Diglipur itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Diglipur

1. 01

   Day 1: Ross and Smith Islands, then Kalipur

   Reach Aerial Bay jetty early, collect the forest permit for the islands and take a boat across, timing your walk over the sandbar for low tide if you can. Return for a late lunch and drive to Kalipur for the beach and, in the season, an evening turtle talk with the forest staff. A single day is rushed given how far you will have travelled, so treat it as a taster only.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Ross and Smith Islands	Half a day including the crossing	Moderate	Morning at low tide, November to April

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ross and Smith Islands: Boat landings are the hard part: you step onto and off a small wooden boat, often in shallow water, and there is little shade or seating on the sandbar. Travellers with weak knees may prefer to see the islands from the boat.

Plan 02

2 days in Diglipur

1. 01

   Day 1: Kalipur, Lamiya Bay and the coast

   Spend the morning on Kalipur beach, looking for the dead-coral flats and mangrove edge at low tide, then walk or drive the short distance to Lamiya Bay's pebble shore. Rest through the middle of the day. If it is turtle season, ask the forest staff about the nesting and hatchling schedule.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Lamiya Bay	About an hour	Easy	Morning, November to April
   Kalipur Beach	A morning or evening; longer in turtle season	Easy	November to April; turtles roughly December to February

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Ross and Smith Islands

   Take an early bus or taxi to Aerial Bay jetty, get the permit at the forest office and cross to the islands by boat. Walk the sandbar and spend a few hours on Smith Island, then return by early afternoon and visit the mud volcano if there is time before dusk.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Ross and Smith Islands	Half a day including the crossing	Moderate	Morning at low tide, November to April

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ross and Smith Islands: Boat landings are the hard part: you step onto and off a small wooden boat, often in shallow water, and there is little shade or seating on the sandbar. Travellers with weak knees may prefer to see the islands from the boat.

Plan 03

3 days in Diglipur

1. 01

   Day 1: Arrival and Kalipur

   Arrive from the long journey, settle in at Kalipur and keep the day gentle: a walk on the beach at low tide, an early dinner and, in nesting season, a talk with the forest staff about the turtle watch.

2. 02

   Day 2: Saddle Peak

   Start at the trailhead near Lamiya Bay at opening time, collect the permit and walk through the national park forest. Fit walkers can aim for the summit and be back well before dark; others can walk the first section and return. Rest in the afternoon.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Lamiya Bay	About an hour	Easy	Morning, November to April

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

3. 03

   Day 3: Ross and Smith Islands, then onward

   Take a boat from Aerial Bay jetty to Ross and Smith Islands in the morning, return by lunchtime and begin the journey back, either by road or on a ferry if your timings line up.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Ross and Smith Islands	Half a day including the crossing	Moderate	Morning at low tide, November to April

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Ross and Smith Islands: Boat landings are the hard part: you step onto and off a small wooden boat, often in shallow water, and there is little shade or seating on the sandbar. Travellers with weak knees may prefer to see the islands from the boat.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Diglipur trip for parents and children

• Treat the journey as the main strain. The road from Port Blair can take most of a day, and ferries are long and occasionally altered, so break the trip with a rest day if you can.
• Choose Kalipur for a base, and limit the day to one outing: the beach, Lamiya Bay or the mud volcano are gentle, while Saddle Peak and the boat landings at Ross and Smith are not.
• Boat transfers to the islands involve stepping onto and off small wooden boats; accept a hand and ask for a lifejacket.
• Carry water, sun protection and insect repellent. Sandflies are common at dusk on the beaches.
• Carry all essential medicines, because the nearest large hospital is a long way off, and keep cash handy because card and UPI acceptance can be patchy.
• Permits: Saddle Peak National Park and Ross Island need forest department permission, usually issued locally at the trailhead or near the Aerial Bay jetty. Check current fees and opening hours with your host.

Diglipur with elderly parents: the full guide →