The Sandbar Between Two Islands
Ross & Smith Islands are a pair of small islands off the coast of Diglipur in North Andaman, best known for a single, striking feature: a natural sandbar joins them, and at low tide it's exposed enough to walk from one island to the other, sea on both sides. It's the kind of geographic curiosity that photographs beautifully and, more importantly, is genuinely fun to stand in the middle of.
Because they sit so far from the Havelock–Neil–Port Blair circuit that most Andaman itineraries revolve around, Ross & Smith stay far less crowded — the water is clearer, the sand is emptier, and the whole experience feels closer to discovering a beach than visiting one.
Not to be confused with Ross Island near Port Blair — a completely different island with British colonial ruins — Ross & Smith is purely a natural, undeveloped spot reached from Diglipur, the northernmost town most travellers ever get to on the islands.
🏝️ Ross & Smith Islands at a Glance
Best Time to Visit Ross & Smith Islands
Timing here is less about the season and more about the tide table on the day you go — though the two are connected, since the dry season also brings the calmest seas for the boat crossing.
Calm seas for the boat ride from Aerial Bay, clear water, and comfortable temperatures — the most reliable window for a good sandbar walk.
The sandbar is only fully walkable within a couple of hours either side of low tide — check the day's tide timing with your Diglipur boat operator before planning your visit time.
Seas are still generally calm and the islands are less busy, but midday heat is intense with almost no shade on the sandbar itself.
Rough seas frequently suspend boat trips from Aerial Bay altogether, and the already-long journey to Diglipur becomes an unreliable one.
Our pick: a dry-season morning around low tide — you'll get the clearest water, the fullest sandbar, and the boat crossing at its calmest.
How to Reach Ross & Smith Islands
Getting here is a two-stage journey: reach Diglipur first, then take a short boat ride out to the islands.
- Stage 1 — Reach Diglipur: By road from Port Blair, this is roughly a 10-12 hour journey, often broken into an overnight stop at Rangat or Mayabunder. An inter-island ferry is the other option, depending on current schedules.
- Stage 2 — Boat to the islands: From Diglipur, a short boat ride from the Aerial Bay jetty takes you out to Ross & Smith. Boats are typically arranged through your guesthouse or a local tour operator in Diglipur rather than booked independently at the jetty.
Walking the Sandbar
The sandbar is the whole point of the trip. As the tide drops, a pale ribbon of sand emerges between Ross Island and Smith Island, wide enough to walk across with water lapping at either side. It's shallow, warm, and safe to wade through in most conditions, and it's rare enough — most beaches don't let you walk between two separate islands on foot — that it's worth building your whole visit around catching it at its best.
Beyond the sandbar itself, both islands have quiet, largely untouched beaches good for swimming and simply sitting with almost no one else around — a sharp contrast to the more developed beaches further south in the archipelago.
Permission & Entry
Visiting Ross & Smith isn't a simple case of hiring any boat at the jetty — entry is generally arranged through the Forest Department or a registered local tour operator in Diglipur, who handle the necessary permission and ticketing as part of organising your boat trip. It's a straightforward process in practice, but it does mean booking a day or so ahead through your guesthouse rather than showing up and expecting to arrange it on the spot.
Suggested Visit Plan
Ross & Smith works best as a half-day to full-day trip from Diglipur, timed around the tide.
Boat Out & Sandbar Walk
- ✓Depart Aerial Bay jetty by boat
- ✓Time arrival close to the day's low tide
- ✓Walk the sandbar between the two islands
Beach Time & Swimming
- ✓Swim in the calm, clear shallows
- ✓Relax on the largely empty beaches
- ✓Photography while the light is strong
Return to Diglipur
- ✓Boat back to Aerial Bay jetty
- ✓Head back into Diglipur town
- ✓Rest before a Saddle Peak or Kalipur outing
Food & Facilities
There are essentially no food stalls or shelters on Ross & Smith Islands themselves — this is a day trip to an undeveloped spot, not a resort island. Carry drinking water, snacks or a packed lunch, and sun protection, and plan to eat properly once you're back in Diglipur, which has a handful of simple local eateries and guesthouse kitchens.
Budget Breakdown
| Expense | Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boat + entry permission | ₹800 | ₹1,500 | ₹2,500 |
| Food carried/packed | ₹200 | ₹500 | ₹1,000 |
| Diglipur accommodation/night | ₹800 | ₹2,000 | ₹4,500 |
| Total (approx., per person) | ₹1,800 | ₹4,000 | ₹8,000 |
* Excludes travel to Diglipur from Port Blair. See our Diglipur travel guide for that leg of the journey.
Essential Tips for Visiting Ross & Smith Islands
- Check the tide table first: The sandbar walk is the main draw — arrange your boat timing around low tide rather than a fixed hour.
- Book through Diglipur, not on arrival: Boats and entry permission are arranged a day ahead through your guesthouse or a local operator.
- Carry everything you need: Water, snacks, and sun protection — there's no shop or shelter on the islands.
- Don't confuse it with Ross Island: This is a different, unrelated island pair near Diglipur, not the colonial-ruins Ross Island near Port Blair.
- Combine it with a North Andaman loop: Pair the trip with Kalipur and Saddle Peak given how far Diglipur is from the rest of the Andamans.
✅ Do
- →Time your trip around low tide
- →Book the boat and permission via Diglipur
- →Carry water, food, and sun protection
- →Visit during the Nov–Mar dry season
- →Pair the trip with Kalipur and Saddle Peak
❌ Don't
- →Expect food stalls or shelter on the islands
- →Show up at Aerial Bay expecting a same-day boat
- →Confuse this with Ross Island near Port Blair
- →Visit during the monsoon months
- →Rush it as a side trip without a North Andaman plan
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you really walk between Ross Island and Smith Island?
Yes — a natural sandbar connects the two islands and is exposed and walkable during low tide. It's the single defining feature of a visit here: you can literally stand with one island behind you and the other ahead, ankle-deep in the sea on either side. The sandbar narrows or submerges as the tide rises, so timing your visit around low tide matters.
Is Ross & Smith Islands the same as Ross Island near Port Blair?
No, and this is a common mix-up. Ross Island near Port Blair (officially renamed Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep) is the former British colonial headquarters with ruins, deer, and a short ferry ride from the capital. Ross & Smith Islands are an entirely different pair of islands near Diglipur, roughly 300 km north, known for their sandbar rather than any colonial history.
How do I get to Ross & Smith Islands?
You first need to reach Diglipur in North Andaman, either by a long road journey (roughly 10-12 hours from Port Blair, often broken up overnight) or an inter-island ferry. From Diglipur, a short boat ride from the Aerial Bay jetty takes you out to Ross & Smith Islands — most visitors book this boat through a local operator or their guesthouse in Diglipur.
Do I need permission to visit Ross & Smith Islands?
Yes, entry is typically arranged through the Forest Department or through local tour operators in Diglipur, who handle the paperwork and ticketing as part of the boat trip. It isn't a complicated process, but it does mean you can't simply show up at Aerial Bay and hire a boat without going through the proper channel first.
What facilities are available on Ross & Smith Islands?
Very few. This is a day-trip destination with minimal to no permanent food stalls or shelter, so carry your own drinking water, snacks or a packed lunch, and sun protection. There's no overnight stay option on the islands themselves.
What is the best time to visit Ross & Smith Islands?
November to March offers the calmest seas, clearest water, and most reliable low-tide sandbar walks, in line with the dry season across the Andamans. Plan your visit around the day's low tide timing, which your Diglipur boat operator can advise on, rather than a fixed clock time.
Published by the Kudozz Club editorial team · Last updated · How we research our guides
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