Hey guys, so today I am starting a new Travel Series on my Blog (growingwithnemit.com) and YouTube channel (@GrowingWithNemit) where I will be sharing all the details about our recent trip to a beautiful Island destination. The title of this post ‘How to choose the perfect beach destination?’ was the first question that came to our mind when we thought of taking a vacation. But let me tell you getting the answer to this question was not that easy. Because all these destinations are equally beautiful. Hence, I chose this as the first topic to discuss with you all. I will also be taking up the question, Andaman or Lakshadweep? as these two are the most stunning Island destinations of our country.

Now that we have been to both, it’s easier for me to make a comparison and share my views on the same. Hopefully, it will help you save some time if you come across the same thought or doubts.

So, we had to plan a special trip for our son’s (Nemit) 7th birthday and since he loves the beaches, we just had to decide which beach destination to choose.

 

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But, this time it was not that easy. Why?

Because it seemed like we have already travelled to all the best beach destinations that could fit in our budget.

We have already visited Andaman Islands, Goa, Kerala & Puducherry in India, Krabi & Phuket in Thailand, Langkawi in Malaysia and also Maldives.

-Sorry, I don’t have posts for all the places we have explored as I started travel blogging only in 2018.-

Although we still have Bali, Mauritius & Vietnam on our travel bucket list, we did not not plan any of these International destinations due to 2 reasons.

One is the Corona scare, we are not yet confident to travel out of India as we still keep on hearing news of the new viruses coming up.

And, the second reason is we failed to renew Nemit’s passport before moving to Bengaluru, it got rejected but that’s a story for some other day.

So, first of all let’s talk about the International beach destinations.

International Beach Destinations

It’s a common thought process that if we have to spend a certain amount of money and if we can travel to an International destination within that budget then why should we even think about India.

I want to confess that even I had the same mindset for preferring an International destination over the Indian destination. And, I think it’s okay. Because for those of us from middle class families, traveling out of India is a big deal.

But after visiting and exploring some of the most stunning and picturesque locations in India, my whole outlook has changed. And, now my travel goal is to explore the offbeat and hidden locations in India first before checking out the destinations outside India.

Of all the places we have visited out of India (it’s not many but still), Krabi is my most favorite one, no doubt on that, in terms of the budget as well as the things to do. It’s a perfect beach destination outside India.

Krabi 2019

And, then comes the Maldives if you are looking for a laid back luxurious holiday.

So, for the same budget, either you can book a comfortable stay at any of the islands in Maldives for 3/4 nights where you just get to relax and rejuvenate. But there would be nothing much to explore except for the private island.

Maldives 2017

And, in the same budget, you can visit some breathtaking beaches & islands in Krabi for 4/5 nights or even more. You would get ample options to explore as well.

Beach Destinations in India – Andaman or Lakshadweep?

Now, if I talk about India, Goa is the go-to beach destination not just for the Indians but for many foreigners too. One will get everything in Goa except the white sand beaches and crystal clear waters.

You may read – 7-Day South Goa Itinerary with videos!

You can explore Goa on a budget or you can choose the luxurious & upscale stays as per your interest. Goa offers you everything.

But if you too are crazy for pristine white sand beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters then Goa may not be the right fit for you.

Our search for pristine beaches ended when we visited the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in 2018.

After going through all the available options for Nemit’s birthday trip, we thought of visiting the Andaman Islands once again. And then one day I saw a few latest videos about Andaman travel on YouTube and it simply broke my heart.

Here’s the statistical chart showing No. of Tourist Visited A & N Islands in 2022.

Source – Andaman Tourism

Andaman has changed a lot in terms of commercialization and tourism. It has become one of the most sought after beach destinations in India which means it has become crowded too. There’s no control on how many tourists can travel to Andaman, which could be one of the reasons that this heavenly beauty is losing its charm.

But that’s what I feel as I crave for more calm & peaceful places during a vacation.

In 2018, when we visited the A & N Islands, we travelled to the Middle and North Andaman in search of the unexplored and offbeat locations. So, in case you decide to visit Andaman, do consider visiting the Northern part of the islands. It’s definitely worth a visit!

You may also read – Diglipur -The Hidden Gem in North Andaman!

Ross & Smith Islands in North Andaman

Also, if you have not been to Andaman Islands even once then forget about the crowd and the other things and just plan that special trip without a doubt.

We didn’t plan for Andaman for 3 reasons-

1- We have already been there once.

2- South Andaman has become a famous tourist destination & we avoid the crowd.

2- We had to travel with our mother & it’s not an easy journey to reach the North Andaman.

So, what is left now?

While searching for Andaman videos, I stumbled upon a few vlogs on Lakshadweep travel. And, that’s when I fell in love with this Island Destination. Lakshadweep was never on my travel list, I don’t know why.

When I discussed about Lakshadweep with my husband, he was as clueless as I was about this place. Though he had a little idea that it’s a restricted group of islands and we need some kind of permit to visit there, he had no idea that Lakshadweep is slowly gaining popularity among beach lovers and travelers like us.

We invested the next 15 days in researching about this Island destination, figuring out which island would be the best one to visit, trying to understand the best modes of travel, and most importantly, calculating the budget we would need for this trip.

By the end of our research, we interpreted that travelling to Lakshadweep could be tricky!

But we were ready to take all the risks!!!

 

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Let’s conclude this post with a comparison chart for Andaman Islands and Lakshadweep Islands. While creating this below chart I realized that we can only compare these island groups on the basis of certain points but there can never be a comparison in their beauty.

