Welcome

Everything you need to know before booking your first Andaman trip — best season, what to pack, top experiences and the routes our consultants recommend.

If you’ve ever scrolled through a turquoise-water Instagram reel and thought ‘I want to be there’, chances are it was filmed at Radhanagar Beach in Havelock Island. The Andamans aren’t just India’s most beautiful beach destination — they’re one of the most accessible truly pristine archipelagos anywhere on the planet.

Here’s what 12 years of crafting Andaman holidays has taught us. First, when to visit: October to mid-May is the sweet spot, with December and January being the best for honeymoons and February to April for divers. Second, plan your ferries early — inter-island ferries (Makruzz, Green Ocean, ITT Majestic) sell out 3-4 weeks in advance during peak season.

Third, the must-do experiences: the Cellular Jail Light & Sound show (book ahead), snorkeling at Elephant Beach in Havelock, the natural bridge sunrise at Neil Island, and Ross Island for its haunting British-era ruins reclaimed by jungle.

Finally, packing essentials: reef-safe sunscreen, light cotton clothes, water shoes for coral beaches, and a power bank — Andamans had its first 24×7 power grid only recently and outages still happen on outer islands.

The cleanest village, double-decker root bridges, waterfalls in full thunder — discover why visiting Cherrapunji in the rains is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Most travel guides will tell you to skip Meghalaya in the monsoon. We disagree — and so do all our travellers who’ve made the trip between June and September. Yes, it rains. A lot. But Cherrapunji in the rain is what Cherrapunji was always meant to be.

Nohkalikai Falls, India’s tallest plunge waterfall, drops with a roar you can hear from a kilometre away. The living root bridges of Nongriat are deep emerald-green, dripping with moss, alive in a way they never look in winter. The double-decker bridge trek (3 hours each way, 3500 stairs) is a workout, but the swimming hole at the bottom — emerald water, jungle canopy overhead — is one of those moments that stays with you.

Practical tip: stay at Cherrapunji’s homestays (we recommend Sa-I-Mika Resort) and bring waterproof shoes, dry-bags, and a sense of humour about getting wet. The monsoon also means significantly cheaper rates and almost no crowds — you’ll have most viewpoints to yourself.

Tiger Hill sunrise, Tsomgo Lake snow, MG Marg evenings, Pelling skywalk — a tested 7-day route that nails the best of the Eastern Himalayas without burning out.

Sikkim and Darjeeling get over a million domestic tourists a year, and most of them rush through it in 4 days, leaving exhausted with one decent Kanchenjunga photo. We’ve designed dozens of itineraries here — this 7-day route is our gold standard.

Day 1-2: Arrive NJP, drive to Darjeeling. Day 2 is the classic Tiger Hill pre-dawn run (5 AM start), Batasia Loop, Ghoom Monastery, then the joy ride on the toy train. Sunset at Mall Road.

Day 3-5: Drive to Gangtok (3 hours). Spend Day 4 on the Tsomgo Lake-Baba Mandir-Nathula Pass excursion (need permits, organised in advance). Day 5 is Gangtok city — Rumtek Monastery, MG Marg evening.

Day 6: Drive to Pelling (5 hours, but views). Pemayangtse Monastery + Skywalk + Khangchendzonga Falls. Day 7: Drive back to NJP for departure. Add 2 days for Lachung-Yumthang if you have the time — it’s worth it.