The Andaman & Nicobar Archipelago, an enticing cluster of 572 islands festooned with bounteous sylvan landscapes ornamented with varied ecosystems, far reaching sweeps of buttery white sand, extensive coastlines garlanded with graciously swaying palms and composed & unruffled beaches engulfed in the deluge of splendid natural bloom is dappled along the turquoise blue waters of the Bay of Bengal like a galaxy of twinkling stars scattered across the Cimmerian continuum. Also popularly recognized as the ‘Emerald Islands’, this agglomeration of world’s only existing natural rain forest isles is actually the pinnacles of an underwater mountain range that stretches all the way from Myanmar to Indonesia. Shrouded under the woodsy camouflage of dense tropical forests, laden with thick aggregations of entangling mangroves and embellished with flamboyantly colorful coral reefs, this discontinuous chain of ostentatious atolls spinning out for over 750 kilometers is rapidly burgeoning as a marvelous leisure & recreational destination and a ballpark of eco tourism on the world tourism map. A home to the incredibly dreaded prison of Port Blair; ‘Kalapani’, and the treasure repository of India’s astounding antiquity; the Andaman & Nicobar Islands today summon thousands of travelers, vacationers, honeymooners, researchers, historians, naturalists, nature lovers and peace seekers to this Utopia materialized. Presently, out of the total 572 islands, only 25 islands of the Andaman District and 13 islands of the Nicobar District are inhabited by the Homo sapiens.

The Havelock Island, the largest atoll of the Andaman & Nicobar Archipelago and one of the most sought after tourist destinations of the vicinity is a successive string of smaller isles constituting a part of the famous Ritchie’s Archipelago that is positioned towards the east of the Great Andaman Island. Christened after a British General named ‘Henry Havelock’, the Havelock Island situated at the approximate distance of 57 kilometers to the northeast of Port Blair measures about 113.93 square kilometers in its total geographical area. Originally populated by the indigenous ‘Aka-Bale’ speaking tribes, the Havelock Island is presently occupied by the Bengali and Myanmar homesteaders immigrated here many years ago. The five notable hamlets currently flourishing on the Havelock Island include Radha Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Govind Nagar, Shyam Nagar and Bejoy Nagar.

The beaches of the Havelock Island have been classified according to the numbering system; notwithstanding, the important beaches are identified by different monikers as well. The Beach No 1 is bequeathed with the arrival port while the junction at the midpoint is the Beach No 3, which is also known as Govind Nagar. The junction in the neighborhood of the Dolphin Resort is the Beach No 5 i.e. Vijay Nagar Beach. Beach No 7 i.e. the ‘Radha Nagar Beach’ is the most resplendent amongst all the beaches of the Havelock Island that is exceedingly commended and treasured by the sightseers for its infinite natural pulchritude. Sited on the western coast of the archipelago, the Radha Nagar Beach was deemed ‘the Best Beach of Asia’ by ‘Time’ in the year 2004.

Apart from the Radha Nagar Beach, the Elephant Beach, Vijaynagar Beach, Kalapathar Beach, etc are other popular beaches of the Havelock Island which offer the most thrilling water sports such as scuba diving, snorkeling, Mangrove Safari, trekking, barefoot eco tours, and other leisurely activities in abundance. Govind Nagar is the main township of the island where several shops and local restaurants are available. The Havelock Island is developed and promoted as an eco tourism hub by the Administration of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Union Territory of India. Tourists can reach the Havelock Island from Port Blair using the daily operated ferry. Ornamented with silvery sandy beaches, dense evergreen forests, multicolored coral reefs and rich marine life, the Havelock Island; the paradise personified proposes a perfect retreat in the cradle of Mother Nature.

Tourists can take an unhurried stroll along the pristine shorelines, bask under the juvenile morning rays of the sun, engage themselves in beachcombing, swimming, surfing, snorkeling and other beach activities, or just loosen up enjoying the awe-inspiring vistas of the sunset and sunrise. The unsullied waters of the Bay of Bengal around the Havelock Island provide an ideal haven for giant fishes, numerous species of turtles and charming dolphins. One can easily spot the dolphins gracefully diving out of the scintillating blue waters near the Havelock Island. Fortunately, the Havelock Island wasn’t much affected by the Indian Ocean Earthquake Tsunami of the year 2004.