Both these islands are exotic and offer unmatched scenic beauty with some of the best & cleanest sandy white beaches in Asia. That makes India one of the most visited and popular tourist’s beach destination.

You may also read – The Best Beach to visit with kids in Havelock Island!

And, if we want to preserve the stunning beauty of these islands, we should try to be a conscious traveler and travel responsibly.

Andaman or Lakshadweep?

Source – civilsdaily

I know looking at the above differences, Andaman wins over Lakshadweep, but there is something magical about Lakshadweep which I can’t express in words.

So, for Nemit’s 7th birthday we chose to visit Lakshadweep and now I can proudly say that it was the best decision ever.

And, now I am here to help you plan a perfect vacation to Lakshadweep, taking up all the doubts and answering all your questions.

In the upcoming posts of this Lakshadweep Travel Series, I will be discussing about-

• How to reach Lakshadweep?
• Which Island to visit?
• How to do the Bookings?
• Island Tour & Stay
• Things/Activities To Do with Prices
• Is it Child-friendly? What to expect?
• Friends we made.
• What’s New?

So, stay tuned and keep watching this space for Lakshadweep Travel Series. I will also be posting related videos on my YouTube channel @GrowingWithNemit.

Have you been to any of these islands? Andaman or Lakshadweep?

I hope this post will help you in choosing the right beach destination for your next vacation. If you liked this post, please do share it with your friends and family. I will see you next time with another interesting post, till then bye bye and take care!

The post Andaman or Lakshadweep? How to Choose the Perfect Beach Destination? appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hello friends, today I am writing my 6th post on Andaman (thanks to #BlogchatterA2Z). And, this is also going to be the last one for this month. In my previous 5 posts, I have shared about all the places that we visited in North, Middle and South Andaman. I tried to share the maximum information to help you plan your trips better. And, in today’s post, I will be sharing 80 fun things to do in Andaman with family.

I have noticed that not many articles talk about traveling with kids especially in India. And, I really don’t understand why? I mean parents also deserve to travel, enjoy, and explore places, isn’t? Ok, I know many of you will say that it’s not easy to travel with kids. But, you can always plan kid-friendly holidays!

Let’s look at it this way, I had a difficult pregnancy & the labor was quite painful. It was not easy. The first 6 months were horrendous, I suffered from postpartum depression, it was not easy. It was not easy to keep a watch on a toddler who had just started walking. And, it was not at all easy to settle my son in a playschool. I had to sit outside his class for a whole month. I don’t even want to mention toddler tantrums. Nothing is easy!

It may be difficult to travel with kids because there are not enough means to make them comfortable. When a baby cries on a plane, parents are frowned upon by fellow passengers as if they have never seen a crying baby. One of my old colleagues (she was not a parent then) told me that parents should give some kind of medicine to their cranky kids so that they doze off during the flight.

This was the most disgusting advice I got on parenting. I have just one thing to say to such people. If you get so uncomfortable with kids around, you should consider booking a private jet for yourself or else, consider staying at home!

Well, I don’t want to divert from the topic but I really wish that parents ditch this thinking. If you really enjoy traveling or going on vacations or adventure holidays, you should keep doing that. Being a parent should not stop you from doing what you love!

Traveling is a therapy for the mind, body, and soul. And it works the same with everyone & benefits every age group!

Ok, coming back to the topic. In my previous posts, I have shared about the places that we visited & the things we did when we were in Andaman. But that’s not all about it. There’s a whole lot of fun things to do in Andaman. And, I am writing down all those things below. I am not going into details but I will leave the source links below since this list is experience plus research based.

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80 Fun Things to Do in Andaman

1- Explore South, Middle & North Andaman. Check out the 10D/9N Andaman Itinerary.

