Island Visits

If Snorkeling and Kayaking do not appeal to you in full measure and if you are more inclined towards exploring other islands in Ritchie’s Archipelago or the islands off the east coast of the Great Andamans then Barefoot Adventures can take you to any of the following islands: North Passage Island (for Merk Bay Beach), Long Island (for Lalaji Bay Beach and/or a village and forest trek) and even to Neil Island (the other inhabited island in the archipelago – another Havelock in the making). Below is a sample of island visit itineraries that Barefoot Adventures regularly conducts. This of course isn’t an exhaustive list of possible destinations, and Barefoot Adventures can devise an itinerary to order, subject of course to availability of permits for your chosen destination. You can mix any of the island visit itineraries with snorkeling or kayaking options of course as a good reef or backwater is never far away on your visit to other islands.

  • North Passage Island (Merk Bay Beach)

    North Passage Island is 30kms northeast of Havelock Island, and is situated between Strait Island immediately to the south (home to the last remnants of the Great Andamanese tribe) and Guitar Island and then Long Island immediately to the North. To the east of North Passage Island, across the channel, lies Outram Island in Ritchie’s archipelago and much closer west lies the vast expanse of Middle Andaman.

    North Passage Island has very little history of habitation, other than sporadic visits from different septs of the Great Andamanese Tribe. Approximately 100 acres of land behind Merk bay beach was handed over four decades ago to the Agriculture Department of Andaman Islands to establish a coconut plantation. The only inhabitants of this island at present are representatives of the Forest Department and caretakers of the Coconut Plantation – i.e. a single digit population.

    The island is 9kms long and 3kms wide at its broadest and measures approximately 30sq.km in area. Most of North Passage Island, i.e.95% of the landmass, is designated Reserve Forest. The Island has a very beautiful beach – Merk Bay – on its northeastern side, fronting the coconut plantation and looking out towards Ritchie’s Archipelago. The western side encompasses calm, sheltered waters with fringing mangrove trees between North Passage and Middle Andaman. A visit to North Passage Island is undertaken primarily for the experience of a beautiful, secluded beach although the excursion can be combined with some light kayaking or snorkeling activity.

  • Long Island (Lalaji Bay Beach, Village and Littoral forest trek)

    Long Island lies 35kms north of Havelock and 8kms south of Rangat Bay in Middle Andaman. Lalaji Bay is 6kms north from Long Island jetty. The jetty and the village behind the jetty are on the southern tip of the island. Lalaji Bay is east facing and the waters of the bay remain calm even during the southwest monsoon. Long Island was uninhabited until the arrival of settlers in the 1970s. A plywood factory was established near the jetty but is now closed. A village exists near the jetty, the population of which is approximately 1500 people. This is populated by settlers and factory workers from different parts of India. Less than two kilometers uphill and northwards from the jetty is a plateau where 80 acres of farmland have been cleared for settlement, and is mostly under seasonal paddy cultivation. This is a ‘Ranchi’ community i.e. the residents are all erstwhile forest dwellers from the Santhal Pargana tribal district of the state of Jharkand, in India, some of whom were sent here post Independence by the Indian Government and others whose ancestors were brought here by the British to help clear the forests.

    Long island is 8kms long and 1.5kms wide at its broadest. The jetty and main village are at the southern tip of Long Island. Between the main village and Lalaji Bay is 6kms of reserve forest, running south to north and extending from east coast to west coast, interrupted on the northern journey by first a regenerated forest and then by the 80 acre Ranchi settlement in the first half of the journey. To the north of Lalaji Bay beach and extending from the east to the west coast is 100 acres of coconut plantation run by the government Directorate of Agriculture. North of this again is 1.5kms of reserve forest stretching to the northernmost tip of Long Island. Long Island is at its narrowest in the vicinity of Lalaji Bay. The distance between the east and west coast is 0.75kms at this point. The west coast is lined with mangroves and is an easy walk from Lalaji Bay. A varied and rewarding trek exists through the main village, plantations, fields, regenerated forest and primary rainforest on Long Island, over a 6 km trail starting at the jetty and ending at Lalaji Bay. Another small trail runs north from Lalaji Bay, leading to a secluded cove with calm water, some regenerating coral and white sandy beach, perfect for those who want to snorkel or sunbathe in complete privacy.

    A visit to Long Island is an exhaustive full-day (and then some) affair and undertaken by those desiring a day of ‘mixed treats’ – the experience of a beautiful, secluded beach, a varied trek through village, littoral forest and coastline, and even some light kayaking or snorkeling activity.

  • Neil Island

    Neil Island Jetty is 18kms east of Havelock Jetty and 3kms north-west of Sir Hugh Rose Island (aka Little Neil). Neil Island is the easternmost inhabited island in Ritchie’s Archipelago as well as easternmost inhabited island in the entire Andaman & Nicobar group of islands.

    Neil Island was uninhabited until the arrival of settlers in the late 1960s. Like Havelock, the vast majority of settlers at Neil are refugees from erstwhile East Pakistan (Bangladesh). The island is 7kms long and 4kms wide at its broadest. The jetty and main village are at the center of the west coast of Neil Island.

    Neil Island is much smaller than Havelock. It is a comparatively flat island, and as a result, much of the landmass was deemed suitable for paddy cultivation. Unfortunately, as a result of this, very little forest cover remains at Neil, and almost all of this is concentrated in the reserve forest on Neil’s Northeastern side. Neil Island tends to remain a degree or two warmer than Havelock as a result of the lack of forest cover. The island is not without charm however, but it is a different, pastoral sort of charm that the island offers.

    Barefoot organizes day trips to Neil Island. Beaches ring the shores of Neil, and its 5 villages and sedentary (even more so than Havelock) pace of life is enchanting. It is easy to while away the better part of a day exploring this neighboring isle.