Attraction · Havelock Island
Elephant Beach
A stretch of sand on the north-west coast reachable overland only by a forest trail, where the reef begins close enough in that you can snorkel straight off the beach.
Time neededHalf a day
Getting there15 min by speedboat
OverlandA forest trail, often muddy
The reefStarts close to the sand
SeasonNov – Apr for visibility
BoatsLocal association only
About
Elephant Beach
Elephant Beach sits on the north-west coast of Havelock and is unusual in being genuinely awkward to reach, which is most of why it is worth reaching. Overland it is a forest trail of a couple of kilometres that is frequently muddy and sometimes closed; in practice almost everybody arrives by speedboat, which takes about fifteen minutes round the coast from the main jetty area. What you come for is the reef. It begins close enough to the sand that the shallow section can be snorkelled from the beach rather than from a boat, and in good conditions it holds hard and soft coral, parrotfish, angelfish and, with luck, turtles. The beach itself is short and gets busy in the middle of the day, and the water is the point rather than the sand.
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What to See
What to do
Snorkel, mostly. The reef starting close in is the entire proposition.
The reef
- The shallow section, which begins close enough to the beach to swim out to and is where most snorkelling happens.
- Hard and soft coral, parrotfish, angelfish and a great deal of small reef life.
- Turtles, which are present and are a matter of luck rather than expectation.
In the water
- Snorkelling, which is the standard and is run by the local boat association.
- Introductory dives and sea-walking are offered here and are arranged on the island rather than in advance.
- The visibility, which is at its best from November to April and can be poor outside it.
On land
- The beach itself, which is short and shaded in places by the treeline.
- The fallen trees along part of it, which are the result of past storm damage and are part of the character.
- The forest trail, if you walk in rather than take the boat.
Getting There
Getting there
By boat in almost every case, and the boats are run by one association.
By speedboat
- About fifteen minutes round the coast from the boat point near the main jetty area.
- Boats are operated by the local association, which holds the concession; trips are arranged on the island.
- The complimentary snorkelling session included in several itineraries is run by that association.
On foot
- A forest trail of about two kilometres reaches the beach overland from near the main road.
- It is frequently muddy, occasionally leech-ridden and sometimes closed; it is not the reliable option.
- Walking in and taking a boat back is a reasonable compromise if the trail is open.
Timing
- Half a day, and morning is better than afternoon for both light and water.
- Boats do not run in rough conditions and the trip is weather-dependent.
- It is usually done the day after arriving, with Radhanagar taking the arrival afternoon.
Best Time
When to visit
Morning, in the dry season, when the water is calm and the visibility is up.
Time of day
- Morning, when the sea is calmest, the light penetrates best and the beach is least busy.
- The middle of the day brings the largest boat crowd.
- Afternoon light is worse for snorkelling and the wind usually picks up.
Time of year
- November to April is the season, with calm water and the best underwater visibility.
- May to September is the south-west monsoon; boats often do not run at all.
- Visibility varies day to day even in season and nobody can promise it.
How long
- Half a day including the boat both ways.
- Two hours on the beach is what most trips allow.
- Longer if you are doing an introductory dive rather than snorkelling.
Visitor Intelligence
Visitor intelligence
A reef you can reach without a boat trip out to it, which is rarer than it sounds — and correspondingly used.
Snorkelling
- Equipment is provided by the association. Check the mask seals before you get in the water rather than after.
- Stay off the coral. Standing on it kills it, and the shallow section is shallow enough that people do.
- Non-swimmers are catered for with floats and guides, and should say so clearly at the outset.
The reef
- Reef-safe sunscreen if you can get it, and a rash vest rather than repeated application.
- Do not touch, stand on, feed or collect anything. Removing coral or shells from the Andamans is prohibited and checked.
- Conditions vary; a poor-visibility day is bad luck rather than a failure of the trip.
Practicalities
- Take cash; there is nothing to pay with a card out here.
- There are minimal facilities on the beach and no reliable mobile coverage.
- Dry bags are genuinely useful on the speedboat.
Access
- Boarding a speedboat from the beach is a wet, unsteady step and there is no jetty at the far end.
- The beach is soft sand; there is no made path anywhere on it.
- It is not a suitable trip for anyone with significant mobility limits.
Nearby
Nearby
All on Havelock or a short ferry from it.
Good to Know
Frequently asked
Because overland access is a forest trail of about two kilometres that is frequently muddy, occasionally leech-ridden and sometimes closed altogether — it is not the reliable route. Almost everybody arrives by speedboat instead, which takes about fifteen minutes round the coast from the boat point near the main jetty area. Walking in and taking a boat back is a reasonable compromise on a day when the trail is open and dry.
The distinguishing feature is that the reef begins close enough to the sand that the shallow section can be snorkelled from the beach rather than from a boat, which is rarer than it sounds. In good conditions it holds hard and soft coral, parrotfish, angelfish and a great deal of small reef life, with turtles as a matter of luck rather than expectation. Visibility varies day to day even in season and nobody can promise it.
The local boat association holds the concession, and trips and equipment are arranged through it on the island rather than booked in advance elsewhere. The complimentary snorkelling session that several Andaman packages include is run by that association. Equipment is provided; check that the mask seals properly before you are in the water rather than after, which is the single most common cause of a disappointing session.
Yes, with floats and a guide, and the association is used to it — but say so clearly at the outset rather than once you are in the water. Sea-walking and introductory dives are also offered here and are arranged on the island. Whatever you do, stay off the coral: the shallow section is shallow enough that people stand on it, and standing on coral kills it.
Morning, from November to April. Mornings have the calmest sea, the best light penetration and the smallest boat crowd; the wind generally picks up in the afternoon and the middle of the day brings the largest number of visitors. May to September is the south-west monsoon, when boats frequently do not run at all. Half a day is the right allowance including the boat in both directions.
Not really. Boarding a speedboat from the beach is a wet and unsteady step, there is no jetty at the far end so you land the same way, and the beach itself is soft sand with no made path anywhere on it. Facilities are minimal and mobile coverage is unreliable. For anyone with significant mobility limits, Radhanagar across the island is the far better half-day.
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