The Andaman Islands are a wonderful year-round vacation destination, equally as welcoming to honeymooning couples, family groups or sport-seeking adventurers. They all offer visitors a tropical climate, with higher humidity and showers during the monsoon season, and balmy, comfortable temperatures throughout the year.
Best Time to Visit
You will find there is no single best time to visit the islands – attractions like the Cellular Jail, Ross Island and the many museums in Port Blair are open year round, as well as destinations like the Baratang caves and Saddle Peak in Diglipur. Flights are available to and from mainland India every day of the year to Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair, unless tropical winds and monsoon rains prevent safe operations. Remember that ferries and inter-island boat schedules can be affected by the monsoons, so it is best to be prepared for delays and cancellations while visiting other islands, and schedule your return trip to take advantage of good weather conditions.
There are 2 ‘seasons’ in the Andamans…the relatively dry season and monsoon season. During the relatively dry season that runs from the end of September until mid-May, there is more sunshine, less humidity, and visitors can expect clear skies and scattered rain showers. This is a popular season for visitors who find that many different watersports are available and ferry service between the islands is more dependable. The monsoon season has ended, the islands are green and lush, and the ocean waters are calm and clear.
December through February is considered the peak of tourist season, with the most expensive room rates in effect at hotels and resorts, and visitors will also find there are usually crowds at the beaches, restaurants and local attractions. December through March is also the best time of year to be able to experience sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs, visit the government sanctuaries and have the good fortune to see the little hatchlings emerge and make their way to the ocean.
February and March are good months for scuba divers and snorkelers, as the coral reefs and sea life are at their peak of colorful activity and there are plenty of tour operators available at all the islands for scheduling dives and excursions. Surfers head to remote Little Andaman from February through April to catch perfect waves coming in from the south. March and April are the hottest months of the year, and also some of the driest months, with very little rainfall or cloud cover, perfect for beach lovers, sunbathers and swimmers.
The months of November through April see many bird enthusiasts come to explore the Andaman national parks and forests, attracted by migrating species who stop in the islands during their flights, as well as to observe and photograph the exotic native species. November through April are also the months when day-trips in the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park to the coral reefs (at either Jolly Buoy or Red Skin Island) are available.
The southwest monsoon winds arrive in late May and runs through mid-September, bringing heavy rain showers, cloudy skies, rough seas and strong winds throughout the islands. The heaviest rains occur during June, July and August and most watersports and outdoor activities are only available when it is not storming. Prices are the lowest during this off-season period at hotels and restaurants, and many tourists come to experience relaxing days of reading and sightseeing at island attractions away from the coast.
October brings the beginning of the northwest monsoon winds that bring intermittent, light rain to the islands and a coolness to the evening breezes. Tourists can enjoy many of the watersports available at Andaman beaches, as well as traveling by ferry to other islands like Neil and Havelock and being part of some of the local festivals. There are many festivals and religious celebrations held in the Andaman islands during the year that visitors can enjoy. Some of the more popular non-religious festivals that tourists enjoy are:
- January – Island Tourism Festival
- April – Beach Festival
- August – Monsoon Festival, Music Festival
- September – Food Festival, World Tourism Day
- November – Film Festival