VANAMCOVE 
Cellular Jail
Colonial prison of the freedom struggle
Why this weekend?
The day-by-day plan
- Morning at the jail and museum
- Cell-wing walk
- Butterfly or water-sports add-on
- Evening light show
Geography & terrain
The Cellular Jail stands along Port Blair's eastern waterfront on South Andaman island — a red-brick, seven-winged panopticon prison of the British Raj, its spokes radiating from a central watchtower at the harbour edge of the old penal settlement.
History & culture
Completed in 1906 after the 1858-founded penal colony, the jail was built on the 'cellular' model — 698 solitary cells around the central tower where freedom-fighters (from the 1857 rebels to the revolutionaries of the 20th century) were exiled, 'Kala Pani'-bound; the Japanese occupation (1942–45) used the building before it became a national memorial in 1979 — today the wings, the gallows tower and the museum galleries tell the martyrs' story, with the sound-and-light show retelling it each evening.
Where to stay
Budget
₹1,500–3,500/nightMid-range
₹3,500–7,000/nightComfort
₹7,000+/nightThings to do
Seven wings
Cells & tower
Museum relics
Gallows wing
Light show
Eat & drink
- Grilled reef fish
- Coconut and seafood curries
- Tropical fresh fruit platters
Getting there
- Fly
- Veer Savarkar Airport (IXZ), Port Blair
- Train
- No rail — island chain served by ferries
- Road from Port Blair
- road + ferry hub for all islands
- Getting around
- Autos and scooters on the islands; ferries between them
Budget snapshot
- Total
- ₹6,000–14,000 (2 days)
- Per day · Stay
- ₹1,500–7,000/night
- Per day · Food
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Transport
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Activities
- ₹1,000–1,400
Month by month
Practical info
- Language: Hindi / Bengali / Tamil (multi-language islands) (English understood in tourist spots)
- Best window: Oct–Mar
- Connectivity: Patchy off the main islands — download offline maps
- UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops
Practical tips
- The site is open daytime; the light show runs after dark — plan both
- Shoes come off at the museum's hall entries
- October–March makes the harbour side pleasant for the evening show
Frequently asked questions
Two to three hours covers the wings and museum; a further 45 minutes for the light show.
The radial cellular plan let the warden watch every wing and corridor from the central tower, cutting prisoners off from one another.
Yes — the narrated sound-and-light is the emotional finish the museum alone doesn't give.
Colonial prison of the freedom struggle
Take the break. We'll take the planning.
Tell us your dates, budget and travel style — we'll build your Cellular Jail plan with day-by-day routing, stays, food and bookings.