2- Port Blair City Tour

3- Attend Beach Festival at Corbyn Cove Beach

4- Sunset at Munda Pahar Beach

5- Take a cruise to Havelock/Neil Island

6- Play with waves at Radhanagar Beach

7- Take a bus ride in Havelock Island

8- Trek to the Elephant Beach with family

9- Try Adventure Activities

10- Sea Walk at Elephant Beach

11- Eat Sambhar Rice with the Locals

12- Shop at Port Blair Market

13- Attend the Light & Sound Show at Cellular Jail

14- Visit the ruins at Viper Island

15- Take a Journey to the Limestone Caves at Baratang

16- Know about Jarwah Tribe

17- Take a Vehicle Ferry to cross a Strait

18- Enjoy the Speed Boat Ride

19- Take a Boat through the Mangrove Creeks

20- Snorkeling at Elephant Beach

21- Swim at Amkunj Beach

22- Take the Dhani Nallah Mangrove Nature Walkway

23- Enjoy the scenery at Dhani Nallah Beach

24- Visit Turtle Nesting Grounds

25- Stay overnight at Rangat/Mayabunder

26- Experience the Village life at Diglipur

27- Visit the Mud Volcanoes

28- Trek to the highest peak in the Andaman – Saddle Peak

29- Explore the Alfred Caves in North Andaman

30- Watch the sunrise at the beach

31- Visit the Best Beach in Andaman – Radhanagar Beach

32- Take a Boat to Ross & Smith Islands

33- Walk on the sandbar connecting Twin Islands

34- Visit Neil Island

35- Explore Kalapathar Beach

36- Go Scuba Diving

37- Take a Glass Bottom Boat Ride

38- Watch the turtles at Smith Island

39- Walk down the corridor at Cellular Jail

40- Try water sports at Jolly Bouy Island

Things to Do in Andaman

41- Explore an old British Church at Ross Island

42- Boat ride to Viper Island

43- Swim with the fishes at North Bay

44- Take a semi-submarine ride – Coral Safari

45- Trek to Munda Pahar

46- Relax & Unwind on Smith Island

47- Take a long walk on the beach

48- Stay near the beach in a Beach Resort

49- Watch the Turtles at night on Kalipur Beach

50- Go Fishing

51- Play Beach VolleyBall

52- Walk at Marina Park

53- Take an Island Hopping Tour

54- Book a private cruise

55- Click some Instagrammable pictures

56- Take Ferry Rides

57- Book a Seaplane/Helicopter ride

58- Interact with the locals

59- Go on a jungle ride through Jarwah Reserve Forest

60- Show your kids the beauty of India

61- Take an overnight cruise

62- Try the local food

63- Visit the Long Island

64- Relax in an eco-hut at the beachside

65- Trek to the Kalipur Beach at night

66- Relax under the Mohwa trees at Radhanagar Beach

67- Hire a scooter to explore new places

68- Try oranges at Diglipur

69- Stay at a government resort

70- Don’t miss the sunrise at the beach

71- Have lunch at The Mohwa (restaurant at Radhanagar Beach)

72- Visit Parrot Island at Baratang

73- Visit the waterfall at Long Island

74- Bird watching at Chidiyatapu

75- If you want to know the History of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, then you can’t miss the museums in Port Blair

76- Witness Bioluminescence at Havelock Island

77- Ride a banana boat at Elephant Beach

78- Go Dolphin watching in Lalji Bay

79- Visit the only active volcano of Andaman in Barren Island

80- Do check out water sport activities at Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex

So, that’s the list of all the things to do in Andaman. If I missed something, do mention that below and I will update the list. Hope you liked the post. Don’t forget to share it!

Today is Day 6 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘F’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids’ & I have chosen F for Family. 

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Below are the reference links if you want to get details to any of these activities.

www.experienceandamans.com

www.traveltriangle.com

www.thrillophilia.com

www.tripadvisor.in

The post 80 Things to Do in Andaman Islands with Family appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hi friends, I am back again with another post on Andaman Island. In this post, I want to share about our experience of visiting Elephant beach in Havelock Island. So far, I have taken you to the extreme North in the Andaman archipelago to Diglipur. And, to the Middle Andaman, where I took you on a mesmerizing journey to the Limestone Caves at Baratang.

In South Andaman, I took you on a cruise to Havelock Island. And in that post, I also mentioned about the best beach to visit with kids in Havelock i.e Radhanagar Beach. While Radhanagar beach is an ideal place to relax & rewind, Elephant beach is a perfect place to enjoy water sports and adventure activities.

So, while coming back from Radhanagar beach, we asked the bus conductor to suggest some fun activities we can enjoy as a family. It’s always better to check with the locals, they can be your best guides, you know! And he suggested a Trek to the Elephant Beach. He told us about the trekking path which goes through the beautiful jungle and leads directly to the beach. And, we decided to try that out the next day.

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Trek to Elephant Beach

Next morning, we all were so excited about the adventure. We reached the exact location from where the trek begins. There were a couple of forest guards seated at the entrance where they were noting down details of people taking that trek.

We checked with them about the trail and asked them if it is safe to go with a 2-year-old child and 2 senior citizens. They said it’s a plain trail through the forest and if we can walk for 30 mins then we are good to go. Just then a local villager approached us & asked if we want to take a guide. We wanted to do this trek on our own and at our own pace hence refused him.

Beginning the trek

During the trek, something went wrong perhaps we should have hired a guide. Though, we are still not sure!

You may check our Andaman Trip Itinerary here!

And, the Trek Begins…

After completing all the formalities we started our trek. We anticipated that this trek could take around an hour since the guards said it is a 30 min trail. We had walked only 15 mins when we were joined by 2 foreigner ladies who were also grannies & they were friends.

Trekking going smooth

For the next 15 mins, we all walked together and chatted along the way. It was getting hotter, I remember it was not noon still we could feel the sun directly on our head. Even though it was hot & humid, we were enjoying the trek. But a moment later, we saw a big mud puddle in front of us.

There was no way to go around it, we had to walk through it. And when we walked into that puddle, we realized that this was going to be very difficult. It was not mud, it seemed like clay, very slippery and it was deep. We couldn’t keep our balance and had to hold on to the little branches hanging from the trees. Now, this was totally unexpected. And, we were not prepared for it. 

Also, this was not the kind of adventure we were looking for!

But to our own surprise, we were quite thrilled after crossing that puddle. We were giving hi-fives to each other as if we accomplished some kind of a mission. We took a short break there.

Happy faces

You may also read – How to manage food for babies & toddlers while traveling?

We had no idea just after a turn, the whole path was covered with even bigger mud puddles. My mom told us that it had rained last night which might have resulted in this. But, forest guards didn’t mention this at all.

Millions of thoughts were crossing our mind. Maybe we were on a wrong path since we hadn’t seen anyone in the last 15 mins. Maybe we should have hired that guide. Our phones were not working so there was no way to call for help. Also, the 2 ladies who were walking with us, they suddenly disappeared. None of us saw them going ahead. All this was freaking us out!

We crossed another puddle and saw elephant poop on that path. Well, that just added to our anxiety. And we thought this is called elephant beach so there might be wild elephants in this jungle too. Oh my God, we were so terrified and all kinds of irrational thoughts were crossing our minds.

