What does Barren Island actually look like from the boat and what does the Day 2 crossing involve on the water?

The approach to Barren Island from the southwest reveals the island progressively — a dark volcanic cone on the horizon that resolves into a black lava coastline as the boat draws closer, the caldera rim visible above the treeline and the crater structure clear from the water when visibility is good. The lava flows that have reached the sea over previous eruption cycles have created a distinctive black rock coastline unlike anything on the other Andaman islands. The boat circles the island allowing views from multiple angles — the volcanic landscape, the crater and any visible emission from the summit. The crossing itself is approximately 6 to 8 hours from Port Blair to the island and the same on the return — a full day at sea on open Andaman Sea water. Dolphins are commonly sighted on the northeast run to the island. This barren island andaman package charters a vessel for the full Day 2 crossing with all boat charges included in the package cost.

How active is Barren Island volcano currently and is it safe to approach by boat?

The Geological Survey of India has documented multiple eruption cycles at Barren Island over the past three decades — activity in 1991, 1994-95, 2005, 2008, 2010 and subsequent years. The volcano moves between active and passive phases and the specific activity level on any given visit depends on where it is in its current cycle. During passive phases the dramatic volcanic landscape and caldera structure are clearly visible from the water. During active phases gas emission and in some cases lava activity are visible from the boat approach. The boat does not land on the island and maintains a safe distance from the shoreline — the crossing is a circumnavigation and observation, not a landing excursion. The Bon team monitors conditions and available information about current activity before the Day 2 departure. If conditions or government advisories make the approach inadvisable on the travel date, the Bon team will advise and the day programme is adjusted accordingly. The safety of the crossing depends on sea conditions and the boat operator’s assessment on the day.

What is the open ocean crossing from Port Blair to Barren Island like for the traveller?

The crossing covers approximately 135 kilometres of open Andaman Sea water in approximately 6 to 8 hours depending on sea conditions and the chartered vessel. The Bay of Bengal on the northeast run to Barren Island is open ocean — no island shelter, full ocean swell and the boat moving at sea for the better part of the day. Travellers prone to motion sickness should take appropriate medication before boarding on Day 2 — this is the longest and most exposed water crossing in the barren island andaman package and the sea state varies significantly by season and weather. The October to May window generally offers calmer conditions than the monsoon months. Food and water for the full day should be carried on the boat as there are no facilities at the island. The chartered vessel has basic onboard provisions — the Bon team confirms what is provided and what the group should carry at the time of booking.

How does this barren island andaman package differ from a standard Andaman trip and who is it designed for?

A standard Andaman trip delivers beaches, reef snorkelling and colonial history across Port Blair, Havelock and Neil Island — that is a complete and excellent trip for the traveller who wants the island resort experience. This barren island andaman package delivers none of those things as its primary experience. The hero of this package is a full day at sea approaching the only active volcano in South Asia from a chartered boat — no beach, no resort, no water sport at a jetty counter. The Cinque Island reef and Ross Island history fill the surrounding days but the package is built for the traveller who finds the idea of circumnavigating an active volcanic island on open ocean more compelling than Radhanagar Beach. That is a specific kind of traveller — curious, physically comfortable at sea, interested in natural phenomena and willing to spend a full day in transit for a genuinely singular experience. Travellers who primarily want beach and reef time should choose the city-origin packages in the Bon Voyagers series instead.

What is the best time of year to visit Barren Island and does eruption activity affect when to book?

The practical weather window for the Barren Island crossing is October to May — the same open season that governs most Andaman sea activities. During the June to September monsoon the Andaman Sea conditions make the open ocean crossing to Barren Island inadvisable and this barren island andaman package is not offered during the monsoon period. Within the October to May window, November to February offers the calmest sea conditions and the most reliable crossing weather. The volcano’s eruption activity cycle does not follow the seasonal calendar — the island may be in an active or passive phase at any time of year within the open season. An active phase adds visible drama to the approach. A passive phase still delivers the dramatic black volcanic landscape, the caldera structure and the lava coastline. Both are worth the crossing. The Bon team provides available information about current activity reports before booking is confirmed so the traveller has the most up to date picture of what to expect on the Day 2 approach.

