Andaman and Nicobar Islands.... Interesting trip

[chris.oz]

The main tourist areas in the Andamans are Port Blair in the Middle and Diglipur in the North.

The Nicobar islands are essentially off limits to foreigners.

The Andamans are very extensive in area. Exploration is not possible in many places. Wherever the famed rare and endangered Pinanga andamanensis is located would need to be researched and probably special permits would need to be obtained . As the tourist road is now closed, access is more difficult tahn in the past. Regulations appear to be quite strictly policed.

Here is the airport, very unusual. An A380 has landed there but in some years the middle of the runway can be 1 metre under water. Its a very interesting approach to a town spread from mangrove swamps to rocky peaks and breathtaking headlands to beautiful beaches.

[chris.oz]

The most common palms in the settled areas are Cocos and Areca catechu, which is grown in plantations for the betel nut trade

1000 betel trees earns 300000 rupees per year, ( about $6000) which is enough for subsistence.

The betel trees are planted very close together. To harvest the nuts, the boy climbs one tree cuts the bunch down and cuts down the bunch, then swings the tree and siezes the trunk of an adjacent tree and repeats the process. Energy saving is great when compared to climbing coconuts .

Here is one of many many betel plantations:

There are so many betel seeds around. They are an easy grow.

[chris.oz]

I did not do many walks into the rainforest. It is very thick, and very prickly.

You need to watch out for the native viper. Its a bit scary.

In places you see Phoenix palms which have been planted in settlements. Maybe they are Phoenix andamanensis? Borassus can be seen in older settled areas

In the wild areas around Diglipur in the north, the common marsh palms are Licuala spinosa,

Daemenorrops and Calamus are very common in the forest.\

In places there are huge numbers of this palm:

[chris.oz]

The main attraction in the Andamans is boat trips to remote islands with beautiful beaches. From Diglipur, these are short boat trips which are negotiated

with the local entrepreneurial boat owners, In Diglipur I stayed at the Pristine Beach Resort. The beer is cold, the food delicious and there is a choice between bamboo huts or beautiful wooden bungalows with satellite TV, AC and hot water showers.

The boat trip to Diglipur is 6-8 hours on a fast boat and 12 hours on a slow boat. There is a helicopter service which takes 2 hours.

The wet season is May to September.

Here, the sun rises into a hazy atmosphere in the coconut grove.

[chris.oz]

Here is a reference to a paper on the palms of the Andamans. The summary can be read on the internet and gives a list of common palms.

Diversity and conservation of palms in Andaman & Nicobar archipelago

Authors: Manohara, T.1; Linto, E.2; Renuka, C.2

You have to love rattans.

[Pedro 65]

I look fwd to heaps more pics thanks Chris I never set foot on the Andamans so would love to see many pics.. Ive Steamed past the Andaman Islands a few times on our way to the fishing grounds ( prawns and scampi) in Burmese waters then on our way back for the boats refit in Penang with a stop off in Phuket ( 1990/91)... Magic Memories . Pete

[zootropical]

That s a great post. I am going next december in Andaman. Thank you very much for the information and the pictures.

JM

[doranakandawatta]

Very interesting post, thank you!

Did you see Bentinckia nicobarica in habitat?

Are there Actinorythis callaparia too? some Oncosperma?

Did the island recover after the tsunami? (I experienced the tsunami on the south coast of Sri Lanka, I know what I am talking about)

kindest regards

Philippe

[paulgila]

The main attraction in the Andamans is boat trips to remote islands with beautiful beaches. From Diglipur, these are short boat trips which are negotiated

with the local entrepreneurial boat owners, In Diglipur I stayed at the Pristine Beach Resort. The beer is cold, the food delicious and there is a choice between bamboo huts or beautiful wooden bungalows with satellite TV, AC and hot water showers.

my hut.jpg

The boat trip to Diglipur is 6-8 hours on a fast boat and 12 hours on a slow boat. There is a helicopter service which takes 2 hours.

The wet season is May to September.

Here, the sun rises into a hazy atmosphere in the coconut grove.

cocos morning.jpg

that 2nd photo is amazing!

[Jeff Searle]

Hi Chris,

I have one question, why are the Nicobar islands off limits? Is this a temporary condition, or has it been this way for awhile? And like others, I look forward to any other pictures. Thanks!

Jeff

[chris.oz]

Hi Chris,

I have one question, why are the Nicobar islands off limits? Is this a temporary condition, or has it been this way for awhile? And like others, I look forward to any other pictures. Thanks!

Jeff

Jeff,

I happened to meet an American scientist there at the resort. He told me he had tried to get a permit for scientific purposes, several times, and was denied .

Another person told me that Indians were allowed, but not foreign nationals.

The island chain is strategically sensitive, and under the tight grip of an Indian governement department that has a conservative attitude to human activity, which is highly restricted, and confined to places like Havelock Beach No 7.

http://www.contemporarynomad.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/beach_no_7.jpg

[Jeff Searle]

Thanks Chris!

[paulgila]

i was wondering that,as well.

[zootropical]

Wonderfull place!

Edited February 3, 2014 by zootropical

[zootropical]

My wife and I spend 2 weeks in Andaman islands. With some palm hunting. Many sp. of Calamus and some others genera. Unfortunately we didn't find Phoenix andamanensis but I am sure that we will go back there and find this one soon!!!

here attached a picture of Rajan. A swimming elephant who live around beach number 7 on Havelock Island.

Sincerely.

Jean-Michel

[bgl]

Chris,

I'm afraid I managed to miss this thread when you first posted it! What an amazing place, and with very few visitors it would seem. Thanks for the great photos and commentary/background info.

Bo-Göran