Port Blair: Visitors to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will soon be able to sail close to Barren Island, site of India’s only active volcano. The service launches on 24 October and is managed by the Directorate of Shipping Services (DSS) under the Andaman and Nicobar Administration. It departs Haddo Wharf at 9 p.m. on Fridays, reaches waters near Barren Island early on Saturday, and begins the return journey at 8 a.m., arriving in Port Blair around 4 p.m. the same day. The cruises will run fortnightly, providing a recurring weekend opportunity for visitors.
Barren Island
Barren Island lies east of the main Andaman group near the junction of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates, approximately 140 kilometres from Port Blair. Covering roughly 8.3 square kilometres, the island remains uninhabited due to ongoing volcanic activity.
Records from the Andaman Administration document eruptions in 1787, 1991, 2005, 2017, and 2022, with minor events on 13 and 20 September 2025. The volcano is classified as a stratovolcano and has produced intermittent lava flows and ash emissions over the centuries.
Fares and Onboard Arrangements
Tickets can be booked through the DSS e-ticketing system under a unified fare schedule. A two-berth Coral Suite costs 8,310 rupees per passenger, a four-berth Reef Suite is 6,340 rupees, and a six-berth Island Breeze ranges from 4,290 to 3,180 rupees per traveller, depending on berth allocation. The Dormitory Lagoon, accommodating 16 to 24 passengers, is priced at 2,000 rupees per person.
Meals are included under a coupon system covering snacks, high tea, bed tea or breakfast, lunch, and evening tea, with additional coupons available for purchase on board.
Educational Excursions
Separate trips are arranged for pupils of government schools. Officials said these voyages provide students with direct observation of geological features and volcanic activity in the Andaman region.
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Chanchal Yadav, commissioner of shipping and managing director of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Limited (ANIIDCO), said the Directorate of Shipping Services took the initiative to boost tourism under directives from the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
She confirmed that the round-voyage cruise service will run fortnightly from Port Blair to Barren Island, beginning on 24 October from Haddo Wharf, with the return trip completing the same day. Yadav added that the service will not involve disembarkation at Barren Island and will operate subject to weather conditions.
The cruise to Barren Island allows travellers to observe the volcanic landscape from the safety of the vessel. The journey can be combined with visits to well-known destinations near Port Blair, including historical sites such as the Cellular Jail.
Tourists may also experience the coastal scenery of Radhanagar Beach and Kala Pathar Beach, along with water-based activities at Elephant Beach. Nature enthusiasts can explore the forested areas around Chidiya Tapu, Limestone Caves, Mount Harriet, and Madhuban.
The route also provides an opportunity to see marine ecosystems within the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, as well as the natural formations of Ross and Smith Islands and Campbell Bay National Park, offering exposure to both volcanic and ecological features across the Andaman archipelago.
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