Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex, Andaman.
Water Adventures & Boating

About Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex of the Andaman Islands

The Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex is located on Marina Park Road in central Port Blair, about 4 km from Veer Savarkar International Airport and within walking distance of the Cellular Jail. The complex runs along the waterfront for approximately 2 km and is open from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM every day. Entry is free throughout those hours; charges apply only for individual water sports activities and ferry tickets.

The facility was inaugurated in 2002 and named after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1987. It brought together what had previously been scattered waterfront activity operators into a single managed complex with safety oversight, equipment standards, and a formal ticketing system. It is also described as one of the first purpose-built water sports complexes of its kind in India.

Beyond the water sports, the complex functions as Port Blair's main public jetty for island day trips. Ferries to Ross Island and North Bay Island depart from the jetty here, which means even visitors not planning any water activities pass through the complex when booking island trips. The combination of activity options and ferry logistics makes it one of the most-visited points in Port Blair, used by both day trippers and locals on weekend evenings.

The History Behind the Complex
, The 1859 Battle of Aberdeen and Port Blair's Colonial Waterfront

The waterfront where Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex stands is one of the oldest significant sites in Port Blair's history. In 1859, just two years after the British established a penal settlement at Port Blair following the 1857 uprising, British colonial forces and the indigenous Andamanese people clashed on this stretch of coast. The confrontation, known as the Battle of Aberdeen, was the first major violent conflict between the two groups in the Andaman Islands and resulted in significant casualties on the Andamanese side.

The battle marked a turning point in the relationship between the British administration and the indigenous Andamanese. It accelerated the disruption of the Andamanese way of life and led to further colonial consolidation of the islands. A memorial plaque inside the Water Sports Complex marks the site, a small but historically significant reminder of what this now-recreational waterfront once witnessed.

The waterfront continued to develop as Port Blair's administrative and logistical centre through the colonial period. The Aberdeen Jetty area handled ferry movements, supply boats, and prisoner transport throughout the decades of the penal settlement's operation. After Indian independence, the area transitioned from a colonial operational hub to a civic and recreational waterfront. The formal development of the Water Sports Complex in 2002 was part of a broader effort to build tourism infrastructure in Port Blair and provide a structured, managed venue for water activity operators who had previously worked on an informal basis.

The Rajiv Gandhi statue at the entrance of the complex, approximately 350 metres from the main gate, remains one of the more recognisable landmarks on the Port Blair waterfront.

Using the Complex in a Port Blair Itinerary

The Water Sports Complex is one of those Port Blair sites that most visitors end up at twice, once in the morning for ferry departures to Ross Island or North Bay, and once in the evening as part of the Marina Park waterfront circuit. That is actually the right way to use it. The ferry departures work best early (most leave before 10:00 AM); the promenade and lighter water activities are better in the late afternoon when the sea breeze picks up and temperatures drop.

If you want to do the higher-intensity activities, parasailing, jet skiing, arrive between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM when operators are set up and the queue has not yet built. Avoid the midday slot when the sun is directly overhead. By 3:00 PM conditions improve significantly and the complex is genuinely pleasant for a couple of hours.

Marina De Cafe, a small cafeteria inside the complex, serves Indian and a limited European menu. It is convenient enough for a quick meal between ferry and activity, though not a destination restaurant. Several snack vendors also set up outside the complex gates in the evening. The complex has a children's play area separate from the Children's Traffic Park at Marina Park, and basic toilet facilities are available inside.

Tips for Visiting Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex

• Book ferry tickets for Ross Island and North Bay Island as early in the morning as possible. Boats fill up quickly on weekends and in peak season (November to February). Walk-in availability is usually fine on weekdays.
• Confirm activity prices with the operator before starting, standard rates exist but individual operators occasionally quote higher figures, particularly to first-time visitors. The listed prices in this guide are indicative; verify on the day.
• Wear comfortable clothes that can get wet. Even for non-swimming activities like banana boat rides, splashing is inevitable. Pack a dry change of clothes if combining the complex with other sightseeing afterwards.
• Water sports close down during the monsoon months (roughly June to September) when the sea is too rough for safe operation. If water activities are important to your visit, plan for October to May.
• Visit the Battle of Aberdeen memorial plaque inside the complex. It is easy to walk past without noticing, but it adds important historical context to a waterfront that most visitors treat purely as a recreation spot.
• After 4:00 PM the complex becomes a local evening spot, vendors arrive, the sea breeze comes in, and the walking paths fill up. It is worth staying for if you have finished sightseeing for the day and want a relaxed waterfront hour before dinner.

Include Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex in Your Port Blair Itinerary

The Water Sports Complex fits into a Port Blair day at two points without needing its own dedicated slot, morning for ferry departures, afternoon or evening for activities and the promenade. If you want to combine the Ross Island ferry, one or two water sports, and an evening walk in a single efficient block, this is the right hub to plan around.

Our team at Andaman Vacations India sequences the Water Sports Complex into Port Blair itineraries alongside the Cellular Jail, Marina Park, and island day trips so nothing clashes and ferry timings are accounted for. Tell us your travel dates and we will build your Port Blair schedule around the ferry and activity logistics.