Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Haddo Rd; adult/child ?20/10, camera/video ?20/50; 9am-1pm & 2-5pm Tue-Sun)
Run by the Indian
Navy, this museum has a diverse range of exhibits with informative coverage of the is-
lands' ecosystem, tribal communities, plants, animals and marine life (including a small
aquarium). Outside is a skeleton of a young blue whale washed ashore on the Nicobars.
Chatham Saw Mill
MAP
HISTORIC SITE
GOOGLE MAP
(admission ?10; 8.30am-2.30pm Mon-Sat)
Located on Chatham Island (reached by a road
bridge), the saw mill was set up by the British in 1836 and was one of the largest wood
processors in Asia. The mill is still operational and, while it may not be to everyone's
taste - especially conservationists - it's an interesting insight to the island's history and
economy. There's also a large bomb crater from WWII, accessed via the path alongside
the forest museum.
Corbyn's Cove
No one comes to Port Blair for the beach, but if you need a break from town, Corbyn's
Cove has a small curve of sand backed by palms. It's not really a beach you'll want to laze
on, but the coastal road here makes for a scenic journey, and passes several
Japanese WWII
bunkers
along the way. Located 7km from town, an autorickshaw here costs ?200, or you
can rent a scooter.
BEACH
DON'T MISS
ROSS ISLAND
Just a 20-minute boat ride from Port Blair, visiting Ross Island (not to be confused with its namesake island in
North Andaman) feels like discovering a jungle-clad Lost City, à la Angkor Wat. Here the ruins happen to be
Victorian English rather than ancient Khmer. The former administrative headquarters for the British in the An-
damans, Ross Island in its day was fondly called the 'Paris of the East' (along with Pondicherry, Saigon etc
etc…). But the cute title, vibrant social scene and tropical gardens were all wiped out by the double whammy of a
1941 earthquake and the invasion of the Japanese (who left behind some machine-gun nests that are great fun to
poke around in).
Today the old English architecture is still standing, even as it is swallowed by a green wave of fast-growing
jungle. Landscaped paths cross the island and most of the buildings are labelled. There's a small
museum
with
historical displays and photos of Ross Island in its heyday, and a small park where resident deer nibble on bushes.
Ferries to Ross Island (?90, 20 minutes) depart from Aberdeen Jetty behind the aquarium in Port Blair at
8.30am, 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2pm every day other than Wednesday.
You can tack on a visit to
Viper Island
(?75), where you'll find the ruins of gallows built by the British in
1867, but it's a fairly forgettable excursion.
