Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep): The Complete 2026 Guide

Havelock Island is the reason most people fly to the Andamans in the first place. It’s the busiest, best-connected island in the archipelago — home to Radhanagar Beach, the diving schools, and the ferry jetty that links you onward to Neil. Officially renamed Swaraj Dweep in 2018, though almost everyone (locals, ferry crews, your scuba instructor) still calls it Havelock.

This guide covers the parts that actually shape your trip: how to get here by ferry, which beaches are worth your time, what to do, when to come, and where to sleep. We move about 70 km of open sea worth of travelers onto this island every week through the Port Blair ferries, so we’ve kept the practical stuff front and center.

Havelock Island at a Glance

Havelock sits about 70 km northeast of Port Blair, a 90-minute ferry ride across the open Andaman Sea. It’s the second-largest island in Ritchie’s Archipelago and the most developed for tourism — which means real hotels, dive centers, cafes, and scooter rentals, not just a beach and a shack.

Give it two to three days minimum. One day disappears into the ferry and check-in. That leaves the beaches, a dive or snorkel trip, and a sunset at Radhanagar — and you’ll still feel rushed if you try to compress it.

• Official name: Swaraj Dweep (since 2018)
• Distance from Port Blair: ~70 km / 90 min by private ferry
• Recommended stay: 2–3 days
• Best time: October to May (November is the sweet spot)
• Star attraction: Radhanagar Beach (Beach No. 7)

How to Reach Havelock Island

You reach Havelock Island by ferry from Port Blair — there’s no airport and no bridge. All private ferries leave from Haddo Jetty in Port Blair, and on a normal day there are 13-plus sailings across five operators. The crossing takes about 90 minutes on the fast private catamarans.

Book this leg first, before hotels. Morning ferries sell out weeks ahead in peak season, and the earlier boats ride calmer seas.

The 6:00 AM Makruzz and 6:30 AM Nautika at Rs 1,250 are the best value on the route. Want the cheapest seat? Green Ocean Economy starts at Rs 1,100 — you trade about 45 minutes of extra sailing time for the saving. The government ferry is cheaper still at Rs 400–700, but the tourist quota is tiny and sells out two days out, so don’t build a plan around it.

A few things the ferry crews won’t remind you until it’s too late. Print your ticket — every private operator rejects screen tickets at the gate. Carry the original photo ID that matches your booking name. And never book a same-day flight after your return ferry; give yourself a 4–5 hour buffer for the crossing back.

For the full timetable, class differences, and jetty check-in process, see our Port Blair to Havelock ferry guide. First time flying into the islands? Our guide on how to reach Havelock from anywhere in India walks the whole route from your home city.

Compare all four operators and lock your Havelock ferry at BookYourFerry.com — live prices, live seat maps, zero booking fees.

The Best Beaches in Havelock

Havelock’s beaches are numbered — a British-era hangover — and each has a different personality. Three are worth planning around.

Radhanagar Beach (Beach No. 7)

This is the one on the postcards, and for once the hype holds. TIME ranked Radhanagar among Asia’s best beaches back in 2004, and the wide arc of white sand still earns it. The sand stays cool underfoot even at midday, the water shelves gently, and there’s no development crowding the treeline.

Come for sunset. Get there by 4:30 PM to claim a good spot on the sand before the crowd thickens — the light over the water from about 5:15 PM onward is the reason you flew here. Swimming is fine in the marked zone, but lifeguards pull everyone out before dark.

Elephant Beach

Elephant Beach is where the snorkeling happens. The coral starts close to shore, the water’s shallow and marine-rich, and it doubles as Havelock’s water-sports hub — jet ski, banana boat, sea walking, the lot. You reach it two ways: a 20-minute speedboat from the jetty, or a muddy 2 km forest trek that isn’t worth it in the wet.

Go early. By late morning the day-tour boats arrive and the shallows get busy.

Kalapathar Beach

Kalapathar runs along the island’s east side, a photogenic stretch of black rock, driftwood, and pale sand backed by tall forest. It faces east, so this is your sunrise beach, not sunset. Fewer crowds, calmer mood, and the best coastline photography on the island — the weathered dead trees against turquoise water are a Havelock signature.

There’s a quieter fourth option too. Vijaynagar Beach (Beach No. 5) has calm, shallow water that’s ideal for a swim or a kayak, and most of the beachfront resorts sit along it.

Best Things to Do in Havelock

Beaches aside, Havelock is the adventure base of the Andamans. The water is the whole point.

Scuba diving tops the list. Havelock has the archipelago’s densest cluster of dive schools, and sites like Nemo Reef put you over clownfish and soft coral within your first few dives. You don’t need certification for a beginner Discover Scuba dive — an instructor takes you down one-on-one. Visibility is best from November to April, when the sea settles and clears.

Not ready to strap on a tank? Snorkeling at Elephant Beach shows you the same reef life from the surface, and sea walking lets you stroll the seabed in a weighted helmet with your glasses on and your hair dry.

Beyond diving, the menu is long: kayaking through the mangroves (the bioluminescence night tours are the standout), deep-sea fishing, glass-bottom boat rides for non-swimmers, jet ski, and banana-boat runs off Elephant Beach.

One honest note: book dives and the night kayak a day ahead in season. The good operators cap group sizes and fill fast, and turning up same-day often means missing out.

Best Time to Visit Havelock

Havelock runs on one clean season: October to May. Seas are calm, ferries run their full timetable, and the beaches are at their best. June to September is the southwest monsoon — heavy rain, rougher crossings, and frequent ferry cancellations.

If you can pick your month, pick November. The monsoon has just cleared, the sea is calm, crowds are thinner than the December–January peak, and there’s no peak-season surcharge on ferries yet. December and January bring the best weather but the highest prices and the biggest crowds; book everything weeks ahead.

