Chidiya Tapu Mangrove Walk.
Overshadowed by sunset point. Most tourists skip the forest trails.WHY NOBODY KNOWS
Boardwalk through dense mangrove with 50+ bird species. Andaman woodpecker common. Best at dawn.
Skip to contentII · THE VERDICT III · THE WINDOW · 12 MONTHS, SCORED IV · THE FIELD BRIEF V · THE RISKS · WHAT TO KNOW VI · THE ATLAS · WHERE TO POINT Nº 011KM · 5MIN WALK FROM PARKING VII · THE COST · THE CROWDS · THE GROUND Plan your Chidiya Tapu budgetTrip cost by days, travellers, month & style — a season-adjusted estimate.VIII · THE STAY · THE EAT Not sponsoredX · THE ITINERARY · DAY BY DAY XI · THE CODA
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ISSUE Nº 48 · JUNE 2026
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Chidiya Tapu.
Bird Island — Andaman's best sunset point with mangrove walks, forest treks, and 50+ bird species
VERIFIED APR 2026 · ISSUE Nº 48
4 MIN READ·Or skip to the verdict ↓
“Bird Island — Andaman's best sunset point with mangrove walks, forest treks, and 50+ bird species”
WHY SPECIAL
Named "Bird Island" for its 50+ resident species including Andaman woodpecker and white-bellied sea eagle. Mundapahad trek through rainforest. Best sunset point in Andaman. 25km from Port Blair — easy half-day trip. Biological park nearby.
GO
WAIT
SKIP
Kids
8.0/10
Solo F
8.0/10
Crowd
QUIET
Cost
₹
Effort
EASY
Know before you go
- Price
- ₹0/night
- Best window
- Oct – May
- Access
- Port Blair: 25km drive (45min). Auto-rickshaw ₹300-400 one way. Taxi ₹600-800 return with waiting.
- Emergency
- Call 102/108 from Port Blair · GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair (25km, 45min)
Every month rated on the 0–10 editorial scale. Click any cell to read the month-specific verdict — what to do, what to skip, what crowds you'll meet.
↑ Tap any month for the full read · colours match verdict bands
Read our scoring methodology →
Live weather
ELEVATION
Named "Bird Island" for its 50+ resident species including Andaman woodpecker and white-bellied sea eagle. Mundapahad trek through rainforest. Best sunset point in Andaman. 25km from Port Blair — easy half-day trip. Biological park nearby.
Every destination carries trade-offs. The cards below score the practical ones: confidence in the data, kids-suitability, solo-female read, and the emergency floor.
10.0
Safety Rating
20km south of Port Blair; forest + sunset point + Munda Pahad trek. Police patrol during dusk hours; mobile signal weak. Carry water — no shops past the gate.
🚗How to Reach
Port Blair: 25km drive (45min). Auto-rickshaw ₹300-400 one way. Taxi ₹600-800 return with waiting.
Road: Good paved road from Port Blair
Public transport: Local bus from Port Blair (₹30, infrequent). Best by auto/taxi.
Self-drive: Easy scooter ride from Port Blair
🏠Where to Sleep
0
₹0/night
N/A — day trip from Port Blair
Emergency: Return to Port Blair (45min)
⛽Fuel
Nearest: Port Blair (25km)
Next: N/A
EV charging: Not available
🌙Weather at Night
Summer
25°C
Winter
22°C
Same as Port Blair. Forest trails shaded but humid. Carry water — no shops beyond parking.
🚨Emergency Contacts
Hospital: GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair (25km, 45min)
Police: Nearest at Port Blair
Rescue: Port Blair emergency services
Ambulance: Call 102/108 from Port Blair
Helpline: Carry first aid for trekking. Medical: return to Port Blair.
📶Network Coverage
JioAirtelBSNLVi
WiFi: None on site
Near Port Blair — Jio, Airtel, BSNL all work on main road. Patchy inside forest trails.
KIDS · FAMILY READ
8.0
FAMILY-APPROPRIATE
Minimum age: 5+ yrs
Best for: 6-14
Stroller: Not possible
HIGHLIGHTS FOR KIDS
Birdwatching — spot Andaman woodpecker
Sunset viewing
Mundapahad nature trail
Biological Park visit
REASONS
Easy nature walks suitable for all ages
50+ bird species to spot
Best sunset point in Andaman
Biological park nearby with endemic species
Close to Port Blair (25km)
CONCERNS
No food stalls — carry water and snacks
Mosquitoes in forest areas — carry repellent
No toilet facilities on trails
Solo-female safety
8.0/10— Safe with standard precautions
Port Blair's sunset-beach + birding — day-trip via A&N Tourism. No overnight solo option; return to Port Blair.
