India’s Radhanagar Beach is the best beach in Asia, well, kind of, it is definitely among the best if not at the very top spot, just to clarify. That is not to say it wasn’t at one point ranked as THE best beach, if that counts for anything.
Regardless, its importance as a tourist destination cannot be ignored, given that over the years it has consistently made its way on various best beach lists across the world, ranked by reputed sources.
But unlike Bali’s terraced hillsides meeting the sea, or Thailand’s limestone cliffs, the white-powder shores of the Philippines, or even closer home, Goa’s Baga Beach, Mumbai’s Juhu Beach and more, the name Radhanagar Beach is not a name known across the mainstream.
So what has made travel lists place this island that most of India has never visited, reached only by a multi-hour ferry ride from a Union Territory most people struggle to locate on a map, place it among the best beaches of the world?
Where Is Radhanagar Beach?
First and foremost, it is important to know where this beach is located exactly. Radhanagar Beach, also known as “Beach No. 7,” a functional designation given to the numbered beaches of its island, is situated on the northwestern coast of Havelock Island, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
The name Havelock Island was recently changed to Swaraj Dweep by the Indian government in 2018.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a Union Territory of India, with Radhanagar Beach, located approximately 39 kilometres northeast of the capital, Port Blair. The island covers an area of roughly 113 square kilometres and sits in the Bay of Bengal, as part of the larger Andaman Sea.
Out of the hundreds of islands that make up the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, only a few are open to tourism, which makes the Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island) already pretty rare.
Now, for the beach itself in question, Radhanagar Beach, it is located about 72 kilometres from Port Blair and approximately 11 kilometres southwest of the Havelock Island jetty. The beach itself is quite small, just about 2 kilometres in length.
Its width of 30 to 40 meters is covered by the Bay of Bengal and on the other by a thick canopy of tropical evergreen forest.
The official tourism website of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration describes Swaraj Dweep as “renowned for its pristine beaches and vibrant marine life,” a “tropical paradise” that offers “an ideal escape for relaxation and adventure.”
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Radhanagar Beach was first brought into mainstream conversation when, in 2004, TIME Magazine, the American weekly news magazine, named it as the best beach in Asia. It further ranked it the 7th best beach in the entire world. In their November 2004 edition, listing out “Asia’s Best”, Beaches No. 5 and No. 7, of Havelock Island were listed as the “Soul of Asia.”
The article wrote that even though it was a long and difficult journey to get to the beach, “Starting from Calcutta or Madras, you have to take a two-hour flight (or two-day ferry) east to Port Blair in the Andaman Sea, then a boat ride to Havelock, and finally a half-hour drive in a jeep”, the result was more than worth it.
The article wrote, “A quick snorkel confirms the impression that these waters are among the most pristine on earth”, which they attributed to the fact that the El Niño of 1998, which destroyed a lot of coral formations, spared the Andaman Sea.
In its concluding line, the magazine wrote, “Beaches No. 5 and No. 7, like the perfumes by Chanel, are heady, lingering and utterly timeless.”
The Radhanagar Beach, known not only for its white, powdery sand, insanely clear turquoise water and natural flora all around, also has one of the cleanest beaches in the country.
In 2021, it also received the Blue Flag beach certification from the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Denmark. The FEE is widely regarded as the world’s principal authority on coastal environmental accreditation.
According to an Outlook Traveller report, “The Blue Flag certification is a prestigious international eco-label awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating operators that meet rigorous standards across environmental management, water quality, safety, education, and accessibility.”
The certification is granted based on 33 stringent criteria organised under four major categories: environmental education and information; bathing water quality; environmental management and conservation; and safety and services at beaches.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: The Indian Express, Moneycontrol, The Economic Times
Find the blogger: @chirali_08
This post is tagged under: Radhanagar Beach, Radhanagar Beach location, Radhanagar Beach trivia, Radhanagar Beach asia, Radhanagar Beach best beach, best beach, best beach asia, beaches india, best beach india
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