Andaman Birding

 

The Andamans bring to mind beautiful landscapes with clear waters, sandy shores and beautiful sunsets, or even exploring the mysterious world under the sea – an ideal summer getaway to destress from your everyday life.

 

It’s no surprise then that this is a place I have long wanted to visit. Egged on by movies depicting beautiful beaches, and water sports, I knew this would be the perfect place to kick back and relax before getting back to work.

 

While many here would go for the usual beach visits, scuba diving, snorkeling, etc, I wanted to do something a little different than the usual Andaman tour package for family. As a birder, I knew that bird watching in the Andamans would be amazing, with so many endemic species, so my itinerary was more or less decided.

 

I spent the entire week based more or less in Port Blair itself. Even birding tours in Port Blair can be highly enjoyable, with the amazing Mount Harriet National Park, Sippighat Swamp, Wandoor, and, of course, Chidiya Tapu. The birds here were so amazing that many times I didn’t even bother lifting up my camera, and just spent time watching them. From Andaman Teal and Andaman Green Pigeons, to the shy Andaman Crake, and of course, the variety of owls here! My week was simply stunning.

 

I won’t lie to you. My week here wasn’t all offbeat birding. I did a fair amount of touristy things. Scuba diving has long been something I wanted to try and thanks to this trip I got to do that too. And who can resist those pristine beaches! After a day full of birding, it was nice to kick back and watch a beautiful seaside sunset.

 

I didn’t even realize how quickly the week passed, and before you know it, it was time to go back home. Needless to say, my mind and heart would be back in the islands as I spent my days in office.