Mayabunder, Andaman.
- The Hidden Gem of Middle Andaman

About Mayabunder - North Andaman's Administrative and Natural Hub

Mayabunder town sits on a peninsula that juts into a mangrove-lined creek, about 7 kilometres off the Andaman Trunk Road. The town has a small market, government offices, a jetty used for inter-island ferry services, and a cluster of budget hotels and guesthouses. Most travellers passing through are heading to Interview Island, the mud volcanoes of Baratang, or the remote beaches of North Andaman.

The region is home to one of the few Karen communities in India. The Karen, originally from Myanmar, were brought to the Andamans as forest labourers during the British colonial period. Several villages around Mayabunder, including Webi and Karmatang, remain Karen settlements today. A visit to these villages, with permission, offers a perspective on Andaman's layered history that no beach can provide.

Mayabunder is also the jumping-off point for Interview Island Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the most isolated protected areas in the Andamans. The island has a small population of feral elephants, descendants of logging elephants abandoned when the forest department wound down timber operations, and no permanent human settlement. Permits are required and boats operate from Mayabunder jetty.

Best Time to Visit Mayabunder

October to May is the practical window for visiting Mayabunder. The Andaman Trunk Road, which runs the full 340-kilometre length of the island chain from Port Blair to Diglipur, becomes difficult to travel in heavy monsoon and the ferry services to Interview Island and Avis Island are suspended from June to September.

December to February is the best period if you want to combine a Mayabunder visit with leatherback turtle nesting at Karmatang Beach. The Forest Department allows supervised night walks during peak nesting months, subject to availability. March and April offer good weather with fewer visitors and easier road conditions. If you are travelling as part of a longer North Andaman circuit, combining Baratang, Mayabunder, and Diglipur, plan at least 2 nights in Mayabunder to cover Interview Island without rushing.

Getting to and Around Mayabunder

Mayabunder is 242 kilometres from Port Blair by road via the Andaman Trunk Road. The journey takes approximately 6 to 7 hours by private vehicle, passing through Baratang Island, which itself requires two creek crossings by ferry barge. Government buses run daily but travel times are longer and luggage handling is inconvenient for families or couples with gear.

There is also a government ferry service from Port Blair to Mayabunder that runs a few times per week. The ferry takes 8 to 10 hours depending on sea conditions and stops at Rangat before reaching Mayabunder. It is comfortable enough for an overnight journey but seats are limited and advance booking at the Directorate of Shipping Services in Port Blair is necessary.

Within Mayabunder, local auto-rickshaws and hired jeeps cover the routes to Karmatang Beach and the villages. For Interview Island and Avis Island, boats are arranged from Mayabunder jetty. Our team handles all transport bookings including road transfers from Port Blair, jetty pickups, and inter-island boat permits.

Travel Tips for Mayabunder

Mayabunder is a working town, not a resort. A few things to keep in mind before you go.

• Accommodation is basic. There are no resort-grade properties in Mayabunder. The better options are government-run tourist lodges and a handful of private guesthouses. Book in advance, availability is limited and last-minute walk-ins are often turned away during the October-to-March season.
• Permits for Interview Island are issued by the Forest Department office in Mayabunder town. They are not available online. Carry a copy of your photo ID and arrange the permit on the morning of your visit. Boats typically depart by 7 AM.
• ATMs in Mayabunder are unreliable. The nearest consistently functional ATM is in Rangat, about 77 kilometres south. Carry enough cash from Port Blair or Rangat to cover 2 to 3 days.
• Mobile network coverage in Mayabunder town is reasonable on BSNL and Jio. Outside town, on the road to Karmatang, or on Interview Island, there is no network at all. Download offline maps and carry printed permit copies.
• If you are combining Mayabunder with Diglipur, do not try to do both in a single day from Port Blair. The road between Mayabunder and Diglipur is another 60 kilometres and takes over 90 minutes. Build in a proper overnight stop.

Plan Your Mayabunder Visit with Us

North Andaman Itineraries. Permit Handling. Transport Arranged End to End

Most Andaman packages skip Mayabunder entirely. That is understandable, the beaches are not as polished as Havelock, the infrastructure is basic, and the distances involved require real planning. But if you want to see the Andamans beyond the standard tourist circuit, Mayabunder and North Andaman are where that trip starts.

Our team at Andaman Vacations India plans North Andaman circuits that combine Baratang's limestone caves and mud volcanoes, Mayabunder's wildlife and Karen culture, and Diglipur's Ross and Smith Islands, covering the route efficiently with all permits, transport, and accommodation handled in advance.

Tell us your travel dates and how much of the Andamans you want to see. We will build an itinerary that covers more than the postcard version.