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Volcanic 5 Days Barren Island Andaman Package | Molten

Andaman & Nicobar Island

Overview

Overview for Barren Island Andaman Package

Barren Island sits approximately 135 kilometres northeast of Port Blair in the Andaman Sea and it is the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia. The island is uninhabited. No one lands on it. The boat approaches from the southwest and the volcanic landscape comes into view gradually — the black lava coastline where historic flows have reached the water, the caldera rim above the treeline and the crater visible from the water when conditions are clear. The Geological Survey of India has documented multiple eruption cycles over the past three decades and the island has been in various states of activity across that period. What the traveller sees on any given visit depends on where the volcano is in its cycle — passive phases show the dramatic black landscape and the caldera structure, active phases add visible emission from the crater. This barren island andaman package builds the Day 2 crossing entirely around that encounter and gives the surrounding days the south Andaman Islands reef and history circuit that frames it.

Bon Voyagers manages the complete ground programme from Port Blair Airport arrival. Day 1 covers the Cellular Jail and Port Blair. Day 2 is the Barren Island chartered boat cruise — a full day at sea, departing Port Blair early morning and returning by late evening. Day 3 covers Chiriya Tapu and the Cinque Island reef excursion inside the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park. Day 4 is the Port Blair heritage and reef day — Ross Island, North Bay and the Samudrika Naval Marine Museum. Day 5 is the departure. Private AC Ertiga or Xylo class vehicle covers all Port Blair road transfers. Chartered boat for Barren Island, all boat tickets, permits and entry charges are included. Daily breakfast and dinner on MAP basis throughout all five days.

Duration

5 Days, 4 Nights

Starting From

₹16,000/ person

₹21,000Save ₹5,000

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Detailed Itinerary for Barren Island Andaman Package

Day 1 • Arrival at Port Blair and Cellular Jail: barren island andaman package

The barren island andaman package begins at Port Blair Airport where the Bon Voyagers representative meets the group on arrival. Port Blair is the staging point for the most unusual day trip available from the Indian mainland — the next morning’s crossing to the only active volcano in South Asia. The first afternoon is the Cellular Jail, built between 1896 and 1906 across seven radiating wings where political prisoners from across India were held in solitary confinement during the British period. The evening light and sound show runs approximately 45 minutes in the jail courtyard after dark. An early night follows — the Barren Island boat departs Port Blair early morning on Day 2 and the crossing takes the better part of the day in both directions. The Bon team confirms the Day 2 departure time and charter details before Day 1 ends. Overnight in Port Blair.

Day 2 • Barren Island Chartered Boat Cruise: barren island andaman package

The chartered boat departs Port Blair early morning for Barren Island — approximately 135 kilometres northeast across open Andaman Sea water, a crossing of around 6 to 8 hours depending on sea conditions and the vessel operating on the day. The open ocean run is the first part of what makes this day different from anything else in the Andaman Islands — the Port Blair coast disappears behind, the water deepens in colour as the harbour shallows give way to open sea and the crossing gives dolphins a regular appearance alongside the boat on the northeast run, sighted commonly on this route though not guaranteed. Barren Island appears on the horizon as a dark volcanic cone — the approach reveals the black lava coastline where historic flows have reached the water and the caldera rim above. The boat circles the island allowing full views of the volcanic landscape from the water. No landing is permitted on the island. The crater and any visible activity are observed from the boat. The return crossing brings the group back to Port Blair by late evening on this barren island andaman package. Overnight in Port Blair.

