Andaman Trip Without a Package 2026: Book It in This Order

Photo: Jomesh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0), cropped.

Short answer: Fix your dates, book flights to Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), then ferries, then stays that match those ferries.

Indian citizens need a government photo ID, not a passport or permit, and should be back in Sri Vijaya Puram the day before the flight home.

Book inter-island ferries on the government DSS portal or with a private operator. The one rule that saves most DIY trips is the buffer day, because every ferry in the islands sails "subject to weather".

This guide walks through each booking step with the official sources, fares and schedules checked on 24 October 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Book in this order: dates → flights → ferries → stays. Ferries have fewer seats and fixed times, so build your stays around them.
• Indians need a government-issued photo ID, not a passport. Carry the original ID you entered when booking ferries: a mismatch is penalised at 10 times the main ticket fare on DSS sailings.
• Government ferries are run by the Directorate of Shipping Services (DSS) and are the cheapest option. Private catamarans (Nautika, Green Ocean, Makruzz, ITT Majestic) cost more but sail more often.
• Keep a buffer: be back in Sri Vijaya Puram the evening before your flight.
• Many places now have new names: Port Blair is Sri Vijaya Puram, Havelock is Swaraj Dweep and Neil is Shaheed Dweep. Tickets and timetables use the new names.

Can You Really Do an Andaman Trip Without a Package?

Yes.

Every part of an Andaman trip can be booked directly by an independent traveller: flights on airline websites, government ferries on the official DSS e-ticketing portal, private ferries on operator websites and hotels on their own sites or booking apps.

No permit or agent is required for Indian citizens visiting the main tourist islands.

The Andamans are not a niche destination any more. The Lieutenant Governor's Independence Day 2026 address put tourist arrivals in 2025 at 8.13 lakh, as reported by Andaman Sheekha.

That volume is why ferries fill up in peak season, and why booking order matters more than which agent you use.

Who Should Still Buy a Package?

A package still suits travellers booking peak weeks (Christmas–New Year, Diwali, long weekends) at short notice, when agents may hold ferry and hotel blocks, and large groups who want someone else to rebook if a ferry is cancelled.

For couples, solo travellers and small groups with a week of lead time, DIY usually means more choice of stays and ferries and fewer forced add-ons.

What Do You Need Before You Book: ID, Permits and New Place Names?

Before booking anything, check three things: the ID you will carry, whether any part of your route is restricted and the new official place names.

Ferry tickets are tied to a specific ID, and timetables now list only the new names, so getting these right first avoids penalties and confusion at the jetty.

Do Indians Need a Passport or Permit for the Andamans?

No. Indian citizens do not need a passport or a permit for the main tourist islands.

The DSS terms and conditions list "Any Photo Identity proof issued by Central / State Government" as valid ID for general passengers on inter-island routes to Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep and Hut Bay, and on mainland ship routes.

Two rules from the DSS terms and conditions matter for DIY travellers:

• The ID number you enter when booking must match the original ID you show when boarding. If it doesn't, DSS charges a penalty of 10 times the main ticket fare.
• Private operators have the same idea: Nautika asks for a photo ID that matches the booking.

Foreign nationals follow different rules.

An A&N Tourism notice says 29 islands are excluded from the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) regime and 11 more are open for day visits without one (valid until 31 December 2027).

Nationals of Afghanistan, China (including Hong Kong and Macau) and Pakistan, and people of those origins, still need a RAP with Ministry of Home Affairs approval, applied for through indianfrro.gov.in.

What Are the New Names for Port Blair, Havelock and Neil?

Port Blair is now Sri Vijaya Puram, Havelock is Swaraj Dweep, Neil is Shaheed Dweep and Ross Island is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep. DSS timetables, ferry tickets and many hotel listings now use the new names, so search for both.

When the capital was renamed, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that "Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory achieved in our freedom struggle and the A&N Islands' unique role in the same", according to the PIB release.

The airport is still Veer Savarkar International Airport (code IXZ).

Where Can't Tourists Go in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

Tourists cannot visit tribal reserves, and the Nicobar group is effectively closed to visitors.

