On my second visit to Andaman, I decided to do things differently. Instead of spending time in Port Blair and Havelock again, we planned and added two days and two nights on Neil Island, now officially called Shaheed Dweep. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of that trip.
Getting there was surprisingly simple. We asked our hotel in Port Blair to arrange the ferry to Neil Island and then asked our Neil Island resort to arrange the onward ferry to Havelock. We had booked the same resort group across all three islands, so everything was handled through one reservations desk. That made the island hopping part almost ridiculously easy. Port Blair works brilliantly as the practical hub of an Andaman holiday , while Havelock has that remote island feel, gorgeous beaches and some of the best-known scuba diving experiences in the region. Neil Island sits somewhere completely different. It is slower, quieter and far less about filling every hour with activities. The beach in front of our cabin was more like a green backwater, with trees all around and swings where we could sit and look out at the sea. It was not really a swimming spot, but I did not care. We listened to music, played UNO, had a drink, talked and laughed. After a packed holiday, that felt like exactly what we needed. My advice is simple. Do not treat Neil Island as a quick stop between Port Blair and Havelock. Give it at least two nights. It is the kind of place that works best when you have nowhere urgent to be.
We had good food, the sound of waves coming straight to our cabin and, after 6 pm, absolutely nothing demanding our attention.
For us, it was the perfect pause before heading to Havelock for two days of scuba diving and café hopping. Sometimes, adding a quiet little island in the middle of a holiday is exactly what makes the rest of the trip feel better. Here’s what to know about the Grand Train Tour
Destination Buzz: Planning a Switzerland train holiday in 2026?
