Andaman Tour Packages from Chennai
Two hours from Meenambakkam to Port Blair, then catamarans to Havelock and Neil – an island holiday planned around Chennai's morning flights and Tamil Nadu school breaks.
Chennai is the main gateway to the Andaman Islands. More flights reach Port Blair from Chennai than from any other Indian city, the hop over the Bay of Bengal takes a little over two hours, and Chennai is one of only three mainland ports (with Kolkata and Visakhapatnam) that have a passenger ship to the islands. Tamil is spoken widely in Port Blair, South Indian vegetarian meals are easy to find there, and the islands' dry season lines up well with Pongal, the Christmas break and the first half of the Tamil Nadu summer holidays.
This page is for families, couples and friends starting from Chennai. It covers realistic per-person costs by hotel class, how the MAA–Port Blair flights and the government ships really work, why your arrival time decides whether you reach Havelock the same day, three day-wise plans, a month-by-month table tuned to Tamil Nadu's school calendar, and honest notes on food in each island. Your trip is planned by our team in Ahmedabad and booked over WhatsApp or phone, with every voucher sent as a PDF. Prices on the packages shown here are live.
Updated October 2026 by the Vibrant Holidays team, Ahmedabad.
Andaman packages you can book now
Our latest Andaman packages on Vibrant Holidays — 3 to 9 nights. Every package can be customised for departure from Chennai.
Andaman package cost from Chennai (2026)
Our Andaman packages currently start at ₹12,000 per person, with 24 itineraries live. The ranges below are per person on twin sharing and do not include the Chennai–Port Blair airfare. They include hotels with breakfast, all inter-island catamaran tickets, a private AC car for airport and jetty transfers and sightseeing on each island, Cellular Jail entry and the evening light-and-sound show, and the Ross Island and North Bay boat trip.
| Length and islands | Standard (3-star / good beach cottages) | Deluxe (4-star resorts) | Premium (beachfront luxury on Havelock) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 nights – Port Blair 2, Havelock 2 | ₹17,500 – 22,500 | ₹25,000 – 33,000 | ₹45,000 – 70,000 |
| 5 nights – Port Blair 2, Havelock 2, Neil 1 | ₹21,000 – 27,500 | ₹30,500 – 40,000 | ₹55,000 – 85,000 |
| 6 nights – adds Baratang or a third Havelock night | ₹25,500 – 32,500 | ₹36,000 – 48,000 | ₹65,000 – 1,00,000 |
| 7 nights – Port Blair, Havelock, Neil, Baratang at leisure | ₹29,500 – 37,500 | ₹42,000 – 56,000 | ₹75,000 – 1,20,000 |
Chennai–Port Blair airfare: a return ticket usually costs ₹10,000 – 18,000 per person when booked four to six weeks ahead. Around Pongal, the Christmas–New Year week and the April–May school holidays it can reach ₹22,000 – 35,000. A ship berth is far cheaper, but sailings are irregular (see below), so we only build it in when the dates fit.
Not in the package, paid locally: scuba diving (a beginner's try dive at Havelock costs roughly ₹4,500 – 7,500), sea walk at North Bay (about ₹3,500 – 4,000), semi-submarine or glass-bottom boat rides, the shared boat to Elephant Beach (around ₹1,000 – 1,500 per person), jet ski and parasailing, the Baratang day trip if not included (vehicle plus boat to the limestone caves), meals other than breakfast, and tips. Our quotation lists each one with an approximate price.
What really changes the price: the Havelock hotel (a beach-facing room can cost three times a garden cottage two kilometres inland), the ferry class (premium or deluxe seats on Makruzz, Nautika or ITT Majestic versus government boats), and the season. December 20 to January 5 is 25–40% dearer than October or March.
Getting from Chennai to the Andamans: flight or ship
By air from Chennai (MAA) to Port Blair (IXZ)
- Frequency: several non-stop flights a day, mainly IndiGo and the Air India group, with Akasa Air also on the route. Flying time is about 2 hours to 2 hours 20 minutes.
- Timing: almost all Chennai departures leave between early morning and late morning, because Port Blair's Veer Savarkar International Airport handles flights mostly in daylight. Pick the earliest one you can manage.
