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Ross-Island, once the administrative headquarters of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is now a major tourist attraction. The island, located around 2 km east of Port Blair, can be visited by short boat rides. The destination is under the control of the Indian Navy. Every year, numerous tourists visit the place to see the remnants of pre-Independence India.
The name of the island was derived from the name of a marine surveyor, Sir Daniel Ross. In 1857, the British took possession of three islands around Port Blair and Ross Island was one of them. It remained the actual capital of the group of islands for almost 73 years under the British rule. An earthquake in 1941 shook the island and huge buildings collapsed due to the natural calamity. After that, the British shifted their capital to Port Blair, near Ross Island.
Situated a couple of kilometres away from the capital Port Blair, this place has an important place in Andaman and Nicobar’s history. This place depicts the affluent life of generals and superintendents of the British army. It still has structures from the colonial era, especially the Chief Commissioner’s house, church, hospital, bakery, ballroom, tennis courts, officer messes, granaries and troop barracks.
All the buildings are almost in ruins and represent British lifestyle. There is a graveyard and a small museum called Smritika, which has a collection of age-old records on the island. It is managed by the Indian Navy.
There is a church, now in ruins, and it represents British architecture. Ross Island is accessible from Phoenix Bay Jetty. Boats are available from the Phoenix Bay jetty to Ross Island seven days a week. The island is open to the public for all days except Wednesday.
The only way to explore the island is by foot. Ross Island is pretty small and there is no local transport to take tourists around the island. It takes just a couple of hours to explore the entire island. There is just one small shop on the island from where tourists can buy snacks and soft drinks.
The nearest airport to the Ross Island is the Vir Savarkar Airport in Port Blair, which is connected to Kolkata and Chennai. Andaman is well linked to Chennai and Kolkata by sea. Regular cruises are available from these ports to Port Blair and the journey takes close to 60 to 66 hours. The port of Visakhapatnam has cruises to Port Blair, once a month.
The best time visit Ross Island is between October and March.
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Ross-Island was the administrative headquarters of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands before 1941. The island is an ideal tourist destination in the Andaman and is situated about 2 km east of Port Blair. The island can be reached by a short boat ride from Phoenix Bay Jetty.
The Ross-Island is primarily controlled by the Indian Navy which requires the signing of every visitor. The island consists of thick forest and is surrounded by various island groups, beaches and historical places. Popular tourist attractions of the Ross-Island are the Marina Park and Aquarium, Water Sports Complex, Corbyn's Cove, Viper Island, Anthropological Museum and Cellular Jail.
Ross-Island has a rich history that can be witnessed in the Anthropological Museum and the Cellular Jail. The prime attraction of the destination is the marine life that can be seen in the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and the Samudrika Marine Museum.
The lush green vegetation and the rich marine life make the destination ideal for eco-tourism. Travellers can also indulge in watersports such as paddle boating, kayaking, water skiing and parasailing.
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