Radhanagar Beach - Havelock, Andamans - A Review

You will hear a great deal about Radhanagar Beach if you are traveling to the Andamans, especially if you are on Havelock Island. That’s where the beach is.

You will also get to read on a lot websites online, mostly those prompting travel and tours of Andamans, that Radhanagar Beach is the #1 rated beach in Asia and rated #7 in the world by Times. What most of these websites will fail to mention is that this rating was received in the year 2004.

Right. Radhanagar is a good beach. It’s sandy and stretches out for miles in either direction. That in itself makes it different from a lot of other beaches. There is a lot of sand and surf for sure. Also, it was the ONLY beach I came across where you can actually swim.

Radhanagar is the only beach where you can get into the water to swim among all the popular beaches you will visit in Port Blair, Havelock and Neil combined. Most of the other popular beaches are rocky beaches.

For example, Kala Patthar is a beautiful beach. But it is a rocky beach and swimming is just not advisable. I am posting a few pictures.
Kalapatthar beach
Kalapatthar Beach on Havelock Island, Andaman. It's a beautiful and scenic beach but very rocky and impossible to swim in.
Kalapatthar beach 2
Sandy and scenic Kalapatthar Beach in Havelock Island, Andaman. It is a very scenic beach but very rocky and you cannot swim in it.
Radhanagar beach way
The wooded path that leads to Radhanagar Beach in Havelock Island, Andaman.
swimming at Radhanagar beach
Swimming at Radhanagar Beach, Havelock, Andaman.
sunset at Radhanagar beach
Sunset at Radhanagar Beach, Havelock, Andaman.
I have posted pictures of the 2 most beautiful beaches in Havelock. Most of the beaches here are rocky like the Kalapatthar Beach. The beach is lovely to walk on and enjoy the sunrise at. If a full moon is out, you will get a spectacular view at night as it hands over the ocean. We very lucky to catch the scene and it was one of the most surreal and beautiful sights we had during our stay in Andaman.

Back to the Radhanagar beach. Like I mentioned, a lot of tourism websites keep talking about how highly rated this beach is. And I agree. The beach is very good. The sand is soft and stretches out for miles. The beach is lined with a thick growth of tree along it’s entire length. In spite of it’s popularity you can find a spot for yourself if you just walk out a bit. Most of the crown tends to throng about where the entrance to the beach is.
What was a huge let down about the beach was the facilities. The changing rooms are a dismal mess. The girls went for a change there and dreaded going back. It’s mess, which you can tell from the outside as well. There is not even a running water inside. So like most of the Europeans do, you find a secluded place and use your towel to get into your clothes. I changed on the beach as well.
It’s disappointing that all the high talk about the beach is only because of the natural beauty of the place. Otherwise even the basic facilities have not been looked into to make the experience a good one for the tourists.
The road leading up to the beach is pretty bad. There are a lot of potholes, deep and big ones. If you take an auto-rickshaw, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. A couple of other beaches are also the same approach wise.  However, there is a pretty comprehensive street market outside with everything from clothes and swimming trunks to a variety of street food available.
So yeah, it’s a good beach. Probably the best beach in Andaman if you are looking to go for a swim. There are many other smaller lesser known beaches in Andaman. For example, if you go to Ross Island, Corbins Cove or Elephant Beach, you might find a good place to get into the water.
But always take the advice of a local guide or someone who knows which beaches are safe to swim in. Even if you cant immediately see them, the sea bed might be treacherous with rocks that are under water line and not in plain sight.
Never get in deep and for a swim till you ascertained the waters safe for swimming.
Safe travels!
Location: Havelock Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands 744211

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