Nomad Saikat
Port Blair is a beautiful location for visitors and one of the most popular tourist spots here is Chidiya Tapu Beach. Basically Chidiya Tapu Beach is a small picturesque island in Andaman. And if you are a beach person then you simply cannot afford to miss out on visiting this pristine location. If you have ever been to Andaman you would know how perfect the beaches there look. And the Chidiya Tapu Beach is no exception. With magnificent views this is a serene beach that would leave you amused with its beauty. If you are planning a trip to Port Blair then you need to include the Chidiya Tapu Beach in your itinerary.
This pristine location offers a lot of fun activities for the tourists. In this article I will mention everything that you need to keep in mind for a Chidiya Tapu tour. Keep on reading this article as I will mention about what all you can enjoy in this beautiful location. This will be a helpful read for you to plan a successful trip to Chidiya Tapu Port Blair.
Chidiya Tapu Beach
Location of Chidiya Tapu: Chidiya Tapu Beach, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Chidiya Tapu timings: 6 am to 7 pm
Overview of Chidiya Tapu Beach
As you can understand from the name of this location already, this is a place related to birds. Chidiya basically means birds and this location is like a haven for bird lovers. It is one of the places that is popular for attracting many migratory birds. Along with that many native birds of Andaman Island also come here. It is one of the most popular places to visit in Port Blair especially for the pristine Chidiya Tapu Beach. This is mostly a silent beach but it also attracts a major chunk of crowd on a regular basis as well. Evergreen forests surround the Chidiya Tapu Beach on one side and on the other side there are hills. Therefore the beach is also a scenic beauty that offers gorgeous views.
Popular as Bird Island, Chidiya Tapu is mostly famous for Chidiya Tapu Sunset Point, Chidiya Tapu Beach and Chidiya Tapu Biological Park. Even though it is a very small village it attracts a decent number of visitors who come here to enjoy the ambience here. Other than that there is the Sylvan Sands and the Munda Pahar Beach which are major attractions here. People enjoy watching sunsets here along with bird watching. Also the place is famous for multiple adventure activities including water sports activities as well.
How to reach Chidiya Tapu
Port Blair to Chidiya Tapu distance is 30 km and you can reach Chidiya Tapu by multiple ways from there. For some adventure you can opt for a bike or a cycle ride to reach here. It is a popular activity here to travel through the serpentine roads while enjoying the gorgeous views here. However you can also hire a car to reach here as well or you can drive your own vehicle.
From Havelock Island also you can reach here but you will have to travel via Port Blair. You can opt for a government tourist ferry that operates thrice a week. Or there is another thrilling option that is a helicopter ride to Port Blair. From there you can take a bike or a car to reach the beach.
Best time to visit Chidiya Tapu
The climate is mostly pleasant here all through the year but the months between October to April are ideal for a visit. This is the winter and spring season when the sky is clear and therefore it offers great views. This time is also ideal for outdoor activities and to indulge in water sports. You can explore the area well and watch the pristine sunsets as well.
Avoid visiting in the summer as sometimes the temperature goes up to 40 degrees. It can be hot and uncomfortable for being outdoors with the scorching sun. Also the monsoon months from August to September are also not ideal for a visit here. The area receives heavy rainfall and that can dampen your outdoor activities. Also a lot of times there are thunderstorm activities here that restricts the water sports activities here. And many times the ocean gets really unpredictable during monsoon with tsunami alerts as well. So it would not be wise to visit here during this time. So plan your visit accordingly.
Activities in Chidiya Tapu Beach
Bird watching
Chidiya Tapu is especially known for bird watching because of the huge variety of native and migratory birds here. You will find more than 46 varieties of birds here. Some of the popular ones are hanging parrots, drongos, scarlet minivets, long tailed parakeets, red breasted parakeets, emerald doves, grey fronted pigeons, imperial green pigeons, white bellied sea eagles and a lot more. Many migratory birds come here from Northern continents as well. For the best bird viewing experience make sure you carry your binoculars along.
Trekking
Another popular activity here is Chidiya Tapu trekking which the tourists here enjoy a lot. Here the trekking trail passes through the forest and along the coast line and reaches the Munda Pahad or the Black Mountain. It is a 1.5 km trek which is an enjoyable activity for the adventure enthusiasts. However it is advisable that you go for a guided trek here or travel in a group for added safety.
