Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep)

Overview

Ross Island — officially Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep since 2018 — is a tiny island in the mouth of Port Blair harbour that served as the administrative headquarters of the British in the Andamans from 1858 to 1941. In its heyday it had a church, bakery, printing press, swimming pool, ballroom, tennis courts and the Chief Commissioner’s residence — the “Paris of the East” to the colonial officers who lived there while convicts of the penal settlement laboured across the water.

An earthquake in 1941 damaged much of it, the British moved their offices to Port Blair, and the Japanese occupied the island from 1942 to 1945 (their bunkers still dot the shoreline). Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose raised the Indian flag here on 30 December 1943 — the origin of the modern name. Abandoned after the war, the island was left to the forest: today banyan and peepal roots have wrapped themselves around the brick walls, and spotted deer, peacocks and rabbits wander freely across the lawns.

Getting there

Boats leave from the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex (Aberdeen Jetty) in the centre of Port Blair through the morning and early afternoon; the crossing takes 10–15 minutes. Most people buy a combined Ross Island + North Bay boat ticket, which does both in a half day. There’s a separate landing fee on the island. The island is closed to visitors on Wednesdays — double-check before you plan.

Bring your ID; the island is managed by the Indian Navy and there is a check at the jetty.

What to see

The ruins — a marked walking loop (about 1.5 km) passes the Presbyterian church, the Chief Commissioner’s house, the bakery, the press, the officers’ quarters, the water-treatment plant and the swimming pool cut into the rock. The buildings-being-eaten-by-trees photographs are all here.
The Japanese bunkers — squat concrete pillboxes along the eastern shore.
The Smritika museum — a small collection of photographs and objects near the jetty giving the island’s history.
The deer and peacocks — semi-tame and used to visitors. Don’t feed them.
Ferar Beach — a small sandy cove on the far side, good for a paddle; swimming isn’t really the point of a Ross Island visit.
The light and sound show — an evening show narrating the island’s history, run most days in season (the schedule and language rotation change; ask at the jetty). Boats run specifically for it after the daytime service ends.

Practical notes

Allow 2–3 hours on the island. The path is shaded but humid; carry water.
There’s a small café near the jetty; otherwise no facilities. Toilets are basic.
Sunday and holiday crowds are large — go early on a weekday if you can.
Wear closed shoes: paths are uneven and there are roots and coral fragments underfoot.
Drones and professional video need permission from the Navy.

Nearby

North Bay Island is usually done on the same boat ticket. Back in Port Blair, the Cellular Jail is a ten-minute auto ride from Aberdeen Jetty and pairs naturally with Ross for a history day.