Nomad Saikat
Port Blair, the capital city of Andaman attracts a huge chunk of tourists on a regular basis and there are multiple reasons behind that too. With clean and clear beaches, crystal clear water, historical locations, temples Port Blair is like a hub waiting for you to explore. Not just the main city, even the small islands nearby that you can visit from Port Blair are also major attractions here. It is moreover one such location that has something for all kinds of travelers. Even if you are wanderlust, or an enthusiastic adventurer, a lazy bum or a history buff you will find something for yourself here. So you need to have an idea about the places to visit in Port Blair. If you are planning a trip there then this is the article you need to read.
In this article I will mention some of the best places to visit in Port Blair. And what makes it unique is Port Blair is one such location that is perfect for solo travelers, big groups, family, friends and even couples. So if you are a couple I will also mention some romantic places to visit in Port Blair for couples. So keep on reading this article, as this will be a helpful read for you. Read all the information about places to visit in Port Blair city and enjoy a hassle free trip there.
Places to Visit in Port Blair
1Cellular Jail
Timings: 9 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm on all days except Mondays. Mondays and National Holidays are closed days
Entry fee: The entry fee is Rs. 30. For camera there is an additional fee of Rs. 200 and for video camera it is Rs. 1000
Ideal duration for visit: 3 to 4 hours
Also popular as the Kala Pani Jail, this jail is like a silent testimony to the sacrifice of great Indian Freedom Fighters. It is one of the top 10 places to visit in Port Blair. At the moment this is like a national memorial but at some point of time this was a jail during the colonial period. Construction of this jail had begun in 1896 and it was completed in 1906. The British force used to keep the Indian Freedom Fighters captive here. Many notable personalities like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Batukeshwar Dutt and Yogendra Shukla had stayed here. You will get to see a museum, a photo gallery and a library inside the Cellular Jail.
Light and Sound Show
One of the major attractions here is the light and sound show and this is an initiative by the authorities here in memory of the brave martyrs. The whole Jail becomes a stage of live performance. With a heart wrenching narrative and use of lights and sounds this is a must attend programme here. Because of the show here Cellular Jail is also one of the best places to visit in Port Blair in evening as well.
Timings of light and sound show: There are two shows every day at 6 pm in Hindi and at 7:15 pm in English. You cannot carry cameras here.
Entry fee of light and sound show: Rs. 30 for Indians and Rs. 100 for foreigners
2Sri Vetrimalai Murugan Temple
Timings: 5 am to 12 pm and again from 4 pm to 9 pm
Entry fee: There is no entry fee
Ideal duration for visit: 1 hour
This is again one of the best places to visit in Port Blair and one of the most visited places too. It is one of the most popular sites of pilgrimage as well dedicated to Lord Murugan. What makes this temple more attractive is the beautiful fusion of Dravidian style of architecture with the South Indian style of architecture. It is an important site of worship for people belonging to Tamil Nadu and the Tamil inhabitants are greatly devoted to the deity here. You can visit the temple during the evening to attend the aarti here. During festivals this temple becomes a centre for festivities and exhibits a lot of grandeur. This is one of the places to visit in Port Blair at night so make sure you visit here.
3Ross Island / Subhash Chandra Bose Island
Timings: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Ideal duration for visit: Half a day
In the past this island was a dedicated island to the Marine Surveyor Daniel Ross and on the basis of that the name of the island was Ross Island. In the recent past however the name of this island was changed to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island. The reason behind this is this island was in control of the British during colonial times. However Netaji landed here at this island with the help of Japanese troops in 1934 December and hoisted the tricolor flag here to show resistance towards British rule. Along with remnants of colonial rule you can find traces of World War II here as well. There is a light and sound show here as well that happens at 5 pm which you can attend if you want.
4Corbyn Cove Beach
This is a beautiful beach in Port Blair and is one of the famous places to visit in Port Blair. This beach is most popular for the variety of water sports that it offers. Activities like Jet Skiing, Scuba Diving, Parasailing, Speed boating etc are very popular here. This beach is also ideal for swimming as well. So if you are an adventure enthusiast then this beach is a must visit for you.
5Chidiya Tapu
As the name suggests already Chidiya Tapu is a particular place that is most famous for birds. It is one of the best places to visit in Port Blair and a small 2 km trek through a forest which itself is extremely enjoyable. Along with the pristine views here more than 40 different species of birds including native and migratory birds are present here. Also this location is famous as Sunset Point and people particularly visit here to witness the sunsets. With dense mangrove forest, a captivating trekking trail, pristine beach and spectacular views this is ideally one of the most beautiful places to visit in Port Blair.
6Samudrika Marine Museum
Timings: 10 am to 5 pm on all days except Sundays. Sundays are closed
Entry fee: Rs. 50 for adults and for children it is Rs. 25
Ideal duration for visit: 1- 2 hours
For people who are interested in the marine world this is one of the fascinating and also one of the best places to visit in Port Blair. It is an ideal spot to visit with your children as well as they will find it very educational and interesting at the same time. One of the main attractions here is the giant skeleton of a whale enclosed within a glass shell. The Indian Navy is in charge of this museum and they run it. Audio visual devices are present here as well which you can use and know about the varied flora and fauna here. There is a small shop inside the museum as well which sells coral shells and other marine products. This is a great spot to explore with your whole family so make sure you are surely visiting here.
7Chatham Saw Mill
Timings: 8:30 am to 2:30 pm
Entry fee: Rs. 10
Ideal duration for visit: 1 hour
This is a sawmill and it is one of the historic places to visit in Port Blair. What makes this sawmill most special is the fact that this sawmill is still functional even today. Also this is one of the largest as well as the oldest sawmill that you can find in the whole of Asia. The British established this sawmill in 1883 so that they could meet the need of timber in the area. Located in Chatham Island this sawmill will take you back to old colonial days. It is not one of the most popular places in Port Blair though. But a location like this that tells the stories of the colonial past surely needs more attention. So you must visit here when you are in Port Blair.
8Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
Timings: 9 am to 3 pm
Entry fee: Rs. 50 for adults and Rs. 25 for children for Indians and Rs. 500 for foreigners
If you are a marine enthusiast then this is the location that you need to visit. From the 1980s this national park has been one of the popular places in Port Blair. It is basically a cluster of open sea, 15 islands both small and big and creeks in Wandoor Village. One of the major attractions here is to travel to two islands Jolly Buoy and Red Skin Island. Both the islands are popular for the presence of exquisite colorful coral under the water and marine world. You can enjoy all that in glass bottomed boats. Activities like snorkeling and scuba diving are also popular here. There is a small auditorium inside the park as well that hosts audio visual programmes explaining about the varied flora and fauna.
Wrapping Up!
Port Blair is a location offering multiple things to its visitors. And according to your preference you can choose these places to visit in Port Blair Andaman. If you are planning a visit to Port Blair then you need to keep this list of places to visit in Port Blair handy with you. These are some of the best places that you need to surely visit. Overall the city of Port Blair is beautiful and offers gorgeous views. You can get soaked into the beauty of Port Blair if you are visiting these locations. The extended coastline, captivating history along with the lush vegetation in port Blair makes it an ideal spot for tourists. You cannot really miss out on this location so plan your trip as soon as you can.
Let me know if this article is helpful for you in planning a trip to this beautiful location. Also let me know which of the places mentioned here intrigued you the most.
