Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)

Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

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Ironic Truth

November–April is the only viable window — and Neil itself stays softer than Havelock even in peak.

Neil sees a softer demand curve than Havelock because most operators sell it as a 1-night add-on. NYE and Easter are the only stretches where Neil's small inventory fully books.

Peak

Dec · Jan · Apr

NYE and the Easter–April week are when Neil's tiny boutique inventory (Summer Sands, SeaShell, Pristine Beach Resort) fully books — 60+ days advance.

Shoulder

Feb · Mar · Oct · Nov

Best value: Havelock prices drop 30%+ off-peak, Neil hangs onto its calm. Sell as a 2-night honeymoon add-on rather than a day-trip.

Off-Peak

May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep

Most Neil resorts shut completely May 15 – Oct 1. Ferries cancel routinely. Avoid.

Actually. Neil's appeal is the contrast with Havelock: smaller, slower, cyclable end-to-end. Sell it to repeat Andaman travellers, honeymooners, and anyone who pushed back on Havelock's scuba-bro pace.

Weather Profile

Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)

Tropical maritime — slightly drier than Havelock (smaller landmass, less orographic rain). SW monsoon May–Sep, NE monsoon Nov–Dec.

Daily range (high → low)

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Best comfort

Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar

Wettest stretch

Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep

Hottest stretch

Apr · May

Tip. The island has no high ground, so trade-winds keep it 1–2°C cooler than the same time of day on Havelock. Evenings are notably breezier at Laxmanpur than at Radhanagar.

Arrival

Arriving IXZ

Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair (then ferry to Neil)

Ferry from Port Blair to Neil (Shaheed Dweep)

Makruzz Gold / PearlCatamaran from Haddo Wharf, PB → Neil jetty. 60–75 min crossing. Usually 06:30 and 14:00 departures. ₹1,200–2,000 one-way. Book online (makruzz.com) 4–6 weeks ahead in peak.

Nautika (Sealink)Premium catamaran, ~75 min. Departures around 06:30 and 14:30 from Haddo. ₹1,300–2,100 one-way. Smoothest in choppy NE-monsoon weather.

Green Ocean 1 & 2Mid-range catamaran, 90–105 min. ₹800–1,300 one-way. Routes are usually PB → Havelock → Neil (Neil is the second stop) — confirm direction at booking.

Havelock → Neil hopAll three private operators run a Havelock → Neil leg around mid-morning (~11:30) — 45–60 min, ₹900–1,500. The standard 4-day itinerary.

Government ferry (DSS)₹250–400 economy, 2.5 hours. Departs Phoenix Bay jetty (not Haddo). Counter booking only, 24 hours ahead.

Neil jetty to hotel

Bharatpur Beach hotels (Beach #1)5–8 min by auto (₹150–250). Includes Summer Sands, Tango Beach, most mid-range.

Laxmanpur Beach hotels (Beach #2)10–15 min (₹250–400). Includes SeaShell Neil, Pristine Beach Resort. Sunset side.

Sitapur Beach (Beach #5) homestays20–25 min (₹400–600). Cheaper homestays; very few hotels. Sunrise side.

Local movement on Neil

Bicycle₹150/day with deposit at the jetty shops. The single best way to see Neil — flat roads, 13.7 km² island, end-to-end in 90 minutes.

Scooter rental₹400–600/day. Useful for the Sitapur sunrise (saves a 04:30 cycle) but otherwise overkill.

Auto rickshawPre-agree fares — no meters. Jetty ↔ Sitapur ≈ ₹500–600 one-way; full-island tour (4 hours, 4 beaches) ₹1,500–2,000.

Tourist emergencyPolice 100, Ambulance 102, Coast Guard 1554, Neil PHC +91 3192 282 470

Budget

Delhi NCR (metro avg) vs Neil Island

Your money goes ≈ 1.4–1.6× Delhi for stays and meals — boat-freight premium on consumables, but cheaper than Havelock further

Delhi NCR (metro avg)

Neil Island

Local Bengali fish-curry thali

₹250

₹260

+4%

Mid-range beach dinner for 2

₹1,800

₹2,400

+33%

Auto rickshaw / 5 km

₹180

₹250

+39%

Bottled water 1L

₹20

₹45

+125%

Boutique stay / night

₹3,800

₹6,500

+71%

Bicycle rental / day

—

₹150

Glass-bottom boat (Bharatpur)

—

₹500–700

Daily budget: ₹5,000–9,000 / pp comfortable (excl. ferries) — softer than Havelock, premium on Laxmanpur-side stays

Local currency: INR (₹). Only one SBI ATM on Neil; carry cash from PB.

Events

Festival Radar

Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Neil) — This year

11 January 2026

Island Tourism Festival (PB) — Neil satellite day

low

One-day satellite of the flagship Andaman Island Tourism Festival staged at Neil jetty grounds — Bengali baul folk performances, fish-curry food bazaar, kayaking demos at Bharatpur. Free to attend.