Month by month
Jan
4
Feb
4
Mar
4
Apr
4
May
4
Jun
4
Jul
4
Aug
4
Sep
4
Oct
4
Nov
4
Dec
4
4–5 safe 3 vigilant 2 with operator 1 skip month-specific note closed
EMERGENCY · SOURCE-VERIFIED
Places to Visit in Chidiya Tapu
🏔️
Mundapahad Trek
Easy-to-moderate forest walk (1.5-2km one way) through lush rainforest to a cliff-top viewpoint. Journey takes 30 minutes. Panoramic views of the Andaman Sea where coastline meets the ocean.
🕐 2 hours🎫 Free👶 Kid-friendly
🏔️
Chidiya Tapu Sunset Point
One of Port Blair's best sunset spots. Sky transforms to orange, pink, and gold as sun dips into the Andaman Sea. Reached via Mundapahad Trek or directly from the beach. Popular with photographers.
🕐 1.5 hours🎫 Free👶 Kid-friendly
🏔️
Bird Island Birdwatching
Home to over 240 species of native and migratory birds. Spot drongos, parakeets, sea eagles, and herons amidst lush forests and mangroves. Early morning and late afternoon are best times for sightings.
🕐 2 hours🎫 Free👶 Kid-friendly
HIDDEN GEMS · 3 NEAR CHIDIYA TAPU
1.5-2km forest trail through evergreen tropical forest to a cliff-top viewpoint over the Andaman Sea. Best sunset spot south of Port Blair. ~30 min one-way. Carry water + leech socks in monsoon (Jun-Sep). Watch for Andaman Drongo, Collared Kingfisher, Alexandrine Parakeet.
- Nº 03
Sippighat Wetland (tsunami-born birdwatching site)
8KM · 15 MIN DRIVE FROM CHIDIYA TAPU (EN-ROUTE FROM PB)A surprising post-disaster ecosystem: 60+ bird species including purple swamphen, lesser whistling duck, bronze-winged jacana, Andaman teal. Best light 6-8am. Free entry; park on the highway shoulder. Walking time 30-45 min along the embankment.
OR INSTEAD · NEIGHBOURING READS
How Chidiya Tapu stacks against the closest alternatives.
WHAT CROWDS LOOK LIKE
JAN
PEAK
FEB
PEAK
MAR
PEAK
APR
PEAK
MAY
PEAK
JUN
QUIET
JUL
QUIET
AUG
QUIET
SEP
QUIET
OCT
PEAK
NOV
PEAK
DEC
PEAK
Busiest Oct–May during dry season; monsoon and cyclone months Jun–Sep see fewest visitors.
INFRASTRUCTURE · ON THE GROUND
How This Place Actually Works
Day-to-day logistics — what locals know that maps don't show.Taxis & local transport
Port Blair-Chidiya Tapu 25km ₹800.
Check-in / check-out norms
Stay Port Blair.
Cash vs UPI
UPI + cash.
ATMs (real-world reliability)
Port Blair.
Shop & restaurant hours
Biological Park 9am-5pm.
Language realities
Bengali + Hindi + English.
Internet backup plan
Jio OK.
HOW TO REACH
AIRPORT
Veer Savarkar International, Port Blair (IXZ) — 45min drive
RAIL
N/A
WHERE TO EAT · 5 VERIFIED PICKS
CASUAL
EST. 1993
Annapurna Cafeteria (Port Blair, pre-Chidiya-Tapu breakfast)
Signature: Pre-trip breakfast thali
Chidiya Tapu has no breakfast spot — most visitors start in PB and drive south. Annapurna is the default pre-bird-watching morning thali stop for veg families heading to Chidiya Tapu (best birding 6-8am, so 4:30am breakfast pickup).
Tip: Open from 7am (south-Indian breakfast). Pack a roti+sabzi takeaway for the 7am drive — birding sites have zero food vendors.
ABERDEEN BAZAAR (71, MA ROAD) — 25 KM NORTH OF CHIDIYA TAPU· ₹· KIDS OK
CASUAL
EST. 2010
Forest Department Canteen (Chidiya Tapu)
Signature: Hot pakora + masala chai with sunset
Run by the A&N Forest Dept as the only food vendor inside Chidiya Tapu — the obvious sunset-stop dhaba for the 5pm bird-watching crowd. No other eatery within 5km of the beach.
Tip: Get pakora + chai at 4:45pm right as the sunset crowd arrives. Cash only. Closes 30 min after sunset.
CHIDIYA TAPU BEACH ENTRANCE, FOREST DEPARTMENT COMPLEX· ₹· KIDS OK
MID RANGE
EST. 1995
New Lighthouse Restaurant (Port Blair, post-sunset return)
Signature: Post-sunset seafood return-dinner
After 5:30pm Chidiya Tapu sunset, the 45-min drive back to PB lands you at New Lighthouse for 7pm seafood dinner — standard end-of-Chidiya-Tapu-day routine.
