{"id":317,"date":"2026-08-28T12:08:33","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T12:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/?p=317"},"modified":"2026-09-02T13:32:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T13:32:26","slug":"andaman-on-a-budget-how-to-save-without-sacrificing-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/2026\/08\/28\/andaman-on-a-budget-how-to-save-without-sacrificing-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Andaman on a Budget: How to Save Without Sacrificing Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

How to Travel the Andamans on a Budget: \u20b930,000 for 10 Days<\/h1>\n

\"Beautiful<\/p>\n

The Andamans have a reputation for being expensive, but I managed a 10-day trip for under \u20b930,000 (excluding flights) \u2013 and I didn\u2019t feel deprived. Here\u2019s how.<\/p>\n

Accommodation<\/h2>\n

\"Tropical<\/p>\n

Skip the luxury resorts on Havelock (\u20b98,000+\/night) and opt for homestays or budget guesthouses. I stayed at a simple cottage near Radhanagar for \u20b91,200 per night \u2013 clean, with a fan and attached bathroom. On Neil, I found a beachfront hut for just \u20b9800. Book through local contacts or smaller booking sites \u2013 not every place is on Agoda.<\/p>\n

Food<\/h2>\n

\"Fresh<\/p>\n

Eat where the locals eat. Thali meals at small eateries cost \u20b9150\u2013\u20b9200 and are filling. Seafood is cheaper than chicken \u2013 fresh catch grilled with lemon and spices is a steal. Avoid the upscale beachfront restaurants; they charge triple for the same view. Also, carry snacks and bottled water from Port Blair\u2019s supermarkets \u2013 island prices are marked up.<\/p>\n

Ferries<\/h2>\n

\"Ferry<\/p>\n

Choose government ferries whenever schedules align \u2013 they\u2019re 80% cheaper than private cats. The only downside is limited timings; plan your days around them. I took the government boat to Neil and saved \u20b91,500, which I later spent on an extra dive.<\/p>\n

Activities<\/h2>\n

\"Scuba<\/p>\n

Dive packages are negotiable, especially if you book multiple dives. I bargained a 3-dive bundle for \u20b910,000 (instead of \u20b912,000). Snorkelling is free if you have your own mask \u2013 rent one for \u20b9100\/day. Trekking to beaches like Elephant Beach costs nothing but a bit of sweat \u2013 skip the expensive boat rides.<\/p>\n

Entry Fees and Permits<\/h2>\n

\"Remote<\/p>\n

Indians require no permit; foreigners need an RAP (Restricted Area Permit), which is free and available on arrival. Some islands like Baratang require separate forest permits \u2013 minimal fees.<\/p>\n

Money-Saving Mantra<\/h2>\n

\"Island<\/p>\n

Share taxis, cook occasional meals (if your homestay allows), and travel with a reusable water bottle to avoid buying overpriced plastic ones. The real expense is the flight; once you\u2019re there, you can stretch your rupees.<\/p>\n

I met backpackers who spent even less by camping on beaches (with permission) and hitchhiking. The Andamans reward resourceful travellers. Just remember \u2013 some experiences (like a boat trip to the limestone caves) are worth every penny, so pick your splurges wisely.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Brought to you by The Kite Journeys<\/strong> \u2013 explore more at
\nthekitejourneys.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How to Travel the Andamans on a Budget: \u20b930,000 for 10 Days The Andamans have a reputation for being expensive, but I managed a 10-day trip […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":319,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-andaman-nicobar-islands"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=317"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":318,"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317\/revisions\/318"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thekitejourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}