Watching Sunsets
Chidiya Tapu sunset is one activity that you simply cannot miss out on. This location is also popular as the Sunset Point and is one of the locations in Andaman where the sunsets look the best. Here you will be able to watch the most beautiful finishing touch of the sunset and that is also the reason that a lot of people come and visit here to witness sunsets. The colourful hue of the sun falls on the water and the whole area reflects the light, and it looks mesmerizing.
Water sports
This is yet another thing that tourists visit here for. The beach here offers a variety of exciting water activities like Boating, Deep Sea Diving, Snorkeling, Sea Walking, Scuba Diving, Surfing, Sailing, Jet Skiing, Windsurfing etc. So if you are an adventure sports lover then you can enjoy a really good time here with all these fun activities.
Chidiya Tapu Biological Park
Timings of Chidiya Tapu Biological Park: 10 am to 5 pm on all days from Tuesday to Sunday. Mondays are closed.
Entry fee of Chidiya Tapu Biological Park: For Indians the entry fee is Rs. 20 and for foreigners it is Rs. 50
According to Chidiya Tapu history the Chidiya Tapu Biological Park came into being in 2001. Here you will get to see a wide variety of flora and fauna. The main aim behind the establishment of this park was the conservation and study of endemic and endangered plant and animal species. With thick lush vegetation this park is like a perfect place for the natural habitat of many animals. For every animal lover visiting this park can be a great source of relief mentally. You will instantly feel relaxed and rejuvenated after a visit here.
Along with the animals the park also houses a wide range of flora as well. You will find exotic plants here like Mahuas and Paaduks. Spreading over an area of 40 acres this park also has animals like spotted deers and wild pigs. These animals roam around the jungle freely and you can see them at their most natural habitat.
There is a reptile centre in the Chidiya Tapu Zoo as well that houses varieties of reptiles from snakes to crocodiles. And of course you would also get to see multiple birds here as well. It can ideally be a delight for you if you are a nature and animal lover to visit this biological park. This park is the ideal spot for clicking beautiful photographs as well and you can spend around 2-3 hours here looking and roaming around the park. It would be advisable to go for a guided tour as there is quite a bit of things to explore inside. And without a guide you may miss out on these hidden gems here. Guides charge somewhere around Rs. 1500 so you can think of opting for them.
Chidiya Tapu Hotels
You will get some decent Chidiya Tapu resort that you can opt for a comfortable stay. Some of them are
Symphony Samudra Beachside Jungle Resort and Spa
Address: Chidiya Tapu Beach, next to Biological Park, Port Blair, Anadaman and Nicobar Islands
Tariff:
Casa Tropicana Rs. 6550
Aqua Villa Rs. 8000
Hill Villa Rs. 9200
Garden Suite Villa Rs. 14, 600
Grand Oceanus Resort
Address: Kodiyaghat, near Chidiya Tapu, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Tariff:
Standard AC Room Rs. 3000
Deluxe Double Room Rs. 3900
Hotel Blue Mmarlin
Address: Dollygunj, Polytechnic Road, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Tariff:
Premium Room Rs. 3500
Deluxe Room Rs. 4500
Super Deluxe Room Rs. 5500
Comfort Inn Blue Waves
Address: ATR Road, Dollygunj, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Silver Sand Sea Princess Beach Resort
Address: Wandoor Beach, Port Blair, South Andaman
Wrapping Up!
Chidiya Tapu is definitely one of the must visit places in Andaman as well as in Port Blair. And there are multiple reasons behind it too. I guess after reading this article you know exactly why you need to visit this location. If you are a beach person who enjoys being around the sea then this will be a haven for you. Also for bird lovers this is like a perfect spot for spotting varieties of birds. And if you are an adventure lover then you can enjoy the multiple beach activities that this spot offers. In short this is one such location that has something for every kind of traveler. If you are a lazy traveler or an enthusiastic one you would find something for you here.
Next time when you are visiting Andaman make sure you don’t miss out on this location. After all, this is one of the most popular places to visit in Port Blair. So when are you planning a visit to this beautiful beach location? And do not forget to let me know if this article is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
