Our editors have planned Andaman and Maldives itineraries for travellers for over a decade, cross-checking fares, ferry and seaplane transfers, visa rules and season windows against official tourism boards and operators. Every figure below is an editorial estimate for the 2026 season; prices are indicative and subject to change based on airline and resort availability.
It comes down to one trade-off. Andaman is the budget-friendly, adventure-and-culture pick that needs no passport for Indians; the Maldives is the higher-spend luxury-and-honeymoon pick with overwater villas. For most Indian travellers, a 5-7 day Andaman trip costs roughly a third to a half of a comparable Maldives holiday, with direct flights to Port Blair and no visa or permit to arrange. The Maldives wins on private-island seclusion, world-class diving and resort polish, but you fly via Male and pay resort-island prices. The rest of this guide compares the two on cost, access, visas, beaches, and season, then gives a clear verdict.
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Andaman vs Maldives at a Glance
If you only read one thing, read this. The table below summarises the decision on the factors that actually affect your trip — money, access, season, and style. Details and sources follow underneath.
| Factor | Andaman & Nicobar | Maldives |
| Location | Indian union territory in the Bay of Bengal (domestic trip) | Sovereign nation in the Indian Ocean (international trip) |
| Entry for Indians | No passport, visa or permit needed | Valid passport + free 30-day visa-on-arrival |
| Getting there | Direct flights to Port Blair from Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Delhi (Mumbai seasonal) | Fly to Male, then speedboat, seaplane or domestic flight to your resort island |
| Stay style | Beach hotels, resorts and homestays on inhabited islands | Private-island and overwater-villa resorts (one resort per island) |
| Return airfare from India | Indicative ~Rs 12,000-17,000 | Indicative ~Rs 25,000-35,000 |
| Accommodation/night | Indicative ~Rs 3,000-8,000 (mid-range) | Indicative ~Rs 15,000-35,000+ (resort) |
| Indicative 5-day trip, 2 pax | ~Rs 40,000-70,000 | ~Rs 1.2-2.5 lakh+ |
| Best season | October-May (avoid the Jun-Sep monsoon) | November-April (dry season) |
| Signature experience | Reef snorkelling, scuba, island-hopping, and colonial history | Overwater villas, luxury seclusion, house-reef diving |
| Star beach | Radhanagar, Havelock (TIME Asia’s Best Beach 2004; TripAdvisor #5 in Asia 2025) | Powder-white sand and a house reef off almost every resort |
| Best for | Budget, adventure, families, first-timers, culture | Honeymoon, luxury, privacy, serious divers |
| Ideal trip length | 5-7 days | 4-6 days |
All Rs figures are indicative 2026 per-person estimates unless stated otherwise and are subject to airline and resort availability.
The Verdict: Choose Andaman if... / Choose Maldives if...
Choose Andaman for a richer, more affordable, do-more island holiday, and the Maldives for a slower, pricier, do-less luxury escape.
Choose Andaman if you want…
- A budget-friendly trip — a comparable holiday costs roughly a third to a half of the cost in the Maldives.
- No paperwork — Indian nationals travel on ID alone; no passport or visa.
- Variety and activity — scuba and snorkelling at Havelock and Neil, sea-walking, kayaking, the Cellular Jail and limestone caves.
- A family or first-time-islands trip with plenty to see beyond the beach.
Choose the Maldives if you want…
- An overwater-villa honeymoon and total privacy — one resort on an island.
- Resort-grade luxury, spas and fine dining, and you are comfortable with the spend.
- World-class diving and snorkelling straight off your villa’s house reef.
- A short, switch-off escape where doing very little is the point.
Cost And Budget: Which is Cheaper, Andaman or Maldives?
Andaman is the cheaper destination by a wide margin. For Indian travellers, a comparable trip to the Maldives costs roughly two to three times more than an Andaman trip, driven by international resort rates and seaplane or speedboat transfers. The biggest gap is accommodation. Andaman’s mid-range hotels run a fraction of what a Maldivian resort villa costs.
