Radhanagar Beach

Havelock Island, India

One of the most beautiful beaches on the island and rated as the best in Asia by Time in 2004. Gorgeous, silky white sand backed by a forest that provides welcome shade looks out over turquoise water, some stretches with a sandy bottom good for swimming and some with excellent coral reefs that are great for snorkeling ; a great combination indeed. Sunsets here are often spectacular and it's a popular time to be at the beach, but be careful not to miss the last trucks back if you're not staying here. A man with an elephant walks through the forest occasionally, offering rides for a fee. Buses run throughout the day until sunset, as do auto-rickshaws and shared 4 wheel-drive trucks. If you are fit, you can bicycle from Govind Nagar but the journey is quite bumpy and steep. There are a few food shacks where the road hits the beach, all of which rent snorkels and fins.