DSS requires a Tribal Pass for general passengers sailing to Nicobar, and its terms state that foreign nationals are not permitted to the Nicobar group or beyond Hut Bay (Little Andaman).

The road to Baratang and the north runs through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve. The Superintendent of Police, South Andaman sets the rules:

• Drive only in a convoy, after entry at the police check posts.
• Do not stop, feed or hand anything to the Jarawas, or let them into vehicles.
• Do not take photos or video. Under the PAT Regulation, photographing aboriginal tribes can bring 3 to 7 years in prison and a fine of up to ₹10,000, and cameras or phones can be seized.

Reserved forests, sanctuaries and other tribal areas need separate approvals, even for foreigners whose island is otherwise RAP-free.

Step 1: When Should You Go to the Andamans?

A&N Tourism describes the tourist season as October to May, with December to April the peak months (see its official Elephant Beach and Laxmanpur Beach pages).

Seas are calmer and ferry disruptions less common then. The southwest monsoon normally reaches the Andaman and Nicobar Islands around 22 May, according to IMD's new normal onset dates.

That brings rough seas and cancellations.

How bad can the monsoon get? On 15 July 2026, DSS issued an advisory to the public and tourists.

It said harbour ferries had become "difficult and … considered unsafe", and that inter-island services "may also be delayed, disrupted, suspended or cancelled at short notice".

If you travel between June and September, add two buffer days rather than one.

Peak weeks are a different problem: demand, not weather.

DSS added extra Sri Vijaya Puram–Swaraj Dweep sailings on 18–20 October 2026 for the festive season, a sign of how tight seats get.

For Christmas–New Year and Diwali, book flights and private ferries as early as you can.

Step 2: How Do You Get to Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair)?

Most travellers fly into Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ) in Sri Vijaya Puram. Government ships from Chennai, Visakhapatnam and Kolkata are the slow alternative, taking about three days each way.

Which Cities Have Direct Flights to the Andamans?

Direct flights to Sri Vijaya Puram run daily from Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Delhi.

Hyderabad (IndiGo, daily outside the monsoon) and Mumbai (IndiGo, seasonal) also have direct flights, and Air India Express starts a four-times-weekly Bhubaneswar service with its winter schedule from 25 October 2026, as also reported by BW Travel.

Check the airline sites, because these routes are seasonal. From most other cities you connect through Chennai, Kolkata or Bengaluru.

The AAI page for Sri Vijaya Puram airport carries the airport's own schedule, but AAI notes that the times are tentative.

When we checked on 24 October 2026, the downloadable schedule linked there was old, so use airline websites for current flights.

Booking tips:

• Fly in early. Morning arrivals let you catch an afternoon ferry, or at least the Cellular Jail evening show, on day one.
• Every route starts and ends at Sri Vijaya Puram, so a simple return ticket works. Fares vary sharply by season, so we don't quote them here.

Can You Reach the Andamans by Ship from Chennai, Kolkata or Visakhapatnam?

Yes, but sailings are infrequent and slow. The DSS ship MV Swaraj Dweep follows a tentative monthly programme.

The November 2026 programme (issued 9 October) has only two sailings towards the islands:

• Visakhapatnam to Sri Vijaya Puram, departing 9 November 2026 at 16:00 and arriving 12 November.
• Chennai to Sri Vijaya Puram, departing 25 November 2026 at 16:00 and arriving 28 November.

Tickets for these sailings went on sale on 12 October 2026 at 09:00. MV Swaraj Dweep's September–October programme covered Chennai and Kolkata.

Other DSS ships also make occasional mainland sailings, announced in separate notices, so check the DSS press releases page for every ship before planning around a sailing.

For a visitor ("non-islander"), the DSS 2026–27 fare order (Order No.

216 of 26 February 2026, in force from 1 April 2026) sets these one-way mainland fares, before taxes and port charges:

Take the ship only if the voyage is the point: a sea round trip takes close to a week.

Step 3: How Do You Book Inter-Island Ferries?

Book ferries after flights and before hotels. You can choose between:

• DSS government ferries: cheaper, booked on the DSS e-ticketing portal, released in weekly batches.
• Private catamarans: bookable further ahead on each operator's own site, with more departures, but they cost more.

