Radhanagar Beach

Radhanagar Beach, also signposted as Beach No. 7, is a long crescent of white sand on the western shore of Havelock Island, officially renamed Swaraj Dweep in 2018, in India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In 2004 Time magazine named Radhanagar Beach the best beach in Asia, and in 2020 it received international Blue Flag certification for clean water, safety and environmental management.

What makes Radhanagar Beach different from most Indian beaches is what is not there. There are no hotels on the sand and no concrete promenade; the beach is backed by tall tropical forest, and the shops, changing rooms and parking are kept behind the tree line. Havelock was settled after 1947 largely by families from the Bengal delta. Today Radhanagar Beach is the main reason most visitors come to Havelock, and the sunset crowd gathers here every clear evening.

What to see

• The main Blue Flag stretch, with lifeguards, marked swimming zones and clean facilities
• Sunset over the Andaman Sea, since Radhanagar Beach faces almost due west
• Neil's Cove at the northern end, a quieter rocky inlet with clear water
• The forest edge behind the sand, where tall hardwood trees shade the beach
• Low tide, when the shallow water runs a long way out and the sand is firm for walking

What to wear

Swimwear is fine on Radhanagar Beach itself, but cover up with a T-shirt, shorts or a sarong when you walk back to the shops and the village road, as Havelock is a small, conservative farming community. The sun is strong all year at around 12 degrees north, so bring a hat, reef-safe sunscreen and a light long-sleeved shirt. Sandals are all you need. Most islanders descend from Bengali and Tamil settlers, so you will see cotton sarees, salwar kameez and the lungi rather than a distinct Andamanese costume.

Local food to try

Andaman food is built on seafood cooked in Bengali and South Indian styles. Look for fish curry with rice, grilled catch of the day, crab masala and prawns in coconut gravy, plus Bengali-style fish fry. The food stalls behind Radhanagar Beach sell coconut water, fresh fruit and simple snacks, while the restaurants for a proper meal are clustered along the main road around Beach No. 3 and Beach No. 5 (Vijaynagar), about 10 km away. Vegetarian thalis are easy to find.

Good to know

• Best from November to April for calm seas; the south-west monsoon from June to September brings rough water
• Open daily in daylight hours; lifeguards patrol the marked zone and swimming is not allowed after dark
• Entry to the beach is free
• Allow half a day, and time it to stay for sunset
• About 12 km from Havelock jetty by auto rickshaw, scooter or bus; ferries from Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) take roughly 1.5 to 2.5 hours
• Swim only in the flagged zone; saltwater crocodile warnings are posted at times on Havelock and should be taken seriously

Nearby places

Havelock is also the centre of scuba diving in the Andamans, with dive schools a short ride from Radhanagar Beach. Back in Sri Vijaya Puram, the Cellular Jail is the main historic site and is easily combined with the ferry day. The nearest mainland city is Chennai, about 1,200 km away by air, home to Marina Beach.