Just before getting into a big puddle

The next step was to calm down and look for a solution. In that particular moment when none of us was speaking a word and we could hear our heart’s thudding sound, I felt a moment of Nirvana.

And after some time, we all said together, let’s do this!

Although it took us another one and a half hour to come out of that trail, the feeling was idyllic. I was never so happy to see a beach in my life. We were covered with mud from head to toe. Yes, because at some places we had to crawl on our knees & bums to pass through the puddle.

Happy & excited to see the beach

I can never forget that trek. That 3 hr long trek taught me so much about life, balance, fear, love, will to survive, togetherness, moreover, accepting the situation when it is not as per our plan.

This is what travel teaches us and that’s why I want my son to travel and explore such places from this very early age.

Finally, we saw the white sand beach with the most beautiful turquoise water in the distance. We ran to the shore and cleaned ourselves and thanked our stars. We were happy we didn’t find any wild elephants!

Water Sport Activities at Elephant Beach

After relaxing a bit, we checked what all we can do there. We were shocked to know that they were almost closing. Yes, the beach closes around 3.30 pm. They clear off the beach by 4 pm as it gets high tides in the evening. And, it’s not safe!

We realized why we couldn’t find anyone on that trail. The officials at the beach told us that the best time to reach here is early morning.

Water Sport Activities

There were many activities to do, like snorkeling, banana boat ride, jet ski, and sea walk. We chose to go for sea walk since we had never tried this before. So, our mothers decided to relax on the beach and we left Nemit with them. And, booked a sea walk session for us.

Sea Walk at Elephant Beach – 2500/- per person.

It was a surreal experience to walk on the sea bed, circling around a big coral, and feeding colorful fishes with our hands. What did I like most about that experience? Making poses underwater and getting clicked!

Sea Walk

So, guys if you plan to trek to the elephant beach, do consider hiring a guide. And as I always say, be flexible, keep your calm and have a Plan B ready.

You can also take a boat to reach the beach.

Speed Boat

Speed boat transfer – 750/- per person 

That’s all for today.

This is Day 5 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘E’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids‘ & I have chosen E for Elephant Beach. 

You can read all my posts under BlogchatterA2Z here!

I hope you liked reading our experience. Do leave a comment below and don’t forget to share this post with your friends and family.

See you tomorrow!

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The post Elephant beach – Trek with Kids in Havelock, Andaman Island appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hey guys, hope you all are doing good. Today, I want to share my experience of traveling to the extreme North in the Andaman archipelago to the town of Diglipur with my family. As I mentioned in our Andaman Itinerary, Diglipur is the largest & the farthest town in North Andaman. Although, it is not the main tourist attraction you can witness a beautiful island village life here, which makes it truly special. Also, you will find some most exotic & untouched beaches near Diglipur.

You may also want to read –Best Beach to visit with kids in Havelock Island!

Diglipur seemed to me like a dream. People were just lazying around, there was no stress on their faces, they were happy doing their own thing. And their simple rice & sambhar with pickle & papad is the most delicious meal I’ve ever had in my life. The whole experience at Diglipur was just magical. And, I wanted to stay there forever.

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Not many people know about Diglipur including the locals at Port Blair. None of the travel operators will add this in your trip itinerary unless you mention it specifically. Only a few tourists travel this far in the North & they are mostly the explorers and the nature lovers. Yes, we can call Diglipur a nature lover’s paradise.

No doubt, we are a family of nature lovers!

How to Reach Diglipur?

I want to say one thing to all the people reading this post. Don’t expect too much, you won’t find any luxury in any part of Middle or North Andaman. But you can experience the best of nature, pristine beaches and explore the most beautiful untouched locations there.

In my previous post on Baratang Caves, I have shared the route maps from Port Blair and few options for the overnight halt. The distance from Port Blair to Diglipur is 300 Km and it may take up to 14 hrs if traveling with kids. The road condition in many parts is not that good which will further slow you down. You will need to cross Jarwah Reserve Forest and 2/3 water streams on vehicle ferries if starting from Port Blair.

The Route we followed to reach Diglipur

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We started early morning around 5 am from our resort (Ixzire Resort) and reached Jirkatang check post by 5.45 am. After all the formalities to get the permit to pass through the Jarwah Reserve Forest, we started in a convoy at around 6.30 am. We reached the Middle strait jetty after an exciting road journey of 90 mins. Next, we took a vehicle ferry to reach Baratang jetty at Baratang Island. From there, we started our onward journey towards Rangat.

You may also read – Meghalaya Trip Itinerary!

We reached Rangat at around 1 pm and stopped at Priya International Hotel for lunch. This is the same hotel where we stayed overnight while returning back from Diglipur.

Amkunj beach

After lunch, we directly visited Amkunj Beach which is a famous beach in Rangat with eco-friendly facilities like eco huts, log sofas & wooden swings. After spending some 30 mins in and around the beach, we started our onward journey.

Amkunj to Dhani Nallah Beach and Dhani Nallah walkway to Beach

There is another beautiful beach located 13 km from Amkunj beach towards Diglipur i.e Dhaninallah Beach. It is famous for the longest Mangrove Nature Walkway, 713 meters long, in India.

Dhani Nallah Mangrove Nature Walkway towards Dhani Nallah Beach

The boardwalk and the beach facilities are completely eco-friendly. There are many halts on the long boardwalk and these are named after the commonly found birds in the Andaman Islands.

Halts named after famous birds of this region

Since we had to reach Diglipur before night, we visited Dhaninallah beach on our way back from Diglipur. Our next stop was Diglipur market where we ordered a cake for our son since it was Nemit’s 2nd birthday on the next day.

