Should you Visit the Baratang Islands in Andaman?

You have limited days on your vacation and are pretty unsure if you should visit Baratang? Grab a coffee, as we’re about to walk you through Baratang’s strengths and weaknesses so you can make an informed decision for yourself.

Stay at Port Blair

To locate this geological marvel, take a look at the Andaman Island Map. Port Blair is where your flight lands. Your route to Baratang starts from our executive luxury hotel SeaShell Coral Cove right opposite and with a brilliant view of the airport, or our SeaShell Marine Hill hotel which gives you a view of the bay and easy access to the main bazaar and harbors. You can take a look at our array of room tariffs through the links above.

Trace the route north, through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve (we’ll get to that shortly), to reach Middle Andaman district where Baratang is.

Baratang -What’s with the name? We have no clue….we’ll just leave the 12 legs to your imagination.

Getting here is no easy task. For one, you have to be in your vehicle by 04:00 am and catch the 06:00 am convoy to make it back for the last returning convoy at 03:00 pm. Why a convoy? Because you’re crossing a forest reserved for one of our endangered indigenous tribes, aka the Jarawa Tribal Reserve. The Jarawas would shoot arrows through the windows of buses 30 years ago. Now not so dramatic, but they will snatch and grab items from your possession like phones and cameras if you stick them out at them. Also, they have been exploited by a few who strayed into their lands and committed atrocities against them. So in order to protect you from them and them from you, the convoy system exists.

Mud Volcano in Baratang Island

Once there, we suggest you begin with the mud volcanoes, so it’s not too hot while trekking up. Also because everyone starts with the caves, so hopefully you give the crowds a miss. Beware, when we say volcano, we don’t mean giant lava-spewing mountains. It is tiny. So tiny, that I mistook it for a crab hole and would have entirely missed it had my companions not pointed it out. It’s basically bubbling mud mounds. This is actually an extremely cool geological occurrence, and ask you to not expect more.

Limestone Cave in Baratang Island

On to the beautiful Limestone caves. A bonus to it is the enchanting mangrove forests your boat has to maneuver through to get there. Very Nat-Geo-Live types. Just don’t stick your hands in the water.

The limestone caves, once breath-taking, are now pock-marked with handprints of tourists who refuse to understand the fragility of such a gem. If you do, by some miracle, get a moment of silence in there, you can hear water drops echoing off the walls, and play with beams of light that come trickling in through the gaps.

The journey to Baratang Island is very magical, driving past thick tropical forest hoping for a view of a deer pass you on the way or keeping your eyes glued to get a glimpse of a tribal men or women in their original habitat.

Jirkatang – Outpost

This is the place where the vehicles are held before it is allowed in the convoy. There are many shops lined here serving breakfast in the morning and snacks while your return back from Baratang.

After this, return to the comfort and luxury of your room, stacked with all possible amenities you need to spoil yourself with. Treat yourself to a relaxing evening with some soulful live music at our open-air rooftop resto-bar Amaya, and turn in for a restful sleep that we will do our best to ensure you get.

If you do give this a try, let us know your experience.

We wish you a pleasant stay and a wonderful vacation with us.

-Team SeaShells