Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)

Slower, smaller, and the one people wish they had stayed longer on.

Ideal nights

1 to 2 nights

Best time to go

October to May. Check tide timings for Natural Bridge.

Neil is a 45-minute ferry from Havelock and a completely different pace — cycles instead of cars, paddy fields, and three beaches you can cover in a day. Natural Bridge at low tide is the signature sight, Laxmanpur has the sunset, and Bharatpur is where the glass bottom boats go. It works beautifully as a one or two night decompression before flying home.

What it's actually good for

• Natural Bridge (Howrah Bridge) at low tide
• Laxmanpur Beach sunset
• Bharatpur Beach glass bottom boats
• Sitapur Beach at sunrise
• Cycling the island end to end
• Quiet, low-crowd beaches

How to reach

Ferry from Havelock (about 45 minutes) or directly from Port Blair (about 1.5 hours).