After spending a beautiful month in the Andamans in March 2018 I would like to share a bit of advice. Don’t be put off by paperwork or fees, it can be done on a budget and the paperwork is not easy but is part of the India experience which makes it what it is.

The first challenge is the Visa. Bangkok can be an option despite the fact that they no longer issue visas to non-residents, I know of 3 boats that got their visas there but only with help of an agent and the fact that they organized a rally this year specifically to help with the administration side I believe.

Other options that I can confirm are embassy’s in Burma, Cambodia and Laos.

As to so-called expensive fees, don’t be put off, I can confirm paying only 2049 rupees ($30.55 US !). What they call port fees are calculated based on tonnage. My boat Unu mondo weighing in at 6T got away cheap, for bigger yachts maybe cheat a little if needed… One 50 footers weighing 43T I believe paid over $700 including agent fees.

As to the agent as having done it myself without an agent, I understand why 90% seem to do it with. It took us a record-breaking 6 days to check-in to Port Blair(with all the paperwork & copies ready in advance), arrived a Wednesday afternoon, Friday was a bank holiday, weekend, etc. We left Tuesday morning without the national park permit we planned to request, that would have been another day or two. So the Agent can help a lot!

Nobody cruising the Andamans really seems to know where exactly you can go and what the defined rules are, so that part can be worrying and always good to have the agent for that as he will have the latest info and will smooth things out on departure. Rules vary depending on who you ask: customs, immigration or forest department.

We were probably the last Sailing yacht this year, although a motor yacht from Thailand was still in the anchorage when we left, they endured a 15 official enquiry issued by the fisheries department that decided that you needed a permit to fish in the Andamans. We were told by port management to hide fishing equipment to not get in trouble too.

India, what an experience! Pristine islands, fish every day for lunch & dinner, deer, crocs and beautiful people. Wish we could have stayed longer. Hope all this helps

Posted on behalf of SY Solstice:
Andaman Holidays Agency in Port Blair is a very reputable and honest business. Although we did not use an agent for checking in, it took us almost three days to complete the process. I think this is unusual but that is what happened to us. Also, we were trying to get online visas for Sri Lanka and were not able to complete the process with the Internet. The Andaman Islands has the slowest, most unreliable Internet of any country we have visited. We sat inside Andaman Holiday’s office for three days and tried to complete the online Sri Lankan Visa Forms without success. R. Rathnam and his secretary, Sushma, provided us with the name of an agent in Sri Lanka and emailed all the necessary forms for them to get the visa as a third party”. We offered to pay them for this service but the agency would accept no money.

As of March 2016, Andaman Holidays charges about $200 US (12,000) Indian Rupees to handle all the clearance procedures. Additionally, they will take care of any other matters including spares in transit, tour packages, hotel reservations, air charter, air tickets, etc. They have a taxi driver named VJ that is honest and reliable. In March 2016, he charged 250 Indian rupees per hour for his services.

For yachts using their dinghy to access the public dock, there is a “yacht boy” that takes your dinghy and looks after it. He seems to be at the dock from early morning until you arrive in the late afternoon. He charges 200 Indian Rupees per day for this service.

Here are the details for the Andaman Holiday Agency: rathnam@andamanholidays.com or yachtagency@andamanholidays.com Mobile +91 99320 89595. The complete address is: E-237 Pongy Kyuang, (Behind Anand Offset Press), Port Blair. Pin-744 101. Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India Phone: +91 3192 239595. Tele-Fax: +91 3192 234924

One can find them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/andamanholidays

Hope this helps,
Donald Turbeville
S/Y Solstice

Over the past 10 years i have visited the Anadamans many times.I have always used an agent as it is the best and quickest way to complete formalities. I always use Rathnam at Andaman Holidays as his service is the best on the Island, fast efficient gets my fuel on time clearance on time and all my cruising needs. Vijay the taxi driver is the best I call him he is there gets all the stores that I need and has helped me immensely. The Islands are fantastic the people are fantastic and so is the food. Enjoy your stay there.
M.Y Mari Timo