Havelock offers a wide range in terms of options, from beach huts to luxury hotels, to stay. Most of the budget hotels are found near beach number 3. There are a few budget hotels near the Vijaynagar Beach (beach number 5) that offer decent facilities. Luxury hotels offer a plethora of facilities like spa, pick-up and drop service and can also arrange for your travel requirements in and around the island.
WHERE TO EAT
There are many places in Havelock Island where you get seafood. Beach number three has the widest option when it comes to eating out. Dhabas and vegetarian restaurants serve good vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian food near beach number 3. The best seafood is served near Vijaynagar Beach with a wide array of Punjabi, Chinese, Continental, Italian, Spanish and South Indian cuisines.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The best time to visit Havelock Island is between January to May when the weather is most favourable for diving and other activities.
WHAT TO SEE
Radhanagar Beach: Most beautiful beach in the Havelock Island, it was rated as the ‘Best Beach in Asia’ in 2004. Beautiful silky white sand and sky blue water are the highlights of the beach. There are some areas with sandy bottoms and coral reefs which are excellent for swimming and snorkeling.
Sunsets are mesmerizing to watch but keep track of time and catch the last bus if you are not staying close to the beach. There are auto-rickshaws and shared 4×4 jeeps available for transport to and from Radhanagar Beach. Radhanagar Beach is also known as beach number 7.
Elephant Beach: It is further north of Radhanagar Beach and popular among Indian tourists. Only a fraction of the beach remains after the tsunami in 2004 swept away large portions of the beach out to sea. The coral near Elephant beach is the best on Havelock Island which makes it a good spot for snorkeling. It can be reached by boat and on foot from Radhanagar Beach.
Kalapathar Beach: The beach is on one corner of Havelock Island reachable from Vijaynagar Beach (Beach number 5). The beach gets its name from the nearby village and the black rocks (Kalapathar translates to black rocks in Hindi) that line the shoreline. The sea looks green almost like an emerald on one side and the silky white sand beach on the other side make it a great spot to relax.
Vijaynagar Beach: This beach is best suited for long walks along the shore and to relax. The calm water makes it a good spot for swimming.
NEAR HAVELOCK ISLAND
Nicobar: Nicobar Islands are separated from the Andamans by the Ten Degree Channel. Great and Little Nicobar are home to Giant Robber Crabs, monkeys and Nicobarese Pigeons in plenty. Megapode, a rare bird, is found in Great Nicobar. The southernmost tip of India is Indira Point in Great Nicobar Island. Nicobar Islands are out of bounds for foreigners.
Car Nicobar: Car Nicobar is the headquarters of the Nicobar District. It is a flat fertile island covered with coconut palms, enchanting beaches and a roaring sea all around. The Nicobari huts, built on stilts with entrance through the floor, are unique to the island. It takes about 16 hours by sea to reach Car Nicobar from Port Blair.
Katchal: Katchal is a tiny island in the Nicobar group. It was this island, which heralded the new millennium with the first sunrise on January 1, 2000. The island has beautiful beaches at East Bay, Jhula and West Bay.
Great Nicobar: The southernmost tip of the Nicobar Island is Indira Point (formerly Pygmallion Point). The beach near Galathia is the nesting ground for Giant Leather Back Turtles. The island also has biosphere reserve area.
Port Blair: It is about 57 km from Havelock Island and is the hub for reaching Havelock Island. A visit to the Cellular Jail in Port Blair is a must.
Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park: It is covered with tropical and mangrove forests. The Marine National Park has some rare flora and fauna. It is about 60 km from Havelock Island.
