Staff Correspondent
Sri Vijaya Puram, Feb. 05: Once a thriving center due to its plywood industry, Long Island has now become a largely forgotten destination, attracting only a handful of local tourists each month. Despite its immense tourism potential, with breathtaking locations like Lalaji Bay Beach, Mark Bay Island Beach, and Guitar Island, the lack of direct transportation has hindered its growth as a tourist hotspot.
Currently, the only available ferry services to Long Island are three-port or five-port routes, requiring travelers to transit through Swaraj Dweep or Shaheed Dweep + Swaraj Dweep. This extended journey discourages many potential visitors, especially those who are not comfortable with long boat rides.
Although the Administration has taken a positive step by introducing daily ferries to Long Island post-COVID, the indirect routes have not significantly boosted tourist arrivals. A few local tourists have started visiting, leading to a slight increase in private speedboats and vehicles on the island. However, tourism in Long Island remains underdeveloped compared to other destinations in Andaman.
Prominent voices from Middle Andaman believe that introducing a twice-a-week direct ferry service to Long Island on weekends could be a game-changer. With adequate publicity, this initiative could encourage more islanders from Port Blair to visit, eventually attracting mainland tourists as well. If such a schedule is maintained consistently—at least during the tourist season—Long Island could emerge as a major attraction in the Andaman archipelago.
A direct ferry service would not only provide an economic boost to the local community but also diversify Andaman’s tourism landscape. Expanding tourism beyond Swaraj Dweep and Shaheed Dweep would encourage repeat visits and offer tourists a unique experience beyond the usual destinations.
It is high time the Administration takes notice of this issue and formulates a concrete plan to promote Long Island as the next major tourist destination in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Islanders hope that the new Secretary Tourism will atleast once make a trip to Long Island to understand the ground reality and explore the future possibilities of the Island.
Beside plywood factory , which was started by M/s Albion and later taken over by M/s Asian woods and polymers Long Island happened to be Divisional HW of Middle Andaman Forest Division. It had a boat building yard too. A sizeable population lived there. Crane( Burmese tribe) population thrived there. Though it is a cut off island residents never felt lonely. A good market was there . M/ s Kaniappa was the leading trader . His shop had all grocery items . There was a temple . It would celebrate almost all religious festivals. Its downfall started with shifting of forest division office to Rangat in 1989 or so.