We booked a trip to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands through Happy Trip Travels at the start of the month. While we did have some memorable moments, there were several issues in the planning and execut (Read More)ion that left us disappointed.
The itinerary included beautiful spots like the Cellular Jail, Elephant Beach, Bharatpur Beach and Laxampur Beach, with some standout experiences like water sports and scenic views at Neil Island. However, in hope of better organisation we booked it through travel agent but we didn't find it worthy. He helped lot in selecting hotels but coordination and hospitality seems poor on the trip. Whole trip was coordinated by Andaman Bliss company. Their coordinators put very much of hard work and efforts but still lacks coordination.
**Day 1:** The trip started on a sour note. Despite heavy rain, we were taken to Corbyn’s Cove Beach, where it was impossible to spend time. This felt like a waste of time and effort. Instead if coordinator have coordinated well we could have lunch first. Later, our driver refused to give us a little extra time to explore the market, insisting we return hurriedly, which came across as rude and unaccommodating.
**Day 2:** A series of delays spoiled our visit to Havelock. Although our resort was just 2 mins away, we waited 40-45 minutes for a cab and then another hour to check in. Without any time to rest, we rushed to get ready for Radhanagar Beach as instructed. Despite being told to be punctual, the cab arrived nearly two hours late. This disorganized scheduling left us with barely any time at the beach, one of the highlights of the island. Additionally, the complimentary photoshoot that was promised felt rushed and dismissive, with the photographer refusing to accommodate our preferences. Delays was not coordinated properly due to which we didn't had proper lunch nor rest and hence the experience.
**Day 3:** While our time at Elephant Beach was fantastic, delays caused by other group members and inflexible coordination disrupted our plans. We thought to start day early and find time for Radhanagar Beach but Andaman Bliss coordinator denied it. Even they cover 3 beaches in a single day for others. The scooty we rented a day ago was wasted. Our agent as well tried to console us everytime saying there is a system at Andaman. An expensive special arrangement at the resort, requested for my wife, was shockingly underwhelming and not worth the cost where resort was selling pre-installed setups at high costs.
**Day 4 and Day 5:** These days were blissful, with beautiful experiences at Neil Island. However, it was a stark contrast to the earlier days of the trip. We had a leisure day as well at Neil Island that I found less useful which I think agent should have suggested us for Havelock instead.
**Day 6:** Our visit to Chidiya Tapu was marred by poor planning. Despite delay in the ferry and no time for lunch, and we insisted to start our ride early to the last spot of out trip but coordinator still delayed and we missed the Biological Park by just 5 minutes. Surprisingly, the driver claimed ignorance about this park, which felt unprofessional and intentionally disorganized to save their own cost over guest experience.
While the natural beauty of the Andaman Islands is breathtaking, the execution of the itinerary was disappointing and restrictive. The coordinators seemed more focused on financial gains than ensuring a smooth and better hospitality and experience for guests. Mismanagement, lack of punctuality, and a lack of initiative to provide valuable insights about the places we visited were major letdowns. Everytime agent console us saying more cost in package was for hotels and not transportation. We find being small islands, we could have explored spots on our own in better manner.
We hope this feedback serves as a constructive input to improve future trips. For the amount spent, we expected a more seamless and thoughtful experience.
4.3 (212 reviews)
Happy Trip Travels
Naveen Travel Make