Sailing and surfing in the Andaman Islands of India

The Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal have been off limits to tourism until only recently.  Promoted as "The Most Beautiful Islands in the World," they offer pristine scenery and wildlife.  They also offer virtually unexplored new surfing opportunities:

SURFER Magazine had this to say about their first trip to the Andamans in 1998:  

"Geographically more ‘Indo'  than India, the Andaman Islands have been on many surf traveler’s wish list. Yet rigorous government efforts to restrict outside exposure to the region’s indigenous cultures have kept her wave line-ups empty - and probably will continue to do so in the years to come.... Geographic isolation, heavily restricted travel, mysterious stone age culture and totally uncharted waters - the Andaman Islands are everything you want in a surf trip."

Teiki Ballian -- cutting back at "No Pants",
Little Andaman, March 1999.

Free-diving, snorkeling, exploration and spear-fishing are also outstanding in these nearly untouched islands.  Areas of the Andaman Islands (and all of the Nicobar Islands to the south) remain strictly off-limits in an effort by the Indian government to protect the few remaining indigenous people who inhabit them.