Barren Island in August
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India
Barren Island in August is July with marginally lower swell and the same complete shutdown. Andaman Sea swell on the route is 3-5 metres, no live-aboard operator runs Barren charters, and the Forest Department's tourism permit window remains closed until October 30. Coast Guard advisories continue to restrict private vessel movement near the cone. The underwater visibility at Volcano Wall and Manta Point is under 8 metres, well below safe diving thresholds. The cone itself remains active with periodic steam plumes but observation is impossible from any legal position. Operators in Havelock and Port Blair quote "not before late November" to all enquiries. Wait three months for clean conditions.
Why August scores 2.0/10
Weather
Monsoon continues. Sea closed to charters. Skip entirely.
Who should go
- ✓Experienced trekkers / adventurers
Who should think twice
- ✗First-time travelers
- ✗Anyone with health conditions
- ✗Families with young children
- ✗All travelers
All 12 Months
| Month | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| January | 10.0/10 | Peak dive-cruise window. 24-29C, calm Andaman Sea. Live-aboard charters running Havelock + PB. |
| February | 10.0/10 | Driest month. 24-30C, sea calm. Dive operators running peak schedules. Best month for the volcano charter. |
| March | 8.0/10 | Late peak. 26-31C. Sea still calm, all operators running. Charter rates dip 20% off February. |
| April | 6.0/10 | Hot 28-32C. Sea still workable but pre-monsoon swell builds. Operators thin schedules late month. |
| May | 2.0/10 | Pre-monsoon. Sea state turns. All dive operators end Barren charters by May 5-10. No reliable access. |
| June | 2.0/10 | Monsoon. All dive cruises shut. Andaman Sea at peak swell. Volcano permit window closed. |
| July | 2.0/10 | Peak monsoon. No charters, no permits, no access. Skip. |
| Augustviewing | 2.0/10 | Monsoon continues. Sea closed to charters. Skip entirely. |
| September | 2.0/10 | Late monsoon. Sea still rough. Permit window closed until October 30. No operators. |
| October | 4.0/10 | Recovery. Permit window reopens October 30. First charters Nov 1-3 only. Last 2 days of October work for booking lead time. |
| November | 8.0/10 | Season opens. 25-30C, sea calm. First charters from Nov 1-3. Visibility 25-30m. Rates 25% below Dec. |
| December | 10.0/10 | Peak. 24-29C, sea glass-flat. Christmas-NY 40% premium. Visibility 30-40m. Book 4 weeks ahead. |
How to reach Barren Island
Airport
Veer Savarkar International, Port Blair (IXZ) + 4-5hr boat charter
Rail
N/A
Access in August
August is more of July - sea state hostile, no operators running, permit window closed. The volcano viewing trip cannot happen. Move to November-March.
Ready to book your stay?
We sit before the booking layer, not beside it — compare prices on the platforms below.
Tours and experiences
Treks, safaris and day tours — compare on the platforms below.
We don't take payment to feature any destination, stay or operator. Book through a link here and we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It never affects our scores or recommendations. Editorial policy
Don't miss the next Barren Island window
One Sunday briefing on where to actually go in India, plus a 3-week heads-up before each destination you save hits its peak month. No spam.
Free. No sponsored picks. Unsubscribe in one click.