Best Time to Visit Andaman: Month by Month, Sea by Sea
In the Andamans the sea decides your trip, not the thermometer. When the catamarans run on time, when the water is clearest for snorkelling, which weeks bring cyclone warnings, and what each month costs and feels like.
The best time to visit Andaman is mid-November to April. In those months the sea between Port Blair, Havelock and Neil is mostly flat, private catamarans keep to their timetables, Elephant Beach and North Bay boats go out every morning, and underwater visibility around Havelock is at its best. Inside that window, mid-January to March is the sweet spot: dry, calm, clear water and fewer people than the Christmas–New Year rush. If you are travelling for the beaches rather than the diving, late November and early December give nearly the same conditions at gentler prices.
The islands are warm all year, about 29–32°C by day, so the question is never "will it be cold" but "will the boats sail". From the middle of May the south-west monsoon brings strong wind and swell, and inter-island sailings and water sports start getting cancelled. The rain eases in October, but late October and November are also the weeks when low-pressure systems form over the Bay of Bengal. This guide goes month by month, then sea condition by sea condition, then by type of traveller, with festival dates and what closes when, written as of November 2026. Port Blair is now officially Sri Vijaya Puram, Havelock is Swaraj Dweep and Neil is Shaheed Dweep; we use the familiar names below. For the money side of the trip, see our Andaman trip cost guide.
Updated November 2026 by the Vibrant Holidays team, Ahmedabad.
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Andaman month by month: the quick verdict
Port Blair day high / night low in °C, rounded long-term averages. Havelock and Neil are within a degree of Port Blair. "Sea" is what matters for ferries, boats and snorkelling.
| Month | °C | Rain | Sea and ferries | Crowds | Price level | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29 / 23 | Little, brief showers | Calm; sailings reliable | High in week one, then moderate | High, then normal | Excellent from the 7th onward |
| February | 30 / 23 | Driest month | Calm, very clear water | Moderate | Normal | Excellent, the pick for snorkelling |
| March | 31 / 24 | Very little | Calm, clearest visibility of the year on many days | Moderate; Holi week busy | Normal | Excellent; hotter afternoons |
| April | 32 / 25 | Occasional thunder showers late in the month | Mostly calm, sometimes glassy | Rising with school holidays | Normal to high | Very good, especially the first three weeks |
| May | 31 / 26 | Pre-monsoon storms, then monsoon from mid-month | Calm early; swell and cancellations from the third week | High in the first half (vacations) | High early, falling late | First half good; second half risky |
| June | 30 / 25 | Heavy | Rough; frequent suspensions; most dive boats stop | Low | Lowest | Only for flexible, budget travel |
| July | 29 / 25 | Heavy | Rough; Jolly Buoy closed | Low | Lowest | Avoid for a first trip |
| August | 29 / 25 | Heavy | Rough with calmer breaks | Low; Independence Day weekend busier | Low | Avoid for island hopping |
| September | 29 / 24 | Heavy, easing late | Improving late in the month | Low | Low | Workable late in the month with buffers |
| October | 29 / 24 | Showers; risk of a depression late in the month | Mostly sailing; dive centres reopen | Rising around Durga Puja | Moderate | Good second half, keep a spare day |
| November | 29 / 24 | Showers and the odd stormy spell | Usually calm by mid-month | Diwali peak, then moderate | Moderate; Diwali high | Good, very good from mid-month |
| December | 29 / 23 | Light | Calm; full ferries | Highest after the 20th | Highest after the 20th | Excellent weather; book early |
One honest caveat: no month is completely free of a rough day. Even in February a strong wind can hold the morning catamaran for an hour. The table tells you the odds; we keep one spare night in Port Blair before every flight home for the day the odds go against you.
The three sea seasons, and what each one is like on the ground
Calm season: mid-November to April
The north-east trade winds are light, the Andaman Sea settles, and the islands work like clockwork. Catamarans to Havelock run several times each morning, Radhanagar is safe to swim in the netted zone most days, and day boats leave for Elephant Beach, North Bay and Jolly Buoy. December and January bring the best overall weather and the most people. February and March are the quiet experts' choice. April is hot and humid by midday, but the sea is often at its flattest, which suits children and anyone nervous on boats.
