Taipei to Port Blair Flights

  About Taipei

Taipei City is the capital of Taiwan and a city that has been developing fast. Taipei has a very welcoming feel, and the city embraces its tourists with open arms. The city will instantly make you fall in love with it. The locals here are quite helpful and very friendly. The city has a lot of historical monuments, museums, gardens and age-old temples that are worth visiting. It might not be exactly adventurous, but it is definitely worth visiting. You get to learn a lot about the lifestyle and culture that the locals here lead. The city has also quite adapted to the party scenes and makes sure you get a party if you are looking for one. Shilin Night Market and Ximending are some of the popular places in the city to shop. Taipei also boasts of housing the world's eighth tallest building which is about 508 metres tall called Taipei 101. Needless to say, the view from up there is simply breathtaking and one that you are definitely not going to forget. The city also has lush greenery and hot springs so tourists can get rid of all their stress and just relax.

Best Time to Visit Taipei City

Taipei experiences the spring season from March to May which is also the peak tourist season. You can go for a hike to the Elephant Mountain and be amazed at how beautiful the trails look, thanks to spring. The temperature ranges from 20 to 25 degree Celsius, and it even rains a little bit during spring. If you vacation clashes with The Tomb Sweeping Day, which is a public holiday celebrated in April, you will find most streets deserted at this time. Since this is peak travel season, make sure you book your hotel in Taipei several weeks in advance because availability might become an issue at the last moment. Not to mention, the hotel prices also see a surge during this season, so you will end up paying more money on accommodation that you otherwise might. You will also have to book your flight tickets to Taipei in advance.

September to November is autumn season in Taipei, and there are fewer tourists in the city. If you don't like crowds, this is the right time for you to head to Taipei. The temperature ranges from 23 to 30 degree Celsius and is quite comfortable. Hotel and flight prices also drop considerably during this time. You might get a good deal on a flight ticket to Taipei in autumn. You can take a stroll by the lakes or head to the beach, and you can enjoy exploring the city without being hassled by tourists. The locals also prefer and love this season better than the rest. While the days are warm and sunny, the nights are comparatively cool. The Moon Festival and Double Ten Day are some of the popular events that are celebrated during this time.

The city experiences summer from June to August, and the temperature reaches a maximum of 30 degree Celsius. This is a low tourist season since there is also a threat of typhoons hitting the city in summer. Though you might be able to get cheap flight tickets to Taipei and cheaper accommodations, this is not the best time to plan your vacation to Taipei. However, if you are in the city during early summer, you might be able to catch the Dragon Boat Festival. December to February is the winter season and the temperature drops to a minimum of 10 degree Celsius. It is not too cold, and a lot of tourists actually love planning a winter trip to Taipei.

Places to Visit in Taipei City

Taipei 101 is an important landmark in Taipei and one you must definitely not miss. It is the eighth tallest building in the world and is an architectural marvel. National Palace Museum is yet another major tourist spot that houses artworks and artefacts from more than 10,000 years ago. Ximending is a popular neighbourhood in Taipei and quite the party destination, too. You can also head to Shilin Night Market for some delicious street food and a satisfying shopping spree. Though you will also find a lot of fancy restaurants at the market, travellers recommend that you give the local street food stalls a shot. The Longshan Temple is one of the oldest temples in Taiwan and is mainly popular because of its markets. Xinbeitou Hot Springs is the best getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. You can also head to the National Taiwan Museum, which is one of the oldest museums in all of Taiwan. If you are an animal lover, you have got to visit the Taipei Zoo. It is a very popular tourist attraction for families with kids.

If you are a history buff, you are going to love a visit to the National History Museum. It was built in 1955 and showcased a lot of important collections that depict Taiwan's history. Dadaocheng Wharf has become a tourist attraction today along the Tamsui River. It used to be a major trade location before it transformed.

Things to do in Taipei City

Visiting Taipei 101 and going all the way up to the observatory must be on your itinerary. You will have to pay a nominal tariff to get up there, but it's all worth it. You can sign up for a guided sightseeing tour of the city or explore the city on your own, whichever suits you. Head over to Shilin Night Market to let your hair down, and party or you can just spend the night dining and shopping. Both are great ways to end the vacation. Sign up for a food tour of the city, if you find one. Right from the local street food to the fancy restaurants, you can pick your favourite once you've tried everything you felt like trying. In fact, you can also enrol yourself in a cooking class and learn to cook at least one Taiwanese cuisine. You can head back home after your holiday and show off your skills to your friends and family. It would be best if you headed to the Xinbeitou Hot Springs and this place will get rid of all the stress that you are going through. You can indulge in massage therapy or just enjoy the warm water and other healing therapies. You can also participate in any one of the festivals here that will help you socialise and learn more about the Taiwanese culture. The people here are very warm and welcoming so that you can feel safe here.

