The Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Andaman Islands is the first luxury resort to open on the idyllic Havelock Island. The Taj Andamans offers 75 spacious villas, all wonderfully located under the canopy of Coconut and Palmyra trees, overlooking Radhanagar Beach, one the world’s most picturesque beaches.
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The Taj Exotica & Spa Andaman Islands is spread over 49 acres on the picture-perfect Havelock Island. It overlooks Radhanagar Beach (popularly known as Number 7 beach) and is quite simply the best beach on the island. The white-sand beach is crescent-shaped, shielded by a rainforest canopy and gently sloping down to the sea, which is perfect for swimming.
The villas at the Taj Exotica & Spa Andaman Islands are vast (144 square metres), and are raised on stilts to reflect the traditional buildings of the indigenous Jawara tribe. Inside you will notice the wonderful use of sustainable wood finishings, with a pared-back minimalist style and a huge bathroom to the rear.
As with all Taj hotels, the service and facilities are second-to-none and you can opt for a variety of culinary delights such as Global Grills which offers up fresh seafood, or fine dining at Settlers – inspired by local tribes who settled on the Andaman Islands 60,000 years ago. Dive into their Olympic-sized infinity pool, or delve into the wonderful Jiva Spa for a treatment or two.
The Andaman Islands has much to see and do, and is a mecca for divers (either beginners or advanced). We can take you on jungle treks, set out game-fishing, take an adventure out on kayaks through mangroves or whisk you off to more remote islands. The swimming and snorkeling opportunities are also superb.
Getting to the Andaman Islands is becoming more and more accessible. Flights now operate from Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Bangalore, and Chennai, all of which have superb international connections. On arrival into Port Blair, you can either take the Makruzz catamaran (taking 1 hour 45 minutes) to Havelock Island or opt for the Taj’s own speedboat connection. The Andaman’s can be combined with a host of other experiences in India, the most popular being a dip into the culture of Tamil Nadu and the former French base at Pondicherry.
If you like your bells & whistles, then the Taj should be your first port of call. It is located next to the long-established Barefoot at Havelock Resort, and you will find the Taj has far more of a ‘hotel’ feel about it, with the facilities you would expect like a vast pool, luxury rooms, spa, a fitness centre and snazzy restaurants. It is also about twice the price for obvious reasons. Both work really well with a stay at Jalakara, located in the hills towards the other side of the island, so a split of maybe 3 nights on one and 4 at the other works really well. We love combining the Andamans with some adventures in India, maybe the Shakti experiences in Sikkim, or delving into the culture of Tamil Nadu.
Travel is all about those unique and special moments which make you smile. Our aim is simple: to offer exceptionally unique and innovative itineraries that are totally personalised around you.
Combining the cultural highlights of Tamil Nadu and the beautiful beaches of the Andaman Islands is one of India’s best-kept secrets. Start in Chennai, formerly known as Madras, before exploring Pondicherry and the superb shore temples of Mahabalipuram.
We arrange totally bespoke trips and design an itinerary that is designed around you. You may have seen a suggested itinerary that we can base your plans around, or we can start with a blank sheet and paper and design something from scratch. You can leave a phone number and suggest a time to call you back, and we can also arrange to do this during the evenings or at weekends if you are busy during the daytime. We can also meet up with you in you fancy a coffee and are based in and around London.