Boutique resorts on Neil (Summer Sands, SeaShell) sell out for the day-after as Havelock guests hop over.

26 January 2026

Republic Day at Neil Panchayat Ground

low

Local flag-hoisting at Neil Kendra panchayat ground at 09:00, followed by a primary-school cultural programme. Bengali songs and recitations dominate the bill.

Late February 2026 (2 days, dates TBC)

Beach Festival, Laxmanpur

medium

Smaller-scale tourism-board carnival on Laxmanpur Beach (Beach No. 2) — sunset beach concert, sand sculpture demos, snorkel gear stalls, food bazaar. Family-friendly, the chillest of the Andaman beach festivals.

Neil's total bed-night inventory is ~500 rooms — the festival sells out 60+ days ahead.

23 January 2026

Subhash Mela (Netaji Landing Anniversary)

low

Marks the 1943 anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose hoisting the first Indian tricolour on liberated soil. On Neil (renamed Shaheed Dweep in 2018), local panchayat hosts a lamp ceremony at the jetty and a community feast.

Late July 2026

Monsoon Festival (Varsha Utsav)

low

Off-season push promoting Neil's quieter side — paddy-field walks, mangrove kayaking when weather permits, open-mic music at the 1–2 homestays that stay open. Most resorts remain shut May 15 – Oct 1.

Plan a 48-hour buffer at PB before departure — Neil ferries cancel 1-in-3 days in July.

Culture

India (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) Etiquette

Carry photo ID for every ferry boarding — Makruzz, Nautika and Green Ocean all match the booking name to ID at Neil jetty.

Visit the Natural Bridge only at low tide and only via the marked path — the dead coral plate is sharp and slippery in flip-flops.

Use reef-safe sunscreen at Bharatpur Beach — the snorkel reef begins 8 m from shore and chemical SPF is killing the staghorn coral.

Walk Laxmanpur (sunset) and Sitapur (sunrise) — they're on opposite tips of the island and 8 km apart, plan transport accordingly.

Carry cash — there's exactly one functioning SBI ATM on Neil and it runs dry by Friday afternoon in peak season.

Don't

Do not stand on, walk over or touch any coral, alive or dead — it's a criminal offence under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Do not pick up shells or starfish from the beach — bag checks happen at Neil jetty when boarding back to PB.

Do not litter or carry single-use plastic — Neil enforces the plastic ban more strictly than Port Blair (₹500–5,000 fines).

Do not attempt to swim at the Natural Bridge — strong currents through the coral channels.

Tipping Guide

Restaurant (no service charge)5–10% or ₹100–150

Snorkel guide (per session)₹150–250

Auto rickshaw / 5 kmRound up to ₹150

Bicycle / scooter rental shop₹50 deposit-back tip

Hotel housekeeping₹50 per night

Boat hand at jetty (luggage)₹30 per piece

Key Phrase

Namaste / Kemon achhen

Hello (Hindi) / How are you (Bengali — Neil was settled by East Bengali refugees in the 1950s and Bengali is the working language)

Crowd Intel

Natural Bridge (Laxmanpur Beach No. 2 western tip)

LIVE

0/10

Quiet

~No queues — but the Natural Bridge is only walkable for ~90 minutes around low tide. Plan around the tide chart, not the clock. wait

Today's Forecast

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18:30

Best window: 08:00 – 10:00

Updated 2026-05-13T08:00:00Z

Photography

Golden Hour Today

Neil Island (May)

05:00

17:35

Sunrise

05:00

Golden: 05:00 – 05:45

Sunset

17:35

Golden: 16:50 – 17:35

Sky quality

90/100

Nearby Photo Spots

Sitapur Beach (Beach No. 5) sunrise8 km from jetty · east-facing

Laxmanpur Beach (Beach No. 2) sunset3 km from jetty · west-facing

Natural Bridge at low-tide golden hour4 km from jetty · west-facing arch

Bharatpur Beach (Beach No. 1) afternoon snorkel light1 km from jetty · east-facing reef

Ramnagar Beach (Beach No. 4)5 km from jetty · north-facing

Hidden Gem

GEM 85Rarity Score

Natural Bridge (Howrah Bridge) at extreme low tide

“A coral-stone arch on the western tip — only fully exposed for ~90 minutes per tidal cycle.”

The Natural Bridge, nicknamed 'Howrah Bridge' by Bengali settlers after Kolkata's iconic span, is a wave-eroded coral-rock arch on Neil's western shore. The walk over the dead-coral plate to reach it is itself the experience — a tide-pool ecosystem of fiddler crabs, sea cucumbers and brittle stars.

