Andaman Islands Explorer

Start your holiday in style with included airport lounge access before your overnight flight, arriving in India on day two. 

Arrive into Kolkata where a private transfer will whisk to your hotel - the Taj Bengal. Here, modern luxury and old-world charm combine to create a wonderfully relaxing base from which to explore the colour and chaos of the 'City of Joy'. Indeed, you're just a stone's throw from some of Kolkata's most prominent landmarks, with the Victoria Memorial, Horticultural Gardens, Eden Gardens, National Library and St Paul's Cathedral all within easy reach. The next day, after some free time to relax and enjoy the hotel's spread of leisure and fine-dining facilities, you'll head out with a guide to take in some of these very highlights, ending with a visit to Mother Teresa's former home, and the centre – Nirmal Hriday – where her legacy lives on.

Stay: Taj Bengal (Deluxe)

Wake early this morning for your transfer back to the airport for your flight to Port Blair in the Andaman Islands, a stunning tropical archipelago, 1,000 kilometres from the Indian mainland in the azure waters of the Bay of Bengal. On arrival you'll be met and transferred to your hotel, located in the heart of the Andaman's sleepy capital. Spend an afternoon relaxing and exploring at your own pace, before enjoying an evening light and sound show at the city's Cellular Jail, a former colonial prison that played an important role in the island's colonial past.

Stay: Hotel Peerless or Hotel Sea Shells

Check out of your Port Blair hotel this morning and transfer to the city's harbour where you'll board a ferry for the short journey to Havelock Island. Spend the next three days relaxing in one of the world's most idyllic island settings, home to dazzling beaches and spectacular marine life. Visit Radhanagar Beach, which is the best on this island and offers a shallow sandy seabed, which is perfect for swimming, as well as some superb diving and snorkelling on the nearby coral reefs. And once you're finished with the beach there are several jungle treks available, affording the chance to discover the unique flora and fauna of the island's forested interior. An upgrade to the Taj Exotica adds in everything from fine dining to indulgent spa treatments.

Stay: Jalakara Resort (Superior) or Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Andamans (Deluxe)

After breakfast you'll board a flight to Chennai, where you'll be met and transferred to your landmark city-centre hotel, the wonderfully luxurious Taj Coromandel. Take time to relax with a dip in the pool, before a private afternoon tour introduces you to Chennai's highlights, including the Victoria Art Gallery, the Madras Museum and St. Mary's Church - the oldest Anglican church in Asia. Your final stop is colourful Kapaleeswarar Temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, where you have an opportunity to mingle with the devotees and observe the unique rituals of Hinduism. Return to the hotel this evening, perhaps enjoying a treatment in the opulent Jive Spa.

Stay: Taj Coromandel

After breakfast, transfer to the airport in time for your flight. Arrive back in the UK and continue your onward journey home.