Tip: Drive back via NH-4 (45 min). Skip the resort dinner at Sea Princess if you want PB seafood instead of multi-cuisine. Open till 10:30pm.
RAJIV GANDHI ROAD, NEAR CELLULAR JAIL — 25 KM FROM CHIDIYA TAPU· ₹₹· KIDS OK
MID RANGE
EST. 2008
Sea Princess Beach Resort Restaurant (Blue Sky Multi-cuisine, Wandoor)
Signature: Andaman fish curry + Wandoor sunset view
Sea-facing restaurant at the 40-room Sea Princess in Wandoor — the closest hotel-restaurant to Chidiya Tapu (12km), near Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. Non-residents welcome.
Tip: Combine Chidiya Tapu sunset (5:30pm) with dinner here (7pm) — 25 min drive. Saaz Bar starts 6pm.
WANDOOR (SEA PRINCESS BEACH RESORT) — 12 KM FROM CHIDIYA TAPU· ₹₹· KIDS OK
MID RANGE
EST. 2015
Symphony Samudra Beachside Jungle Resort Restaurant
Signature: Beachside Andaman dinner
Symphony Samudra is the eco-resort on the Wandoor-Chidiya Tapu road — the only mid-range resort restaurant within 5km of Chidiya Tapu beach. Club Mahindra affiliate property. Beachfront sundowner.
Tip: Walk-in welcome for non-residents — call ahead to confirm dinner availability (smaller property, kitchen needs notice). Pair with 5:30pm sunset at Chidiya Tapu and 7pm dinner here.
WANDOOR-CHIDIYA TAPU ROAD, NEAR MUNDA PAHAR — 5 KM FROM CHIDIYA TAPU· ₹₹₹· KIDS OK
WHERE TO SLEEP · EDITOR'S PICKS
experience · ₹12,000–₹18,000 PER NIGHT
Havelock Island Resort
Beach Resort
We recommend this for its beachfront position on Radhanagar Beach and consistent quality across rooms, dining, and water sports—the closest thing to a signature property in the Andamans.
“Beachside jungle eco-resort on the Wandoor-Chidiya Tapu road, 5km from Chidiya Tapu sunset point. Club Mahindra affiliate. Ocean-spa + beach access + birdwatching trails.”
location · ₹3,000–₹6,000 PER NIGHT
Radhanagar Beach homestays / guest houses (various operators)
Homestay / Guesthouse
We recommend staying directly on or a 2-minute walk from Radhanagar Beach itself—the main draw of Chidiya Tapu / Havelock—rather than inland resorts.
“Top-of-Marine-Hill panoramic property in PB — 25km drive to Chidiya Tapu sunset point via NH-4 (45 min). The closest 4-star urban base for Chidiya Tapu day-tripper birders.”
xfactor · ₹8,000–₹14,000 PER NIGHT
Barefoot at Havelock
Eco-resort / Beach Shack
We recommend this for its no-frills, sand-floored cottages and commitment to minimal footprint—the kind of place that feels genuinely different from standard resort culture.
“A&N Forest Department guest house inside the Chidiya Tapu Forest complex — the only on-site stay at Chidiya Tapu, run by Chief Wildlife Warden office. Bookings via forest.and.nic.in or Van Sadan Haddo office in PB.”
value · ₹5,000–₹8,000 PER NIGHT
SeaShell Beach Resort, Havelock
Mid-tier Beach Resort
We recommend this for solid AC rooms, a small restaurant, and proximity to Radhanagar Beach without the resort markup—honest value for Andaman standards.
“Beachfront 40-room resort at Wandoor — 12km from Chidiya Tapu, on the entry road to Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. Two restaurants (Blue Sky multi-cuisine + Saaz Bar).”
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On the Ground
How to spend your time here, block by block.Chidiya Tapu
Morning
Chidiya Tapu ('Bird Island') — 25km from Port Blair.
Midday
Lunch packed.
Afternoon
Munda Pahad + 200+ bird species.
Evening
Sunset Point (iconic).
If weather turns
Monsoon moderate.
For travelers like you
Tap any traveler type below to see how this place feels for them.
GO — birds + biological park.
Best For
Who we'd send here — and why.Best for
Bird island
Chidiya Tapu ('Bird Island') — 200+ bird species; Andaman endemic serpent eagle + dove
Best for
Sunset Point
Iconic Andaman sunset spot — social media famous
Best for
Port Blair day trip
25km from Port Blair — classic day extension
Best for
Biological Park
Andaman endemic flora + fauna — saltwater crocodile + water monitor
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Andaman Diving & Snorkeling
Best underwater experiences from beginner snorkeling at North Bay to PADI-certified deep dives at Havelock — clear waters Oct-May.
— The NakshIQ editors
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