Offbeat Place · Islands India

North Bay: Port Blair's Coral Playground Beneath the Lighthouse

By Beauty of Bharat · Published 24 October 2026 · Offbeat Andaman & Nicobar Islands · One of 4 offbeat places in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands guide

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North Bay lies a short boat ride from Port Blair, close enough to see from the capital's waterfront yet unmistakably an island escape. Its white lighthouse, set among palms above the beach, is one of the most recognisable sights in the Andamans. Below it, the reef begins in shallow, sunlit water, which is why boats from the capital have brought visitors here for years to peer at coral gardens and reef fish. Fringing vegetation, a small beach and boats bobbing at the jetty complete a scene that has been the capital's favourite quick escape for generations of island families.

North Bay is popular, yet it still works as an offbeat pause if you treat it gently rather than as a ride queue. Come for the water itself: drift over coral on a snorkel, watch fish pass beneath a glass-bottom boat, and look back at Port Blair shimmering across the bay. Between activities the island is simply a pretty shore of palms and bright sea. Because it is a half-day trip rather than an overnight commitment, it suits travellers short on time who still want one true reef experience before the ferries carry them to larger islands.

Why North Bay Stays Off the Beaten Path

A small island just off Port Blair famous for its lighthouse, clear shallow water and coral reef, where snorkelling, glass-bottom boats and sea walks introduce first-timers to the Andamans' marine life without travelling far. It helps that North Bay asks a little more of the traveller — a slower road, a plainer stay, a plan made around seasons rather than weekends — and repays the effort with room to breathe.

Presented honestly as lesser-known, never as an “undiscovered secret”: North Bay is known and loved locally, and facilities are plainer than in Port Blair/Sri Vijaya Puram. Go for the place itself — the slower mornings, the unhurried conversations, the sense of Andaman & Nicobar Islands without a crowd in front of it — and it will not disappoint.

Things to Do in North Bay

The highlights below are the reasons to make the detour. None of them need a packed schedule — North Bay rewards travellers who pick two or three and linger over them.

Snorkel Over the Coral Reef

Float above coral formations and reef fish in clear, shallow water, with local operators providing gear and guidance suited to confident swimmers and beginners alike.

Ride a Glass-Bottom Boat

Stay dry while the reef passes beneath the viewing panel, an easy, family-friendly way to see coral, anemones and shoals without entering the water.

Photograph the Lighthouse Shore

Frame the tall lighthouse rising behind palms and boats, the classic North Bay view, best captured in the clear light of the morning.

Try a Guided Sea Walk

Where offered in season, walk the seabed with a helmet-style air supply under supervision, surrounded by fish, for a first taste of the underwater world.

Relax on the Beach Between Swims

Claim a shady spot under the palms, buy a coconut, and simply watch the boats cross to Port Blair between your turns in the water.

Best Time to Visit North Bay

Come between October and May for the clearest water, calmest boat crossings and best visibility over the reef. During the monsoon, services can be reduced, the sea turns choppy and underwater visibility drops, so a dry-season morning gives North Bay its brightest colours.

Across Andaman & Nicobar Islands the wider season runs like this: October–May for many marine and beach activities; monsoon affects sea travel. Time North Bay inside that window and you get the place at its best — and, this being the offbeat list, usually without the peak-season pressure of the headline stops.

How to Reach North Bay

Boats for North Bay leave from the Port Blair waterfront and jetty areas, making it one of the easiest island trips in the Andamans. Fly into Port Blair first, stay in the capital, and visit North Bay as a relaxed half-day excursion by local boat.

Treat Port Blair / Sri Vijaya Puram and the gateway above as your logistics base: stock up there, confirm local transport onward, and keep a buffer in the plan — remoter corners reward travellers who are not racing the clock.

Get Directions — Google Maps

More Offbeat Places in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

North Bay is one of 4 offbeat corners in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands state guide — pair it with a sibling below for a slower, deeper trip.

Long Island

Known for: quieter island experience. It helps that Long Island asks a little more of the traveller — a slower road, a plainer stay, a plan made around seasons rather than weekends — and repays the effort with room to breathe.

Little Andaman

Known for: beaches and forests. It helps that Little Andaman asks a little more of the traveller — a slower road, a plainer stay, a plan made around seasons rather than weekends — and repays the effort with room to breathe.

Chidiya Tapu

Known for: sunset and birding. It helps that Chidiya Tapu asks a little more of the traveller — a slower road, a plainer stay, a plan made around seasons rather than weekends — and repays the effort with room to breathe.

While You Are in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Start from the full Andaman & Nicobar Islands travel guide for the complete picture. Headline destinations to pair with this trip: Port Blair/Sri Vijaya Puram · Swaraj Dweep (Havelock) · Shaheed Dweep (Neil). And eat the state properly while you are there — Seafood curries · Coconut-based dishes lead the table in the Food Atlas.

Frequently Asked Questions