Andaman Islands

[Connor]

Hi,

Has anyone been to the Andaman Islands? I am
heading to India soon and had planned to spend some time in Kerala. I have been advised by my Indian friend that now might not be a good time to visit Kerala due to the weather. So I was thinking of heading to the Andamans instead. Can anyone offer any suggestions?

[qc]

No but I would like to go so if you do get there I would love to hear about it.

[BBbetter]

Define ‘soon’. The monsoon season continues until Sep, so any place in the region will be subject to rain, with some exceptions. As with most places in India, Dec & Jan is the best time to visit.
The islands are less crowded than the places in mainland, but they are still humid, so be prepared for the heat and humidity.
Havelock island has the resorts – very few modern ones though. Taj has one that you can book through Emyr or Amex FHR.

[masaccio]

Yes, the Andamans are likely to be wet until the end of the year – https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/india/andaman

Personally I think March/April is the best time to visit India. It’s towards the end of the peak tourist season, it’s well before the monsoons, and it’s the beginning of the ramp of heat. It is chilly in the north though and even more so in Ladakh.

Shame you don’t have anyone who’s been to the Andamans though. I can only offer second hand advice (an Indian colleague loved it).

[Connor]

@qc if I do make it I will post an update in this thread!

@BBbetter soon means in the coming weeks, I’m flying to Delhi next week to start a three week trip. It wouldn’t be the time of year I’d choose for India but as I’m going for a wedding I didn’t have any choice when it came to the dates. I had seen the Taj on Havelock while browsing but didn’t even think of going through Emyr. Thanks for the suggestion.

@masaccio yes, it does seem as though it will be very wet and rough seas too. However, I’ve read conflicting opinions on different blogs and guides that I’ve come across as to whether early September will be a good time to visit the Andamans. The wedding I’m attending is in southern India and I had hoped to go somewhere in that region for a beach holiday but it seems to be the wrong time of the year for that!

[BBbetter]

https://www.selectiveasia.com/weather/september

Yep, it’s a bit of a mixed bag that month. Slightly unpredictable.

If you must go to a beach, Goa is a safe option. Srilanka is another to consider.

Slightly left field options are Bhutan and Nepal – no beaches, but cool climate to chill for a few days, cheap hotels and some mountains and monasteries to visit, if you want to escape the humidity.

[TGLoyalty]

Agree with March/April being perfect for India.

Cant help with the islands but could go really left field go up to Shimla, there’s are a few nicer choices for hotels including Oberoi hotels there.

I do hear it’s actually pretty wet in India as a whole right now including flooding in the north.

[Connor]

BBbetter wrote:

https://www.selectiveasia.com/weather/september

Yep, it’s a bit of a mixed bag that month. Slightly unpredictable.

If you must go to a beach, Goa is a safe option. Srilanka is another to consider.

Slightly left field options are Bhutan and Nepal – no beaches, but cool climate to chill for a few days, cheap hotels and some mountains and monasteries to visit, if you want to escape the humidity.

I was considering Goa, I’ve been before and really liked it. But the weathers also unpredictable there. Sri Lanka is also appealing but I have been several times. Was hoping to see somewhere new this time round.

I might end up going for a left field option. Bhutan would require more preparation than I could do at this point I think, will take a look at Nepal. When I arrive and feel the heat a break from it might be welcome.

[Connor]

TGLoyalty wrote:

Agree with March/April being perfect for India.

Cant help with the islands but could go really left field go up to Shimla, there’s are a few nicer choices for hotels including Oberoi hotels there.

I do hear it’s actually pretty wet in India as a whole right now including flooding in the north.

I wanted to go to Shimla last time but it didn’t work out. I’ll have a look at that too. As I said in my previous comment, some respite from the heat might be just what I need after some time in Delhi and Chennai.

[BBbetter]

If Shimla is an option, you can consider Dharamshala as well. You might bump into (probably the last?) Dalai Lama. Great place to relax and a nice contrast to the mad urban areas.

[Connor]

BBbetter wrote:

If Shimla is an option, you can consider Dharamshala as well. You might bump into (probably the last?) Dalai Lama. Great place to relax and a nice contrast to the mad urban areas.

Sorry, I hit report instead of quote! I swung by Dharamshala last time, the Dalai Lama wasn’t in. Maybe I’ll have to go back and see if he’s around. I also enjoyed Bhagsu which is up the mountain a bit from Dharamshala, but got a nasty case of food poisoning from the German bakery there. Would be nice to go back all the same.

Can you make any recommendations in terms of airlines for domestic flights in India? I already have DEL-MAA booked with Vistara because they had the best offer on a flexible ticket. IndiGo seems keenly priced but I’ve come across some very mixed reviews.

[masaccio]

I’ve been using IndiGo for donks in India and I think they are fine. More and more like the European budget model these days in that you pay for everything. I see them more EasyJet than RyanAir, so cheap without the offensiveness.