Rangat Island resides at a distance of 210 kilometres by road and 50 nautical miles by ferry from the capital city, Port Blair. Travellers can reach Rangat Island via government/private buses, ferries or even cabs. Rangat connects to Port Blair via Andaman Trunk Road, and the jolting journey to Rangat roughly takes 6-7 hours. The route crosses Jarawa Reserves on the west coasts of South and Middle Andaman. Ferries from Port Blair, Havelock, Neil and Long Island also lead to Rangat.

  • Government Buses: Regular morning bus services are available between Port Blair and Rangat. The primary and the most cost-effective option to reach Rangat from Port Blair is via buses. Bus Terminus in Aberdeen Bazaar, Port Blair is the departure point. These buses are non-air-conditioned despite the fact that it is the lifeline of islanders.
  • Private Buses: The 8-hour long journey becomes a convenient one, owing to the comfort of Air-conditioned buses that frequently run on this route.
  • Ferries: Another option to reach Rangat is via government ferry. The 5-6 hour long journey follows the route: Port Blair – Neil Island – Havelock Island – Rangat. Boats to Rangat are usually available 4-5 days a week, which is subject to availability.
  • Cabs: One can also hire a private cab from the airport to reach Rangat island. The journey ordinarily takes eight hours but can take less or more depending upon your pace.
  • Helicopter: The chopper takes under an hour to reach Rangat.

What’s noteworthy-

  1. Tickets for buses are sold at the government Bus depot.
  2. Ferries are subject to availability and are less reliable as compared to other transfer options.

Getting Around

Getting around Rangat Island is not as complicated owing to the fact that Auto Rickshaws and walking are the primary means of transit.

Buses: Several morning bus services are available between Port Blair and Rangat. You can reach Rangat by opting for buses run by state govt. from Port Blair – The preferred one in which is around 4:30 AM. It takes approximately 8 hours to reach Rangat from Port Blair in a bus. The ticket can be purchased from the government Bus depot. We advise to book it in advance because there is a huge demand for government bus tickets by the locals.

From Bus stand at rangat you’ll have to hire public transport to reach your accommodation place and to do the sightseeing.

Cab : Another way to reach Rangat from Port Blair is by hiring a Private vehicle from Port Blair. It is advisable due to the comfort and assurance offered. You can also opt for a driver who serves as a tour guide for this excursion.

There are two ways to travel via water to reach rangat island-

Government Ferry: This would be a rough route taken by the ferry-Port Blair – Neil Island – Havelock Island – Rangat. It takes approximately 5-6 hours to complete this journey. Please note that the ferry does not sail daily and the ticket bookings open only 1-2 days before the departure. The ticket is issued from STAR ticket counter in Port Blair and the return ticket has to be booked from Rangat island. The cost of the ticket is ?300.

Motorboat: It is advisable to hire a motorboat if you are in a group, The time taken would be less than four hours.

Mother Nature was incredibly generous with Rangat island, a fabled paradise with unrivalled beaches, some with volcanic rocks and other with pristine white sand, ideal for turtle nesting during the season. Despite that Rangat island doesn’t seem to be on the primary traveller circuit in Andamans. Unusual beaches are the main attraction, and what beaches! Exquisite strips of sand lapped by emerald waters and backed by lush hills, palm trees and boulders. Second-largest town in Andamans, Rangat sprawls over an area of 1070 square kilometres. How to Reach Rangat Island from Port Blair? Cradled between the North and Middle Andamans, Rangat island is roughly at a distance of 210 kilometres by road and 50 nautical miles by ferry from the capital city, Port Blair.

There is plenty to do in a beach destination, holidays here do not have to be all about sea and sand unless you want them to be. Places to visit in Rangat Island are rarely on the traveller’s list of must-see places, but those who do end up here can be surprised by the attractions it has to offer. The island has a lot more to offer than often expected. It has spell-binding waterfalls! Dense forests! Mangrove sanctuaries! Spice plantations! Though the spots are more or less equidistant from Rangat, after some planning it is quite simple to explore all of them. The town itself has nothing much to offer from a tourist perspective except for the well-stocked market, food stalls and plenty of chai sellers.

 

 

Acting as a transit point while travelling to North Andamans from Port Blair, Rangat island deserves much more than that. A remarkable eco-tourism destination in Andamans, sightseeing spots in Rangat Island is nirvana for nature enthusiasts. The things that you can indulge in here does not halt at lazing around in the beaches and absorbing the picturesque panoramas. One can also swim, sunbathe, watch the plethora of mangroves and witness the distinct species of turtles nesting in the Dhaninallah and Curtbert Bay beaches. When talking about the highlights of Rangat island, one can not miss the nature walk along with the diverse Mangrove ecosystem, setting an example of “Reduce, Reuse & Recycle”.

People from Kerala and Tamil Nadu make the residency on the island which houses 75 small villages. Even though its population includes people from diverse linguistic groups, the locals primarily speak Bengali or Tamil. Fisheries and cultivation are the commonly practised occupations for locals. Amongst the must-visit tourist attractions in Rangat Island is Aamkunj Beach, excellent for swimming, sunbathing and recreation. Developed with an eco-friendly perspective, installation of eco huts and groves named after native flora, a visit to the beach is true bliss.

Moricedera is another eco-tourism destination in Rangat which has a scenic freshwater stream serving as a natural swimming pool. Then comes Yerrata Mangrove Park and Yerrata Creek dotted with diverse mangroves, that boasts of a 13 m tall mangrove view watchtower to have a 360-degree view of the mangroves and the adjacent forest. Among other attractions, some of the places that always make it to the itinerary are, Cuthbert Bay Beach, Panchavati Hills and Long Island. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Rangat is under-explored and under-estimated. Time to change that!