You may also read – Krabi Trip Itinerary!

Where to Stay in Diglipur?

There are only a few accommodation options in Diglipur mainly in nearby Kalipur village. And you need to book your stay well in advance. We had stayed at Pristine Beach Resort which is the best resort in Diglipur. Other in the town are Turtle Resort (it is government property) & Saddle Peak View Resort.

Places to visit in Diglipur?

Ross & Smith Island – Twin Island

As I mentioned earlier, the next day was Nemit’s birthday and to celebrate that we chose Ross & Smith Islands.

Nemit with his Nani & Dadi at Smith Island

These are one of the most pristine and secluded Islands of Andaman. And are connected to each other with a thin strip of the white sandbar. You can literally walk from one island to another. Check out the detailed post on Twin Islands here.

Kalipur Beach – Turtle Nesting Ground

Kalipur beach was 10 mins walking distance from our resort. It is famous for turtle nesting and tourists visit this beach mainly to watch turtles. As per our guide, one needs to spend some 3-4 hrs at the beach late at night to spot the turtles which come out of the water to lay eggs on the beach.

Since we had only 2 nights to spend in Diglipur, we couldn’t cover all other places of interest. And these are still on our travel bucket list.

Diglipur map

-> Saddle Peak – Highest Peak in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

-> Alfred Caves – Limestone Caves in Diglipur

-> Mud Volcano at Shyam Nagar 

That’s the hidden gem of North Andaman for you guys. We traveled with our 2-year-old son and his grandmothers. The journey was a bit tiring since it was quite hot even in the month of January. But the whole experience was out of this world and I can’t truly express it in words. One should visit Diglipur to witness the charm of this rustic village and its nearby places.

Today is Day 4 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘D’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids’ & I have chosen D for Diglipur.

You can read all my posts for AtoZ challenge here!

That’s all for today, guys! I hope you liked the post. Do tell me in the comments below if you have visited this place or would like to travel to Diglipur soon. Also, you know sharing is caring, so please share this post with your friends and family. I would really appreciate that.

Take care, see you tomorrow!

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The post Diglipur -The Hidden Gem in North Andaman #TravelingWithKids appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hello everyone, hope you found the Itinerary of our trip to the Andaman Islands helpful. Today, I am going to tell you about the best beach in Havelock Island (now Swaraj Dweep) to visit with kids. This is not only a beautiful beach but it has also been ranked as Asia’s one of the best beaches by Time Magazine. Any guesses which beach I’m talking about?

Well, it’s the Radhanagar beach! 

It is undoubtedly the most beautiful and one of the cleanest white sand beaches in the Andaman Islands. Although there are some 4-5 beaches in Havelock Island, Radhanagar beach is the ideal one to visit with kids. In case you want to check out the other beaches in Havelock Island, you can visit Vijyanagar Beach, Kalapathar Beach, Elephant Beach & Govind Nagar Beach.

Beaches in Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)

How to reach Havelock Island?

There is only one way to reach Havelock Island and that is BY WATER! One needs to take a ferry from Port Blair to reach this most visited island in the Andaman archipelago.

There are 2 kinds of ferry services available – Government ferry & Private ferry.

Source – Makruzz.com

I have been on both and as per my experience, a private ferry is a good option when traveling with babies or young children.

Onboarding Makruzz

Selfie with Nemit inside Makruzz

All private ferries operate under Makruzz & Green Ocean cruise. These are air-conditioned, have comfortable cushioned seats & even have a small cafe on board. We have traveled through Makruzz.

Cafe onboard Makruzz

One can book a premium, deluxe or a royal class on Makruzz depending on their budget & requirement.

Selfie inside Makruzz with Nemit’s grandmothers

I would suggest booking a premium class as it is cost-effective and offers the best view of the sea since it is on the lower deck.

Book tickets well in advance, even before booking a hotel and better to book on your own either online or directly at the jetty.

At Havelock Jetty

The ferry service may not operate for tourists during the monsoon months, June, July, and August so do check before planning your vacation.

Havelock Island

You can check more about Makruzz here & Green Ocean here!

A visit to Radhanagar Beach – Our experience

Our day was quite exciting from the time we started from our resort until we came back in the evening. Since we were on a budget, we chose to travel like locals. Hence, we decided to take a bus instead of booking a cab to Radhanagar Beach. I would not recommend taking a bus if you are traveling with babies less than a year old.

The bus ride to Radhanagar Beach

We hopped on a bus which took around 30 mins from our resort (Havelock Island Beach Resort) to Radhanagar beach. The journey was one of its kind, we were dancing to the rhythm of the bus with each turn. And, every breaker made us realize some bumps on the road are for our own good since the driver seemed to be in a race with time.

It was Nemit’s first bus ride and he was quite thrilled throughout the journey. While my husband and I were trying to keep our balance & not to fall on each other, our mothers were having a blast remembering their childhood days.

It was an experience we will never forget. For the next 2 days, Nemit tried stopping each and every bus that he saw on the road, ‘Bhaiya, roko roko’ is what he shouted to every passing bus. These memories will stay with me forever. We can never get such a fun experience in our metro cities.

Radhanagar Beach Entrance

Nemit used to take 2 naps in a day when he was 2 years old. So, when we reached the beach, it was already time for his first nap. While he was sleeping we decided to have some ‘we’ time & left him with his grandmothers in an eco-hut on the beachside. We spent a good time swimming in the shallow water & jumping on the waves.