Monsoon season: mid-May to September
The south-west monsoon usually arrives in the Andaman Sea around 20 May; in 2026 the India Meteorological Department declared it on 16 May. Rain comes in heavy bursts with sunny gaps, but the real issue is the swell. The administration suspends sailings when the port hoists a warning signal, and private operators follow. Snorkelling trips close, most scuba centres pause from about June, and Jolly Buoy island shuts until the season reopens. Hotels cut rates sharply. A Port Blair stay with one Havelock crossing can still be a good, quiet holiday if your dates are flexible; a tight three-island plan is not.
Shoulder season: October to mid-November
The south-west monsoon has gone, the islands are at their greenest and dive centres reopen in October. This is also the window for post-monsoon depressions in the Bay of Bengal. In late October 2025, for example, a low over the North Andaman Sea brought winds of 40–50 km/h, a local cautionary signal at Sri Vijaya Puram port and a shipping advisory warning that sailings could be cancelled at little notice. Such spells usually last two to four days. Travel in this window is good value, but plan it with slack.
Diving and snorkelling: visibility by month
If the water is the reason you are going, timing matters more than for any other kind of Andaman trip. Water temperature hardly changes (about 27–29°C, a thin suit or a rash vest is enough), but visibility and boat access change a lot. Figures below are the typical ranges dive centres on Havelock report for the season; any one day can be better or worse.
| Period | Typical visibility | Sites open | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| October – mid-November | About 10–20 m, improving each week | Shore and near-shore sites; deeper boat sites as the sea allows | Try dives at lower prices; courses with small classes |
| Mid-November – December | About 15–25 m | Nearly all regular sites | First-time divers, PADI Open Water courses |
| January – April | About 20–30 m on good days | All sites incl. the farther pinnacles and wrecks | Certified divers, underwater photography, long snorkel days |
| May | Variable; good early in the month, poor after storms | Reduced as the monsoon arrives | Early-May divers only |
| June – September | Poor to fair when boats go out at all | Most centres closed or limited to sheltered spots | Not recommended |
- Try dives (no swimming or certificate needed) run from Havelock, Neil and North Bay throughout the calm season. The best months for nervous beginners are March and April, when the surface is often flat.
- Sea walk and glass-bottom boats at North Bay and Elephant Beach stop on rough days in any month; the first boats of the morning have the calmest water.
- Do not fly within about 18–24 hours of diving. Put the dive on Havelock in the middle of the trip, not on the last day.
Prices for try dives, courses and water sports are listed in our trip cost guide; the day the dive falls on is set out in the 6 nights 7 days Andaman itinerary.
What closes when
| What | When it closes or is unreliable | What we do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Private catamarans (Makruzz, Nautika, Green Ocean, ITT Majestic) | Any day the port hoists a warning; often from late May to September, now and then in late October–November | Morning sailings first, a spare night in Port Blair, refund or rebooking under the operator's rules |
| Government (DSS) ferries from Phoenix Bay | Same weather rules; tickets released close to the date with islanders first | We do not build a fixed holiday on them |
| Jolly Buoy island (Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park) | Closed in the monsoon months; reopens with the calm season, usually by November | Red Skin island is the monsoon-season alternative when open |
| Elephant Beach boats, North Bay sea walk, parasailing, jet ski | Rough days in any month; long gaps from June to September | Book them for the first calm morning, not a fixed hour |
| Scuba centres | Many pause from about June to September | Plan diving trips from mid-November |
| Baratang road convoy | Runs all year; the mangrove creek boat and cave walk are muddy in heavy rain | Go between November and April |
| Museums in Port Blair | Mostly closed on Mondays | Cellular Jail on another day |
Ferries are the backbone of any Andaman holiday, so whatever the month, we book catamaran seats at the same time as the hotels and keep the Havelock–Neil–Port Blair legs before midday where possible. In December, January and the May vacation the popular morning sailings fill weeks ahead.
Best time to visit Andaman for honeymooners, families, seniors and divers
| Traveller | Best months | Why | Think twice about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honeymoon couples | Mid-January to March; late November | Clear water, quieter beaches, better choice of beach-facing rooms at Havelock | 20 December to 5 January, when resorts are full and rates peak |
| Families with young children | February to April | Flattest sea for ferries and glass-bottom boats; shallow water at Bharatpur and Laxmanpur is calm | June to September: suspended boats and long waits at jetties |
| Parents above 60 | December to March | Cooler mornings, smooth crossings, steady timetables | April afternoons (heat and humidity) and the monsoon |
| Scuba and snorkelling | January to April | Best visibility and every site open | Late May to September |
| Budget travellers | Late October to mid-November (outside Diwali); early April | Calm-season access at shoulder prices | The cheapest monsoon rates, which come with cancelled boats |
| Photographers | October to November (green islands, dramatic skies); February to March (clear water) | Light and colour vary by season | Peak-week crowds at Radhanagar sunset |
| Nature and turtle watchers | December to March | Nesting season on some northern beaches; birding from February | Monsoon roads in North Andaman |
| Combined with a Chennai or Kolkata break | November to February | Pleasant weather on the mainland too | Chennai's north-east monsoon spells in November |
Flying from a particular city? The Andaman from Kolkata and Andaman from Chennai pages fit these months to Puja and school holidays in those cities.
