|
|
Port Blair, the capital town
of this Union Territory is situated about 1200 km from the east coast
of the mainland. It is connected to Chennai and Calcutta by Indian Airlines
(Boeing 737) flights which takes about two hours to reach it. By sea it
takes about 3 days.
Port Blair city is a cluster
of tin-roofed buildings tumbling towards the sea in the north, east and
west and petering into fields and forests in the south,thus one can have
only a short stay.
These islands occupy an area of approx.
8248 sq.km. and population of about 300,000 concentrated mostly around
Port Blair.
In Port Blair are power cuts part
of live, the daily power cuts start around 7:00 pm, this is the moment
for many shops to make light using candles and kerosene lamps.
Port Blair has some nice small museums,
the best one is the navy museum.In this museum, one can know the names
of all the different types of corals and shells.
Accomodations:
The Directorate of Tourism provides
cozy and comfortable accommodation at affordable prices at Port Blair:
Andaman
Teal House
Hornbill
Nest
Sainik
Vishram Ghar
Places to Eat:
Port Blairs restaurants offer
dishes from North and South India, Burmese specialites and a wide variety
of seafood.
Annapurna Cafeteria
It serves the usual range
of huge crispy dosas, North Indian and Chinese plate meals, delicious
coffee and wonderful pongal at breakfast. The lunch time thalis are
also great.
China Room
The most tourist-orientated
restaurant in town, run by a Burmese-Punjabi couple whose roots are
vividly reflected in the chilli and ginger-rich cuisine. Particularly
recommended for seafood.
Islet
A safe option for non-veg
North Indian tandoori, especially Chicken, although they offer a good
selection of vegetarian dishes.
Waves
A very congenial al fresco
hotel restaurant under a shady palm grove, and one of the few places
in town you can order a beer with your meal.
Sight Seeing:
Cellular Jail (National Memorial)
Cellular Jail is located at Port
Blair, is a mute witness to the tortures meted out to the freedom fighters,
who were incarcerated in this Jail. The Jail acquired the name, 'cellular'
because it is entirely made up of individual cells for the solitary
confinement of the prisoners.It was completed in the year 1906.
The Sound and light show which
cannot be viewed during the rainy season of May-Sept and Nov; outlines
the history of the prison, and a small museum by the entrance gate exhibits
lists of convicts, photographs and grim torture devices. T.
Andaman Water Sports Complex
This is a unique sports complex
in India in its own kind. There are facilities for safe Water Sports
such as Rowing Boats, Paddle Boats, Kayaks, Aqua-cycle, Aqua-glide,
Bumper boats, etc., and Adventure water sports such as Water-skiing,
Water scooters, Gemini boats, Para-sailing, Sail boats, Wind-surfers,
Speed boats, Glass-bottom boats, etc., There are Saline Water Swimming
Pool, Nature-walk, Change Room, Food Plaza, also. There is a Memorial
built to commemorate the Battle of Aberdeen, fought between the British
and Andamane aborigines in May, 1859, in which many Andamanese died.
There is an artificial water-fall nearby.
Childrens traffic park
This park near Aberdeen Water Sports
Complex, is set up by the Traffic Police to educate young children about
the traffic rules. There is a Toy Train nearby.
Gandhi Park
This beautiful Park at Port Blair
has facilities like children's park, amusement park, entertainment park,
deer and bird park, water sports, nature trail,, lake, garden, restaurant
and Japanese temple, as well as a bunker. The erstwhile Dilthaman Tank,
which was the only source of drinking water to Port Blair has been developed
into Gandhi Park in an unbelievably short time of 13 days.
Samudrika Naval Maritime Museum
This is an excellent primer if youre
heading off to more remote islands.It also has a superlative shell collection
and informative displays on various aspects of local marine biology.
The Aquarium in the Haddo
area in the west side of Town, exhibits in the Anthropological Museum,
devoted to the Andaman and Nicobar tribes, include weapons, tools and
also rare photographs of the regions indigenous people taken in the
1960s.
|
|
