Andaman & Nicobar

Once used as settlement for penal punishment, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands today have become a big tourist attraction. Nature lovers throng the island for its clean environment, roads, greenery as well as unpolluted fresh air.

The tropical rain forests and waters of Bay of Bengal are the home to a vast collection of plant, animal and marine life. Topographically, the islands are hilly in places fringed with coconut palm, covered with tropical jungle and interspersed with flat stretches of crescent shaped beaches.

A marvelous mix of nature's most precious delights, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are a once in a lifetime holiday experience.

TIPS

• Contact Tourist Information Centers/Tourist Police personnel for any assistance required.
• Consult life guards before entering the sea.
• Swim in safe areas only.
• Foreign nationals are requested to obtain the required permit before entering /soon after landing on the islands.
• Do not enter the National Parks without permission.
• Do not take pictures of the airport, government dockyard, defense establishments, naval wharf, Dhanikari Dam and Chatham Saw Mill.
• Do not take video or film without permit, wherever such permits are required.
• Do not take video, film or photographs inside Tribal Reserve areas or of the indigenous tribes.
• Do not carry sea fans and seashells unless specific permits are obtained from the Fisheries Department.
• Do not swim after consuming liquor.
• Nudity on beaches and public places is forbidden.
• Do not light fire in protected areas as it not only destroys forests but also damages wildlife habitat.
• Person who commits breach of any of the conditions of the Wildlife protections shall be punishable by law.

HISTORY

Since pre-historic times, these islands have been the home of aboriginal tribes. The British first settled here in 1789 only to abandon it in 1796. The second settlement was basically a penal settlement, taken up in 1858, after the First War of Indian Independence, followed by the settlement of convicts, some criminal tribes from Central and United Provinces, refugees from erstwhile East Pakistan andSri Lankaas well as ex-servicemen.

A clear history of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands can be had only from a British Survey of these islands conducted in 1777. The islands remained the abode of the Negritos and the Mongoloids respectively, who occupied it for centuries. These islands remained secluded from the mainland till the end of 18th Century when people from the outside world first arrived.

The early history of Nicobar is not well known although these islands were familiar to traders in ancient times, the islands being situated close to the trade route to the Far East. Though little is known about Portuguese activities in these islands, it is evident that the Portuguese missionaries started preaching Christianity among the islanders. The Nicobarese language also reflects a few Portuguese words.