TRIP TO 'BARREN ISLAND'- India's only active volcano is located in the Andamans

Disbelief registers quickly on most people’s faces when I tell them that India has an active volcano. They then proceed to laugh when I tell them that I have visited it and dived the waters around it. Well, the truth is that India does have volcanoes. And, historically, the most active volcano along the volcanic arc extending between Sumatra and Burma is India’s very own Barren Island. With reported eruptions dating back to 1787, the volcano’s existence has been known to us for centuries. However, inaccessibility and limited, poorly publicised research has long rendered the island an enigma unto itself.

BEACH WEDDINGS IN ANDAMANS - NEAR DESERTED BEACHES & MARINE LIFE

Not many people would consider Andaman as their wedding destination owing to it not being much publicized. Andaman might be a secluded place, but it is nothing less of being picture perfect with widespread flora and fauna, and if you want a wedding away from the bustling of city life and amidst startling natural beauty and tranquility, then Andaman is the place to be.

Shore and the city- Port Blair

The capital of Andaman and Nicobar- Port Blair offers a relaxing vacation in company of woods, caves, museums and historic remnants and is a window 0f the delightful - a potpourri of culture, history, leisure, luxury, sports and much more… 

 Port Blair- gateway to the sun, sand and surf of the natural beauty- endowed Andamans. A perfect nirvana for the urban dweller, enveloped in a modicum of the unchanged from times immemorial. Unchanged is the soulful pace of life folded in the wraps of time. Lingering in the air is the decadence of colonial rule, unchanged in the face of time and tides. Unchanged are the remotest heavens of biodiversity far removed from the gnawing realities of urbanization, a visit to this land of the unchanged and unfathomable is an eye-opener and an enchanter. 

A Solo Backpacking trip to the Andamans

This magical land has hidden gems that distinguish it from usual tourist hotspots, says Amit Sengupta

Andamans looks like a piece of beads strung together in the Bay of Bengal, straight out of a dream set. It is flanked by the beautiful and mesmerizing North and South Andaman Islands, and stretches till the Nicobar group of islands in the south. Consisting of about 556 islets, this magical land hosts some remarkable hidden gems that are far away from the usual touristy hotspots. There are some of these, which are equally, if not less, appealing and scenic than the usually known places such as Havelock and Neil Islands.

My journey to the islands was intended to be different and a bit daring, so to say. It was a solo backpacking trip, the weather was not conducive, and I would say there was never a single moment I regret being all alone. You can easily fly to Andamans from any city through Chennai or Kolkata (which is usually a two-hour journey). International travelers and tourists would, however, need to have a permit to enter the islands, which can be comfortably availed from the authorities upon arrival. So here’s my ultimate itinerary for you to plunge into the deep blue waters and virgin islands of Andamans and make a solo backpacking trip yourself.