9 National Parks in Andaman & Nicobar: The Complete List

Established in 1983 off Wandoor in South Andaman, Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park spans roughly 281.5 sq km of sea, islands and fringing coral, making it one of India’s premier marine parks. It is the most visited park on this list, because two of its islets, Jolly Buoy and Red Skin, are open for snorkelling and glass-bottom boat trips that drift over live coral, reef fish, sea turtles and the occasional dugong. The two islets alternate by roughly six-month seasons so the reef can recover, and both are strict no-plastic zones. Boats leave from Wandoor jetty, about 30 km from Port Blair, on permitted day trips, and you buy a Forest Department permit at the jetty before you sail.

Renamed from Mount Harriet National Park on 17 October 2021, in tribute to the freedom fighters once imprisoned on the islands, Mount Manipur National Park covers about 46.6 sq km in South Andaman. Established in 1987, it climbs one of the higher points in the South Andaman district through tropical evergreen forest that shelters Andaman wild pig, saltwater crocodile in the creeks below, and a long list of endemic birds. It is one of the best birding spots in the islands. A forest trail links it toward Madhuban, and the viewpoint over the harbour is a classic. Reach it by road and ferry from Port Blair, and carry a Forest Department entry ticket.

Saddle Peak National Park, established in 1987, protects roughly 32.5 sq km of tropical rainforest around Saddle Peak near Diglipur in North Andaman. At 732 m, Saddle Peak is the highest point in the entire Andaman & Nicobar territory, and the climb to the top is the headline experience: a guided forest trek through dense canopy, streams and orchids. Wildlife includes the Andaman wild pig, saltwater crocodile in the coastal creeks, and endemic birds and reptiles. The trek starts near Lamiya Bay and needs a Forest Department permit and, ideally, a local guide.

Established in 1996, Rani Jhansi Marine National Park covers about 256.1 sq km of islands and reefs in Ritchie’s Archipelago, east of South Andaman. This is the water around Havelock (Swaraj Dweep), Neil (Shaheed Dweep) and Henry Lawrence Island, and it holds one of the richest coral systems in the country, with dugong, sea turtles and reef fish. The core marine zones are restricted to protect the reef. Permitted snorkelling and diving happen at fringe sites around Ritchie’s Archipelago, booked through licensed dive operators on Havelock and Neil. There is no single ticket gate; access is via operator trips that already carry the necessary clearances.

North Button Island National Park, established in 1987, is the northernmost of the three tiny Button Island parks in Ritchie’s Archipelago, covering roughly 0.44 sq km of forested island ringed by coral. Uninhabited and tightly protected, it is prized by divers for clear water, healthy reef and the chance of spotting dugong grazing on seagrass. You don’t land on the park itself. It is experienced from the water on permitted dive and boat trips run from Havelock and Neil, where operators hold the access clearances.

Middle Button Island National Park, established in 1987, is the central park of the Button trio: about 0.64 sq km of uninhabited forested island and surrounding reef in Ritchie’s Archipelago. Like its neighbours it exists mainly to protect coral and marine life rather than to be walked on, so it is a dive-and-snorkel destination reached by boat from Havelock or Neil. Expect coral gardens, reef fish and quiet water. Landing is not generally permitted, and trips run only in the calm November to mid-May season.

South Button Island National Park, established in 1987, is the smallest national park in India, just 0.03 sq km. Despite the size it is a star dive and snorkel site: a single small forested island circled by a shallow coral lagoon known for clear visibility, a resident population of dugong and turtles, and easy reef life close to the surface. It is reached on permitted day trips from Havelock and Neil, where you snorkel or dive from the boat rather than landing. Calm seas from November to mid-May make it accessible.

Campbell Bay National Park, established in 1992, covers about 426.2 sq km of northern Great Nicobar. It is the largest park on this list and one of the last great lowland rainforests in India. It shelters the saltwater crocodile, the Nicobar megapode, the long-tailed (crab-eating) macaque, the Nicobar pigeon and giant robber crabs, all within the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve. There is an important catch: the Nicobar group is a tribal reserve. Visiting tribal reserved areas is prohibited and general tourism is not permitted, so Campbell Bay is effectively closed to ordinary travellers and open only for research with special government clearance. Read about it for completeness, not as a place to plan a holiday around.

Galathea National Park, established in 1992, lies in southern Great Nicobar and is the southernmost national park in India: about 110 sq km of rainforest and the rivers running down to Galathea Bay, one of the world’s most important leatherback turtle nesting beaches (nesting runs roughly November to April). It also protects the Nicobar megapode and saltwater crocodile. One point of confusion is worth clearing up. In January 2021 the Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and the park’s eco-sensitive zone were de-notified for the Great Nicobar development project, but the National Park itself remains notified, which is why the territory’s count is still 9, not 8. Like Campbell Bay, it sits in the Nicobar tribal-reserve zone and is not open to tourism.