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Campbell Bay National Park stands as one of India’s hidden national parks. Its landscape is full of tropical evergreen and mangrove forests, along with tree ferns. The ecosystem in this park is renowned for being rich and unique, with a diverse range of bird species, abundant aquatic life, and exotic wildlife. Watch towers within the forest provide tourists with the opportunity to observe various bird species. The park offers water sports activities such as scuba diving, swimming, coral viewing, snorkelling, and glass bottom boat rides. Wildlife photographers, activists, and conservationists alike rate it as a top tourist attraction.
Location
Photo: Jakub Michankow / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
This national park is located on the island of Great Nicobar, Nicobar Islands, and at a distance of 529 km from Port Blair. It is in the southernmost part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Due to its location, it has a unique landscape with Galathea Bay in the west and south, and Andaman Sea on the east side.
Suggested Read: Places To Visit In Andaman And Nicobar In 5 Days
Best Time To Visit
Photo: Shreeram M V / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
The best time to visit this national park is between March and October. The weather is pleasant during that time, and rich orchids and wildflowers bloom. It is also the perfect weather to indulge in water activities and explore the nature around this park. Campbell National Park timings are from 12 AM to 12 PM.
How To Reach
Photo: Shad Siddiqui / Wikimedia Commons
The location of this national park is far from the capital city, Port Blair. Tourists who want to visit this park can reach it either by air or by sea.
By Sea: There is an Inter-Island Boat Service from Port Blair and takes about 24–30 hours to reach. Tourists can also look for the government ship vessel MV Campbell Bay.
By Air: Tourists can hire the Pawan Hans helicopter service from Port Blair. Helicopters fly twice or thrice a week on this route.
Suggested Read: Museums In Port Blair
Places To Visit Near Campbell Bay National Park
Explore hidden gems near this secluded national park, located far from the busy city of Port Blair. Here are the places near this national park that are worth a visit:
1. Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve
Photo: Prasun Goswami / Wikimedia Commons
This reserve is home to various endemic species found only in Nicobar, like the Nicobar megapode, Nicobar long-tailed macaque, Nicobar tree-shrew, and the giant robber crab. This biosphere reserve has two national parks – Campbell Bay National Park and Galathea National Park. Tourists can go hiking on a natural trail here and spot several bird species around. This place is ideal for wildlife and nature enthusiasts. The flora diversity here is exhaustive – swamp forests, mangrove forests, mixed evergreen forests, littoral forests, grasslands, and plantation forests.
Timings: 12 AM – 12 PM
Entry Fee: Free
2. Galathea National Park
Photo: BS Thurner / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
This national park is a nature lover’s paradise and is home to many wildlife species. It experiences only the summer and monsoon seasons, being part of the tropical climate zone. The park provides large, uninhabited, low-lying forests. It also has a rich variety of beautiful and rare plants. It is India’s hidden gem, lying at the southernmost tip of Indian territory. Apart from nature, this park also offers several activities like scuba diving, boating, snorkelling, sea walking, etc.
Timings: 6 AM – 7 PM
Entry Fee: Free
Suggested Read: Places To Visit In Andaman And Nicobar Islands
3. Nancowry
Photo: Vaishnav006 / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
This island is in the central part of the Nicobar Islands chain and is located between the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. It has a fine natural harbour and the island is at an elevation of 130 metres. It has a stretch of rich flora and fauna of various species. Tourists come here to explore nature, for boating, camping, and trekking. Located at a distance of 96 km from this national park, tourists can explore this island on their way and spend some leisure time here with their friends and family.
Timings: 24*7
Entry Fee: Free
4. Indira Point
Photo: T Harshavandan / Wikimedia Commons
This is the southernmost tip of India and is located at a distance of 27 km from Campbell Bay National Park. It is nestled with lush evergreen forests and has a majestic beach with the most wonderful lighthouse. This island is visited by tourists for its picturesque views with sea on one side and forests on the other side. It is an untouched beauty that is an exclusive treat for the eyes.
Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM (closed on Sundays)
Cost/Person: ₹50
Suggested Read: Things To Do In Andaman
Things To Do In Campbell Bay National Park
This national park offers a few activities for travellers. It’s a fantastic spot for discovering nature’s hidden beauty. Here are the following things to do:
1. Birdwatching
Photo: Shreeram M V / Wikimedia Commons
This national park’s surroundings are home to a wide variety of bird species. There are raptors, waders, and eagle species such as the Nicobar serpent eagle and the white-bellied sea eagle that are visible to tourists. To help people locate birds, the forest is equipped with watchtowers. Wildlife photographers can use it as a shelter to capture rare bird species on camera. Clicking on the beautiful bird species photographs completes the photos of Campbell Bay National Park.
2. Trekking
Photo: Kir360 / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
This national park is an ideal place for trekking. Travellers go on trek across the national park. While crossing the pathways travellers get to see the wide view of the surroundings. They also witness the vibrant presence of orchids, mosses, ferns, and towering trees like Andaman Padauk. Even the presence of wildlife is felt during trekking, like the Nicobar megapode, Andaman wild pig, saltwater crocodile, Nicobar pigeon, Nicobar parakeet, and many more.
Suggested Read: Places To Visit In Andaman For Honeymoon
3. Sunbathing
Photo: Mariia Kameska / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Sunbathing is another relaxing activity to do in Campbell Bay National Park. It feels calm and relaxing to sunbathe amidst nature. After visiting the other areas of this national park, tourists can relax and unwind at the Indira Point beach and end the day in solace.
Where To Stay
Photo: Siddharth Ashok / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
There is an availability of shacks at Campbell Bay for tourists to spend the night, but for a luxurious place, the best option is to go to Havelock Island, Diglipur’s Turtle Resort, Oyster Bay Resort, or PWD Guest House (for Government officials). These are some good options for a comfortable stay and good views.
Suggested Read: Wildlife Sanctuaries In Andaman And Nicobar
Where To Eat
Photo: Jpatokal / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
The Tourism Guesthouse or Suruchi Restaurant are good options in the Great Nicobar. The shacks at the national park also provide meals and snacks.
Other Factors To Consider
Photo: Kindell Media / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Tourists travelling to this national park in Great Nicobar must keep the following points in mind:
Average Cost Of The Trip: A trip to Campbell Bay National Park costs around ₹50,000 to ₹ 75,000 covering flights, accommodation, permits, and basic expenses. Costs can vary based on travel style and duration of stay.
- There is no entry fee to visit this national park. The only cost will be the transportation used to reach this park. Within the national park, there is no expenditure.
- Plan ahead of time because there can be an infrequency of ships plying from Great Nicobar.
- There can be sudden bouts of rain here, even in dry weather. So, pack accordingly.
- Carry sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat to keep safe from the sun.
- Water bottles, food, and a camera for capturing memories.
Suggested Read: Little Andaman Island
Campbell National Bay Park is a tropical wilderness and a haven for adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts. It offers biodiversity at its best, ranging from lush green rainforests to pristine beaches and mangrove creeks. This park is full of trekking trails through dense forests.
Experience the beauty of Great Nicobar and book your trip with TripXL to arrange a hassle-free travel experience.
Cover Photo: Shankar S / Wikimedia Commons