Day 3 • Chiriya Tapu and Cinque Island: barren island andaman package

The drive to Chiriya Tapu covers approximately 30 kilometres south of Port Blair to the southernmost accessible point of the main South Andaman island. The morning at Chiriya Tapu is for the mangrove belt and the forest edge — the birding in the canopy before the day heats, several Andaman-specific species active in the forest at this hour. The boat to Cinque Island departs from the Chiriya Tapu jetty in the late morning — approximately 30 to 45 minutes to North Cinque Island inside the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, entry permit checked at the boat. Snorkelling over the reef around Cinque with equipment hired locally covers coral formations and reef fish in water that runs clearer than sites close to Port Blair harbour. For a group that spent the previous day on an active volcano approach across open ocean, the Cinque Island reef in the early afternoon of Day 3 is a shift in register that the Andaman Islands are uniquely positioned to deliver. The Chiriya Tapu sunset closes the day. Overnight in Port Blair.

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Day 4 • Ross Island, North Bay and Samudrika Museum: barren island andaman package

Day 4 of this barren island andaman package covers the Port Blair history and reef circuit — three distinct experiences from the city base. The Samudrika Naval Marine Museum in the morning covers the natural and cultural history of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands — marine specimens, coral samples, island ecology displays and the tribal communities of the archipelago across several gallery sections. North Bay Island, reached by boat from Aberdeen Jetty, offers a glass bottom boat ride over the reef closest to Port Blair and snorkelling for those who want a third reef encounter after Barren Island’s volcanic water and Cinque Island’s marine park reef. Ross Island — now Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island — follows in the afternoon, the former British administrative headquarters of the Andamans now largely forest with colonial ruins standing open to the sky and deer moving through the cleared paths. Three Port Blair experiences that together close the circuit this barren island andaman package has built across four days. Overnight in Port Blair.

Day 5 • Port Blair Departure: barren island andaman package

The final morning of the barren island andaman package is in Port Blair. Groups with afternoon or evening departure flights have time for a final walk through the Aberdeen Bazaar — the working market near the harbour with shell craft, local spices and the commercial energy of a port town. The Sagarika government emporium near the clock tower carries Andaman craft at fixed prices for a last purchase without negotiation. The Bon Voyagers vehicle drops at Port Blair Airport for the return flight. The five days have covered the colonial jail, the only active volcano in South Asia approached by boat across open ocean, a marine park reef inside a protected national park, the southernmost forest point of South Andaman and a full Port Blair heritage day. That is not a standard Andaman itinerary. It was never meant to be.

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Volcanic 5 Days Barren Island Andaman Package | Molten

Overview for Barren Island Andaman Package

Plan Your Trip with Experts

Volcanic 5 Days Barren Island Andaman Package | Molten

Plan Your Trip with Experts

Overview for Barren Island Andaman Package

Journey Route Map for Barren Island Andaman Package

Port Blair

Barren Island

Cinque Island

Chiriya Tapu

Ross Island

Port Blair

Detailed Itinerary for Barren Island Andaman Package

Day 1 • Arrival at Port Blair and Cellular Jail: barren island andaman package

Day 2 • Barren Island Chartered Boat Cruise: barren island andaman package

Day 3 • Chiriya Tapu and Cinque Island: barren island andaman package

Day 4 • Ross Island, North Bay and Samudrika Museum: barren island andaman package

Day 5 • Port Blair Departure: barren island andaman package

What’s Included & Excluded for Barren Island Andaman Package

Inclusions

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Best Time to Visit Barren Island Andaman Package

Frequently Asked Questions About Volcanic 5 Days Barren Island Andaman Package | Molten

What does Barren Island actually look like from the boat and what does the Day 2 crossing involve on the water?

How active is Barren Island volcano currently and is it safe to approach by boat?

What is the open ocean crossing from Port Blair to Barren Island like for the traveller?

How does this barren island andaman package differ from a standard Andaman trip and who is it designed for?

What is the best time of year to visit Barren Island and does eruption activity affect when to book?

Still have questions?

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