Festivals and events, 2026–27
The Andamans are not a festival destination in the way Ladakh or Kerala are, but a few events are worth knowing because they change crowds, prices or what you can see. Dates are as published or listed as of November 2026.
| Event | Where | When | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island Tourism Festival | ITF Ground, VIP Road, Sri Vijaya Puram, with shows on Havelock, Neil, Hut Bay, Diglipur and other islands | 27–31 December in 2025; the 2026 dates had not been announced by mid-November 2026, and it is usually held in late December | Evening cultural shows, food and craft stalls; adds to the year-end rush |
| Christmas and New Year | Port Blair, Havelock, Neil | 24 December to 1 January | The year's highest hotel and ferry demand; gala dinners at resorts, no big party scene |
| Turtle nesting | Kalipur beach near Diglipur; leatherbacks on Little Andaman and Nicobar beaches | Mainly the winter months, roughly December to March; species windows vary | Night walks with forest staff or local guides; needs two extra nights in North Andaman |
| Little Andaman Surfing Festival | Little Andaman (Hut Bay) | 9–12 April in 2026; dates for 2027 not yet published | For surfers and the curious; Little Andaman is a long government-ship journey from Port Blair |
| Monsoon Food and Spice Fest | ITF Ground, Sri Vijaya Puram | 26–28 June in 2026 | A small local event for monsoon visitors staying in Port Blair |
| Durga Puja | Pandals across Port Blair and Bengali villages on Havelock and Neil | Mid-October in 2026 (Vijaya Dashami on 20 October); early October in 2027 | Lively evenings; Kolkata visitors raise demand that week |
| Diwali | All islands | 8 November 2026; 29 October 2027 | A short peak in fares and room rates; book by August |
How prices move through the year
- 20 December to 5 January: the most expensive fortnight. Good Havelock rooms and morning catamaran seats sell out; book by September.
- Diwali week, Durga Puja week and the first half of May: short peaks driven by mainland holidays. Fares from Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru jump first.
- Mid-January to April (outside long weekends): normal rates, the best value for the best sea. Six to eight weeks' notice is usually enough.
- Late October to mid-December (outside festivals): moderate rates with a small weather risk.
- June to September: the lowest hotel rates of the year, often well below winter, but ferry fares do not fall and the chance of a changed plan is highest.
Flights are the biggest moving part. Port Blair has one airport, Veer Savarkar International, and every seat in the peak fortnight is wanted at once. Watching fares from the start of September for a December trip is the single most useful thing you can do for the budget.
What to pack for each season
- November to February: light cotton, a thin long-sleeved layer for air-conditioned ferries and evenings, a rash vest for snorkelling, reef-safe sunscreen.
- March to May: the lightest clothes you own, a wide hat, electrolyte sachets, SPF 50; the midday sun on open boats is strong.
- June to September: a proper rain jacket, quick-dry clothes, sandals with grip for wet jetties, seasickness tablets, a dry bag for phones and documents.
- October: a compact umbrella and seasickness tablets, since showers and swell still come and go.
In every season carry original photo ID for each traveller (checked at the airport and at every jetty), mosquito repellent, some cash for Havelock and Neil, and medicines in your day bag, because checked ferry luggage comes back only at the other end.
How we plan an Andaman trip around the season
- First trip, family or couple: mid-November to April, five or six nights, Havelock in the middle, Neil after it, a final night in Port Blair as the weather buffer.
- Diving trip: January to April, with three nights on Havelock so a cancelled dive can move to the next morning.
- Value trip: late November or early December, or the first three weeks of April.
- Monsoon trip: only Port Blair and Havelock, flexible flights, and no activities you cannot afford to lose.
- Private and customised: your own cab on each island, your own dates and pace; relatives and friends travel as a private group on their own schedule. We do not run group tours.
