VANAMCOVE 
Long Island
Offbeat forested island of quiet beaches
Why this weekend?
The day-by-day plan
- Ferry from Rangat
- Village lunch
- Merk Bay swim
- Sunset beach walk
Geography & terrain
Long Island is a slender, forested isle of Middle Andaman, reachable by ferry from Rangat or the occasional harbour-line boat — its jetty village at one end, Merk Bay and the darker green beyond, and Lalaji Bay's coral-strewn sand on the far side, reached by footpath and boat.
History & culture
Once a timber and rubber island of the forest age, Long Island slipped back toward jungle when the estates thinned; its name stays literal — 2 km across in the middle, 12 km of forest spine — and today it survives as the north's quiet overnight retreat, with modest guesthouses and no cars beyond the village tracks.
Where to stay
Budget
₹1,500–4,000/nightMid-range
₹4,000–9,000/nightComfort
₹9,000+/nightThings to do
Lalaji Bay
Merk Bay sands
Forest ridge
Jetty mangroves
West-coast sunsets
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
- ₹8,500–18,500 (2 days)
- Per day · Stay
- ₹1,500–9,000/night
- Per day · Food
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Transport
- ₹1,200–1,600
- Per day · Activities
- ₹1,800–2,200
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
- Ferry schedule is sparse — confirm timings with the Rangat jetty a day before
- Lalaji Bay's reef is a morning thing; go with the tide
- Ideal as a quiet overnight between Port Blair and Diglipur legs
Frequently asked questions
Mostly — one village, a couple of guesthouses and no cars; exactly why its two days feel like a retreat.
By a short boat ride or a trek through the island spine; both are manageable and the bay's reef rewards the effort.
Best as the overnight node on a Port Blair–Rangat–Diglipur arc, or as the deliberately slow break before the south's busier islands.
Offbeat forested island of quiet beaches
Take the break. We'll take the planning.
Tell us your dates, budget and travel style — we'll build your Long Island plan with day-by-day routing, stays, food and bookings.