Locals Say

“Check the tide chart at your hotel — you need a tide below 0.5 m. Wear reef shoes (not flip-flops); the plate cuts like glass. The bridge is at the far end of Laxmanpur Beach No. 2 — a 25-minute walk from the beach gate.”

West · 4 km from Neil jetty away

Best: 1 hour either side of low tide (varies daily)

Hidden Gem

GEM 82Rarity Score

Sitapur Beach sunrise (Beach No. 5)

“The quietest sunrise beach in the Andamans — east-facing, treelined, almost always empty.”

On Neil's eastern tip, Sitapur is a small crescent fringed by Pandanus palms and casuarinas. It faces directly east, so sunrise here is unobstructed by headlands. The reef just offshore is intact enough for occasional sea-turtle sightings at dawn.

Locals Say

“Cycle the 8 km from the jetty starting 04:30 with a head-torch — the road is flat. Two tea stalls open at 05:30 near the parking; nothing else for kilometres.”

East · 8 km from Neil jetty away

Best: 04:30–07:30

Hidden Gem

GEM 70Rarity Score

Bharatpur Beach reef snorkel (Beach No. 1)

“Walk-in coral reef 8 m from shore — no boat, no guide, no fee.”

Bharatpur is the closest beach to the jetty, but most visitors only see its sandy lobby. Wade 8–10 m offshore and the seabed drops onto a live-coral patch with parrotfish, butterflyfish and angelfish. Glass-bottom boats here are entirely optional — bring mask + fins and skip the ₹500 ticket.

Locals Say

“Rent snorkel gear from the jetty kiosks (₹150–250/hour) and walk in. Best visibility at 09:00–11:00 before the boats churn the silt. Lifeguard flags posted; respect red ones.”

North · 1 km from Neil jetty away

Best: 09:00–11:00

Hidden Gem

GEM 88Rarity Score

Neil Kendra village paddy fields & vegetable farms

“The only commercially farmed island in the Andamans — paddy, banana and pumpkin, walked by bicycle.”

Neil was settled in the 1950s by East Bengali refugees who were granted land for paddy cultivation. The interior of the island — a 4 km loop through Neil Kendra panchayat — is still working farmland, with paddy in the wet season, vegetables in the dry, and family-run home kitchens that will serve you a fish-curry thali if you ask.

Locals Say

“Cycle the inner loop in late afternoon when the heat breaks. Ask the small grocer at Neil Kendra panchayat office for a home-kitchen recommendation — ₹200 for a 4-course thali.”

Central · 2 km loop from jetty away

Best: 15:30–17:30

Flight Connectivity

India → Andamans (IXZ) → Neil by ferry

No airport on Neil. Fly to Port Blair (IXZ) — direct from MAA, CCU, BLR, BOM. Then catamaran ferry (Makruzz / Nautika / Green Ocean) 60–105 min, or hop from Havelock.

Delhi

Mumbai

Bengaluru

Chennai

Kolkata

Port Blairfrom Delhi5h 30m (1-stop via MAA/BLR)

IndiGo

Air India

Air India Express

SpiceJet

Vistara

Akasa Air

Fare Intel

DEL → IXZ

₹18500now

Now

Wait78% confidence

Same DEL→IXZ curve as Port Blair (Neil has no airport). Budget ₹2,400–4,500 round-trip for the Neil ferry segment on top — Makruzz/Nautika both run Havelock→Neil hop ferries every morning.

Safety

Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)

8/10

Emergency

General emergency112

Police (Neil outpost)+91 3192 282 471

Ambulance102

Neil Primary Health Centre+91 3192 282 470

Coast Guard1554

Tourist Helpline (A&N)1363

Hospital: Neil Primary Health Centre, Neil Kendra — basic only. For anything serious, ferry evacuation to G.B. Pant Hospital in Port Blair (1.5–2 hours by Makruzz, longer by Coast Guard).

Embassy: No foreign consulates on the islands; nearest are in Chennai. Indian nationals only — domestic ID rules apply at jetty boarding.

Eco Impact

1250kg CO₂

Trip Carbon Impact

≈ 1.7 years of an average Indian household's electricity consumption

Breakdown

Domestic flight DEL↔IXZ (1-stop, economy)

850 kg

Catamaran ferry PB↔Neil (return)

60 kg

Hotels (3 nights, boutique)

55 kg

Local transport (bicycle + auto)

20 kg

Food (incl. mainland-shipped produce)

75 kg

Activities (glass-bottom boat, snorkel)

35 kg

Greener Alternatives

Fly direct MAA/CCU/BLR instead of 1-stop DELsaves 22%

Hop Havelock → Neil rather than separate PB → Neil ferrysaves 4%

Use the bicycle (₹150/day) instead of scooter or autosaves 5%

Eat at Neil Kendra home kitchens (no air-freighted meat)saves 6%

Offset for ≈ ₹1,500 per traveller (Gold Standard / atmosfair, ~₹1.20 per kg CO₂)