The History of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands can be divided into five distinct periods — stray reports about these islands from the 2nd century AD to the 16th century AD the establishment of a settlement at Port Blair in 1789; shifting of the settlement to the north in 1792 and its closure in 1796; stories of shipwrecks between 1796 and 1858; and finally, the setting up of a penal settlement in 1858. Ptolemy, who lived in Alexandria in the 2nd century AD mentions certain islands by the name of ‘Agmatae’. It is, however, not clear whether the reference was to the Andamans. Then there is I’Ching. He was a Buddhist scholar who came on a voyage to India in 671 A.D. He halted at Sumatra and then at Nicobar Islands. He finally reached India two years later, collected many sacred books of the Buddhists and then returned to China. He mentions the local inhabitants as cannibals and refers to Andamans as ‘Andaban’. Marco Polo who passed these islands in 1290 AD on his way to China calls these islands as ‘Angamanian’. He is very uncharitable in his observations of the local inhabitants when he says, ‘They are a most cruel generation, and eat everybody that they can catch if not their own race’. Friar Odoric, another European traveller, who visited Andamans in 1322 AD, refers to the inhabitants of these islands as ‘cannibals’. Nicolo Conti, who came to Andamans in 1440 AD gives-a new slant to these descriptions. To him, ‘Andamania’, as he called these islands, was the island of gold. This is one of the myths that persisted for a number of centuries.
Officially two hundred twenty four islands that form this Union Territory in the Bay of Bengal have an area of 8,293 sq km. There may be more— uninhabited tiny ones. Of these, the majority constitutes the Andaman group and nineteen form the Nicobar group. The colonizing European powers began coveting these islands from the 18th century AD. In 1869 they came to the possession of the British, from the Dutch. For the British the possession served as a penal settlement. The dreaded prison was the Cellular Jail, now a national monument. Once sent there, the prisoner was most likely to perish due to its unhealthy climate.
These islands inhabited by several tribes living a Stone Age way of life, some friendly and some hostile — some of them on the verge of extinction, despite all efforts of the Government to protect them — have tourist potentiality. Now, however, they are slowly changing.
Optima Travels as Andaman & Nicobar travel guide inform a traveller to explore amazing places, historical monuments, enchanting beaches, natural beauty etc. Port Blaire is the headquarters of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Port Blair, is quite pleasant. Now a national monument, Cellular Jail with 756 cells in seven wings housed, along with ordinary convicts, a large number of freedom-fighters. One of the wings is a museum, in memory of the imprisoned freedom-fighters. About 10 km from Port Blair, Corbine Cove on the beach is excellent for picnic and sea-bathing. The Aquarium is a very interesting aquarium at the Marine Park. Ross Island can be visited by a launch available from the Harbour Master for a nominal charge. The island has a zoo and a lighthouse. Once a summer resort of the British officers, the Harriet Hills has lovely natural scenery. Anthropological Museum depicts and displays tribal life and living and crafts. There are several other attractions — bazaars and gardens to keep the tourist engaged — in a completely unusual environment.