Foods and Restaurants in Taipei

Taipei is one city where you will find all sorts of cuisine. It is a modern city and caters to all kinds of taste buds. Though there are quite a few dishes here that are inspired by Chinese cuisine, the locals have managed to make Taiwanese food stand out. Gua bao is a popular pork belly dish that is quite popular in Taiwan; so is the oyster omelette. Taipei also has a lot of Indian restaurants like Mayur Indian Kitchen, Saffron Fine Indian Restaurant, Balle Balle Indian Restaurant and Ali Baba's Indian Kitchen. However, it is not very easy to find vegetarian food in the city. Mik-4ever Indian Restaurant is a popular restaurant that has quite a few options for vegetarian and vegan dishes. Hotpot and beef noodle soup are some of the other popularly ordered foods at restaurants here. The local street food at the night markets here are delightful, and you must try it. Ay-Chung Flour Rice Noodles is a very popular restaurant that you must try. The mee sua with braised pork intestine is a highly recommended dish at the restaurant. Fuhang Soy Milk is yet another popular restaurant in the city that serves traditional Taiwanese breakfast. You can also head to the Tao-Yuan Street Beef Noodle Shop for more variety in Taiwanese cuisine.

How to reach Taipei City

Taoyuan International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Taiwan. The flight connectivity to Taipei City from India is excellent. Cathay Pacific Airways, Dragonair and Singapore Airlines have frequent flights to Taipei City with layovers at Hong Kong and Singapore. If you book several weeks in advance, you will come across exciting flight deals to Taipei City online. During the offseason, you might even get cheap flight tickets to Taipei City. The Taoyuan airport is connected really well to other cities by road and rail. You can either book a cab from the airport or board a bus. You can also commute by train near the airport. The airport has premium lounges, WiFi, ATMs, currency exchange, restaurants, cafes, shopping areas, massage services, information desks and so on. If you have to wait for a long time to board your flight, be assured that you will not get bored here. You can also book a hotel in Taipei City near the hotel for the last couple of days of your vacation, so you reach on time.

  About Port Blair

Port Blair, famously known to have been a prison during the British era, is the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. It is the only city in the archipelago with airport connectivity. The beautiful city of Port Blair has a significant history and culture that you should definitely explore. Not to mention the stunning beaches and green expanses that envelop the island city. The flight tickets to Port Blair are a little on the expensive side, but you can always opt for ferry or ships as an alternative to reach the city.

Best time to visit Port Blair

Port Blair offers a different vibe in every season, making it one of the most interesting places to visit. The summer season from March to May are perfect for scuba diving. The weather is not too harsh compared to the other places in India. The sky is clear, as are the waters, making it a diver's Shangri-La. The temperatures during summer in Port Blair range between 28 degree Celsius and 30 degree Celsius, which is quite pleasant and bearable. Besides, the waters would be there to cool your senses.

October to February is yet another stretch of months that sees good weather in Port Blair. The winters are quite mild but pleasant with temperatures dwindling between 15 degree Celsius to 34 degree Celsius. The weather plus the clear skies make it the most favourable season to visit Port Blair. Many honeymooners and travellers choose this season to visit the lovely Andaman Islands and explore its beaches. The city is full of life with bustling markets and beaches. Getting cheap tickets to Port Blair during the peak season is going to be quite challenging. However, if you spend more time online to figure out a good flight deal to Port Blair, immediately take it up.

Monsoon is definitely not ideal for visiting Port Blair, especially if you're planning to visit via the sea route. The heavy rainfall would cause a lot of discomfort during your voyage. Even flights might get delayed owing to bad weather.

Places to visit in Port Blair

Cellular Jail, famously known as Kalapani, is easily one of the top tourist attractions of Port Blair. What makes this place famous is how it played as a gruelling prison during the Colonial era, the memorial celebrates the lives of freedom fighters who were imprisoned on the island. The historical relevance of the place draws a lot of attention, as does the intriguing landscape. While you're here, also ensure to check out the Japanese Bunker, a complex boasting the relics of World War II. The place certainly has made several contributions to the Indian as well as global history and is definitely worth a visit. Aside from historic sites, the place also has one of the biggest pilgrim sites with a massive Murugan Temple. The exquisite Dravidian-style architecture with deities nestled on the gopuram makes for quite an experience.

An interesting excursion would be to check out the Mangkutan village where you will be taken through the rubber plantation, which is the primary source of income for people residing in Port Blair. You should also add the Marina Park and Aquarium in your list of places to visit in Port Blair. It hosts over 350 marine species, including turtles and sharks.