Many DIY travellers mix both.

How Do You Book Government Ferries on DSS STARS?

DSS ferry tickets are sold online through the STARS e-ticketing portal and at DSS counters. The key point for planners is that DSS opens bookings in batches.

Its weekly "Seva Suchnayein" notices announce sailings for the coming days and the time tickets open.

For example, the notice of 22 October 2026 opened tickets on 23 October at 09:00 for sailings from 23 October to 1 November.

Watch the DSS press releases page for each new batch.

On that notice, Sunday 25 October 2026 had DSS sailings from Sri Vijaya Puram as follows:

• To Swaraj Dweep: 06:15, 11:30 and 17:00.
• To Shaheed Dweep: 06:15, 11:00 and 14:30.
• Between the islands: a Shaheed Dweep–Swaraj Dweep sailing at 13:00 and a Swaraj Dweep–Shaheed Dweep sailing at 14:00.

How to book, step by step, based on the DSS user instructions and terms and conditions:

1. Register on the portal with your mobile number. Only one registration is allowed per number.
2. Wait for the Seva Suchnayein notice covering your dates, then log in when booking opens. Online booking runs from 00:30 to 23:30 IST.
3. Enter each passenger's name and photo-ID details exactly as on the ID they will carry. You can book up to five passengers per transaction, two transactions a day, and ten passengers a day.
4. Pay online and download the ticket.
5. On the day, report two hours before sailing. Gates close 30 minutes before departure.

What it costs: the 2026–27 fare order sets one-way non-islander fares on Sri Vijaya Puram–Swaraj Dweep, Sri Vijaya Puram–Shaheed Dweep and Shaheed Dweep–Swaraj Dweep by vessel type:

The fare you pay depends on which vessel is on your sailing, and the classes differ by vessel; the portal shows the class and fare when you book. Fares exclude taxes and port charges.

Cancellation charges for inter-island tickets, from the DSS terms:

If DSS cancels a voyage, you can cancel online for a full refund up to 10 days after the scheduled sailing date. If a sailing is delayed by six hours or more, you can cancel for a full refund up to two hours before the revised sailing time.

DSS says refunds for booking failures and PNR cancellations are processed within 5–7 business days. Cancellations must be made online. For help, call the DSS toll-free number 1800-345-2714.

Which Private Ferries Run Between Port Blair, Havelock and Neil?

Four private operators run catamarans on the main triangle of Sri Vijaya Puram, Swaraj Dweep and Shaheed Dweep. They are faster and more frequent than most DSS boats, and you can book them further ahead.

Prices below were read on each operator's website on 24 October 2026 and can change at any time.

What Is the Ferry Buffer Rule?

Plan to reach Sri Vijaya Puram at least one day before your flight home, and never book a ferry and a flight on the same day.

All DSS sailings are subject to weather, and the department "will not bear any responsibility for any losses due to changes" in its programme, as its own schedules state.

A cancelled ferry costs you a night; a missed flight costs a new ticket. In the monsoon months, make it two days. Many online itineraries put the last ferry and the flight on the same day, which is the most common DIY mistake.

Step 4: Where Should You Stay on Each Island?

Book stays last, once you know which ferries you have. Then match each night to where the boat leaves you. For a first trip, most travellers split nights between Sri Vijaya Puram, Swaraj Dweep (Havelock) and Shaheed Dweep (Neil).

Radhanagar Beach on Swaraj Dweep (Havelock) in the Andaman Islands, with pale sand and a calm bay

Rough estimate of stay costs per room per night (our own rough ranges, not quotes; check live prices): budget guesthouses ₹1,500–3,000; mid-range resorts ₹4,000–8,000; beachfront upscale ₹12,000 and up.

Prices rise sharply from late December to early January.

Pick stays with free cancellation until your ferries are confirmed, and on Swaraj Dweep check the distance to the jetty: some beach resorts are a long auto-rickshaw ride away.

Step 5: How Do You Get Around and Book Activities?

On land, use auto-rickshaws and taxis in Sri Vijaya Puram, and rented scooters or autos on Swaraj and Shaheed Dweep. Book diving and boat trips directly with registered operators once you are on the island, or a day ahead in peak season.

