About Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Andaman & Nicobars, a group of 572 Islands & islets spread over like a broken pearl chain in Bay of Bengal covering an area of 8249 sq.km. Over a distance of 780kms of ocean from North to South. The Island , although an Union Territory of India, is very close to Rangoon(Burma), Phuket(Thailand) Malaysia & Sumatra. However to reach these islands irrespective Indians or Foreigners have to undertake journey from Chennai/ Calcutta / Vizag. Andaman is graded as one of the ideal destination for availing leave travel concession to cover a long distance journey.
HISTORY
There is a reference in the Hindu epic Ramayana, to the monkey-god Hanuman making a stopover in the Andaman while he was en route to Lanka in search of Sita. Aboriginals have inhabited the Islands for thousands of years ? but their xenophobia and their belligerence resulted in the area remaining unexplored. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle of ?Sherlock Holmes? fame described the islanders in his book, ?The Sign of Four?, as ?perhaps the smallest race upon this earth ? fierce, morose and intractable?. Lying on the ancient trade route between Burma and India, the islands were delineated on Ptolemy?s second century a.d. map. The Chinese traveller, I-Tsing who visited India in the seventh century gave a rivetting account of these isles, as did the Venetian explorer Marco Polo (1254-1324).
The place became the naval base of the great Maratha admiral, Kanhoji Angre in the early 18th century. He frequently crossed swords with the Europeans ? the British, the Dutch and the Portugese. In 1713, he captured the yacht of the British governor of Bombay, releasing it only after obtaining a hefty ransom. Though attacked later by a combined British/Portugese naval task force, Angre remained undefeated until his death in 1729. The first westerners to set foot on these isles were the Danes in the mid-18th century.
CULTURE
Andaman and Nicobar Islands have an unique culture, where all religions, languages, ethnic groups live in total peace and harmony and hence it is rightly called Mini India. Port Blair has a cosmopolitan character where people of all walks of life live together in peace and tranquility. All major festivals are celebrated with equal zeal and fervour and attended by all religious groups.
FOOD
Sea food is the specialty of these islands. The unpolluted water of Andaman Sea abounds with varieties of fish, crabs, lobsters, prawns etc. Seafood is easily available and deliciously cooked. North Indian, South Indian, vegetarian, continental, Chinese dishes are also available.
Heritage
Culture 
