock is known for rich marine life, especially the corals.^{[citation needed]} it is easily approachable by government boats which run daily from port blair from a point locally known as marine jetty. The boat run daily at 6 am. Prior booking can be done but the ships are big so one can easily get tickets on the spot. The radha nagar beach is big and beautiful and is about 10 km from boat point

[edit] Gallery

Elephanta Beach, Havelock Island	Radhanagar Beach. Beach no.7, picture1	Radhanagar Beach. Beach no.7, picture2	Radhanagar Beach. Beach no.7, picture3
uninhabited island on havelock.