After an hour, when Nemit woke up, it was time to pull the grannies into the water. It was such a delight to watch them enjoy & have fun.

If you want to gift something to your parents, take them on a vacation with you and let them be kids once again.

Nemit’s Nani & Dadi (grandmothers) enjoying at the beach

Time went by so fast that we totally forgot about the lunchtime. We wanted to stay in the water for some more time. But we could not ignore the hunger pangs after doing all the acrobats. There is only one restaurant near the beach by the name ‘The Mohwa‘. We were lucky to get some authentic local vegetarian food at the restaurant even though we were quite late for lunch & they were about to close.

By the time we finished our meal, it was already 4 pm and also the time for the last bus to depart. We had to rush to the parking lot to catch that last bus. Nemit decided to take his 2nd nap on our way back in the bus while we gossiped about how none of us were able to keep our balance in the water. And, how the life guard was giving us stern look perhaps for behaving like small kids.

Now if you plan a vacation to the Andaman Islands, I would like to suggest you book a hotel near Radhanagar beach and stay for at least 3 days in Havelock Island.

I am sure now you know why Radhanagar beach is the best beach to visit with kids. In case, you are still in doubt check out some more reasons below.

10 Reasons why Radhanagar Beach is the best beach in Havelock Island to visit with kids?

PIN IT!

When one thinks of a beach holiday with kids, they want the beach to be clean, less crowded, safe, and the water to be calm & shallow. And, you get all this at the Radhanagar Beach.

Check out the below reasons-

• It is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Andaman with soft white sand & pristine blue waters.
• It is the most famous beach in Havelock Island yet less crowded and has an almost 2km long shoreline.
• There are no shacks & shops around the beach which makes it quite a peaceful site to relax.
• The waters are calm and waves are smooth. Making it an ideal beach for kids to enjoy swimming or playing in the water.
• There are lifeguards seated for the safety of tourists.
• There are no water sports/activities available making it a perfect site for swimming & relaxing.
• It is yet not commercialized. But offers all the basic facilities like lockers, changing rooms and shower area at very nominal charges.
• There is one restaurant located inside the park area alongside the beach which offers lunch option on the buffet.
• There are eco-friendly huts, swings for kids, and benches to sit under the tall mohwa trees.
• The eateries & shops are located outside the main gate of the beach area in case you want to buy something for the kids.

This is Day 2 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘B’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids‘ & I have chosen B for Beach. 

I hope you liked reading this post and also found it helpful. Do leave a comment below and don’t forget to share this post with your friends and family.

See you tomorrow!

The post The Best Beach to visit with kids in Havelock Island – Andaman Island appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hey guys, hope you all are doing good. Finally, the April is here and with this kick starts the most awaited #BlogchatterA2Z challenge. Today is Day 1 and that means the letter of the day is ‘A’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids‘ & I have chosen A for Andaman. In this post, I am going to share the Andaman Itinerary from our most loved trip to the Andaman Islands.

We planned this trip in Jan 2018 for Nemit’s 2nd birthday and it turned out to be one of our most memorable trips. It was a 10-day leisure cum adventure trip and the best part is Nemit’s both grandmothers were traveling with us. Yes, you can plan adventure trips with your kids and that’s not a big deal.

We tried to cover some of the amazing places from South, Middle, and North Andaman. And it took us around 30 days to plan it perfectly. Since it was my 2nd trip to the Andaman Islands, I had a fair idea of what all places we could give a pass & what all we wanted to include. However, I still feel 10 days were not enough to soak in the beauty of these islands.

Let’s start with the Andaman Itinerary (9N/10D)

When you decide to go on a trip with your kids, it’s important to start planning at least 15-20 days prior to your travel date. If you are planning a budget holiday, keep a watch on flight prices as these keep fluctuating. Also, when you shortlist the hotels, call them or drop them a mail with your travel dates and ask them their best price. Some hotels give amazing offers if you are staying for more than 2 nights or if you book directly with them.

Day 1- Delhi to Port Blair

We had an early morning flight from Delhi to Port Blair.

Delhi to Port Blair

During my 1st visit, I had covered all the main tourist places in & around Port Blair. I was sure no one would like to do a city tour or visit the old ruins or want to know the story behind the cellular jail with a toddler hanging around.

Hence, we skipped exploring the city altogether during this trip.

Stay at Kevin Homestay (www.kevinsandaman.com)

Place visited- Corbyn Cove Beach

Entrance to Beach Festival at Corbyn Cove Beach

Since we had no plans for the day, we decided to ask the owner about any happening nearby place to chill out. He told us about the ongoing Beach Festival at ‘Corbyn cove beach‘. It’s a nice beach to spend some time with family. However, during the festival, it was too crowded & the beach was not that clean.

Day 2- Port Blair to Havelock Island (name changed to Swaraj Dweep)

Next day, we had planned to go to Havelock Island which is the most visited island in the Andamans. Since our ferry was around 2 pm we decided to visit Munda Pahar Beach in Chidiya Tapu in the morning which was about 40 mins from Port Blair.

We at Munda Pahar

It’s an eco-friendly beach facility & a nice place to visit with kids. There are many eco-huts & wooden swings along the beachside. One can easily spend 3-4 hrs here, locals recommend to watch the sunset from this beach.

There are 2 ways to reach Havelock, by a Private Ferry (Makruzz/Green Ocean) or by a government ferry.

Nemit with his dad in Makruzz ship

We had booked a private ferry, Makruzz (http://www.makruzz.com/site/) which took around 1.5 hrs to reach Havelock Island. I will not recommend taking a government ferry when traveling with young kids.

