Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep): Natural Bridge, Beaches and How to Plan a Day
Neil Island guide: the Natural Bridge at low tide, Bharatpur, Sitapur and Laxmanpur beaches, how to get there from Havelock and how to plan one or two days.
Neil Island is where the Andamans slow down. It is small, flat and quiet. You can cycle round it in a morning. Nobody hurries here, and that is the point.
Its official name is Shaheed Dweep, given in 2018. Most travellers and every ferry timetable still say Neil. This guide gives you the facts first, then the beaches in the order they work best, then the ferry and how long to stay.
Details were checked in October 2026. Ferry times and tide tables change, so confirm with your hotel before you plan around them.
Neil Island at a glance
What to know | |
|---|---|
Where | South Andaman group, east of Havelock Island |
Also called | Shaheed Dweep (renamed in 2018) |
Size | About 13.7 square kilometres, easy to cover by bicycle or scooter |
Ferry from Havelock | About 45 to 60 minutes |
Time to allow | One full day at minimum. Two nights is better |
Best season | November to April, when seas are calm |
Best hour | Sunrise at Sitapur, low tide at the Natural Bridge, sunset at Laxmanpur |
Getting around | Rented scooter, bicycle or an auto-rickshaw with a driver |
Getting here from Havelock
Neil is almost always combined with Havelock. Private ferries run between the two islands, and the crossing takes roughly 45 to 60 minutes. Makruzz and Nautika are the best known. Government ferries also run, but they are slower and harder to book.
Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
Typical departures from Havelock | Late morning and early afternoon. Times vary by operator and season |
Advance booking | Book 7 to 10 days ahead in peak season, from October to May |
Fares | From about ₹1,500 per person, depending on operator and class |
Monsoon | May to September can bring cancelled sailings |
Choose a morning ferry so you arrive with a full day. Read our comparison of Havelock and Neil if you are deciding how to split your nights.
The beaches, in order
The island has a handful of beaches, each with a different job. Visit them in this order and the day falls into place.
Beach | Best for | When |
|---|---|---|
Sitapur | Sunrise, empty sand | Before 6:00 am |
Bharatpur | Swimming and snorkelling | Morning |
Natural Bridge | Rock arch and tide pools | At low tide |
Laxmanpur | Sunset | Late afternoon |
Sitapur Beach, for sunrise
Sitapur is on the eastern edge, so the sun comes up directly over the water. It is a long, quiet beach with almost no shops. Take a flask of tea and be there before first light.
Sitapur Beach on the island's eastern edge.
Bharatpur Beach, for swimming
Bharatpur is a short walk from the jetty. The water stays shallow a long way out and is usually calm, which makes it the easiest swim on the island. Glass-bottom boats and snorkelling trips leave from here. It gets busy at midday, so go early.
Bharatpur's shallows, seen from the jetty.
The Natural Bridge
The Natural Bridge is a rock arch carved by waves and coral, about 2.5 kilometres from the jetty. Locals also call it the Howrah Bridge. It is best seen at low tide, when you can walk across the exposed rock and look into tide pools. Visit in the middle of the day, roughly between noon and 4:00 pm, once you have checked the tide for your date.
Wear shoes with grip. The rock is uneven and can be slippery. Entry is free. At high tide the rock platform is mostly underwater, so a trip planned around the wrong hour will disappoint. The formation is eroding, and reports on its condition vary, so ask your hotel whether the arch itself is intact before you build the afternoon around it.
The Natural Bridge at sunset, a short ride from Laxmanpur Beach.
Laxmanpur Beach, for sunset
Laxmanpur faces west and is the island's sunset beach. The Natural Bridge is close by, so the two combine neatly: arch at low tide, then sand and sunset. Get there about 45 minutes before the sun goes down.
Laxmanpur Beach, the island's sunset side.
Best timing by month
Sunrise and sunset below are calculated for Neil Island on the 15th of each month, in Indian Standard Time. The sun sets early, so the sunset beach and the low-tide arch compete for the same afternoon. Check the tide table for your exact date.
Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Visiting advice |
|---|---|---|---|
January | 5:41 am | 5:11 pm | Dry and calm. Best for snorkelling and long beach days |
February | 5:39 am | 5:24 pm | Excellent. Clear water |
March | 5:26 am | 5:28 pm | Very good, warming |
April | 5:06 am | 5:29 pm | Hot, still calm. Snorkel in the morning |
May | 4:54 am | 5:33 pm | Pre-monsoon showers begin. Check ferries |
June | 4:53 am | 5:42 pm | Monsoon. Rough seas, sailings may be cancelled |
July | 5:00 am | 5:46 pm | Monsoon. Many boats and activities paused |
August | 5:06 am | 5:38 pm | Monsoon. Quiet and green |
September | 5:06 am | 5:19 pm | Rain easing. Ferries still variable |
October | 5:06 am | 4:59 pm | Season opens. Book ferries early |
November | 5:14 am | 4:50 pm | Very good. Earliest sunsets of the year |
December | 5:29 am | 4:56 pm | Peak season. Book everything ahead |
Choosing your time of day
Time | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
Before sunrise | Empty Sitapur, colour on the water | Photographers |
Morning | Calm, clear water at Bharatpur | Swimming and snorkelling |
Noon to 4:00 pm | Low tide, if the tide table agrees | The Natural Bridge |
Last hour of light | Warm sand and sunset | Laxmanpur |
Looking after the reef
Neil's reef is fragile. Please do not stand on coral, collect shells or take coral souvenirs. Some tide pool creatures look robust and are not. Look, photograph and leave things as they are. A responsible operator will brief you before a snorkelling trip.
One day or two?
Plan | What it covers | Good for |
|---|---|---|
Day trip from Havelock | Bharatpur, Natural Bridge, Laxmanpur, return ferry | A tight schedule |
One night | Adds Sitapur sunrise and an evening on the island | Most travellers |
Two nights | Adds cycling, snorkelling and a slow day | Honeymooners and families |
If you have only one day, you will see the three main sights but feel rushed. One night is the sweet spot.
What to pair it with
Radhanagar Beach on Havelock is the big, famous sunset beach. Read our Radhanagar guide.
Elephant Beach has the reef and the trek. Our Elephant Beach guide covers boats and timings.
Port Blair is where the trip starts. See our guide to Cellular Jail and Ross Island.
How to plan your visit
Book ferries early. They sell out in peak season.
Check the tide table for the Natural Bridge before fixing the day.
Arrive by a morning ferry.
Rent a scooter or bicycle for a flat, easy island.
Start at Bharatpur, move to the arch at low tide, and end at Laxmanpur.
Stay a night for the sunrise at Sitapur.
Where it fits in the Andamans
Most itineraries run Port Blair, then Havelock, then Neil. Our guide to how many days you need in the Andamans shows how to split the time, and the best time to visit the Andamans explains the seasons.
Seashell Neil is a comfortable, low-key base. See how Neil sits in a route in the Island Hopper itinerary or the Andaman Island Hopper package.
Frequently asked questions
Is Neil Island the same as Shaheed Dweep?
Yes. It was renamed Shaheed Dweep in 2018. Ferries and most travellers still call it Neil.
How do I get from Havelock to Neil Island?
By private ferry. The crossing takes about 45 to 60 minutes. Book 7 to 10 days ahead in peak season.
When is the best time to see the Natural Bridge?
At low tide. It is usually most accessible in the middle of the day, but check the tide for your date.
Is the Natural Bridge free?
Yes, entry is free. Wear shoes with grip, as the rock is uneven.
How many days do you need on Neil Island?
One night is ideal. A day trip works, but it feels rushed.
Which is the best beach on Neil Island?
Bharatpur for swimming, Sitapur for sunrise and Laxmanpur for sunset. The Natural Bridge is the sight rather than a swimming beach.
Is Neil Island better than Havelock?
They suit different moods. Havelock has the bigger beaches and the diving. Neil is calmer and smaller.
Plan your Andaman trip with us
We book the ferries, the tide timings and the right island hotel. Explore the Andaman destination page or talk to a trip designer.
Photo credits
Sitapur Beach: Biswajit Majumdar, CC BY-SA 3.0. Bharatpur Beach: Ankur Panchbudhe, CC BY-SA 2.0. Laxmanpur Beach: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0. All via Wikimedia Commons. The Natural Bridge sunset photo is from our own library.
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