- Why the arrival time matters: the last private catamarans from Port Blair to Havelock usually leave in the early afternoon. A flight landing by about 10.30 am lets us take you straight to the jetty and save a night; a later arrival means the first night is in Port Blair.
- Baggage: check your ticket – most domestic fares allow 15 kg checked. Catamarans also limit luggage (around 20–25 kg per person), so pack light.
- Return day: come back from Havelock or Neil a day before your flight. Ferries can be cancelled in rough weather, and a night in Port Blair protects your flight home.
By ship from Chennai Port – for the patient traveller
The Andaman and Nicobar Administration's Directorate of Shipping Services runs large passenger vessels – ships of the MV Nicobar and MV Campbell Bay class and similar – between Chennai and Haddo Wharf in Port Blair. Read this before planning around one:
- The voyage takes about 60 hours (roughly two and a half days), longer in bad weather.
- Sailings are not regular. In a typical month there may be only a few departures, sometimes none when a vessel is in dry dock, and schedules are often confirmed only a short while before sailing.
- Classes range from deluxe and first-class cabins to second class and open bunk class. Bunk berths are inexpensive but basic. Island residents get priority in the quota, and berths sell out quickly.
- Meals on board are simple canteen food. Seasickness is common in the open sea, especially from May to September.
Our advice: if the sea journey itself appeals to you, take the ship one way and fly the other, and keep your hotel dates flexible. We check the published schedule when you enquire and tell you plainly whether it fits; we never make a package depend on a sailing date.
Island hopping once you land
- Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram) to Havelock (Swaraj Dweep): private catamaran about 1½–2½ hours; government ferry slower.
- Havelock to Neil (Shaheed Dweep): about 1 hour.
- Neil to Port Blair: about 1–1½ hours.
- Port Blair to Baratang: about 3 hours by road each way, joining a police-escorted convoy through the Jarawa reserve; photography of the Jarawa people is banned and stopping on that stretch is not allowed.
Three Andaman itineraries from Chennai
4 nights / 5 days – honeymoon with a same-day Havelock transfer
- Day 1: Earliest flight from MAA. Driver meets you at Port Blair airport and takes you to the jetty for the afternoon catamaran to Havelock. Sunset at Radhanagar Beach.
- Day 2: Morning speedboat to Elephant Beach for snorkelling; afternoon at leisure; candle-light dinner at the resort.
- Day 3: Free morning or a try dive with a certified dive centre; sunrise at Kalapathar if you are early risers.
- Day 4: Catamaran back to Port Blair. Corbyn's Cove beach, then the Cellular Jail and its light-and-sound show in the evening.
- Day 5: Morning flight home.
5 nights / 6 days – family trip with Havelock and Neil
- Day 1: Morning arrival. Rest, Anthropological Museum or Samudrika Naval Marine Museum, Cellular Jail show at dusk.
- Day 2: Ross Island (now Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep) with its ruins and deer, then North Bay for the coral; children enjoy the glass-bottom boat.
- Day 3: Catamaran to Havelock; afternoon swim at Radhanagar.
- Day 4: Elephant Beach – snorkelling in shallow water is fine for children over about eight with a guide.
- Day 5: Ferry to Neil. Natural rock bridge at low tide, Laxmanpur sunset, Bharatpur beach for calm water.
- Day 6: Morning ferry to Port Blair and the afternoon flight home only if the ferry lands in good time; otherwise we add a night in Port Blair.
6 nights / 7 days – the complete trip, with an optional ship leg
- Day 1: Arrive Port Blair by air (or disembark after the voyage). Chidiya Tapu sunset point.
- Day 2: Early start for Baratang: convoy drive, boat through mangrove creeks to the limestone caves, mud volcano. Back late evening.
- Day 3: Ross and North Bay islands; Cellular Jail show.
- Day 4: To Havelock; Radhanagar.
- Day 5: Elephant Beach or a dive day; Kalapathar.
- Day 6: To Neil, then on to Port Blair in the late-afternoon ferry.
- Day 7: Fly home.
Every itinerary is private and customised. Extended families and groups of friends travel as a private group on their own dates, with their own vehicles on each island and seats booked together on the ferries.