Where the money goes (indicative 2026 estimates): return flights from mainland India start at Rs 12,000-17,000 for the Andaman Islands, compared with Rs 25,000-35,000 for the Maldives; a mid-range room is about Rs 3,000-8,000 a night in the Andaman Islands, compared with Rs 15,000-35,000+ for a Maldivian resort. A five-day trip for two lands near Rs 40,000-70,000 in Andaman and Rs 1.2-2.5 lakh or more in the Maldives. If budget is the deciding factor, Andaman wins outright; if it is not, the Maldives buys you seclusion and polish that Andaman cannot match.
Beaches, Stays And Activities: Reef Adventure vs Overwater Villa
Both deliver clear water and white sand, but the experience differs. Andaman pairs standout beaches — Radhanagar on Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) was named TIME’s “Best Beach in Asia” in 2004 and ranked #5 in Asia in TripAdvisor’s 2025 Travellers’ Choice — with a full slate of activity: scuba and snorkelling at Havelock and Neil (Shaheed Dweep), sea-walking, kayaking through mangroves, and history at the Cellular Jail and Ross Island. You stay in beach hotels and resorts on inhabited islands and hop between them by ferry.
The Maldives is built around the resort. Each property occupies its own island, so a stay is private and self-contained — overwater villas, a house reef a few steps from your deck, spas and fine dining. Diving and snorkelling are world-class, but there is little to “explore” beyond your island unless you book excursions. For a deeper look at the islands and atolls on the Maldivian side, see our guide to the places to visit in Maldives.
Getting There, Visa And Best Season Compared
Access is where Andaman’s home-turf advantage shows. Andaman is a domestic trip. Indian nationals need no passport, visa, or permit, and direct flights operate to Port Blair (Veer Savarkar International) from Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Delhi, with seasonal service from Mumbai. (Foreign nationals follow separate restricted-area rules.)
The Maldives is international but easy. Indian passport holders get a free 30-day visa-on-arrival, provided their passport has at least 6 months’ validity, they carry a return ticket, and they complete the IMUGA online pre-arrival form. You fly into Male, then transfer to your resort island by speedboat, seaplane or domestic flight, depending on distance.
Season is simpler. Andaman is best from October to May; skip the June-September southwest monsoon. The Maldives is best from November to April, its dry season. December to March suits both, which makes it the natural window if you are still weighing the two.
Are Andaman And The Maldives The Same Place?
No, they are two separate destinations. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a union territory of India in the Bay of Bengal, east of the mainland. The Maldives is an independent island nation in the Indian Ocean (the Laccadive Sea), southwest of India and Sri Lanka. They are not part of the same country and lie on opposite sides of the Indian subcontinent.
The confusion is understandable. Both are tropical island chains with coral reefs and turquoise water, but visiting them is very different. Andaman is a domestic trip for Indians; the Maldives requires a passport and an international flight. You cannot reach one directly from the other, though you can combine them into a single longer itinerary.
Honeymoon, Family or Budget: Which Wins For You?
Honeymoon: the Maldives, for overwater villas, privacy and a switch-off romance — though Andaman makes a strong, far cheaper honeymoon if you prefer beaches plus things to do. Family: Andaman, for variety, the whole group enjoys — beaches, light adventure, history and easy domestic logistics, at a price that suits a family budget. Budget: Andaman, comfortably — lower fares, lower room rates and no visa cost. Luxury and diving: the Maldives, for resort, polish and house-reef diving. Ready to plan the romantic version? Compare Maldives honeymoon packages or build a beach-and-adventure honeymoon with Andaman tour packages.
Can You Visit Both? How to Plan Your Trip
Yes, you can pair Andaman and the Maldives in one longer holiday, since both sit on either side of India. It works best as two legs routed through a mainland hub like Chennai or Bengaluru. Here is how to plan either a single-island or a combined trip:
Decide your priority. Budget, adventure, and culture point to the Andaman Islands; luxury, privacy, and diving point to the Maldives. The verdict above settles most decisions in a line.
Pick your season. Andaman runs October-May, the Maldives November-April. December-March overlaps, so choose it for a combined trip.
