Ten years ago, I was a preteen with puppy fat wading through the pristine waters of Radhanagar Beach, Havelock. This time, the only change was my recent college graduate status and the new 'commercialized' look of the beach Everything else was just the same, fat and all... I was as excited as I was back then. After all, this was one of my favorite places in the world and I was far far away from the Delhi chill.
Taxis are the major mode of transportation for tourists. A taxi charges about Rs. 200 from the jetty to Radhanagar Beach. There is a bus service also which runs from the jetty to Radhanagar beach every 2-3 hours and costs Rs. 50. Scooters and motorcycles are available for hire at Rs. 200-400 per day.
Radhanagar Beach was voted one of the Best Beaches of Asia according to the Time Magazine in 2004. Havelock Island has definitely benefited from that status. Many new resorts, hotels and restaurants have cropped up, there are new roads and painted footpaths- there has certainly been an improvement on the economic front. Or the elections are drawing near.
Dolphin Resort is a good place to stay. It is slightly far from Radhanagar Beach, but offers excellent accommodation for an even better price. The best rooms are for Rs. 2000 per night (25% discount in off season). The bookings are extremely difficult to get, so book way in advance. There are many other more luxurious resorts such as Barefoot, which are accordingly more expensive.
Many new cafes and restaurants have opened up along the main road. Offering a range of food- Andamanese Sea Food, Italian, Lebanese, Continental and Indian cuisine. I had lunch at Rony's Italian Restaurant located near Dolphin Resort. A small, open air cafe decorated in colors of the Italian flag. Wood fired pizzas were fresh and absolutely delicious. The food is as expensive as any fancy place in Delhi- Rs. 300-400 per pizza. It's probably cheaper in the off season, if it's still open. Most people in such places work for 6 months during the peak season and spend the rest of the year farming. The food, however, is worth every penne! (See what I did there?)
Many new cafes and restaurants have opened up along the main road. Offering a range of food- Andamanese Sea Food, Italian, Lebanese, Continental and Indian cuisine. I had lunch at Rony's Italian Restaurant located near Dolphin Resort. A small, open air cafe decorated in colors of the Italian flag. Wood fired pizzas were fresh and absolutely delicious. The food is as expensive as any fancy place in Delhi- Rs. 300-400 per pizza. It's probably cheaper in the off season, if it's still open. Most people in such places work for 6 months during the peak season and spend the rest of the year farming. The food, however, is worth every penne! (See what I did there?)
Taxis are the major mode of transportation for tourists. A taxi charges about Rs. 200 from the jetty to Radhanagar Beach. There is a bus service also which runs from the jetty to Radhanagar beach every 2-3 hours and costs Rs. 50. Scooters and motorcycles are available for hire at Rs. 200-400 per day.
Scuba and snorkeling trips are organised by Barefoot in the reefs near Elephant Beach. There are no roads to Elephant Beach. Access is via boat. For the slightly adventurous, a trail leaves the main road about 2-3km before Radhanagar Beach. The trail winds through the forest and leads to Elephant Beach. It takes about 45 minutes one way.
Radhanagar Beach is gorgeous. Its definitely more crowded than it was in 2003, but it's still nothing compared to other places in India like Goa. The beach has received several additions to make it more 'touristy'. There is a large gateway welcoming visitors. There are many log benches and thatched huts for people to sit. There are even changing rooms for ladies (guys can change where ever they like, according to the guard). There is a string of shops along the entry to the beach selling souvenirs in form of t-shirts, jewelry, shell and coral curios.
The beach itself is as delightful as it was back then- fine white sand, shallow water, lovely waves. Ideal place to swim or just splash around. The water is crystal clear and you can sea tiny fish swimming around your legs. I was really glad to see that there were hardly any plastic bottles and other trash strewn on the beach. Either the public has suddenly become conscientious or there are designated cleaners to pick up the trash. The former is highly unlikely. The latter shows just how much the locals want to preserve their island's pride- a world renowned beach which has undoubtedly brought a lot of income to the island in form of tourism.
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