The Andaman Islands are a beautiful Isle located in the Bay of Bengal, known for their stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and diverse wildlife. But there's much more to these islands than meets the eye.
In this blog, we'll share 10 unknown facts about the Andaman Islands that might surprise you.
- Last Indigenous Tribes
The Andaman Islands is for sure a tourist place and is known for its luxury but the islands are home to one of the last remaining indigenous tribes in the world,
The Sentinelese. They are known to be extremely isolated. You can be curious to meet them but you won't be able to do so as they have very limited contact with the outside world.
They are thought to be directly descended from the first human populations to emerge from Africa, and have probably lived in the Andaman Islands for up to 60,000 years.
Was that something you would imagine in Andaman? If yes, then read through the blog for mind blowing facts.
- Nearest routes
You probably think that the Indian mainland is nearest to the island. But The Andaman Islands are actually closer to Myanmar and Thailand than they are to mainland India. The islands are situated around 1,200 km east of the Indian coast. Whereas it is 1036 km far from Myanmar and Thailand.
So you're most likely to find foreigners near you and your people distant. Comparatively the distance is not huge but it's ironic and makes people wonder.
- Concentration camp
The Andaman Islands were used as a penal colony or concentration camps by the British during colonial times, and infamous political prisoners like Veer Savarkar were imprisoned here.
Britishers had a convict settlement of their concentration camps in the Remote Andaman Island at Ross Island. Primarily it was established to jail a large number of prisoners also known as the Indian Mutiny, from the Indian Rebellion of 1857 or the first attempt to get Independence.
- The Coconut Crab
The largest land living arthropod, coconut crab, lives in Andaman. These are super huge crabs and they don't love water, instead they are more like land animals and they love climbing coconut trees.
- Largest sea turtle
The Andaman Islands are home to the largest sea turtle in the world. The leatherback turtle also known as the Dermochelys Coriacea, nests in the Andaman islands. They are huge in size. These gentle giants can weigh up to 700 kg and grow up to 2 meters in length.
Thousands of them flock to the Andamans every year. And with them, even the Olive Ridley turtles come to the Andamans and use it as their nesting ground.
These turtles can be seen living here between December and January in Diglipur and many other places especially in north and middle Andaman.
- Pearl farming
The Andaman Islands have a rich history of pearl diving, and pearls from the region were once highly sought after. Today, pearl farming is still a major industry in the islands.And you can buy the best pearls of the world here, to keep a memory of love.
- Damaged life
The Andaman Islands were severely affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which caused widespread damage and loss of life in the region. But even after that, most parts of the Isle flourished and prospered.
- Unique bird species
The Andaman Islands are home to several unique bird species, including the Andaman woodpecker and the Andaman crake.Here when you go on trekking or sight seeing, you’ll definitely see what you never have seen. Birds, totally unique and beautiful.
It’ll feel like you’re in a 4k video of different species of birds.
- The Back Of The Old 20 Rupee Note Has A View Of The Andaman Islands.
The image that we see behind the 20 rupee note is a view of the lighthouse at north bay island from mount Harriet. Both of which are close to Port Blair and can be visited on a day trip. So what you have seen your whole life in a note’s back in Red color, you’ll be able to witness that with nature colors in real life and embrace it.
- The Land Of Butterflies
In the months of May and June Many thousands of butterfly’s Kaleidoscope migrate to the Andaman Island every year. Andaman is a proud host to butterflies that flock to the islands. And in honor of this phenomenon postal stamps have been issued in Andaman.
Isn’t that exciting?
So in conclusion the Andaman Islands are a fascinating and beautiful destination with a rich history, diverse wildlife, unique culture as well as hidden facts. We hope that these 10 unknown facts have given you a glimpse into the many wonders of this incredible archipelago. Check out our blog about the Unconventional treasure spots in Andaman.
