“Andaman is not about the resorts..
It’s about living raw.
It’s about being in the wild.
It’s about being a real islander.”
I’ve been lucky (and adventurous) enough to explore the Havelock Island like the locals. I stayed on the non-touristy uninhabited part of the island. My title ‘The Andamani’ is part self-proclaimed and part approved by the locals as they took me as one of their own.
Most of you will plan a holiday to the Andaman, book a package or a few nice resorts, dive in Havelock, eat at some of the popular restaurants, and get some nice clicks on your smartphones.
However, The Havelock is much more than that.
If you really want to experience Havelock, get out of the ‘tourist half’ of the island..
YES! The unexplored side of the island is a gem. And I want you to explore it!
Before you get into the guide, let’s get a picture of the island and see where the ‘tourist half’ and the ‘unexplored half’ are located:
- Tourist Havelock
- Unexplored Havelock
2. Unexplored Havelock
Now, Here are the best ‘beyond offbeat’ experiences in The Havelock Island:
Table of Contents
#1 Live in the Kala Pathar Village with the locals
Kala Pathar is the last village in the inhabited part of the Havelock Island.
This was the perfect choice for me to camp. I stayed in this village for 3 nights.
The most beautiful gift you can get is to share a new culture with the locals and the best way to return the love is to become a part of it.
#2 Boating through the Mangroves to explore ‘The Samurai Beach’
The Samurai Beach, also known as the ‘char narkel’ beach, is one of the most beautiful, untouched beaches of the Havelock Island. There are 2 mangrove forest routes that can be taken to reach the Samurai Beach from the center of the island.
You will need to wait for the tide to fill the mangrove forest and find a local with a boat. If you need a boat to get there, connect with me and I’ll help you out š
The route to the Samurai Beach is as beautiful as the beach itself!
P.S. Locals consider this beach to be haunted so it’s best to avoid discussing your plan with them. Unless, of course, if you need to borrow their boat! If you plan to sleep on the Samurai beach, it’s best not to let them know š
#3 The Jungle Trek to the ‘Helmet Beach’
Time to take the path less traveled again! You can find the trek to the Helmet Beach starting at the end of the Kala Patthar Village.
The trek is through a dense forest and is best done with your helmet on! This helps avoid jungle lizards and small snakes from falling directly on your face š
Once you reach the Helmet Beach, you will find a twin beach and in all probability, you will be exploring both beaches alone!
#4 Sea & Forest Walk from Elephanta to Radhanagar Beach
The Sea Walk from the Elephanta to the Radhanagar beach was THE MOST THRILLING experience of my Andaman trip.
Both Elephanta and Radhanagar are really popular, tourist beaches. But here’s what no one tells you: You can walk from the Elephanta beach, cover one side of the island through the sea and some forest, and land up in Radhanagar Beach.
The overall trail is best done as a combination of a sea walk, a forest walk, and a swim!
Sometimes the tide gets high and walking in the forest is the best option. Other times, the beach is visible and you can keep walking near the sea.
At a certain point, somewhere between the Elephanta beach to Radhanagar beach, you get the ‘Twin Caves’ which usually have deep waters under them.
The best way to cross them is to climb over the caves and walk through the forest. Check out #5!
#5 Cave Climbing
Apart from the close encounters with the forest snakes and boating next to the crocodiles in the mangrove forest, the most ecstatic, adrenaline-pumping experience I had was the cave climbing on my trek from Elephanta to Radhanagar.
When you’re walking on the beach from Elephanta to Radhanagar beach, you will find a twin cave. The climb over the cave is the best way to cross is, but also the most dangerous. The trees on the caves grow at a slanting angle and most of them are pretty weak. You find the right ones to hold to get a good grip or you fall 40-50 feet onto either the beach on one side or the sea on the other. Once you climb the top of the cave, you can either venture into the forest or climb down from the other side and continue walking next to the sea!
The most wonderful part about this is you’re all alone while you’re doing this!
Though this adds the thrills to the experience, if you’re doing #4 & #5, I would definitely recommend going with at least 2 other people.
To find these 5 experiences in Havelock, follow this blog and the map below:
Great Rishabh., You are the real wanderer i am leaving in Andaman, still i found new information in your blog.. Keep it up
Loved reading your experience about the unexplored havelock. Wish i could rough it out the way youve described it. Maybe someday other day as right now its with kids n family