Things to do in Port Blair

As a city on an island, much of the place is surrounded by pristine beaches and azure blue water touching the shores. You can take up beach hopping as a way to visit some of the finest beaches of Port Blair and its surrounding. Do add Ross and Smith Islands, Butler Bay Beach, Rutland Island, Parrot Island, Cinque Island and Karmatang beach in your list. These beautiful beaches will give you the best treatment with open waters and a calming breeze. If you wish to indulge in some water sports, which we do recommend you should, go over to Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex to make the most of your time on the island. From parasailing to banana boat rides, the complex would give you a bunch of water sports activities to choose from.

Corbyn's Cove is quite a sight for sore eyes. The quaint space with its pristine blue waters would keep you engaged. Not to mention how the coconut and palm trees lining the beach would further add more scenic beauty to your pictures. If the beaches have started to bore you and you wish to get an aerial view of the lovely island where Port Blair is located, then you should trek up to the Madhuban Ranges. It is located in the Mount Harriet National Park and is known to offer the best views of the city and island from atop.

Food and Restaurants in Port Blair

Being an island could mean barely any options for vegetarians. However, vegetarians don't have to worry about that in Port Blair. The famous Annapurna restaurant and Kattabomman restaurants, both offer amazing South Indian food at an affordable cost. You will find vegetarian Chinese dishes at these food institutions as well. As for the travellers who cannot wait to check out what the seafood platter in Port Blair restaurants consists, head straight to New Lighthouse restaurant located near Marina Park in the city. You will definitely not be disappointed by the food or the ambience. You also have Sinclair's Bayview resort with its sea-facing restaurant to visit. The place has cuisine ranging from local Port Blair speciality to continental spread.

The city also caters to honeymooners and has some lovely romantic setting to give them a splendid experience. Amaya Lounge Bar is one such place where the location will blow your mind and the food, your senses. The cuisine is friendly to all as it sells experience more than heavenly food. Speaking of a romantic setting, to make things more personal, you can opt to go to Bonova Cafe and Pub, which is located close to the Govind Nagar Beach. The place has an exquisite vibe and food so divine. Mandalay restaurant is also one such restaurant in Port Blair that faces the sea and offers top-rated food. Plus, the price is not too expensive so you can try more for less money.

How to reach Port Blair

By Air

Port Blair, being the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has a domestic airport, commercially known as Veer Savarkar Airport. The airport has great flight connectivity from Port Blair to major cities in India. In fact, there are direct flights from Port Blair to Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Vizag and Delhi. These are the only destinations in India from where you can find flights to Port Blair. As for the other cities, options of connecting flights and layovers would be the only way to reach Port Blair by flight. There are no international routes connected to Port Blair as there is provision for only domestic flights. Airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir and Vistara have regular flights flying in and out of Port Blair. The closest cities to the Andaman Islands are Chennai, Vizag and Kolkata.

Reaching the island state from these three cities is known to be the easiest domestic route that can be taken. It barely takes 2.5 to 3 hours to reach Port Blair by flight from Chennai and Kolkata. However, if you are travelling from Delhi, the flight duration to Port Blair would easily take you 5 hours. International services to Port Blair are not allowed so travellers flying in from international routes will have to take a connecting flight to Port Blair. It is imperative that you carry your official documents and government papers as an international traveller. The airport conducts strict immigration checks to ensure non-natives do not enter unless the government gives them the green signal.

Interestingly, there are chopper services also available to reach Port Blair from Indian cities. Pawan Hans Helicopter Ltd. has dedicated chopper services transporting people to Port Blair from Chennai.

By Water

Various private and government ferries connect to Port Blair. You can find these ferries at the Chennai port as well as Vizag and Kolkata. Although reaching Port Blair from the sea is time-consuming, it does give you a different kind of experience, which is worth it. Out of the ships and ferry options, Chennai port is closer compared to Vizag and Kolkata, so it is recommended that you board your ships from here. Travelling by ship works perfectly if you are planning a long vacation. However, if the trip is time-bound, then you should opt to fly to Port Blair. The ship and ferry services connect to Port Blair and some of its famous islands such as Havelock, Neil Island and more.

For travellers opting ship and waterways as the medium of transport, it is recommended that you book your tickets 15 days in advance. You can make online bookings for your tickets to Port Blair as these government-owned as well as private ships have active online portals. At the same time, be abreast of the challenges that would come with travelling by sea. Many people tend to fall seasick, and this results in the whole trip being ruined. Be mindful and cautious before choosing ships.