For a month-by-month breakdown across the whole archipelago, see our guide to the best time to visit the Andaman Islands.

Where to Stay in Havelock

Havelock has the widest range of stays in the Andamans, from bamboo huts to a Taj. Where you sleep mostly comes down to which beach you want on your doorstep.

• Budget (Rs 1,000–2,000/night): Bamboo cottages and guesthouses, mostly inland or near the jetty. Fan rooms, simple, walkable to cafes.
• Mid-range: Beachfront resorts along Vijaynagar (Beach No. 5) with AC, restaurants, and pools — the sweet spot for most travelers.
• Luxury: The Taj Exotica Resort & Spa anchors the top end with private villas near Radhanagar.

Book accommodation after your ferry, not before — your arrival time depends on which sailing you get, and the good mid-range places fill early in December and January.

Getting Around Havelock

The island is bigger than it looks, and the beaches are spread out. Scooter rental is the standard fix — roughly Rs 400–500 a day, and it turns Radhanagar, Kalapathar, and the cafes into easy hops. Autos work for shorter runs and cost more per trip.

Two practical warnings. ATMs are scarce — there’s an SBI and an Axis, and both run dry or lose network regularly. Carry enough cash for your whole stay. And mobile data is patchy across most Indian networks; treat Havelock as a place to be a little offline.

How Many Days in Havelock — A Sample Itinerary

Two days is the honest minimum; three is comfortable. Here’s a clean three-day shape:

• Day 1: Morning ferry from Port Blair, check in, ease into Kalapathar in the afternoon, sunset at Radhanagar.
• Day 2: Scuba dive or a snorkel-and-sea-walk trip to Elephant Beach in the morning; kayak the mangroves at night.
• Day 3: A slow morning, then the ferry onward to Neil Island or back to Port Blair for your flight.

Fitting the whole archipelago into one trip? Pair this with our Andaman trip cost breakdown to size your budget, or see how to do the islands under Rs 15,000.

What a Trip to Havelock Costs

Havelock isn’t the cheapest island, but it flexes. A rough per-person shape for two nights, mid-range:

• Ferry, Port Blair round trip: Rs 2,200–2,500 (Makruzz or Nautika economy each way)
• Stay: Rs 1,500–4,000 a night, depending on beachfront versus inland
• Scooter: Rs 400–500 a day to reach the beaches
• Activities: a beginner scuba dive or an Elephant Beach snorkel trip is the main splurge

Budget travelers can pull that down hard — Green Ocean Economy trims the ferry to Rs 1,100 each way, and bamboo cottages start around Rs 1,000 a night. At the other end, a Taj villa and private dives put Havelock in a different bracket entirely. For a full island-by-island breakdown, see our Andaman trip cost guide.

Havelock vs Neil Island: Which Should You Choose?

Do both if your schedule allows — they’re a 45-minute ferry apart and balance each other well. Forced to pick one? Here’s the honest split.

Havelock is livelier and better equipped: the top diving, Radhanagar, more hotels, more cafes, simpler logistics. Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) is smaller, greener, and slower — thinner crowds, cheaper stays, and the Natural Rock Bridge at low tide. First-timers and divers lean Havelock. Couples and budget travelers chasing quiet often pick Neil.

Most trips run Port Blair → Havelock → Neil → Port Blair, catching both on one loop.

Moving On From Havelock

Most people don’t stop at Havelock — they continue to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep), about 18 km south. Ferries run in two daily windows, morning and mid-afternoon, and the crossing is 45–90 minutes depending on operator, from Rs 1,000. Details and timings are in our Havelock to Neil Island ferry guide.

Heading straight back instead? The Havelock to Port Blair return ferries run through the day — just leave that flight buffer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country is Havelock Island in?

Havelock Island is in India. It’s part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory in the Bay of Bengal, and was officially renamed Swaraj Dweep in 2018. Despite sitting closer to Southeast Asia than mainland India, it’s fully Indian territory, and domestic travelers need no permit to visit.

How do you get to Havelock Island?

You reach Havelock only by ferry from Port Blair — there’s no airport. Private catamarans leave Haddo Jetty roughly 13 times a day across five operators, taking about 90 minutes, from Rs 1,100. Fly into Port Blair first, then book the ferry onward, ideally the calmer morning sailing.

How many days do you need in Havelock?

Plan two to three days for Havelock. One day goes to the ferry and check-in, leaving enough time for Radhanagar and Kalapathar beaches plus a dive or snorkel trip. Add a day if you want to slow down or dive more than once — many travelers wish they’d stayed longer.

Which is the best beach in Havelock?

Radhanagar Beach (Beach No. 7) is Havelock’s best and most famous — TIME ranked it among Asia’s finest in 2004. It’s the go-to for sunset. For snorkeling, choose Elephant Beach; for sunrise and quiet photography, Kalapathar. Each beach suits a different time of day.

Is Havelock Island worth visiting?

Havelock is worth it for most Andaman trips — it packs the best beaches, the archipelago’s top diving, and the widest range of stays into one island. If you want total seclusion it can feel busy in peak season, but for a first Andaman trip it’s the one island you shouldn’t skip.

What’s the best time to visit Havelock?

October to May is the season — calm seas, full ferry schedules, reliable weather. November is the standout month: post-monsoon calm, thinner crowds, and no peak surcharge yet. Avoid June to September, when the monsoon brings rough crossings and frequent ferry cancellations.

Prices and schedules reflect the 2026 season and can shift by operator and demand. Always confirm live availability before you travel.

Ready to go? Compare all four Andaman ferry operators and book your Havelock crossing — live seat maps, instant confirmation, zero booking fees.