North Bay Island in September
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India
Skip — small-boat access from Port Blair restricted in monsoon swells; sea-walk and snorkeling operators close. Better window: November–April.
September at North Bay is the cautious re-opening. Rainfall drops to 240-290mm, mostly in the first half. Glass-bottom operators bring boats back from dry-dock between September 25 and 30; sea-walk operators typically start on October 1 once the sea state confirms. Cancellation rate on running days is 25-30 percent - sometimes mid-trip. Underwater visibility recovers through 12-15m, well below winter standard. The 20-minute Phoenix Bay crossing is still exposed and weather-cancellable. PB hotel rates are at year-low. Refund policies are tight. The trip works on the back end of the month for travelers who cannot move dates; for everyone else, October is a substantially better proposition.
Why September scores 4.0/10
Weather
Late monsoon. 270mm rain. Operators reopen last week. Vis 12-15m. Sailings still 30 percent cancellation rate.
Who should go
- ✓First-time travelers
- ✓Senior citizens
- ✓Flexible travellers
- ✓Budget seekers
- ✓Monsoon appreciators
Who should think twice
- ✗Those seeking comfort
- ✗Time-constrained visitors
- ✗Weather-sensitive travellers
All 12 Months
| Month | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| January | 10.0/10 | Peak. 24-29C, vis 25-30m. Glass-bottom and sea-walk daily. Boats fill 8-10am. |
| February | 10.0/10 | Driest month. 25-30C. Vis 30m. Sea-walk visibility maxes. Quieter post-Valentines weekday. |
| March | 8.0/10 | Late peak. 26-32C, vis 25-28m. Boats on schedule. PB hotel rates back 25 percent below January. |
| April | 8.0/10 | Hot 28-33C. Vis 22-25m. Boats on schedule, hotel rates 35 percent off January. Off-peak with full operations. |
| May | 8.0/10 | Last clean window. 28-33C. Vis 18-22m. Boats run first 18 days reliably. Squalls in last week. |
| June | 2.0/10 | Southwest monsoon. 450mm rain, rough seas. Phoenix Bay sailings cancel daily. Skip. |
| July | 2.0/10 | Peak monsoon. 500mm rain. All operators closed. Sailings suspended most weeks. Skip. |
| August | 2.0/10 | Monsoon continues. 420mm rain. All operators still closed. Crossings unsafe. Skip. |
| Septemberviewing | 4.0/10 | Late monsoon. 270mm rain. Operators reopen last week. Vis 12-15m. Sailings still 30 percent cancellation rate. |
| October | 8.0/10 | Season opens. 130mm rain mostly first week. Vis recovers to 20-25m. Operators full menu by mid-month. |
| November | 8.0/10 | Strong shoulder. 60mm rain. 23-30C. Vis 25m. Diwali week packed. Otherwise smooth. |
| December | 10.0/10 | Peak. 23-29C. Vis 28-30m. Christmas-NY 50 percent premium. Sea-walk slots gone by 8:30am. |
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