Safety Tips in Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Please don't go to the beaches during the night. There may be dangerous animals or reptiles there. Do not swim in the beaches during night. Nudity is strictly prohibited on beaches. Never visit tribal areas during night. Just enjoy the nights at your resort or hotels.

When we arrived at Havelock the sea was beautifully calm with no waves. This can lull you into a false sense of security as halfway through our stay it changed and became rougher with some very big waves, making it difficult to get in and out of the sea. I don't know how unusual this is or whether it is normal for the time of year which was December/January.
If you are swimming be careful as these waves are very strong and knock you over. They break close to the shore so you are in shallow water, which is better. We noticed that they come in sets of 3 to 5 big ones then a calm space for a minute or two, which is the best time to try and get in and out of the sea. My husband got picked up by a big wave and thrown onto his head, causing severe whiplash! There is no lifeguard. Be very careful if you have small children.

Being rainforest it is expected that there will be rain. We got caught out at the furthest point of beach number 7 in the rain and it took us 30 minutes to get back to our hotel. Even if it goes cloudy, as it often does, it is difficult to tell whether it is going to rain or not. When it does rain, it is torrential and lasts from half an hour to 3 hours making everywhere very muddy. However, it is quite warm and you don't get too cold, and the mud soon dries when the sun comes out. Most lodges have umberellas for clients use around the grounds and on the beach.

Watch out for biting ants if you are sitting under the trees on beach number 7 or Niels Cove. They are quite large and very vicious! Best check the area first before you settle down. They are also on the tree branches be careful where you hang your beach gear.

There was little shade on the beaches we visited, and you have to rely on being able to find a space under the trees which are not in full shade and vary when the sun moves. The temperature in December was 30 degrees CI and when the sun was out it was very bright. If you need shade it is a good idea to take your own large umberella or sunshade.

Be careful of jellyfish at Elephant beach if you go swimming or snorkelling. They are quite small and they do sting, although if you get one sting it is painful but not so bad as to require treatment. The sting leaves a red mark for about 6 hours.

All foreign nationals have to obtain permit to stay in Andaman. The permit can be obtained from Indian missions abroad or on arrival at Port Blair from immigration authorities. Permission are also given by Foreigners' Registration office or immigration authorities at air ports at metro cities(Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkotta or Chennai).
The pemission is granted for a period of 30 days maximum. It may be extended for another 15 days in exceptional cases.
Foreign natinals are not permitted to visit Nicobar Islands. Indian nationls do not require permit to visit Andaman, but permits are required to travel to Nicobar Islands. Tourists are not permitted to visit certain notified tribal resrves also.

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 in unsafe waters during monsoon. 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
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