Sort entry needs. For Andaman, Indians need only a government ID. For the Maldives, carry a passport valid 6+ months, a return ticket, and complete the IMUGA pre-arrival form.
Book flights. Fly direct to Port Blair for the Andaman Islands; fly to Male for the Maldives, then arrange your resort transfer.
Choose your stay. A beach resort on Havelock or Neil for Andaman; an overwater or beach villa for the Maldives.
To combine both, do the Maldives leg, return via an Indian metro, then add 4-5 days in Andaman — or vice versa. Browse Andaman tour packages and Maldives tour packages and ask the team to merge them into one customised itinerary.
Lock it in. Confirm transfers, season and inclusions before you pay, and customise the days to suit your group.
Conclusion
Still weighing your options? Also compare Lakshadweep vs Maldives to see how India’s other island chain stacks up.
Andaman and the Maldives both deliver clear water and white sand, but they answer different briefs. Andaman is the affordable, adventure-rich, visa-free choice; the Maldives is the premium, private, switch-off escape. Match the destination to your budget and the kind of holiday you want, and either will deliver.
When you are ready to plan, browse our Andaman tour packages or Maldives tour packages, or read the wider Andaman travel guide to start shaping your trip.
Frequently Asked Questions: Andaman vs Maldives
Neither is universally better — it depends on your trip. Andaman is better for budget, adventure, families and culture, and needs no visa for Indians. The Maldives is better for honeymoons, luxury, privacy and serious diving, at roughly two to three times the cost. Choose Andaman to do more for less; choose the Maldives to switch off in a private overwater villa.
Yes, by a wide margin. For Indian travellers a comparable trip to the Maldives costs about two to three times more than Andaman, mainly because of international resort rates and seaplane or speedboat transfers. Indicative figures: an Andaman five-day trip for two runs near Rs 40,000-70,000 against Rs 1.2-2.5 lakh+ for the Maldives.
For Andaman, no — it is a part of India, so Indian nationals need no passport, visa or permit, just a government ID. For the Maldives, Indians get a free 30-day visa-on-arrival with a passport valid for at least six months, a return ticket, and a completed IMUGA online pre-arrival form. Foreign nationals visiting Andaman follow separate restricted-area rules.
No. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an Indian union territory in the Bay of Bengal, while the Maldives is an independent nation in the Indian Ocean, southwest of India and Sri Lanka. They are different countries on opposite sides of the subcontinent, and you cannot travel directly from one to the other.
Andaman is easier and cheaper. Direct flights reach Port Blair from Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Delhi, with no visa needed for Indians. The Maldives means an international flight to Male followed by a speedboat, seaplane or domestic transfer to your resort island, which adds time and cost.
The Maldives is the classic honeymoon pick for overwater villas, privacy and resort romance. Andaman is a strong, far cheaper alternative if you want beautiful beaches plus things to do together — scuba, island-hopping and sunsets at Radhanagar. Pick the Maldives for seclusion and indulgence; pick Andaman for romance with adventure on a smaller budget.
Andaman, in most cases. It offers the kind of variety a whole family enjoys: beaches, gentle water sports, the Cellular Jail and easy domestic travel, all at a price that suits a family budget. The Maldives is wonderful but resort-bound and expensive, which suits couples more than families with children who want plenty to do.
Visit Andaman between October and May and avoid the June-September monsoon. The Maldives is best from November to April during its dry season. December to March works well for both, so choose that window if you are deciding between the two or planning to visit both.
Both are excellent. The Maldives is world-renowned for house-reef diving and abundant marine life right off resort islands. Andaman offers superb, more affordable scuba and snorkelling at Havelock and Neil, plus sea-walking for non-swimmers. For serious divers the Maldives has the edge; for value and variety, Andaman delivers.
Yes. Because both lie either side of India, the practical route is two legs through a mainland hub such as Chennai or Bengaluru — for example the Maldives first, back to India, then 4-5 days in Andaman. December to March suits both seasons. A travel team can merge Andaman and Maldives packages into one customised itinerary.
