Ross Island

Ross Island, Andaman – Everything you should know

 

Nature and marine wildlife lovers visit the Andaman Islands year-round. However, Ross Island’s peaceful and remote British settlement remnants attract visitors. British marine surveyor Daniel Ross named the island.

This island was a British colony in pre-independence India with high administrative activity. Paris of the East’s colonial remnants remain. This island tour offers a nostalgic escape from Andaman’s busy tourist spots.

This island’s flora, fauna, and peacocks, birds, and deer will amaze you. This island’s plant life is diverse. Explore the church, cellular jail, bakery, and other ruins.

The Indian Navy maintains the former British Administrative Headquarters and its many historic ruins. The well-maintained Smritika Museum (Indian Navy) has a new sound and light show. Every night except Wednesday and major holidays.

 

How to reach Ross Island from Port Blair

Ross Island is 2 km from Port Bair and easy to reach. From Port Blair, you can fly or ferry to this lovely island.

Most Port Blair tourists take boats to the island. The boat ride is cheap and quick. From Phoenix Bay or Aberdeen Jetty, several tour operators visit this island. Port Blair-Ross Island boat rides last 10–15 minutes.

Charter flights or helicopters can take wealthy people to the island. Port Blair’s Veer Savarkar International Airport receives flights. Some tour companies fly helicopters to Port Blair’s nearby islands.

Best Time to Visit

This island is tropical like most Andaman tourist destinations. Summers are hot and humid. Summer temperatures average 35–38°C.

The monsoon months cool the heat and provide a soothing breeze. Other than the rough sea, monsoon temperatures stay below 30 degrees Celsius. In the monsoon, the island is lush.

Ross Island is best explored in winter. The sea is calm and the temperature stays high. Island winters average 15–22 degrees Celsius.

 

Other Essential Info about Ross Island

1. Mobile Connectivity –

Ross Island, like most Andaman islands, has poor mobile connectivity, which still bothers tourists. Data speed will be slow, and call drops and network congestion are expected.

If staying in touch with family is important, bring three SIMs to this island. Despite all efforts, the island may have no network coverage.

2. Medical Facilities –

Because of this, there is no place to stay the night on the island, and there are no medical facilities. When you get there from Port Blair, you should bring medicines or first-aid supplies with you.

It is especially important for visitors who need to take certain medicines every day. As a safety measure, you may also want to bring sunscreen and antiseptic cream with you when you go to the island.

3. Timings to visit –

Ross Island can be seen at any time, and the first ferry leaves Port Blair at 8:30 a.m. Most tourists, though, like to go to the island in the afternoon so they can see the evening show, which is one of the island’s main draws.

The best time to visit is in the morning, since there are many places to see on the island. Even though they are in bad shape, the ruins of the British colony will take some time to look at. This will give you time to see the evening show, which starts at 5 p.m., and get back to Port Blair.

4. Places to eat near Ross Island –

Ross Island is not a place where people live, and the Indian navy takes care of it. So, there aren’t many places to eat or drink here, unlike on some of the nearby and more popular islands.

So, you should bring enough food and water with you before going to the island. There are many places in Port Blair where you can get almost any kind of food or snack. But there are a lot of people selling tender coconuts on Ross Island.

5. Activities to do –

The whole island is pretty small, and you can walk around it all in about two hours. But the old ruins are really interesting, and the Indian navy has fixed up some of them. The rest of the buildings are really in bad shape, with trees and other plants growing all over them.

Both the church and the Farzand Ali Store, which is now a museum, are worth seeing. There are the ruins of a small cemetery, a printing press, a tennis court, and a place where water used to be distilled. There are a lot of animals on the island sanctuary, which makes it one of the best places to visit in Andaman during the trip.
Most of the animals on the island, like peacocks, deer, and parrots, are very outgoing and don’t mind being around people.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How do I get from Port Blair to Ross Island?

It is quite easy to reach Ross Island from Port Blair and the distance is barely 2 miles. The island is connected through ferry route with the capital of the Andaman. The ferries leave mostly from Port Blair’s Phoenix Bay Jetty and reach the island in 15 minutes or so. You may opt for a helicopter tour if money is not a hindrance and you want to enjoy an aerial view of the small, pretty island.

 

2. Is Ross Island the highest island?

No, it is not the highest island in the Andamans.

3. How large is Ross Island?

As a matter of fact, it is among the smaller tourist accessible islands in the Andaman. It is comprised of 31 hectares. That is why it is preferred by most tourists prefer daytime trip while others cover It while exploring nearby islands.

 

4. What water activities are available at Ross island?

While most watersports-loving tourists prefer Havelock Island, Ross Island is not exactly without any option. The water sports complex provided boat can be used for a ride. It has a glass boat and so you can watch the aquatic wildlife beneath. It is a popular spot for swimming and scuba diving in Andaman. Some tour operators also make arrangements for walking undersea and you can enjoy watching fish and colorful coral reefs from close proximity.

5. What are the timings of Light and Sound show at Ross Island?

The famous Light and Sound show are held at the Ross Island every evening, except for Wednesdays and major holidays. The 45-minute long show has been made in alliance with renowned Bollywood personalities and it begins at 5.15 pm approx.

6. Which is the best resort near Ross Island?

Ross Island is not used for any type of human inhabitation and the visitors are not allowed to stay overnight. There is no resort or hotel on the island. Most of the visitors stay in nearby Port Blair where several accommodation options are available. Some of the popular resorts in Port Blair are Palm Grove Eco Resort, Fortune Resort Bay Island, Peerless Sarovar Portico and Wild Grass Resort.

7. What places can we visit around Ross Island?

Ross island is in close proximity to Port Blair and it is not very far from popular tourist destinations like Neil island and Viper Island. In fact, most tour operators offer tours in these islands on the same day or in a couple of days.

8. What is the ticket price of the light and sound show at Ross Island?

The amazing light and sound show that is held every evening at Ross Island have an entry fee of INR 100 for adult visitors. For the kids, you need to pay one-fourth of that amount. Advance booking is required to witness the show.

9. What happens in the light and sound show in Ross Island?

Ross Island’s amazing light and sound show has brought more tourists to the remote island in the Andaman archipelago. People like Revathy, Gulzar, Shabana Azmi, and Resul Pookkutty, who are all well-known in Bollywood, helped make the show. It has Dolby Surround sound for the outdoors and shows off the Andaman’s glorious past. One of the best things to do in Andaman is to see this light show.

 

10. Do we have to pre-book boats to visit Ross Island from Havelock?

Ross Island has direct and regular ferry connectivity from Port Blair. So, it will be necessary to pre-book private ferries to visit Ross Island from Havelock. A number of companies offer private speedboats to let the tourists cover these islands and the nearby attractions. Of course, they charge higher than the govt ferries.