Taj Exotica Resort and Spa

• Set on Havelock Island's best known beach
• Snorkel and dive at the coral reef
• Explore the mangroves and rainforest
• Spacious, secluded villas
• Choice of restaurants
• Enjoy pampering spa treatments

Open: Taj Exotica Resort and Spa first opened in February 2018 and is open all year.

Location: The hotel is on Radhanagar Beach, on Havelock Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The nearest airport is Port Blair on South Andaman Island which has domestic flights from a number of Indian cities. From Port Blair you take a ferry to Havelock Island, and the hotel is about a half hour drive from the ferry port.

Rooms: There are 72 villas arranged in the gardens, divided into 4 categories. The 63 deluxe villas have almost 147sqm of space each, have a king size bed, large bathroom with rain shower and bath, and a terrace with chairs and loungers. There are 5 luxury pool villas, the same size as the deluxe villas, and each with a large deck and private pool. Each of the 3 grand luxury pool villas has 2 bedrooms, both en-suite, a sitting area, deck and pool, and occupies 267sqm. The presidential villa is arranged over 2 floors and has 3 en-suite bedrooms, a living area, veranda and 20m pool. In all it covers 597sqm. It has beach access and comes with butler service. All villas have LED TV, minibar, hairdryer, electronic safe and air conditioning.

Activities: Go snorkelling, and scuba diving by the coral reef, or dive to the wreck of MV Mars, a boat which sank in 2006. Try your hand at game fishing. One of the resort’s special activities is night kayaking in the mangroves led by experienced guides. Go bird watching at Chidiyatapu, and between December and February you can see giant leatherback and hawksbill turtles laying their eggs on the beach. Sunset cruises are popular.

Facilities: The resort has over 18 hectares of grounds including an Olympic size swimming pool. Jiva Spa provides personal programmes devised by therapists, and guests have complimentary use of the steam rooms. There is a gym, and yoga classes can be arranged. The resort offers a laundry and dry cleaning service.

Dining: There are 3 restaurants on site. The Settlers serves a range of cuisines and includes fresh seafood, and is open for dinner only. Turtle House specialises in grilled dishes for lunch and dinner. Shoreline is the venue for breakfast. At dinner time you can sample a broad selection of curries that reflect the influence of nearby countries.

Children: Children of all ages are welcome. There are special activities for youngsters such as orchard tours, jungle walks and beach picnics.

Health: We recommend malaria prophylactics for travel to India.

Communication: There is Wi-Fi internet access in the reception area.