Cheapest Way to Travel to Andaman and Nicobar
Most people look for the cheapest way to travel to Andaman and Nicobar Islands. There are a number of flights to Andaman from various places in India. Cities like Chennai, Kolkata, and Bangalore are nicely connected with these islands by air and there are a number of flights operating between these two places. Travelling by air is surely the most popular way to reach these islands. However, with the flight tickets if not booked in advance are expensive. Flights to Andaman from Kolkata or Chennai cost something like a Rs.3000 if booked in advance or something as high as Rs.8500 to Rs.10000 if booked just a few days before the trip.
The cheapest way to travel to Andaman and Nicobar Islands is by a ship. Travelling by ship helps in saving a good deal of money as it does not cost like an Andaman and Nicobar air ticket price. Not many people know that travelling by ship to Andaman and Nicobar islands is actually quite a lot of fun. It is a new and thrilling experience.
Flights to Andaman surely take less amount of time but a trip by a ship is surely a thrilling and unique experience. Imagine waking up to beautiful views of the vast ocean waters and the endless skies every morning onboard the ship. You can witness the beautiful ocean waters and the whole experience is exhilarating.
It takes nearly 3-4 days to reach Andaman and Nicobar islands by ship. The whole idea of being on a ship with a few other people and with no connection with the mainland for some days does sound exciting. Some of the best sunrises and sunsets can be seen onboard a ship.
Here are some of the facts about travelling to Andaman by ship which is the cheapest way to travel to Andaman and Nicobar-
Tickets to Andaman and Nicobar islands by ship are available online or through the offline counters. The tickets are available on a first come first service mode. The prices are lesser than flight tickets and therefore it is the cheapest way to travel to Andaman and Nicobar Islands
There are ships from Visakhapatnam, Chennai and Kolkata to Port Blair and the frequency is around once or 3-4 times every month. This schedule is however subject to change under weather conditions. Generally, the schedule is updated a month prior to the journey.
The tickets for the ship are available from the offices of the Shipping Corporation of India or Shipping Services at Kolkata, Chennai and Visakhapatnam.
The schedule of the ships is updated regularly. Below are the websites where you can check for the availability of seats and schedule –
http://www.andaman.gov.in/web/guest/latest-updates
http://www.shipindia.com/services/passenger-services/andaman/andaman-schedule.aspx
Travelling to Port Blair in a ship costs anything within the range of Rs. 2000 to 10000 depending on the type of reservations you do. There are primarily four types of reservations that are available on board namely Deluxe Cabin, First Class, Second Class and Bunk Class.
Following are various types of reservations available –
| Deluxe Cabin | Two persons are allowed in a cabin and are provided with a TV and fridge |
| First Class | Four persons are allowed in a cabin |
| Second Class | Eight persons are allowed who have to share a common washroom |
| Bunk Class | Houses a lot of people and is located on the ground floor of the ship |
The ticket prices again also differ for the island and non-island residents. The most popular ships on this route are as follows –
- MV Nancowry
- MV Nicobar
- MV Swaraj Dweep
To sum up all about the cheapest way to travel to Andaman and Nicobar by ship –
Amidst the pros and cons, travelling by ship is not only the cheapest way to travel to Andaman and Nicobar Islands but also a refreshing and different experience altogether. It is a not so frequently used form of transport for travelling to Andaman. You can witness the beauty and charm that lies on the way. It offers some beautiful sights that cannot be really seen from flights to Andaman.
Travelling by ship provides you with the chance to indulge in some really new things. Travelling with a big group would be really fun as you can actually sit and chat for hours. You can carry some indoor games with you. Also carrying some things to read on board can help. You can carry your diary to write about your experience or you can spend the time clicking some pictures onboard. You can also sit with your favourite book and witness the beautiful ocean all around. It also enables you to closely interact with your co-passengers.
You will surely have loads of story to tell back home once you finish a trip to Andaman Nicobar Islands by ship.
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