Baratang
Limestone caves, mud volcanoes and mangrove creeks on a long day out.
Overview
Baratang is one of the most distinctive day trips from Port Blair, and one of the more involved to reach. The road north passes through a protected tribal reserve, so vehicles travel in timed convoys under forest department supervision, and a permit is required, which a tour operator usually arranges for you. It is an early start and a genuinely long day out.
The road trip is broken by a vehicle ferry crossing at the Middle Strait, but the payoff is a landscape unlike anywhere else in the islands. Mangrove creeks, India's only mud volcanoes, and boat-accessed limestone caves sit close together, giving the trip a genuine sense of exploration rather than a checklist of sights. Travellers who make the effort often rate it among their most memorable days, and the whole outing rarely feels like just another checklist stop along the way, with something new around nearly every bend in the creek.
What to see and do
Limestone caves
Reached by a mangrove creek boat ride and a short walk, a striking and unusual cave system.
Mud volcanoes
Small bubbling mud cones near Baratang, the only mud volcanoes found anywhere in India today.
Parrot Island
Mangrove islet where large flocks of parrots gather at dusk, seen from a passing boat.
Mangrove creeks
Boat ride through dense, narrow mangrove channels is a genuine highlight of the whole trip.
How to reach
By road from Port Blair in a forest-department convoy, crossing the Middle Strait by vehicle ferry.
Good to know
- This is an early start, convoys leave Port Blair very early in the morning hours.
- Permits and convoy timings are handled best through a local operator on your behalf.
- Carry water and snacks with you, food options along the route stay fairly limited.
Explore
Baratang in Our Packages
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