Stay at Havelock Holiday Beach Resort (www.hhbr.in). I will share more details in a separate post.

Day 3- A visit to Radhanagar Beach

Next day, we decided to visit Radhanagar beach which is the most famous beach in Havelock Island. And, it is also known as one of the best beaches in Aisa. Details coming up soon in a separate post on Havelock Island.

Day 4- Trek to Elephant Beach

It was our last day in Havelock and we decided to try some adventure. We trekked to the Elephant beach which was one of the most exciting experiences we have ever had. We also did the sea walk. All details coming up in a separate post.

Day 5- Havelock Island to Port Blair

After spending 3 wonderful days in the South Andaman, it was time to explore the middle and North Andaman which are the least visited parts of the Andaman Archipelago. And I would recommend planning a visit to North Andaman as a separate itinerary and not to club it with South Andaman.

We spent the half day in transiting from Havelock to Port Blair and rest of the day in exploring the market at Port Blair, shopping some necessary items.

Port Blair to Ixzire Resort

Stay at Ixzire Resort (www.ixzire.com)

If you happen to plan a vacation for 5-6 days, then you can simply keep 2 days for Port Blair & rest of the days for Havelock Island. You can also visit another famous island ‘Neil Island‘ (name changed to Shaheed Dweep) for which ferry is available from Havelock as well as Port Blair. We skipped Neil since we had to cover North Andaman.

I will recommend visiting South Andaman if you are traveling with a baby or a toddler. If you have older kids and you like adventure, you should definitely plan for Middle & North Andaman. And if you are adventure junkies lovers like us, go ahead and take your toddler for the most exciting expedition to North Andaman.

Day 6- Port Blair to Diglipur

Diglipur is the largest town of the North Andaman Island. You can witness the laid back village life, people are very friendly and the food is simple yet tasty. It takes around 8-9 hrs to reach Diglipur by road. However, with kids, it may take up to 12-14 hrs. So, go prepared!

Port Blair (Ixzire Resort) to North Andaman (Diglipur)

There are many places of interest for adventure lovers such as Saddle peak (highest peak of Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Ross & Smith Islands (also known as the twin islands), Mud volcano, Alfred caves, Lamiya bay, Kalipur beach (famous for turtle nesting), etc.

Stay at Pristine Beach Resort (www.andamanpristineresorts.com)

Place visited – Amkunj Beach

I will share more details in another post.

Day 7- Ross & Smith Island & Kalipur Beach

Next day it was Nemit’s birthday and we had planned to visit Ross & Smith Islands.

Having fun at Ross & Smith Island, sandbar

You can read our whole experience of visiting Ross & Smith Islands here.

Day 8- Diglipur to Rangat

Unfortunately, we had only 2 days to spend in Diglipur, hence we couldn’t visit all the locations. It is still in our bucket list & we will plan a trip to North Andaman soon. Day 8, we decided to halt overnight at Rangat (in Middle Andaman) since we wanted to visit Baratang caves on the next day.

Stay at Priya International (the only stay option we could find in Rangat)

Dhani Nallah nature walkway in Rangat

Place visited- Dhani Nallah Nature Walkway & Beach 

Day 9- Rangat to Port Blair via Baratang

We wanted to explore the limestone caves at the Baratang Island hence we kept an extra day for that. One can also do the full day tour to Baratang caves from Port Blair if they are not going to the North Andaman.

Posing at the entrance of limestone caves at Baratang Island

All details coming up in a separate post.

Stay at Ripple Resort (www.rippleresort.com) at Port Blair.

Day 10- Port Blair to Delhi

This was our last day in Andaman and we had booked an afternoon flight to Delhi.

Andaman Itinerary. PIN IT!

So, that’s our Andaman Itinerary, this is also an overview of what all I will be sharing this week. So stay tuned and keep visiting my blog daily for some cool travel updates this April. And, if you are planning a trip with kids, this can be your go-to guide as well.

Thanks for reading, hope you liked this post and if you find this helpful, then please do share it with your friends and family. And, I would love to hear your views or experiences in the comments below.

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The post A- Andaman Itinerary – Traveling with Kids #BlogchatterA2Z appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hello friends, let’s welcome this month with a travel post where I will be sharing a day from our Andaman Trip. We visited the Andaman Islands in January to celebrate Nemit’s 2nd birthday. And the place which we chose to spend the most special day was the Ross and Smith Islands, also known by the name of Twin Islands.

Check out this Google Satellite image below to know why these are known as the Twin Islands. These are one of the most pristine and secluded Islands of Andaman. And are connected to each other with a thin strip of the white sandbar. Just imagine the feeling of walking on the white sand from one island to the other.

Aerial View of Ross and Smith Islands

The best thing about this trip was not just Nemit’s birthday but also the company of both his grandmothers. Also, we had 10 days to cover most of the parts of this beautiful Indian Island. That too without burning a hole in our pockets. How we planned this budget trip? Hmm…it’s a secret! Naah, well I will share all the details in another post. This post is dedicated only to Nemit’s special day. Sharing a map of the Andaman Islands below. We visited all the places mentioned in green.

The Andaman Islands are divided into 3 parts as South Andaman, Middle Andaman, and North Andaman.

Map of Andaman Islands

Middle and Northern parts are the least traveled by the tourists. Hence, these parts have the most pristine untouched beaches with crystal clear waters. Ross and Smith Islands are one of those and offer a unique experience to its explorers.

