During one of my recent visits to India, I found myself flicking through an Indian travel magazine when I came across an article on the Andaman Islands. Virgin beaches, tropical rainforest, blue turquoise waters and some of the best diving in the world, this surely had to be one of India's best kept secrets, why hadn't I heard more about this? The promise of a remote paradise off the tourist map immediately sparked my interest, I had to go and see the islands for myself...




The journey to this far flung archipelago is a small mission in its own right and is not for the faint-hearted, but I reassured myself that the best places are usually the hardest to get to! The islands sit out in The Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, part of India but actually geographically and ethnically closer to Burma, so are best accessed by a two hour flight from Chennai or Calcutta to the administrative capital of Port Blair. From here you catch the government run ferry, a two hour journey to the islands. The ferry has seats in a fan-cooled compartment below deck, however you can venture up on deck, which offers splendid views of the islands and the chance to glimpse dolphin swimming alongside. I had been tipped to head to Havelock Island, which offers a sprinkling of resorts and camps catering for divers, backpackers and the occasional celebrity in search of anonymity.





One of the better resort options at the higher end of the market is Barefoot at Havelock, an eco-resort on Radhanagar beach, voted best beach in Asia by Time magazine in 2004. The 'barefoot' philosophy means that the ecological impact or footprint of the resort is minimised through various initiatives, including use of only indigenous materials, harvesting of rainwater and majority use of local staff. It offers 18 well designed cottages and villas, scattered amongst tropical foliage and connected by winding pathways. You get basic comforts (modern plumbing, air-con or ceiling fans) but there are no other frills. Don't expect room service or butlers hidden behind trees, television, newspapers, internet or (sometimes) telephone, you also have to be proactive when arranging activities and a top tip is to ask the staff to catch you a lobster or fresh fish for your evening meal.




Havelock is an unpretentious hideaway, with pristine white sand beaches with no-one else on them, world class diving and an exhilarating closeness to nature on one of the last unspoilt islands in the world.






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