The district of North and Middle Andaman was created in 2006 with a jurisdiction from Baratang to Diglipur. The district has 2 sub divisions – Diglipur and Mayabunder and more than 104 revenue villages.
It is advisable to plan a long holiday as this district has a lot to offer-Turtle nesting, some good trekking tracks, remote and beautiful islands, the only river of Andaman Islands and a hydro power plant, Alfred lime stone caves and much more.
Middle Andaman: don’t leave these places out!
Rangat
It is the largest city of Middle Andaman. Fishing and cultivation is the main livelihood. Languages spoken are Malayalam and Tamil. It has some beautiful beaches and fresh water falls. It is about 170 km (6-7 hrs drive) from Port Blair and the drive is through the Jarawa reserve. Rangat is on approach route to many other places. While the city itself isn’t a major attraction, the sea food is a must try here!
Yerratta
It is about 8 km from Rangat along a creek .The approach is beautiful. It is unbelievable that this single place has various species of mangroves. There is a mangrove interpretation center not too far from the jetty and nearby there, is a mangrove watch tower.
From its height at 13 meters, one gets an over view of these mangrove forests and also of the forests nearby. Another amazing feature is the 300 meter long wooden walk bridge built across a patch of natural and cultivated mangroves to give visitors a chance to get acquainted with the species of the mangroves that bore the major impact of the Tsunami thus, saving lives.
It is a rare experience for city dwellers from mainland India, for most of whom this is a learning experience. Yerratta also has a jetty which runs regular ferry services, connecting the main Middle Andaman landmass to nearby islands. The creek through which the ferries pass is lined with dense mangroves on both sides. The different types of mangroves all present together, only discernible by the colour and shape of the leaves present a picturesque canopy.
Dhani Nallah
It is famous for its 700 meter long wooden walkway through a fairly dense mangrove forest. The walkway passes over several tiny creeks, ending at the Dhani Nallah beach. The walkway has places to rest so one can sit, relax and enjoy the amazing creation of nature.
One also gets a good view of the Cuthbert bay wild life sanctuary from the beach. Dhani Nallah beach is also a known place for turtle nesting which now has been developed into a turtle hatchery under the supervision of the forest department. Dhani Nallah is about 20km from Rangat by road.
The entry point is from the Andaman Trunk Road at Betalpur. Some good accommodation is available here. The beach offers eco-friendly facilities. The best time to take the walk is early in the morning to avoid the hot sun.
Grab a hat, water and a camera and stroll down the walkway as the music of the birds provides the background score. You get to see a lot of different crabs along the water’s edge; mud crabs and fiddler crabs being prominent. If lucky, you’ll spot the Andaman monitor lizard as well. Along the walkway are several boards with information regarding the statistics of mangrove forests, the various species and features of mangroves. All in all, this walk is informative as well as refreshing.
Cuthbert Bay beach
It is a long beach with pristine clear water on one side and bordered by tropical dense forest on the other. This beach is also known for turtle nesting. Cuthbert bay beach is 12 km from Rangat and well connected by road.
Amkunj Beach
This eco friendly beach is ideal for recreation. It is easily approachable from Nimbutala helipad which is only 1 km and Rangat which is 8km away. The beach is vast and can only be reached by road through a forest as it is located in the interiors. There are eco friendly huts to relax in, and several benches to just sit and enjoy coconut water. The beach has shells strewn about, and the waves deposit the sand in an intriguing pattern. This beach too has been identified as one of the turtle nesting beaches in Middle Andaman.
Mayabunder
Mayabunder is in the northern part of middle Andaman and the administrative head quarter of North and Middle Andaman. It is 245 km from Port Blair on the Andaman Trunk road via Baratang , or by ferry from Phoenix Bay, Port Blair.
The drive is through the dense forests of the Jarawa reserve. The town is small and can be covered on foot. It is home to the families of ex-convicts of the Cellular Jail , Bangladesho settlers and Karen- the Burmese tribe. Though not developed for tourism, its Karmatang beach is beautiful with volcanic grey sand and is fringed with thick mangroves.
The drive to Diglipur via Kalighat Creek is amazing. If it’s your lucky day, you’ll get to see a salt water crocodile or so.