How to reach?

First, one has to reach Diglipur in the North and take a speedboat from the Aerial Bay Jetty to reach the Twin Islands. The boat ride to Ross and Smith costs around INR 3000/- per boat for a capacity of 5-6 persons and it takes around 20 minutes to reach the destination.

Nemit with Nani on boat to Twin Islands

Click on this link to watch a video of our transfer from Aerial Bay Jetty to Twin Islands by the Speedboat.

There are few beautiful huts near the Ticket counter at Aerial Bay Jetty. We spent some time there while arranging for the permits and the boat before taking on the further journey. Make all arrangements beforehand as there are no shops at the Ross and Smith Island. We had to carry the eatables as well as drinking water with us. When we visited, there were no arrangements for water sports as well, so if you wish to do snorkeling, take your gear along.

Wooden Hut at Aerial Bay Jetty

You may want to read – Top 5 travel essentials when traveling with a toddler.

What to do?

After the boat drops at the Island, take a walk on the white sand trail to reach the Smith Island. To cross the sandbar and reach the Ross Island, one has to take a separate permission from the officials at the Smith Island.

Nemit with Papa after getting off the boat

Entrance to Smith Island

Dadi and Nani walking towards Smith Island from the boat drop

Once you reach the Smith Island, you will be surprised to see how beautifully it has been maintained, there are wooden huts to take shade, loungers to bask under the sun, beautiful swings and bathing & changing huts too. You will be mesmerized by the beauty of this island, spend time taking long walks on the beach, swim in the clear waters, do snorkeling or just bask in the sun. Each moment spent here feels like a moment of the lifetime.

The Eco Hut at Smith Island

Nani Dadi enjoying the swing

Sandbar connecting the Islands

There are 2 things which Nemit likes a lot and these are water and sand. And that is why we were so sure to take this trip for Nemit. We left him free to explore the beach on his own, only keeping an eye on him from the distance. He was so excited to see sand and water all around him.

Happy to see the sand all around

Running around

Nemit with Mumma

We could have never planned his birthday better than this. He had his parents all to him, without any gadgets around, giving him complete attention and their time. His grandmothers were there to shower their love and blessings on him. And he had the whole paradise island for himself to enjoy his day.

Nemit and Papa enjoying the water

Nemit playing with Nani & Dadi

We reached the Island at around 11 am and were asked to head back around 3 pm. We were told that we can’t stay there once the high tide starts. During high tides, the sandbar connecting both the islands get submerged in water separating the two from each other.

Walk on The Beach

After spending some time walking along the beach and taking lots of pictures, we decided to go get drenched in the water. We noticed that swimming was allowed only on the other side of the sandbar and it was getting some tides too. While the opposite side where the boat drops had calm waters without any tides but swimming was not allowed.

Time to enjoy the waves

We all had a great time playing in the water with Nemit. I think it’s time that we get him enrolled in swimming lessons. Once the waves started getting bigger and harsh, we came out. After taking a bath and changing into dry clothes we decided to have some snacks while lying down on the sun lounger placed along the beach.

Nemit enjoying in the water

Basking in the Sun

We didn’t realize how fast time was running there and soon our boat driver came looking for us. It was time to head back to our Resort in Diglipur. We clearly didn’t want to go back. Hence, decided to come back again the next day.

Birthday Celebration

Our trip to Ross and Smith Island came to an end but the celebrations were not over yet. A day before we had ordered a cake for Nemit, which we picked up on our way back to the resort. We were back by 4 pm and thought of taking some rest before planning for the evening. After spending an awesome time at the twin islands, Nemit was also exhausted and soon slept.

Nemit’s Birthday Cake

In the evening we cut the cake and had a little party in our room only. It was amazing to watch Nemit sing his birthday song and cut the cake on his own. It was messy but full of enjoyment. Nemit’s day and all the fun was almost coming to an end.

Happiness

Cake Cutting with Nani and Dadi

Birthday Selfie

But before retiring for the night, we had to walk to a nearby Kalipur Beach which is famous for Turtle Nesting. Our guide told us that to spot the turtles we need to spend some 3-4 hrs at the beach late at night but that was not possible for us. So, we just did a quick trek to the beach, checked the place where officials collect the turtles’ eggs to keep them safe and headed back to the resort.

Where to Stay?

We stayed at the Pristine Beach Resort, in Diglipur. The distance from the Resort to the Aerial bay jetty is about 8 Km and takes around 20 mins to reach there. Kalipur beach is nearby and at a walking distance of 10 mins. The resort has options for rooms and villas. Since we were on a budget trip, we settled for 2 Deluxe rooms, which were quite cozy and comfortable.

Villas have 2 connected rooms, spacious, luxurious and with all the amenities. If we had to spend our time in the resort, we would have chosen the villas.

 Day Ends

What a day it was, full of fun, excitement, and adventure. And we made awesome unforgettable memories on Nemit’s Birthday. Few years down the line, when he will look at these pictures and listen to the stories about his Andaman Trip, I am sure he will have a big smile on his face. And then we will once again plan a trip to this beautiful island, maybe spend more days in Diglipur and make some more beautiful memories and stories for the lifetime.

This is how we celebrated Nemit’s 2nd Birthday. Hope you liked reading this post and found the information helpful to plan your next trip to the Twin Islands. If you have any questions related to this trip, please leave a comment below or send me a direct message on my Instagram or Facebook and I will try my best to answer your queries and help plan your trip.

Next post on Middle Andaman covering Baratang Caves coming up next. Stay tuned. Love!

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