Tamil Nadu holidays and the Andaman weather
The Andamans have two monsoons: the south-west monsoon from about mid-May to September, and short north-east showers in October–November. Here is how that fits with the breaks Chennai families actually get.
- Quarterly holidays (late September to early October): usually around Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadasami. The sea is calming down, rates are low and islands are green, but expect some rain and the odd ferry cancellation.
- Deepavali and the half-yearly break (late December): excellent weather; the Christmas–New Year stretch is the busiest and costliest week of the year, so book by September.
- Pongal (mid-January): a four-day weekend is just enough for a 4-night trip with an early Thursday flight. Calm water, clear visibility for snorkelling.
- Summer holidays (late April to early June): go in the first half – late April to mid-May is hot but the sea is at its clearest. Avoid late May and June; the monsoon brings heavy rain, rough crossings and suspended water sports.
| Month | Weather | Good for | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Dry, 23–30°C, calm sea | Pongal trips, snorkelling, honeymoons | High |
| February | Dry, very clear water | Diving, couples, seniors | High |
| March | Warm, calm | Best visibility underwater; quieter as board exams start | Medium-high |
| April | Hot and humid, 25–33°C | Tamil Nadu summer holidays begin; beaches and diving | Medium-high |
| May | Hot; monsoon arrives in the second half | First fortnight only | Medium |
| June–August | Heavy rain, rough sea | Budget travellers who accept cancellations | Lowest |
| September | Rain easing | Off-season value | Low |
| October | Showers, clearing late in the month | Quarterly break, Deepavali in some years | Medium |
| November | Occasional showers; cyclone alerts possible in the Bay of Bengal | Honeymoons, families | Medium-high |
| December | Dry, pleasant | Christmas and New Year; half-yearly break | Highest from 20 December |
For December, Pongal and April–May dates, book eight weeks ahead – Havelock's better beach resorts and the morning flights go first. For other months, three to four weeks is usually enough.
Food and tips for Chennai travellers in the islands
Vegetarian and South Indian food, island by island
- Port Blair: the easiest. Aberdeen Bazaar and the streets near the clock tower have pure-veg hotels serving idli, dosa, pongal and full meals with sambar and rasam, much like a Chennai mess. Chettinad and Andhra-style non-veg restaurants serve fish fry and crab curry.
- Havelock: a handful of Indian vegetarian restaurants near the market and the jetty; resort kitchens will cook South Indian breakfasts and veg meals when told in advance. Most beach-shack menus lean towards seafood and continental dishes.
- Neil: small and limited – a few dhaba-style places and the resort kitchen. Pure-vegetarian travellers should eat at the hotel.
- Jain or no onion-garlic: possible in Port Blair and at larger Havelock resorts with notice; we confirm it in writing. On Neil, options are basic.
- Seafood lovers: grilled lobster, crab and fresh catch are the reason some families come back; ask for the weight and price before ordering.
Practical tips
- Language: Tamil, Hindi, Bengali and Telugu are all spoken in Port Blair; drivers and hotel staff manage in Tamil and English.
- ID: Indian nationals need no permit, but carry original photo ID; it is checked at the airport, jetties and on the Baratang convoy.
- Cash and network: ATMs are reliable in Port Blair, fewer on Havelock and unreliable on Neil. Mobile data is slow outside Port Blair; BSNL, Airtel and Jio work in patches.
- Water sports: book only with licensed operators; a medical declaration is required for diving, and you should not fly within 18–24 hours after a dive, so dive early in the trip.
- Coral rules: do not touch or stand on coral, and do not carry shells or coral home – it is an offence.
- Packing: cotton clothes, a light rain jacket, reef-safe sunscreen, slippers for wet beaches and motion-sickness tablets for the catamaran.
Why book your Andaman trip with Vibrant Holidays
- Remote planning from Ahmedabad, done properly: we have planned island holidays since 2014 from our C G Road office. Chennai travellers book on WhatsApp or phone (Monday to Saturday) and get the itinerary, ferry tickets, vouchers and invoice as PDFs.
- Transfers timed to your flight: we match the catamaran to your arrival time and keep a buffer night before the flight home.
