This is the third part of my Andamans trip report in which I will cover my sojourn in middle Andaman. The previous installments can be found at:
Emerald Isles Trip Report (Part 1) - South Andaman
Emerald Isles Trip Report (Part 2) - Havelock and Neil Islands
As I mentioned in the earlier part of the trip report, south Andaman is no doubt beautiful but one would need to visit middle and north Andaman to get that 'edge-of-the-world' feel.
Long Island
Long Island was my first destination in middle Andaman. From Havelock and Neil there are ferries thrice a week to Long Island and Rangat. These ferries are quite unreliable and often see cancellations. Thankfully the ferry I was to take, arrived as scheduled. It was an interesting ride as there was a newly married couple and their entourage on board. They had got married at Havelock and were on their way to the groom's place in Long Island after the wedding. The festivities continued during the journey too - there was a little celebration on the top deck, against a backdrop of stunning, turquoise blue waters and several verdant islands of the archipelago.
The ferry stops at Strait Island en route to Long Island. Strait Island serves as a reserve for the Great Andamanese, a negrito tribe that used to inhabit a large part of the Andamans. However they were virtually decimated in the early part of the 20th century due to imported diseases and wars with the colonials. The surviving Great Andamanese were relocated to Strait Island in 1969. This island is out-of-bounds to non Great Andamanese. Even photographing the island is prohibited by law.
The ferry ride to Long Island takes around 3 hours. As of now, the only places to stay in Long Island are a couple of rest houses run by the forest department - one, near the jetty and another at Lalaji Bay.
Hike to Lalaji Bay
While it is possible to hire a boat from the jetty to Lalaji Bay on the other side of the island, I believe it is far more rewarding to hike to the place. It's an easy trail that initially follows a concrete path to the next village. From there it is an easy, well-defined trail through a lovely jungle. This solo hike is etched in my memory thanks to the innumerable gigantic gurjans and padauks I met along the way, and also for my first sighting of Greater Racket-tailed Drongo - a beautiful bird with the most interesting tail I have ever seen (I saw many many more later in other places).
The level trail follows the coast for about 3 to 4 km but you can only hear the ocean but not see it thanks to the dense forest blocking the view. The trail finally descends about 50m before approaching Lalaji. This 7 km hike from the forest rest house near the jetty to Lalaji Bay should take around 2.5 hours.
The best places are those which are not easily accessible! If Lalaji Bay is included in your itinerary, you will see the best and there is no real reason for making a trip to the more famous beaches of south Andaman. The day I visited Lalaji, I was the only soul around. The forest rest house was not open for business and there were no other visitors. Some people may find it eerie but it was an out of the world experience for me!
Ferry Ride to Yerratta
There are a couple of 'commuter-ferries' everyday from Long Island to Yerratta near Rangat. These are smaller ferries on which one gets to jostle with locals who live on Long Island but whose work places are in far-off Rangat. This dirt-cheap 2-hour ride of Rs. 20 was the most interesting one in the islands for me. As the boat approaches Yerratta, it leaves the open seas and enters a channel which has lovely dense mangroves on either side.
Dhaninullah Mangrove Boardwalk
Dhaninullah is a beach located approximately 35 km from Rangat. This nondescript beach is a popular turtle breeding site. Four varieties of turtles are known to nest here. A 1 km long well-maintained boardwalk leads to the Dhaninullah beach.
Mangroves are forests abutting the coast that get drained out at low-tide and get flooded at high-tide. Almost 30% of the very dense mangrove forests of India are found in Andaman and Nicobar islands. If you are interested in gaining insight into the highly complex mangrove ecosystems, Dhaninullah in a must-see spot.
Magical Webi
The stay at Webi village was definitely one of the highlights of my trip in the Andamans. Webi and about seven idyllic villages near Mayabunder are home to the Karen community. Karens are originally from Myanmar and the English lured them to migrate to the Andamans sometime in the 1920s, to work as foresters. They settled in these villages and slowly adapted to their new surroundings. They have a spiritual connection to nature and have good knowledge of the surrounding forests. The 2000-odd Karens are desperately trying to preserve their unique culture even as external influences are gradually creeping in.
Saw John, who worked at A&N Environmental Trust in Wandoor for many years decided to return to his village to set up a homestay. He has converted his ancestral home of almost 100 years into a quaint, comfortable place with quarters for the family and rooms to host guests. The delicious food at the homestay was definitely the best I found in the islands!
Forest Hike
Webi is a great place for bird watching and for forest hikes. I decided to go on a day-long forest hike with one of the villagers, Chimang. Chimang had set up a traditional fishing basket at a place that was about a 3-hour walk from Webi, and was planning to go to collect the catch. I was curious to see this and decided to tag along. His English-speaking brother, Issac accompanied us and served as my guide. Off we went, with Chimang's two hunting dogs in tow.
Chimang knows the nearby forests like the back of his hand. He ekes out a living by gathering forest produce and fishing deep inside the forest. He is also a master craftsman and is keeping alive the Karen tradition of weaving with bamboo and cane (see below the picture of a traditional fishing basket made by him).
It proved to be an exciting day! There was no clear trail at all. We were mostly making our way through through thick vegetation, getting scratched by thorns and brambles quite often. My guides familiarized me with various wild edible fruits and nuts such as the sweet-sour, refreshing Mariyam fruits (see above) and Pandanus. When they found a red dhup tree with sap oozing from its branches, I joined them in collecting the solidified sap which they use as incense. We finally reached the spot amidst the thick jungle where the fishing basket we set up. The basket was half-full of fishes, including a couple of a variety of eels. Chimang was a happy man!
The forest hike proved to be a great opportunity to experience a slice of Karen way of living, and to admire the beauty of a dense forest. However it is not for the faint-hearted. There is no clearly defined trail and making your way through the undergrowth in a thick evergreen forest is not everybody's cup of tea.
Hike to Karmatang Beach
Karmatang is another Karen village in the vicinity. The beach there too is a nesting place for turtles. The 10 km long, easy trail from Webi to Karmatang is fantastic for bird-watching. The first 6 km are along an unpaved path connecting Webi to the next village (called 'Karmatang 9'!) and the last 4 km are along a metal road.
Baratang Island
Baratang is an island located between south and middle Andaman. It is a touristy place, usually packed with day-trippers coming from Port Blair. People usually get to Baratang by road. The Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) that connects Port Blair to Baratang cuts through the Jarawa reserve. Vehicles are only allowed to move inside the Jarawa territory in a convoy, and only at specified timings, 4 times a day.
Limestone Caves
The limestone caves nearby are the most popular sight around Baratang. These caves can be approached by a 30 min speed-boat ride that takes you through a channel and then through a narrow creek through dense mangroves.
The limestone caves are not as spectacular as those you may have seen in other places in India and abroad. However the boat ride (especially the stretch amidst the mangroves) and the 45-minute hike to get to the caves are quite enjoyable.
Mud Volcano
The other place that most people visit is the mud volcano at Katan village near Baratang. Mud volcanoes are formed when gases generated by decaying underground organic matter exert an upward force on the mud comprising of marine sediments, sandstone, red and green coloured shale etc. The mud is sometimes expelled through fissures in the rocks. The temperatures of these volcanoes are only about 30 degrees Centigrade. They are no doubt interesting but they are not so visually impressive. You can safely skip the visit to the mud volcanoes if you are short on time.
This brings me to the end of this post on my trip in middle Andaman. Very few make it to north Andaman but the few who do are amply rewarded. Stay tuned for the next part of the trip report in which I will cover north Andaman.