- Ferries matched to flights: catamaran seats are booked with the hotels, and we watch the port advisories in the week you travel.
- Vegetarian and Jain meals requested in writing; easy in Port Blair, more limited on Neil, and we say so before you book.
- 11 years of planning holidays from our C G Road office in Ahmedabad; planned by our team there and booked on WhatsApp or phone from any city, with 24×7 support on tour. IATA-accredited; member of TAAI, TAFI, ADTOI and IATO; recognised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
Ready itineraries with live prices are on our Andaman tour packages page. Weighing the Andamans against an overseas beach? Compare with our best time to visit the Maldives guide, see places to visit in December in India, or browse all our holiday guides.
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Get a Free Quote WhatsApp 9089090790Best Time to Visit Andaman: FAQs
Which is the best month to visit Andaman?
February is the single best month for most people: the driest weather, a calm sea, very clear water for snorkelling and moderate prices. January after the first week and March are almost as good. December has excellent weather too, but the second half is the busiest and most expensive time of the year, so book flights and catamarans early.
Is it safe to visit Andaman during the monsoon?
It is safe on land, but not reliable at sea. From mid-May to September strong wind and swell often suspend inter-island ferries, water sports and dive boats, sometimes for several days. If you go, keep the plan to Port Blair and Havelock, book flexible flights and expect some cancelled activities. In return hotel rates are the lowest of the year.
Is November a good time to visit the Andaman Islands?
Yes, especially from the middle of the month. The monsoon rain has eased, dive centres have reopened and the islands are green. The risk is a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, which can hold ferries for two or three days, so keep a spare night in Port Blair. Diwali week is busy; the rest of November is moderately priced.
When is the cyclone season in Andaman?
The islands see two windows of disturbed weather. Pre-monsoon storms can form in late April and May, and post-monsoon depressions are most likely from late October to early December. Most pass in a few days with heavy rain and rough sea rather than direct hits. The Directorate of Shipping Services announces suspensions, and we follow its advisories in the week you travel.
What is the best time for scuba diving in Andaman?
January to April gives the clearest water, often 20 to 30 metres of visibility around Havelock, and every dive site is open. Dive centres reopen in October and conditions improve each week through November. From June to September most centres pause because boats cannot go out safely. Water stays about 27 to 29°C all year.
Is Andaman too hot in April and May?
It is hot and humid, with afternoons around 32°C, but the sea is often at its calmest in April. Plan beach time early in the morning and late in the afternoon, and rest at midday. The first half of May is still good; after about the 20th the monsoon usually arrives and ferries become less reliable.
When is the Island Tourism Festival in Andaman?
It is usually held in the last week of December. In 2025 it ran from 27 to 31 December at the ITF Ground in Sri Vijaya Puram, with cultural shows on Havelock, Neil and other islands. As of mid-November 2026 the dates for the next edition had not been announced, so we confirm them before you book.
Which is the cheapest time to visit Andaman?
June to September has the lowest hotel rates, but ferries and boats are often cancelled. For low prices with a calm sea, choose late October to mid-November outside Diwali, early December before the 20th, or the first three weeks of April. Ferry fares stay much the same all year; flights and rooms are what move.
What is the best time to visit Andaman for a honeymoon?
Mid-January to March. The weather is dry, the water is clear for snorkelling at Elephant Beach and Neil, and beach-facing rooms on Havelock are easier to get than in the year-end peak. Late November is a good second choice if your wedding falls in the winter season and you want to travel soon after.
Can we visit Andaman with small children in summer vacation?
Yes, in April and the first half of May. The sea is usually calm for ferries and glass-bottom boats, and the shallow beaches at Bharatpur and Laxmanpur on Neil suit young children. Book early because Indian school holidays push up demand. Keep children out of the midday sun and carry rehydration salts.
Do ferries run every day in Andaman?
Private catamarans between Port Blair, Havelock and Neil run daily in the calm season, several times each morning. Any sailing can be suspended when the port issues a weather warning, most often from June to September and occasionally in late October and November. We keep the last night in Port Blair so a delayed ferry does not mean a missed flight.
How many days are enough for Andaman?
Five to six nights covers Port Blair, Havelock and Neil with one buffer night. Add one night for Baratang, and two or three for Diglipur or turtle watching in winter. In the monsoon, keep the trip to Port Blair and Havelock and add a spare day. Our 6 nights 7 days itinerary shows the usual split.
