Barren Island, Havelock Island

The only confirmed active volcano in all of Southern Asia is located on Barren Island in the Andaman Archipelago. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have a great treasure in the form of this erupting beauty within their boundaries. Barren Island, 140 km from Port Blair, is a must-see on your Andaman Islands vacation. It is on a chain of active volcanoes from Sumatra in Indonesia to Myanmar.

Located at the intersection of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates, this island is nearly 2 million years old. The first recorded eruption here occurred in the year 1787 A.D. and was caused by past volcanic activity. The last major eruption of the Barren Volcano, as it is called, occurred approximately 150 years ago. After approximately 26 years of tranquility, the most recent eruptions occurred in 2017 and 2018, making it one of the best places to visit in Andaman. People from all over the world travel to this location to witness the red lava flow from the 2 km wide caldera atop the volcano.

Barren Island is a mysterious location despite the fact that it was discovered eons ago, due to a lack of research and permissions to conduct such research. Due to the aforementioned reason and the fact that the island is uninhabited, little is known about what actually occurs on Barren Island. Few birds, a small population of goats, bats (flying foxes), and several species of rats and other rodents that have adapted to the harsh conditions of the island make up the island’s fauna.

Due to its isolation and near-zero human activity on land and in the water, the location is still in its most pristine state. In Andaman, the areas surrounding the island, particularly the waters, are renowned as excellent locations for scuba diving. You can find crystal clear visibility, Manta Rays, interesting basalt formations, lava flow topography, and rapidly growing coral gardens on one of these dives. Havelock Island-based Scuba Diving organizers will bring you out on their ships to explore what is arguably one of the world’s best diving spots.

How To Reach Barren Island

Because of the remoteness and being in the middle of the sea, the only ways to reach Barren Island is to either go by sea on a boat or by taking a seaplane. The nearest island inhabited island to Barren Island is Havelock, and that is where you can avail the service of a boat to get here. Located at a distance of about 4 to 5 hours from Havelock.

By boat, You could say that getting here is not as simple as it appears. With government ferries no longer running to the island, a few private players are taking small groups to the island on ferries, taking about three rounds of the periphery, and returning. The entire journey takes about 8 to 10 hours, giving you plenty of time to admire the island’s beauty and inhabitants. These have set departure dates and can cost anywhere between INR 15,000 and 20,000.

By seaplane from Port Blair, you will get a 50% concession and an aerial view of the Island. If you are lucky, you might even see the mountain fuming from the top.

The best time to visit barren island is determined by the reason for your visit to this completely lifeless yet mysteriously beautiful island. For a sightseeing trip, there are ferries and boats available all year, with the exception of when the seas are rough. Because the island is separated from the main archipelago, the factor of calm or stormy seas plays a significant role.

The months of November to February are considered the best months to visit Barren Island for Scuba Diving. You can expect clear skies, excellent visibility, and plenty of sea life.