- Live prices and clear extras: the package price shown is today's price; diving, sea walk and Elephant Beach boats are listed separately before you pay.
- Meal preferences on paper: South Indian veg, Jain or seafood – printed on each resort's voucher.
- Help during the trip: a 24×7 WhatsApp line and local partners in Port Blair and Havelock for ferry changes. IATA-accredited; member of TAAI, TAFI, ADTOI and IATO; recognised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
See the full Andaman package list, beach holidays, honeymoon packages and all tour packages from Chennai.
Plan your Andaman trip from Chennai
Tell us your dates, budget and who is travelling. We reply with a day-wise plan and a clear price, usually the same day.
Get a Free Quote WhatsApp 9089090790Andaman tour from Chennai: FAQs
How much does a Andaman tour package from Chennai cost?
Our Andaman packages currently start at ₹12,000 per person for 3 nights. Most of our Andaman packages fall between ₹20,750 and ₹36,500 per person. The final cost depends on the travel month, hotel category, number of travellers and whether flights from {$from} are added. Open any package below to see exactly what is included, or ask us for a quote with flights.
How long is the flight from Chennai to Port Blair?
About 2 hours to 2 hours 20 minutes non-stop. Several flights operate daily, mostly leaving Chennai between early and late morning because Port Blair airport handles flights largely in daylight. An early flight lets you catch an afternoon catamaran to Havelock the same day.
Can I go from Chennai to Andaman by ship?
Yes. Government passenger ships sail from Chennai Port to Port Blair in about 60 hours, with cabin, second-class and bunk berths. Sailings are irregular, sometimes only a few a month, and schedules are confirmed close to the date. We suggest the ship one way at most, with a flexible hotel plan.
What is the cheapest time to visit Andaman from Chennai?
June to September is the cheapest, but it is the monsoon, with rough seas and ferry cancellations. Better value with reasonable weather comes in late September to October, around the Tamil Nadu quarterly holidays, and in March, when demand drops during exams.
How many days are enough for Andaman from Chennai?
Four nights covers Port Blair and Havelock if you take an early flight. Five nights adds Neil Island and a relaxed pace for families. Six or seven nights let you include Baratang's limestone caves and a spare day for diving or weather delays.
Is South Indian vegetarian food available in Andaman?
Yes, especially in Port Blair, where many hotels serve idli, dosa and full South Indian meals. Havelock has a few vegetarian restaurants and resort kitchens that cook on request. Neil Island is limited, so vegetarians should eat at the resort there. We confirm meal preferences in writing.
Can we reach Havelock on the day we land?
Usually yes, if your flight lands in Port Blair by about 10.30 am. Private catamarans to Havelock leave in the morning and early afternoon, and we transfer you straight from the airport to the jetty. If your flight is later, we plan the first night in Port Blair.
Do Indians need a permit to visit the Andaman Islands?
No. Indian citizens do not need a permit for Port Blair, Havelock, Neil or Baratang, but must carry original government photo ID, which is checked at airports and jetties. Some tribal reserves and restricted islands are closed to all visitors.
Is Andaman good for a family with children and grandparents?
Yes. Beaches such as Bharatpur on Neil and Radhanagar have gentle water, glass-bottom boats suit those who do not swim, and transfers are short. For seniors we choose hotels near the jetty with ground-floor rooms and avoid the long Baratang day.
Which ferry is used between Port Blair, Havelock and Neil?
We book private catamarans such as Makruzz, Nautika or ITT Majestic, which take about 1½–2½ hours from Port Blair to Havelock and have assigned seats and air-conditioned cabins. Government ferries are cheaper but slower and harder to book. Ferries may be cancelled in rough weather.
Is scuba diving safe for beginners who cannot swim?
Yes. A try dive at Havelock is done in shallow water with a certified instructor holding you throughout, and swimming is not required. You fill a medical form, and anyone with heart, lung or ear problems should consult a doctor first. Avoid flying home within 18–24 hours of a dive.
When should we book Andaman for Pongal or Christmas?
Book by September for Christmas–New Year and by October for Pongal. Morning flights and the better beach resorts on Havelock fill first in those weeks, and ferry seats go quickly too. For other months, three to four weeks ahead is normally enough.