• Scooters: widely available on Swaraj and Shaheed Dweep. Rough estimate: ₹500–800 a day (rough figure, not a quote). Carry your driving licence.
• Day trips from Sri Vijaya Puram: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep (Ross Island) and North Bay leave from Aberdeen Jetty at the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex, according to the South Andaman district administration. Ross Island is reportedly closed on Wednesdays, according to operators; check locally. Baratang (limestone caves, mud volcano) means an early start: vehicles cross the Jarawa reserve only in police-escorted convoys, with the first convoy around 6 AM and the last return in mid-afternoon. Confirm the times locally the day before.
• Diving and snorkelling: Swaraj Dweep has the most dive centres. Choose a PADI- or SSI-certified operator. Rough estimate: an intro "try dive" ₹4,500–7,000 (rough range, not a quote).
• Elephant Beach: A&N Tourism's Elephant Beach page lists a 20–30 minute speedboat ride from the Swaraj Dweep jetty, or a 45–60 minute jungle trail from Shyam Nagar village (Forest Dera).

What Does a 5-Day Andaman Itinerary Without a Package Look Like?

This five-day plan covers Sri Vijaya Puram, Swaraj Dweep and Shaheed Dweep. It ends with a night in Sri Vijaya Puram before the flight home, which is the buffer.

Laxmanpur Beach on Shaheed Dweep (Neil) in the Andaman Islands, with white sand and turquoise water

The ferry times shown are examples from the 25 October 2026 schedules quoted above, so re-check them for your dates.

If you have seven days, add a night on Shaheed Dweep and a Baratang or North Bay day. Still keep the last night in Sri Vijaya Puram.

Is a DIY Andaman Trip Cheaper Than a Package?

Often, yes. DIY usually saves money off-peak, with DSS ferries and stays you choose. At peak dates a package can cost about the same, because agents hold hotel and ferry blocks.

DIY always gives you control over ferry times, stay locations and the buffer day.

Rough estimate of one person's on-island costs for five days, excluding flights (our own rough ranges, not quotes):

Is an "Andaman Package Without Flight" Worth It?

An "Andaman package without flight" is a halfway option: you book your own flight and an agent books ferries, hotels and transfers. It is worth it mainly for peak dates or when you don't want to track DSS ticket batches.

Ask for the exact ferry operator, class and timings in writing, and check that the last ferry is not on your flight day.

DIY vs Package Checklist: Which Should You Choose?

What Practical Tips Help on a DIY Andaman Trip?

Carry cash, expect patchy mobile data, and respect the reef and tribal rules.

• Cash and ATMs: Sri Vijaya Puram has plenty of ATMs. Swaraj Dweep and Shaheed Dweep have only a few ATMs, and travellers often report them out of cash at busy times, so carry enough cash for autos, scooters and small cafés.
• Network: mobile data can be slow or patchy. In TRAI's January 2025 drive test, Airtel and BSNL had 4G on Swaraj and Shaheed Dweep, Jio had gaps on Swaraj Dweep and no 4G on Shaheed Dweep and Vi had no 4G on either island. Download tickets and offline maps before you leave Sri Vijaya Puram.
• Cellular Jail light and sound show: shows run at about 5:50, 6:50 and 7:50 PM (revised from April 2026, according to the Andaman Chronicle). According to cellularjail.com, an unofficial guide, the 6:50 PM show is in English on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and in Hindi on other days, and tickets cost ₹300 for adults and ₹150 for children. Book through the A&N Tourism e-ticketing portal or at the counter, and check the timings locally because they change.
• Responsible travel: don't touch or stand on coral, use reef-safe sunscreen, carry back plastic and follow the Jarawa reserve rules above.

What Do Travellers Ask Most About an Andaman Trip Without a Package?

Sources were checked on 24 October 2026. Ferry times, fares and flight routes change often, so confirm them on the official links above before you book.

Written by Editorial @ TF. Every fare, fee and rule in this guide was checked on 24 October 2026. They move, so recheck them for your dates before you book. Last reviewed 24 October 2026.