 Day tours take visitors beyond the capital to see unspoiled islands in the Andamans. (Above right) The massive Cellular Jail, the former prison complex which housed Indian freedom fighters, is now a major tourist attraction. (Above far right) Some tribal people have left even more isolated islands to live in bustling Port Blair. |
  Not that long ago there was no such thing as a ‘holiday’ in India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A visit to this remote, 700 km long archipelago in the Bay of Bengal was nearly always a one-way affair.
Few ever left the dreaded "Kala Pani" (Black Waters), a harsh penal colony set up by the British in 1858. The acute isolation of the islands – its capital of Port Blair is 1380 km northwest of Kuala Lumpur and about the same distance east of Chennai, India - made them an ideal location for a prison.
Though still off the beaten tourist track, this Union Territory of India is gaining notice from many directions. The reason for all the attention is due to the island’s historic significance, strategic importance, anthropological treasures, ecological wonders, commercial capabilities and tourism potential. Indeed there is much that the Andamans can offer.
An illustrated feature on the Andamans can be written on assignment from 1000 to 2000 words, depending upon editorial requirements.
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