The 3000-odd islands which form the archipelago of the Andaman and Nicobar group lie in the Bay of Bengal. A rather idyllic destination, with clear blue seas, colourful coral reefs, golden beaches, coconut palms and aboriginal people who are among the most isolated in India. While the Nicobar islands are off-limits to foreigners, the Andamans are not, and have some good facilities for water sports.

Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is home to the Andaman Water Sports Complex, where there are facilities for a very wide range of activities, from those which require little skill to those for which you’ll need to have prior experience. The water sports complex hires out glass-bottomed boats, rowboats, bumper boats, surfboards, kayaks, paddleboats and other equipment. Other areas which are suitable for water sports within the Andamans include Havelock Island, Corbyn’s Cove (for windsurfing and swimming) and Cinque Island, which is known for its stunning coral reefs- perfect for snorkelling.

In Port Blair the Andaman Scuba Club conducts training courses in snorkeling and scuba diving. Port Blair has regular air and sea connections to Kolkata, Vishakhapatnam and Chennai. Port Blair, which offers a fairly comprehensive range of accommodation options, is linked to the other islands of the group by ferry.