Port Blair

Introduction

Remiaining of cellular jail, andaman

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Port Blair is the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and has about 125,000 inhabitants.

Sights and Activities

Sights to take in in Port Blair include the Cellular Jail, a large prison from the early 1900’s which has become a monument to Indian freedom fighters who were emprisoned here. Other sights in Port Blair are the Marine Museum, the Anthropological Museum, and the Chatham Sawmill.

Weather

Hot and humid tropical conditions with the rainy/hurricane season from July to October.

Getting There

By Plane

Port Blair can can be reached from Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai by air.

By Boat

You can travel over sea to Port Blair from Kolkata, Chennai and Vishakhapatnam. In total, there are usually 4 to 6 sailings a month between Port Blair and the Indian mainland – once every two weeks to/from Kolkata (56 hours) and weekly (in high season) to/from Chennai (60 hours) on four vessels operated by SCI. The schedule is erratic though, so check with the SCI in advance or check the official tourism website (see below), which usually posts an up-to-date schedule. Delays are common though, so with hold-ups, and variable weather and sea conditions, the trip can take three full days or more. The service from Chennai goes via Cap Nicobar once a month, taking an extra two days, but only residents may disembark. There is usually a service once a month from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

Sleep

Keep Connected

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

India Post is the national postal service of India, and on their website you find details about prices to send postcards, letters and parcels, both domestically and internationally. For most postcards to send internationally, it is better to visit the post office before writing on the card as you may need quite a few stamps. Parcels must be taken to a tailor, he will then sew it up in white linen. Make sure he seals it with red wax, otherwise the post office may refuse to send it or try to get you to pay them to do it. Sewing up a parcel should only cost 50rs to 200rs. In general, post offices are open from 10:00am to 1:00pm and 1:30pm to 4:30pm in most bigger towns and cities, though there are regional variations and some might keep longer hours or be open during (part of) the weekend as well. Ask around.

External Links

Although both links are for the islands in total, they can be handy.

• Official tourism website of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Administration website of the islands