#ATOZCHALLENGE DAY 08: for Heavenly HAVELOCK Islands

“At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun.” – Anonymous 

Named after the British general, Sir Henry Havelock who had served in India these islands are the most famous of the entire 572 island group. Situated at a distance of about 57 kms from the capital Port Blair and to east of great Andamans, this beautiful island is spread over 113.93 km2.

With more than one beach(also termed as beach 1 which includes the port to beach 8) to its name these islands are definitely an Escapist’s hood.  Havelock is an amazing experience. Right from the seaplane to kayaking and white sandy beaches. It has multiple joy of adventure and beauty wrapped in itself.  

Radhanagar beach 

If Sun Sand and Sea is an idea of your perfect vacation then the Radhanagar beach is the place to be, for it holds the honor of Asia’s best and World’s 7th best beach and 6th best in terms of bluest water. Yes you heard it right, Asia’s best beach ❤ ❤ ❤ It is a 3 km long stretch of pristine white sand covered beach. The warm crystal blue water and the white sand is the hallmark of these places. Radhanagar beach is also very popular with surfers as the beach tends to have gigantic waves during the surfing season. 

When you don’t feel like getting out of the sea

Kalapathar beach

PC : Andaman Tourism Department

Kalapathar beach is a remote beach about 10kms from havelock jetty.The beach is accessible by road and is famous with couples and nature lovers.It is picture perfect and far less crowded than Radhanagar beach. For the ones who prefer spending some lonely time in natures wilderness this is the perfect spot.  Also you can trek down to this amazing lagoon which is known to very few. Check out the video captured from a drone of this secret lagoon.

The Elephant beach 

PC : Nelson bhaiya

The Elephant beach is stunningly beautiful and looks straight out of a postcard. You would definitely end up using the hashtag “#nofilter” because no filter would do justice to the beauty of the images one would capture. The beach is not accessible by road and the only way to reach the elephant beach is by hiring a speed boat or dinge from Havelock jetty. Elephant beach is ideal for water-sports activities because it’s crystal clear waters .Water sports activities like jet ski, scuba diving, snorkeling and underwater sea-walk are conducted at the beach.

Apart from all this, it is well known for its most loved resident  – RAJAN  – the legendary elephant that swims 

The Andamans draw thousands of people to its pristine shores year after year. Among the many treasures you uncover on the islands, blue waves and sun-kissed beaches are just the tip of the iceberg. Just take a walk towards the beautiful Beach No. 7 and you’ll find the fantastic elephant, Rajan, waiting to welcome you. But how did an elephant make its way to the Andamans? 

Once upon a time, an elephant named Rajan lived in the thick jungles of Karnataka, where he was surrounded by tall trees, wild animals and birds. Rajan loved the jungle and everything that came with it. One fine day, Rajan was relocated from the jungle and sent to a land that was surrounded by water. He adapted to his new surroundings and discovered the joy of swimming by taking regular dips in the ocean. Since then, he has been basking on the white sandy beaches of the magnificent Andaman Islands. 

On the island, Barefoot at Havelock took him in with open arms. As the only rainforest seaside resort in Asia, Barefoot had left no stone unturned to make the environment a wonderful home for the majestic animal. Once when a temple in the southern Indian state of Kerala offered his then owner a sizable amount for Rajan, the resort decided to pay the eye-popping sum of around Rs 25 lakhs to keep the beloved pachyderm. Rajan loved to meet his admirers and greets them with a thunderous trumpet. Guests could even opt to bathe their four-legged friend at the holiday resort on request.  

https://www.instagram.com/p/gWhMlrrNv2/

Rajan was an exceptionally skilled swimmer and had been seen going against the tide on a few occasions. The diving elephant was one among the last few left of its kind on our planet. He had been featured in commercials all over the world and has even appeared in Hollywood movies like 2006 Hollywood movie THE FALL and other famous websites like the Huffington Post. And that’s exactly why Rajan was the most loved resident of Beach No. 7.  

Sadly Rajan took his last breath sometime in the intervening night of July 31 and Aug 01 when he was about 66 years old. Rajan’s body lies deep within the forests of his adopted home where it will lay undisturbed after 66 years of a truly unconventional life.  

Besides these three beaches, the Havelock islands have few other beaches which are open to public like the Vijayanagar beach and some which are yet to be explored. And how do you reach this paradise on earth? 

Well the two hour distance to Havelock Islands can be taken either via a govt ferry or the famous Makruzz which is a favorite among tourists. While the govt ferry does four rounds a day, the Makruzz does only two trips one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  

Thats the inside of the Makruzz, from our last day way back to Port Blair

Seaplane Ride  

If you thought we were done with the attractions of Havelock, then the answer is “not yet”. Brace yourself, for the Seaplane Ride. Havelock has its own commercial seaplane service named “Jal Hans”. Jal Hans is India’s first commercial seaplane service. The airline is jointly owned by Pawan Hans, India’s largest helicopter services provider and the Union territory of Andaman Islands and is run on an equal Revenue sharing basis. Seaplane is a must ride. The beauty of flying over the shimmering sea blue water is something you cannot afford to miss. 

Radhanagar beach is also famous for the beautiful sunset it offers to the travel lovers. Below is another time lapse video recorded by my friend Saketh and Sanjay during our vacation. I remember the only time we came out of the water was to have food and play some cards for about an hour, and again we were into the water. In our seven day vacation, we chose to stay three days in Havelock. 

 If ever you plan on visiting the Andaman islands, please make sure you stay a minimum of two to three days. And now you know whom to contact in case you need any help 🙂 😀 

 

Happy Blogging!!! Live.Love.Laugh ❤ ❤ ❤